MANILA, Philippines — A bill seeking to require all public and private establishments to have quickly available wheelchairs for persons with disability (PWDs) and others who might need similar care has been filed in the House of Representatives.
Quezon City 1st District Rep. Onyx Crisologo filed House Bill No. 8436, requiring all public and private establishments to maintain wheelchairs that individuals like PWDs, the elderly, and pregnant women may use when needed.
The proposed law likewise targets to impose fines of not less than P5,000 and not more than P10,000 against people who block PWD access ramps.
“The protection of the rights of persons with disabilities continues to be a national concern and an evolving era of study,” Crisologo said in the bill’s explanatory note.
“While initiatives on this are constantly pushed, gaps in the current efforts of the government shall be incessantly reviewed and enhanced to guarantee that the policies in place are fully responsive to the distinct needs of PWDs and other individuals that need similar care,” he added.
Should Crisologo’s bill gets approved, it mandates the National Council on Disability Affairs, in coordination with the Department of Interior and Local Government and local government units, to promulgate its implementing rules and regulations.