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1982 and it continues to evolve to address the growing need for services in the country. References Cheng, W.T., Olea, T.M., & Marzan, J. (2002). Speech language pathology in the Philippines: Reflections on the past and present, perspectives for the future. Folia Phoniatrica et Logopaedica , 54 , 79–82. Council for the Welfare of Children, Republic of the Philippines Department of Education, Department of Health, Republic of the Philippines Department of Social Welfare and Development, Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). (2005). Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Checklist . Manila, Philippines: CWC and UNICEF. Cuadro, C.A., Marzan, J., & Munar, B.F. (2008). The core competencies expected of speech pathologists practicing in the Philippines: A validation study . Unpublished paper. Technical Committee for Speech Pathology Education, Office of Programs and Standards, Commission on Higher Education, Republic of the Philippines. [available from Committee Chair maesadicon@yahoo.com] Marzan, J. (2007). The bilingual language learning environment in the Philippines: An exploratory study utilizing a focus group discussion . Unpublished paper. Dept. of Psychology, College of Social Sciences and Philosophy, University of the Philippines – Diliman. [available from author jbmarzan2@up.edu.au.ph] National Statistics Office (NSO), Philippines (2000). 2000 Census of population and housing . Retrieved 28 June 2009 from http://www.census.gov.ph/census2000/c2khighlights_ final.html National Statistics Office (NSO), Philippines (2009). The Philippines in figures 2009 . Retrieved 14 January 2010 from http://www.census.gov.ph/data/publications/pif_2009.pdf The 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines. Retrieved 27 May 2010 from http://www.chanrobles.com/ article14language.htm Further reading MCA Limited (2001). The healthcare system in the Philippines . Retrieved 28 June 2009 from http://www. virtual-asia.com/ph/bizpak/reports/files/health.ph.pdf Villaraza, C. (1995). History of speech pathology in the Philippines . University of the Philippines, Manila. Unpublished Paper. Johncy Concepcion oversees the speech therapy services at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital in Singapore. Tricia Olea Santos is a research assistant and PhD student at University of Texas-Dallas. Carla Cuadro is a speech-language pathologist working mainly with adults with communication, swallowing and voice disorders. Winston Cheng is the section chief of speech-language pathology at Columbia University Medical Center, New York. Joyce Marzan has been a faculty member of the Department of Speech Pathology at the University of the Philippines for more than 15 years. Fernando Ligot is the chairperson of the Department of Speech Pathology at the University of the Philippines Manila.

with the Professional Regulation Commission before they are allowed to start their professional practice. However, the practice of speech pathology is not currently legislated. PASP first called for the enactment of a national law regulating SP practice in 1993. Despite years of deliberations of a proposed act, the act has not been approved yet. While stakeholders realise the importance of having the SP practice regulated, the logistics required for initiating such a move were seen as economically not viable. There are only a small number of SPs to be registered since only one institution is producing graduates at this time. Despite this, PASP has not been deterred from ensuring that SPs adhere to high professional standards. They developed and implemented an organisational policy for professional self-regulation through the PASP Certification of Speech Pathologists (PASP, 2005) to acknowledge practising clinicians who have completed a recognised speech pathology program. The certification is valid for two years and subject to renewal after meeting requirements set forth by the association. Future developments for the profession Further development of knowledge base and skills among the local SPs is enhanced through short-term continuing education courses offered by visiting professionals or Filipino SPs who have graduated from foreign institutions. However, these continue to be limited. Some research studies conducted by Filipino SPs have been published in peer- reviewed journals and presented at international conferences such as International Symposium on Communication Disorders in Multilingual Populations and those held by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association. In recent years, UP SP alumni situated abroad have organised the donation of therapy materials, journals and textbooks to the University of the Philippines. Given the limited access to textbooks and therapy materials, the clinicians in the field are generally encouraged to use their creativity and resourcefulness when treating clients. Some initiatives have been started to increase the availability of SP services and to improve the quality of healthcare service delivery. The University of the Philippines has started accepting lateral entrants (persons seeking a secondary degree in SP). Initially, entry to the BSSP program was only available for those entering the university as first-year students, with a quota of 30 students per year. The University of the Philippines has also begun fostering research and educational partnerships with the University of Illinois and the University of Hawaii. PASP has initiated Special Interest Teams with focus group discussions on dysphagia and motor speech disorders. In cooperation with local government units, SP graduates and parent organisations have started initiatives of providing free clinics in provinces, such as Bicol, Baguio and Davao. Organisations specialising in particular disorders (e.g., the Down Syndrome Association of the Philippines, Autism Society of the Philippines, Aphasia Foundation) continue to support the profession through outreach programs and workshops involving SPs as resource speakers for professionals as well as clients and families. The future of speech pathology in the Philippines remains to hold promise. A strong educational foundation, exposure to varied patient caseloads and language proficiency levels, and a push to rely heavily on creativity, resourcefulness, and clinical observation are among the focal points of SP practice in the Philippines. Speech pathology in the Philippines has definitely come a long way since its humble beginnings in

Correspondence to: Johncy Rose M. Concepcion

Senior Speech Therapist Khoo Teck Puat Hospital

90 Yishun Central Singapore 768828 email: concepcion.johncy@alexandrahealth.com.sg

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www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au