The National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) expressed concern over an incident in which a person with disability (PWD) fell into an unfinished drainage project along F.B. Harrison Street in Pasay City.

According to the NCDA, the incident occurred in an area where an ongoing drainage project posed risks to pedestrians.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has since ordered immediate sanctions against the contractor and directed it to reimburse the victim for the injuries sustained and medical expenses incurred as a result of the incident.

The NCDA said the accident highlights the dangers posed by incomplete or poorly secured infrastructure projects.

The council stressed that proper barriers and clearly visible warning signs must be installed at all times around construction sites, excavations, open drainage systems and other hazardous areas, in compliance with Batas Pambansa Blg. 344, or the Accessibility Law.

The NCDA urged government project implementers, local government units (LGUs) and private contractors to ensure that infrastructure projects remain safe and accessible throughout all stages of implementation—from planning and construction to completion and maintenance.

The council emphasized that safety and accessibility should not be treated as secondary considerations or addressed only after an accident has occurred.

It added that government infrastructure projects are intended to improve the quality of life of the public and should never endanger people, particularly persons with disabilities, who are more vulnerable when public spaces are obstructed, inaccessible or inadequately secured.