The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is set to hold a 6-day training on accessibility audit on the implementation of Batas Pambansa Bilang 344 (BP 344) known as “An Act to Enhance the Mobility of Disabled Persons by Requiring Certain Buildings, Institutions, Establishments and Public Utilities to install Facilities and Other Devices.”
According to DPWH Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan, the orientation from January 10 to 26, 2023 seeks to capacitate all District Engineers nationwide on the provisions of BP 344 or Accessibility Law towards a more inclusive and accessible public infrastructure as the government fast-tracks infrastructure projects under the “Build, Better, More” Program.
“We aim to continuously capacitate the District field executives as well as Focal Persons of BP 344 to enable them to conduct proper assessment and comprehensive accessibility audits of existing government buildings, ensuring that infrastructure are compliant to applicable codes and standards,” said Secretary Bonoan.
National Building Code Development Office (NBCDO) Executive Director Johnson V. Domingo, who is also the DPWH Representative of the National Council on Disability Affairs (ODR-NCDA),will likewise conduct a seminar on disability awareness and sensitivity to Persons with Disability (PWD).
“Through this seminar, DPWH commits to its thrust towards a non-handicapping built environment for all, keeping in mind that even a slight deviation from the accessibility law can make life more difficult for PWDs,” said Executive Director Domingo.
