Looking back, zooming in, and moving forward: The Speech-Language Pathology profession in the Philippines four decades after its inception

Abstract

Purpose: The field of speech-language pathology (SLP) is a young profession in the Philippines compared and relative to the other health sciences in the country. The emergence of this profession is marked by the milestones laid by the development of the first speech pathology education and training program at the University of the Philippines (UP); the establishment of its national professional organization, the Philippine Association of Speech Pathologists (PASP); and the enactment of RA 11249 or the Speech Language Pathology Act, which created the Professional Regulatory Board for Speech-Language Pathology (PRB-SLP) under the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).

This article looks back at these early beginnings, focuses at the current status of the profession, and provides perspectives for its growth moving forward. Specifically, this article provides an overview of the education and training, professional organization, and local practice of Filipino SLPs. Some emerging issues about the local practice and research gaps are also discussed.

Conclusions: The SLP profession in the Philippines has come a long way in developing education and training programs, expanding its national professional organization, and obtaining regulation of the practice of this profession under the law. However, there is still much work to be done to ensure its growth and further its development as a health science. Among these, strengthening the body of research to respond to the evolving needs and distinct landscape of local practice could further the growth of SLP in the Philippines.