Councilor finds downtown sidewalks not PWD-friendly

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City Council has requested the Office of the Building Official (OBO) to survey the sidewalks on Colon Street and adjoining streets whether these sidewalks are persons with disability (PWD)-friendly.

Councilor Raul Alcoseba, who sponsored the resolution, said he observed that some sidewalks along Colon, Legazpi, and V. Gullas streets are not PWD-friendly considering that these sidewalks have varying elevation and some establishments construct flood control concrete structures which impedes mobility of pedestrians.

“The Office of the Building Official Cebu City needs to look into the matter and take appropriate action in compliance with Batas Pambansa Bilang 344,” said Alcoseba.

BP 344 aims to ensure the attainment of a barrier-free environment that will enable disabled persons to have access in public and private buildings and establishments.

In a corollary motion, Councilor Alvin Dizon requested the executive department to enforce the “Barrier-Free Tourism Ordinance” which he authored together with Councilor James Anthony Cuenco.

The ordinance seeks to institutionalize universal barrier-free designs, standards, and specifications for tourism-oriented establishments such as hotels, resorts, restaurants, and malls, among others, to make them more capable of addressing the needs of PWDs, the elderly and other sectors with special needs.

Meanwhile, Vice Mayor Michael Rama expressed that there is a need to bring the City Hall’s legislative building to be PWD-friendly.

“We talk about outside which is cognizable, but try to go and observe every office of the councilor. Even entrance going my office, the Vice Mayor’s Office, this is not PWD-friendly,” said Rama.

Rama intended his concern to Councilor Raymond Alvin Garcia, chairman of the committee on budget and finance, stating that the 15th Sangguniang Panlungsod should prepare the needed budget to bring the legislative building PWD-friendly. — GMR (FREEMAN)