LRT, MRT to offer free rides on Monday for PWDs

The Light Rail Transit and Metro Rail Transit will give free rides for persons with disabilities as the Philippines joins the world in marking the International Day of PWDs. On his Twitter account, LRT Authority spokesman Hernando Cabrera said: “LRT/MRT free ride for Persons with Disabilities (on) 03 December, Monday, from 7-9 a.m. & 5-7 p.m." The LRT-1 line links Roosevelt in Quezon City to Baclaran in southern Metro Manila, while LRT-2 links C.M. Recto in Manila to Santolan in eastern Metro Manila. MRT-3 links Taft Avenue in Pasay City and North Avenue in Quezon City via Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (EDSA). According to the United Nations, over one billion people, or 15 percent of the world’s population, live with some form of disability. It said PWDs often face barriers to participation in all aspects of society. “Barriers can take a variety of forms, including those relating to the physical environment or to information and communications technology (ICT), or those resulting from legislation or policy, or from societal attitudes or discrimination. The result is that persons with disabilities do not have equal access to society or services, including education, employment, health care, transportation, political participation or justice,” it said. For this year, it said the theme of International Day of PWDs is “Removing barriers to create an inclusive and accessible society for all.” — LBG, GMA News