Erwin Tulfo urges Senate review of PWD laws, calls for truly barrier-free Philippines

Senator Erwin Tulfo on Sunday called on the Senate to conduct a comprehensive review of existing laws protecting persons with disabilities (PWDs), saying genuine inclusivity remains elusive amid persistent barriers in public infrastructure and transportation.

Tulfo filed Senate Resolution No. 186, directing the appropriate Senate committee to conduct an oversight inquiry into the implementation of Batas Pambansa Blg. 344, or the Accessibility Law, and Republic Act 7277, also known as the Magna Carta for Persons with Disabilities.

“What is the sense of these laws protecting the rights of PWDs if accessible transportation and building features still fall short?. Our PWDs are often forced to rely on others or risk their own safety just to move around,” Tulfo pointed out. 

The senator stressed that compliance with accessibility standards should be a prerequisite for the approval of construction projects.

“There should be no issuance of building permits or approval of government projects for structural designs that lack mandatory accessibility features,” he said.

As chairperson of the Senate Committee on Social Justice, Welfare, and Rural Development, Tulfo lamented the continued prevalence of inaccessible public infrastructure, citing footbridges with excessively steep ramps and public transport systems that fail to accommodate mobility-impaired commuters.

“We see it on the news and social media—footbridges so steep that PWDs using mobility devices cannot navigate them safely. Even in public transportation, most designs are inconsiderate of the needs of the PWD community,” he said.

Tulfo also questioned how PWDs can fully participate in society if systems and infrastructure remain unfriendly to their needs.

“How can we expect our PWDs to reach their full potential if our very systems are rigged against them?” he asked.

A long-time advocate for disability rights, Tulfo is also pushing for the lifetime validity of PWD identification cards for individuals with permanent disabilities. He said this would spare beneficiaries the cost and inconvenience of renewing IDs every five years.

In addition, the senator called for the depoliticization of PWD registration and the establishment of a centralized database to ensure assistance reaches legitimate beneficiaries without political interference.

Tulfo said these measures are crucial to realizing a truly barrier-free Philippines and ensuring that the rights guaranteed by law are felt by PWDs in their daily lives.