Dizon: Public infra has 'terrible compliance' with Accessibility Law for PWDs

Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon admitted that there was still a long way to go before public infrastructure is fully compliant with the Accessibility Law.

During the Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) budget hearing before the House of Representatives, Akbayan Representative Percy Cendaña asked Dizon how compliant public infrastructure was with the Batas Pambansa Bilang 344 (BP 344) or the Accessibility Law, which mandates that public spaces must be able to accommodate persons with disability (PWD).

“Terrible compliance with the Accessibility Law. Kitang-kita naman po natin kalye natin, walang sidewalk. Kaya po slowly but surely, pinapakita natin na pwede naman po gawin ng tama,” Dizon said.

(Terrible compliance with the Accessibility Law. It is very evident with our roads, there are no sidewalks. That is why slowly but surely, we are showing that it can be done right.)

Dizon said he was able to join mobility advocates in walking along EDSA, and he was able to see PWDs try to travel using the main road.

“Hindi po pwede mag-commute at maglakad ‘yung PWDs natin sa EDSA kasi mamamatay sila, masasagasaan sila,” Dizon said.

(The PWDs cannot commute or walk along EDSA because they could die, they would get hit by vehicles.)

The DPWH chief said he hoped with the planned EDSA rehab, this could be improved. On top of widening sidewalks, Dizon said he hoped to also better comply with the Accessibility Law.

However, Dizon said that there was still some distance before the law could be fully implemented across the country.

Cendaña said that it was heartbreaking that public infrastructure failed to give PWDs more access. Some sidewalks could not even fit a wheelchair, he said. —RF, GMA News