MMDA Defends "Slide-Like" PWD Ramp at Philam Bus Station
The Internet says it's more a slide than a PWD ramp
(SPOT.ph) The recently unveiled ramp at the Philam station on the EDSA Carousel was initially celebrated by the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) as a step towards “accessibility and convenience” for passengers—that is, before the Internet mistook it for a slide.
The MMDA has stepped in to defend the design of the PWD ramp, stating that the decision to install it in that way was driven by space limitations at the station.
According to the agency, the ramp's design was constrained by the height limitations imposed by the nearby MRT-3 line. Aligning the station's elevator with the footbridge would have been ideal, but was not feasible without the ramp.
“Hindi ito perpektong disenyo lalo na sa mga naka wheelchair pero malaking tulong pa rin ito para sa mga senior citizens, buntis at ibang PWDs sa halip na umakyat gamit ang hagdan,” the MMDA said in a statement, adding that the actual incline of the ramp is less severe than it appears in the viral picture.
“Kumpara sa nag-viral na photo, hindi ito masyadong matarik kung lalakaran.”
To help with the ramp's challenges, the MMDA has committed to deploying personnel to assist those who might struggle with the ascent.
“Pinag-isipan po namin itong mabuti. Ito na po talaga ‘yung kaya naming gawin, given the circumstance at situation ng lugar,” MMDA Acting Chairman Romando Artes said to reporters.
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Internet reacts to slide-like ramp at Philam bus station
The Internet didn't miss a beat before poking fun at the new PWD ramp at the EDSA Carousel's Philam station, likening it to a slide in an amusement park.
There are at least 1.44 million PWDs in the country, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority's 2010 Census of Population and Housing. In 2022, Senator Leila de Lima demanded to reevaluate existing laws on PWDs after a picture of a wheelchair user who was struggling to climb the stairs at the LRT-2 went viral.
The lack of PWD-friendly facilities has always been a problem in the country, which prompted the MMDA to build more inclusive infrastructure in transportation systems. However, the recent unveiling didn’t quite hit the mark.
A PWD from the advocacy group Life Haven even went to Philam station to test the ramp out for himself. Surprise, surprise: Even with a personnel guiding him from behind, he found that the ramp was still too challenging to use.
GMA News also spoke to Architect Armand Eustaquio of the United Architects of the Philippines. He was among those who crafted the implementing rules and regulations of the Batas Pambansa 344 or the Accessibility Law, which states that PWD ramps must be inclined at a 4.8-degree angle.
However, the ramp at the Philam station had a 14.15-degree incline.
“Sa case nito, mukhang 'di nila kakayanin unassisted, especially 'yung mga gumagamit ng wheelchair. Kailangan may magtutulak sa kanila otherwise medyo delikado ‘to,” Eustaquio said.
Also read: Elevated Walkways for Seniors and PWDs: What We Know About the EDSA Greenways Project