Plantation Bay introduces ‘improvements’ for guests with special needs

After drawing flak for its negative response to an incident involving a child with autism, Plantation Bay resort in Cebu says it has introduced “an initial series of enhancements designed to improve the handling, attention, and leisure experience for guests with special needs.”

According to a statement released on Monday, the luxury resort has modified its booking and reservation procedures to “include a more focused interface allowing guests to provide advance notice should any members of their group require special needs.”

“This will allow the resort to make preparations prior to the guests’ arrival and ensure a pleasant experience during their stay,” the release said.

While the resort's management continues to stand by the resort’s so-called “low noise level policy,” claiming “many of the resort’s clients, including the elderly and those with certain kinds of disability, prefer low noise levels," Plantation Bay is re-configuring some of its areas "to allow more flexibility."

According to the statement, Plantation Bay has opted to remodel one of its freshwater swimming pools, saying it will be exempt from the resort’s general "low noise level policy" during scheduled times.

This pool is said to be an “an enclosed, easy-to-monitor area to compensate for the increased safety risks posed by high noise levels.” It will also have an accompanying snack and beverage service.

Additionally, the resort said it will also set aside a 1,000-square-meter children’s play area “for more energetic children.”

The play area is expected to offer wall-climbing, a children’s boot camp, play golf, and an electric go-kart circuit.

The resort is currently also planning “further learning sessions for both management and staff, including inclusivity training for handling people with disabilities.”

Plantation Bay came under fire in early December after responding negatively to a client who posted about the resort's treatment of her six-year-old child with autism on Trip Advisor.

According to the mother, Mai Pages, she “felt discriminated against and excluded” after her child made uncontrollable squealing noises while enjoying the resort waters.

Using the account of general manager Efren Belarmino on Trip Advisor, the resort’s resident stakeholder Manny Gonzalez replied to Mai and accused her of "most likely deliberately lying" about her child’s condition.

The situation resulted in netizens coming to Mai's defense and Gonzales eventually stepping down from his post.

In its press release on Monday, Plantation Bay said the resort’s general Manager Cherry Allego has “expressed confidence that the resort will find other means of expanding its appeal to all kinds of clients, including those with various disabilities.”

— Margaret Claire Layug/LA, GMA News