Dad donates PWD-friendly vehicle

PERSONS with disabilities (PWD) in Mandaue City usually hang their wheelchairs at the rear part of jeepneys and tricycles whenever they commute. This is hard for them, said an official of the PWD federation.

With this concern, four tricycles specially designed for PWDs and elderly were donated by Rep. Gabriel Luis “Luigi” Quisumbing (Cebu, 6th district) to the Federation for the Welfare of Persons-With-Disabilities in Mandaue City and Senior Citizens Federation of Mandaue City on Friday.

Unlike the usual tricycle, the PWD and senior citizen tricycle is spacious and has a ramp so that the wheelchair can get inside.

There are total of 2,672 PWDs in Mandaue.

Quisumbing said he decided to have this kind of vehicle because mobility is one of the continuing problems experienced by the PWDs and senior citizens in the city.

“That’s why using some materials that we were able to gather as well as motorcycle that we have lying around. We put together a PWD and senior citizen-friendly vehicle,” he said.

Design

The congressman saw the design in the National Capital Region and decided to have one in Mandaue City for the two federations.

“We know di baya sayon ang pagsakay (We know that it is hard to get a ride) if we are PWD or if we are senior citizen especially when it comes to wheelchair users. So we wanted to have a vehicle for the (PWD and senior citizen) sectors so we will be able to address their needs,” Quisumbing said.

Greg Alan Pialago, president of the PWD federation in Mandaue City, said that riding jeepneys or tricycles has always been the problem of the PWDs in the city.

Pialago said this is the first time in Mandaue that they have a PWD-friendly vehicle.

“Amo gyud adbokasiya kaning atong Mandaue mamahimong accessible di lang sa building kundi sa transport pud.(It has been our advocacy that PWDs will have easy access not only to the different buildings in Mandaue but also in terms of transportation),” he said.

Convenience

Members of the federation said that the tricycle would be very convenient for them, after they saw the vehicle yesterday.

“We hope nga mapadayon ni nila (We hope that they can continue this),” Pialago said.

As to the PWD-friendly tricycle’s wider use, Quisumbing said this may not be the best riding solution for the general public.

“But, for those particular sectors (PWDs and senior citizens) this a very good option when it comes to transportation,” he added.

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