The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) announced on Saturday the closure of the wheelchair ramp at the EDSA-Philam station in Quezon City to address widespread criticism regarding its steepness.
During a media forum, MMDA Acting Chairman Romando Artes revealed plans to install a wheelchair lift and adjust the ramp at the busway. “Based on our observations, very few wheelchair users utilize the bus carousel. Fortunately, the criticisms helped us reconsider how to address the issue,” Artes stated in an ABS-CBN News report.
The ramp improvements and necessary civil works for the lift installation began on Saturday morning. Artes estimated the overall improvement would take one to two months to complete. “In the meantime, we will close the ramp and our fellow citizens will use stairs temporarily,” he added.
Artes noted that the government would not release additional funds for the project as the contractor had agreed to cover all extra expenses.
Despite the National Council on Disability Affairs’ feedback that the ramp was challenging for persons with disabilities, Artes maintained that it was not excessively steep. “The angle that went viral on Facebook made it look like a slide. But if you view it from another angle, it is not that steep,” he explained.
Recently, MMDA admitted in a statement that the ramp connecting the elevator and the footbridge was “imperfectly designed” due to a height restriction imposed by the Metro Rail Transit. “We still installed it because many other PWDs can benefit from it, such as pregnant women, individuals with minor injuries, and senior citizens,” Artes noted.