Unfriendly to PWDs

A steep ramp at an Edsa busway station recently drew flak and is the latest display of the government’s detachment from the daily ordeal of ordinary Filipino commuters, especially people with disabilities (PWDs).

That this happened during the National Disability Rights Week (July 17-23 as declared last month by President Marcos through Proclamation No. 597) is a timely reminder that the country still has a long way to go in providing PWD-friendly public infrastructures.

The ramp at the Edsa-Philam busway station connects the footbridge to an elevator. However, many pointed out how it was not only difficult to navigate for PWDs but could pose risks to their safety. It did not have handrails at the right height and the flooring was not non-skid.

The ramp also had a very steep angle of 14.5 degrees—people on social media described it as a waterslide or skateboard ramp—that did not meet the 4.8-degree angle required under Batas Pambansa 344 or the accessibility law.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), in a Meta post, acknowledged that “It’s not a perfect design, especially for those using wheelchairs but it would still be a big help for senior citizens, pregnant women, and other PWDs instead of using stairs.”

It even added that the ramp is “not that steep” when walking on it contrary to how it looks in photos that went viral.

‘Puwede na’ attitude

“We consulted our architects and engineers at our traffic engineering center. This is really what we could do given the situation … The only option was to put it up as it is—with the ramp a bit steep—or there will be no elevator at all and our countrymen will have to use the stairs,” said MMDA acting chair Romando Artes.

The Filipino’s toxic “puwede na” attitude has struck again to show minimum compliance with the law even if the structure itself is unsafe and inconvenient and not in accordance with international standards.

And the MMDA’s solution? It will delegate staff to assist those who need to use the ramp, which defeats the purpose of designing accessible facilities to help reduce barriers, increase independence, and provide a sense of belongingness to PWDs. As of yesterday, the ramp has been shut down.

A Rappler documentary last year found out the following: 80 percent of the 46 train stations in Metro Manila lacked fully accessible entrances; only five out of 20 LRT-1 stations had elevators; trains were not on the same level as the platform; and 40 percent of toilets were not PWD-accessible.

There was also a suggestion to allocate two seats for PWDs per train car—currently, they have to get on the first car which could be inconvenient, especially for those in wheelchairs.

‘PWD-unfriendly’

Last year, a social media user named “Gino” called the country “PWD-unfriendly” in a post on X when he compared his experience navigating Taiwan and the Philippines as someone with a disability.

“[The abundance] of wheelchair infrastructure in Taiwan! […] Navigating Taipei was relatively easy; lightyears ahead of the PH … Navigating Manila was no easy feat on crutches … There were some times I had tremendous difficulty navigating stairs and sidewalks—most especially outside the business district area.”

This seeming indifference to PWDs in the construction of our public facilities brings to mind the elevated Edsa-Kamuning footbridge that also went viral in 2018 and was criticized for being too high and steep for pedestrians.

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Other PWD features lacking in public facilities are tactile paving on the streets; Braille markings on public signs, pedestrian crossings, and elevator buttons; and accessible pedestrian signals with audio and tactile information.

Mere lip service

Although we have the accessibility law, which was enacted in 1983, its implementing rules and regulations (IRR) were last updated in 1994. The government must review and revisit the IRR to make sure that it remains relevant and responsive to the evolving needs of PWDs.

Mr. Marcos assured last year that the “government remains dedicated to addressing the challenges faced by our PWDs so that they can fully participate in shaping our society.”

But this assurance remains as mere lip service if government agencies like the MMDA remain oblivious to the needs of PWDs and consider the construction of an unsafe ramp that fails to meet standards as compliance with the President’s commitment—and expect the public to be grateful.

The agency’s reasoning that there was “limited space” to construct a better ramp only reflects the need to review how our buildings are designed and constructed.

This once again also highlights the lack of a comprehensive urban plan that covers not only buildings but also transport and road networks—and such plan must involve consultations with stakeholders from affected sectors, including PWDs.

Without this, the Philippines will continue to lag behind developed countries that are seen not only as modern but also progressive in their inclusivity regardless of age, size, or disability.