During our 'meeting' with Aileen, someone asked if the audiology here is free. She said it is not free in the hospitals, as an audiology test is not required when you are born as it is not in the law. If parents requested to have the hearing test done on the baby, it is very expensive.
There was a child who was not recognised as Deaf until she was five years old, and she was recognised by her mother.
However. Gualandi Mission for the Deaf (GMD??) provide free hearing tests, but unfortunately some deaf people or families does not know about this and a lot of them doesn't know http at there is a Deaf community.
When parents are made aware that their child is deaf, most of the time, they are ashamed and make excuses that the child is sleeping or the noise wasn't loud enough for the child to hear. What's even more heartbreakingly is that sometimes Deaf parents does this. In the Philippines, it's very hard to accept your child's Deafness.
GMD are trying to make deaf parents and children aware of this organisations, so they can gain free hearing aids and audiology test. Aileen is only aware of one centre which provides free audiology tests and hearing aids. However she knows that there is a centre in Manila, but it is not free.
My next blog will be about an heated debate in the police station!
Ciao! :)
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