Graphics by Zyrel Villalobos
Ever thought about the height of the overpasses or the lack of space in sidewalks, forcing you to walk on the road instead? I bet you have, and everyone has an opinion on the public transport infrastructure of our country. But what about persons with disability (PWD) commuters?
Before you say that these PWD commuters should take a Grab, taxi, or any other mode of private transportation- you must come to realize that these options are too expensive for daily commutes. Not everyone can afford the luxury of taking a Grab every day from work to home or even hanging out with friends. So the only other way is to commute, which is not even an easy feat for normal people.
You must realize that these options are too expensive for daily commuting. Not everyone can afford the luxury of taking car bookings to go from one place to another. So the only other way is to commute, which is hard for those without disabilities.
Most places in the Metro are not friendly to a PWD commuter, going from blocked paths in pedestrian lanes to the mentioned “stairway to heaven” in some places. Some sidewalks are more of a parking space for cars, with a slippery slope that causes most crutches or canes to slip when it’s raining. Not to mention in public transportation, these same commuters still have to try to get a seat in the MRT or jeepneys from passengers without disabilities, with some not lending their spot to the PWD because they sat there first.
And with most public transport, not everything is upgraded to be disability-friendly, so you’d have to spend more energy getting on a jeep than the average passenger. PWD groups are still fighting and calling for disability-friendly commuter facilities, with some efforts, but all of us still struggle with the sad reality of a car-centric society.
At the end of the day, we PWD commuters will end up coming in more tired than usual, so we hope for a difference in accessibility in the future.
Sources: GMA News Online & GMA News. (2022, September 11). PWD groups call for more disability-friendly commuter facilities | News |. GMA News Online. https://www.gmanetwork.com/.../pwd-groups-call-for.../story/ Ting, K. (2022, March 17). Accessibility, Sensitivity toward PWD commuters. VERA Files. https://verafiles.org/.../accessibility-sensitivity...
Comentarios