The Philippines is home to a sprawling list of progressive laws and proclamations for persons with disabilities (PWDs). From Republic Act (RA) 7277, or the Magna Carta for Persons with Disabilities, to RA 10524 mandating employment quotas to RA 10336 ensuring accessible polling places, the country appears, on paper, committed to inclusion.
But reality tells a different story. On June 9, 2025, inside a crowded bus on the Edsa Carousel, a 25-year-old person with a disability, identified only by his nickname, Mac-Mac — reportedly on the autism spectrum — was beaten by fellow passengers. In a now-viral video, Mac-Mac is seen crying for help as he’s forcibly dragged and assaulted. The sound of what appears to be a taser crackles in the background.
According to reports, the individual bit other passengers, an action potentially brought on by sensory overload or distress — common occurrences for people with autism. But instead of receiving calm intervention, he was met with mob retaliation.
“This is very personal to me,” said Department of Transportation Sec. Vince Dizon in a press briefing. “My youngest brother has autism. It’s not easy to understand this condition. But our people must try.”
How laws are not executed
It’s difficult not to look at this tragedy and ask “what went wrong?”
After all, this is a country that marks the third week of January as National Autism Consciousness Week (Proclamation 711, s. 1996). That sets aside a whole week each year to raise understanding of autism. This is a country where the National Council on Disability Affairs was created to advise on and oversee disability concerns (Presidential Decree 1509), where every province is supposed to have a Persons with Disability Affairs Office (RA 10070) and where discounts, employment incentives and education policies are meant to support people with disabilities.
But policy alone does not create empathy. A person having a meltdown in public, triggered by light, sound or stress, doesn’t need a crowd. They need care. A person who struggles with verbal expression or control doesn’t need violence. They need trained intervention.
There are laws. But there is no widespread education. No standardized training for public utility workers. No public awareness campaign that truly reaches everyday Filipinos and shifts deeply rooted biases. And until there is, the rights of PWDs will remain only as strong as the bus they’re thrown off of.
Call to action
The Lawyers for Commuters Safety and Protection (LCSP), a rights advocacy group, didn’t mince words. In a report by Daily Tribune on June 16, they condemned the attack as “inhumane and contemptible,” adding that all those involved, from passengers to the bus company’s personnel, may be held criminally and civilly liable.
“The video clearly shows the PWD sitting down, crying and visibly confused, yet the attack occurred after this point. Therefore, there was no longer any aggression to repel,” said Albert Sadili of LCSP.
The bus driver and conductor, tasked under Article 1755 of the Civil Code with the “utmost diligence of a very cautious person,” reportedly failed to de-escalate the situation or protect the victim. While the bus company claims they did all they could, witnesses and footage suggest otherwise.
From punishment to prevention
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board has since suspended 10 units of Precious Grace Transport for a month. A hearing is scheduled. The Land Transportation Office has suspended the driver’s license for 90 days. Investigations are ongoing.
These are reactive measures, necessary, yes but they don’t address the cultural fault line exposed by this incident that we still do not understand the disability.
As the country continues to trumpet its commitment to PWD rights through legal texts and government memos, it must also ask: are we truly educating our people to respond with compassion?