ONLY ABOUT half of Iloilo Province’s 43 local government units can currently be considered truly Persons with Disabilities (PWD)-friendly, according to the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office, citing continuing gaps in accessibility, enforcement of mandatory discounts, and local government support despite national laws protecting the rights of PWDs.
This finding should embarrass every local government that falls short of creating an environment where persons with disabilities can move, work, shop, and participate in society with dignity.
Batas Pambansa Blg. 344, or the Accessibility Law, was enacted in 1982. More than four decades have passed. There has been more than enough time for every municipal hall, public market, health center, transport terminal, park, school, and government building to comply with accessibility standards. Yet today, in 2026, only about half of Iloilo’s municipalities are compliant. This is disappointing and, quite frankly, unacceptable.
Accessibility is not a luxury that local governments can postpone until funds become available, or an infrastructure project that can be pushed to the bottom of the priority list. It is a legal duty and a moral obligation. Every missing ramp, every improperly constructed wheelchair access, every inaccessible comfort room, and every establishment that refuses mandatory discounts sends the same callous message to persons with disabilities: “You are not our priority.”
Even more unsettling is the excuse that some municipalities simply allocate too little funding for disability programs. Budgets reveal priorities. If local governments can find millions of pesos for festivals, monuments, beautification projects, and ceremonial activities, they can certainly allocate sufficient resources to make public facilities accessible to thousands of citizens who have every right to use them.
Accessibility ensures that those ramps meet proper engineering standards. A poorly designed ramp that is too steep or unsafe can be as dangerous as having no ramp at all. Compliance must be measured by functionality, not by appearances.
Meanwhile, the failure of some businesses to grant the mandatory 20-percent discount further reflects weak enforcement. National laws already require compliance. Municipal ordinances should reinforce, not replace, these protections. Local officials should not wait for complaints before acting. They should proactively inspect establishments, educate business owners, and impose sanctions on those who continue to violate the law.
Every year, the country celebrates National Disability Rights Week, holds seminars, issues statements of support, and promotes inclusivity. But true commitment is measured by whether a person using a wheelchair can enter a government office independently, whether a visually impaired resident can safely navigate public spaces, or whether a PWD can receive legally mandated benefits without having to argue for them.
Persons with disabilities should never have to plead for rights that have long been guaranteed by law. Those rights should already be built into every public facility, protected by every local ordinance, and respected by every business establishment.
The law has been clear since 1982. The standards have long existed. But why are so many LGUs remain painfully slow to comply? Equality delayed for persons with disabilities is, ultimately, equality denied.
