Netizens are mocking EDSA’s new wheelchair ramp, criticizing it for being too steep and unsafe for persons with disabilities (PWD).

Recently, EDSA opened its new wheelchair ramp to the public. However, it has faced backlash for being ten degrees steeper than the safety standard. Due to this, social media users have responded with comments like “Parkour!” and “May ganito din na slide sa Splash Island.”

‘PARKOUR’

This photo of a wheelchair ramp at the two newly constructed stations of the EDSA Busway in EDSA-Philam and Kamuning in Quezon City, uploaded by the Philippine News Agency on Facebook on Monday, July 15, 2024, received criticism from Filipino social media users.

The… pic.twitter.com/YS2QGxnlGb

— Philstar.com (@PhilstarNews) July 17, 2024

On the other hand, some users expressed concerns with comments like, “Well kung ganito lang man din, I hope the elevators are maintained unless the government wanna see a person with a broken back na naplakada sa kalsada dahil dyan.”

Filipino wheelchair user Nelso Belo tried the ramp and shared his experience on social media. He said the wheelchair ramp was unusable due to its steepness and was too dangerous for PWDs to use when going down.

According to the Philippine wheelchair ramp slope laws (Batas Pambansa 344 or the Accessibility Law), PWD ramps must have a 4.8-degree angle. However, the newly opened ramp is inclined at a much steeper angle.

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The architect who helped draft the law for PWD accessibility, Armand Eustaquio, states that wheelchair users cannot use this ramp unassisted. It is too dangerous and steep for them to move on their own.

The Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) responded, “Hindi ito perperktong 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 government agency added that a height restriction contributed to the ramp’s steep angle.

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Additionally, Reddit users criticized the EDSA ramp in a thread. One user remarked, “Some of our taxes went to that remarkable architecture.”

Some of our taxes went to that remarkable architecture.
byu/hard_whileworking inPhilippines

Under the same post, one user commented, “From ramp to slide yan real quick pag umulan na.”

Another user remarked that the wheelchair ramp looks like a slide, while someone else joked about using it for skateboard competitions.

Sources: (1), (2)

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