19 hours Ago By N/A (John Legaspi)
Kristyn Dela Cruz, a neurodiversity advocate, and Gigi Daza, wife of Congressman Paul Daza, have much in common. Both are mothers to individuals with speech delays and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). They have faced challenges in raising their children, including public discrimination.
What they hope for is a better future for their children—one that can only happen with proper care and support from industry professionals.Dr. Bernadette Benitez, Gigi Daza, teacher Kaye Tiuseco, Vincent Rocha, SPED teacher Marissa Torres, and co-founder of Autism Philippines Kristyn Dela CruzEchoing this same goal is Vincent Rocha.
Inspired by his son Noah, he co-founded Mylo Speech Buddy, an innovative speech development system designed for children with speech delays, particularly those on the autism spectrum. Since its launch in 2023, the platform has grown to 75,000 global users and has been recognized as one of the 2025 Newsmakers of the Year by the Manila Bulletin. It also won two gold awards at the 2024 Stevie Awards.
To further its mission and help families with individuals on the spectrum, Mylo Speech Buddy is launching the “Ausome World” digital series and the Speak Clinic teleconsultation platform.“The launch of these initiatives represents a significant milestone in raising awareness about autism and supporting families seeking quality care for children with developmental challenges—especially as we observe World Autism Awareness Day,” Vincent said.The upcoming series will feature content filmed in multiple countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Japan, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States.
By capturing diverse narratives from around the world, the series aims to break barriers and foster a more connected, informed global community.“As of today, our focus is on Filipinos abroad. Though we already have foreign participants who said yes, we have yet to interview them,” Vincent tells Manila Bulletin Lifestyle.
“What we really want is to tell as many stories as we can—not only in the Philippines but across other countries as well. There are huge differences, but many similarities. Globally, there’s a scarcity of speech pathologists and developmental pediatricians.
”According to Vincent, the Philippines has only 1,100 speech therapists and 98 developmental pediatricians. Meanwhile, there are approximately 1.2 million individuals diagnosed with ASD in the country.
This imbalance makes it difficult for families to find the right support—and for professionals to reach those who need help.Dr. Bernadette C.
Benitez, president of the Philippine Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, notes that there are only five training institutions in the country, and becoming a certified developmental and behavioral pediatrician is a long process.Addressing this gap is Speak Clinic, a teleconsultation platform designed to streamline therapy access for children with developmental challenges. Think of it as a travel booking app—but for ASD care.
It features smart appointment scheduling, high-quality telemedicine capabilities, real-time chat for seamless communication between specialists and families, comprehensive patient management tools, and an integrated payment gateway for convenience. Speak Clinic benefits not only families, but also healthcare professionals, allowing them to reach families in need of their services. Interested professionals can register at speakclinic.
com.“Our goal is to bridge the gap,” Vincent says. “Parents from Visayas and Mindanao face bigger challenges in finding professionals.
What we’re trying to do is put everyone in one place so it’s easy for everyone to connect.”For more information about Mylo Speech Buddy and its initiatives, visit www.mylo.
ph..
