DOTr apologizes after MRT 3 guards deny entry to PWD

A nongovernment organization has called on transport officials to conduct sensitivity training for their personnel after two Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT 3) guards reportedly denied entry to a student diagnosed with autism and even accused him of having a fake person with disability (PWD) ID.

Periodic training

“Service providers in government need consistent training in handling customers with disabilities — including invisible ones like #autism. Training must continue until compassionate handling of PWDs is ingrained in the organization’s culture,” the Autism Society Philippines (ASP) said in a statement on Tuesday.

It added that it would be willing to help with the periodic training of MRT 3 employees and contractors to help them deal better with PWDs.

Earlier, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) apologized for the Oct. 26 incident.

According to the Nov. 3 Facebook post of Shirley Iyulores, her son was on his way to a school in Manila to attend training sessions for PWD when he was stopped by two MRT 3 guards at North Edsa station.

When he showed a copy of his PWD ID, they claimed it was fake and tried to confiscate it.

“To accuse my son of faking an ID and the staff’s failure to recognize his special MRT Beep card is preposterous and downright insensitive,” Iyulores said in her post, which had around 10,000 reactions as of writing.

She added that her son “went through a very humiliating experience because of the ignorance of your staff.”

The DOTr issued an apology, saying it was conducting its own investigation while adding that it “does not condone any act that may offend or disrespect any person or passenger.”

Fake IDs not uncommon

“While we do not intend to embarrass the bearers of valid [IDs of priority passengers], we note that cases of fake IDs being presented by some passengers in MRT 3 are not uncommon,” it added.

The DOTr said it would remind security personnel “to treat our passengers with dignity, especially our priority passengers, by approaching and explaining to them, in a calm and respectful manner, the policies being implemented by the MRT 3.”