Career OFW opens up on challenges of raising a child with severe ASD

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Life gave her lemons, and so she made lemonade.

Marie Bernadette Jacobo Ortiguerra, who started out in 2007 as sales secretary at a five-star hotel here and is now among top executives of the city’s highly competitive hospitality industry, said that while she considers this a feather in her cap, she has another, and more noteworthy, accomplishment.

“It is being called ‘mommy’ by my son, John Marcus, when he was five years old,” Ortiguerra tells GMA News Online.

Nothing special except that a few years before when he was three and a half, John Marcus was diagnosed with Severe Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

“My husband, John Paul, and I were at our weakest when we learned that our son has autism. We were informed he might not speak at all and will not lead a regular life. We were all silent when we heard about it; no one spoke,” said Ortiguerra, cluster marketing and communications manager at two five-star properties – Radisson Blu Resort in Fujairah and Nassima Tower Hotel Apartments on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai.

“We were emotionally anxious, emotionally fatigued, and not financially prepared. Therapies are extremely expensive and are not typically covered by insurance. The most difficult part is acceptance; it has been a long and difficult journey. We struggled,” added Ortiguerra, who has been shortlisted for the 2024 PR Person of the Year, out of more than 1,660 submissions across the region, for the prestigious Hotelier Middle East Awards.

John Marcus regularly undergoes speech and language therapy and is also in a  brain enhancement program.

Helping in the expenses is Ortiguerra’s 26-year-old daughter, Zoemary Faye, a graduate of Anglia Ruskin University in the United Kingdom, who is now working as a cluster sales executive for a hospitality company, handling well-known properties in the region. “Proud of her achievements at such an early age, and glad to share that she is assisting us with her brother's school fees,” Ortiguerra said.

Turning point

Meantime, the couple “gradually embraced and accepted” the diagnosis and used it “as a turning point to remind ourselves that we needed to work hard and provide John Marcus with the love and support he needs,” Ortiguerra said.

“It is essential for parents to love their children for who they are.”

Ortiguerra, who holds a degree in computer science from AMA Computer University, said parenting a child with severe ASD can be “heart-breaking.”

“Teaching, giving directions, guiding him, and getting family members and friends to understand him were all difficult, but I realized I needed to be emotionally tough to be the best parent I could be for him,” she said. 

It can also be rewarding, she said. “Every time we conquer a challenge, we are rewarded. Every time I see him thrive and progress, I feel rewarded. We treat every reward equally and enjoy it to the fullest,” she said.

A school registrar and computer education teacher before she left Manila for Dubai in 2007, Ortiguerra said she sought assistance from professionals, including doctors, behavior analysts, and therapists. “Our journey has been both tough and gratifying; it also has not been without its flaws,” she said.

Ortiguerra said people randomly ask her if she is worried about her son. “I’d say I definitely am. I worry for his future. I worry about who will help him when we're not around. Despite everything, I remain strong and I trust God that everything will be okay, that Marcus will be okay. I always see the bright side of every circumstance.”  

Career

A highlight of Ortiguerra's illustrious career includes her pivotal roles in handling two major rebranding projects for hotels under the prestigious AccorHotels and Marriott International brands. 

She also played a critical role in the launch of a StayWell brand in the region, while managing marketing and communications for other Park Regis Hotels which she serves as a regional marketing and communications manager.

Ortiguerra's achievements include the successful opening of the first-ever Swissotel in the UAE, an AccorHotels venture in 2017, and the largest Rotana Hotels & Resorts property in the region in 2012.  

Apart from her professional accomplishments, Ortiguerra is a recognized figure in the digital sphere, serving as an influencer, content creator, lifestyle and food blogger, and Tiktoker in her free time. She has collaborated with renowned brands, promoting significant events like the Dubai Travel Destination and Dubai Shopping Festival by Dubai Tourism.  —KBK, GMA Integrated News