Philippine economy

DOTr apologizes for ’embarrassing’ MRT incident with PWD passenger

Rappler.com

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DOTr apologizes for ’embarrassing’ MRT incident with PWD passenger
The passenger's mother accused security guards of discriminating against persons with learning disabilities

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Transportation (DOTr) apologized for an incident that occurred on October 26 between two security personnel at the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT3) North Avenue Station and a young man with a learning disability.

The man’s mother, Shirley Iyulores, posted a Facebook status recounting their side of the incident on Saturday, November 3.

She claimed that the guards on duty, one female and one male, accused her son of faking a Person with Disability (PWD) ID, and also refused to honor the special PWD Beep smart card he offered as an alternative. PWD IDs may be presented at public modes of transportation for fare discounts. 

Iyulores went on to say that the incident humiliated her son, and accused the guards of discriminating against PWDs who do not have physical or visible disabilities. In the Philippines, disabilites may fall under physiological or psychological conditions. 

Below is Iyulores’ Facebook post in full:

The DOTr posted a statement on its own Facebook page on Monday, November 5, in response to Iyulores.

It explained that the young man presented the guards with a photocopy of his PWD ID, which then prompted the guards to ask for the original, as required under DOTr MRT3 Office Order 2017-0527.

When the man explained that he had left the original at home, the guards supposedly reminded him to bring the original next time he decides to take the train. But the DOTr said the man ended up leaving the station with the photocopy of his ID, instead of riding the MRT3.

The DOTr then told the public that strict enforcement is needed to deter passengers from faking government IDs to get perks. It also reiterated that it would remind all security personnel to treat every passenger with dignity.

Below is the transportation department’s statement in full:

Are you a PWD or have a loved one who’s a PWD? How do you feel about this incident, and do you think it could have been handled better? Share your thoughts in the comments! – Rappler.com

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