The Law to Enhance Mobility of Disabled Persons or Accessibility Law – BP 344

Feb 25, 1983 – date when BP 344 was approved and signed

Former Pres. Ferdinand E. Marcos – the president who approved and signed BP 344

“An Act to Enhance the Mobility of Disabled Persons by Requiring Certain Buildings, Institutions,
Establishments, and Public Utilities to Install Facilities and Other Devices” – IRR of BP 344

Secretary of DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) & DOTC (Department of Transportation
and Communication) – administers and enforces the provisions of this Law

RULE I Scope and Application

RULE II Minimum Requirements for Accessibility
RULE III Specific Requirement for Buildings and Related Structures for Public Use
RULE IV Requirements for Public Transportation
RULE V Administration and Enforcement

DPWH Department of Public Works and Highways

DOTC Department of Transportation and Communication
LTFRB Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board
LTO Land Transportation Office
PNR Philippine National Railways
PRC Panay Railways Corporation
LRTA Light Rail Transit Authority
MARINA Maritime Industry Authority
PPA Philippine Ports Authority
CAB Civil Aeronautics Board
ATO Air Transportation Office
CAAP Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines

RULE I. Scope and Application

RULE II. Minimum Requirements for Accessibility

 Categories of Disabled Persons
o Impairments requiring wheelchairs
o Impairments causing difficulty in walking
o Total or partial impairments of hearing or sight
o Impairments due to aging
o Mental impairment
 Wheelchair dimensions
o Length = 1.10 m to 1.30 m

1
 o Width = 0.60 m to 0.75 m
o Turning space = Diameter of 1.50 m
o Comfortable reach = 0.70 m to 1.20 m above the floor
o Comfortable knee and leg room = 0.70 m
 Basic Physical Planning Requirement
o ACCESSIBILITY. The built environment shall be designed so that it shall be accessible to all
people. This means that no criteria shall impede the use of facilities by either the handicapped
or non-disabled citizens.
o REACHABILITY. Provisions shall be adapted and introduced to the physical environment so
that as many places or buildings as possible can be reached by all.
o USABILITY. The built environment shall be designed so that all persons, whether they be
disabled or not, may use and enjoy it.
o ORIENTATION. Finding a person’s way inside and outside a building or open space shall be
made easy for everyone.
o SAFETY. Designing for safety insures that people shall be able to move about with less hazards
to life and health.
o WORKABILITY AND EFFICIENCY. The built environment shall be designed to allow the
disabled citizens to participate and contribute to developmental goals.

RULE III. Specific Requirement for Buildings and Related Structures for Public Use
 Classification of Building by Use or Occupancy
o Category I – Residential – Group A, B
o Category II – Commercial and Industrial – Group B, C, E, F, G, H, I
o Category III – Education and Industrial – Group C, D, E, H
o Category IV – Agricultural – partly Group J
o Category V - Ancillary – partly Group J
 Standard of Accessibility for Special Type Facilities
Seating Capacity Wheelchair Seating Space
4 – 50 2
51 – 300 4
301 – 500 6
500 or more + 1 pax if exceeds more than 100

RULE IV. Requirements for Public Transportation

 Classification of Public Conveyances by Mode of Transport
o Land Transportation – This shall refer to buses having a minimum seating capacity of 50 for
regular buses and 40 persons for air-conditioned buses; shall include regular city and provincial
buses (love and pag-ibig buses), and air-conditioned tourist and provincial buses
o Rail Transportation – This shall refer to the 3 railway system in the country: The Philippine
National Railways (PNR) in Luzon, Panay Railways Corporation (PRC) in Panay, and the Light
Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) in Metro Manila
o Water Transportation – This shall refer to domestic passenger ships, ferry boats, and other
water transportation vessels
o Air Transportation – This shall refer to domestic passenger airplanes
 Public Transportation shall have Designated seats for Disabled Persons
o Regular buses = at least (5)
o First class, air-conditioned buses = at least (4)
o Passenger trains = at least (6)
2
 o Passenger airplanes = at least (2)
o Jeepneys = at least (2)

RULE V. Administration and Enforcement

 The Secretary of Transportation and Communications shall administer and enforce the provision of
these Rules and Regulations through the Heads of Line and Attached Agencies of the Department:
o Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) – In respect to the
issuance of Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC) and Provisional Authority (PA) for the
operation of public road transportation utilities or services
o Land Transportation Office (LTO) – In respect to the registration of buses and jeepneys and
enforcement of regulations related to land transport
o Philippine National Railways (PNR) and the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) – For the
operation of passenger trains and including stations and terminals
o Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) – In respect to the development, promotion, and
regulation of all enterprises engaged in business of designing, constructing, manufacturing,
acquiring, operating, supplying, repairing and/or maintaining vessels or components thereof
o Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) – In respect to the planning, development, financing,
construction, maintenance and operation of ports, port facilities, port physical plants, etc.
o Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) – In respect to the supervision and regulation of the jurisdiction
and control over air carriers, general sales agents, cargo sales agents and air freight
forwarders, and issuance of certificates/licenses to aircrafts
o Air Transportation Office (ATO) / Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) – In
respect to the maintenance, operation and development of all government airports, as well as
air navigation facilities
 Magna Carta of Disabled Persons – Section 46 of RA 7277
 Persons/Individuals Liable for Any Violation of the Act
o For Buildings/Establishment/Structure
1) Owner or Operator of the Building
2) Contractor
3) Architect
4) Engineer
5) Building Official or other Public Official in-charge with the issuance of building permit,
registration, certification and/or inspection of the building
o For Air, Land, and Sea Transportation
1) Owner/Operator of Public Transportation
2) Body Builders
3) Safety Officers/Engineers/Managers
4) Drivers/Conductors
5) Public Official in-charge with the issuance of building permit, registration, certification
and/or inspection of the public transportation

ANNEX A

3
ACCESSIBLE – refers to features that enable disabled persons to make use of the primary functions for
which a structure is built

ALCOVE – a small recessed space in a room or wall

ANTHROPOMETRIC – pertaining to the measurement of the human body

BARRIER-FREE – unhindered, without obstructions to enable disabled persons free passage or use of
the facilities

BUILDINGS – public and private buildings and other related structure for public use

CORRIDOR – a long interior passageway providing access to several rooms

CURB – a raised rim of concrete, stone or metal, which forms the edge of a street, sidewalk, planted area,
etc.

CURB CUT-OUT – a break in the sidewalk or traffic island provided with an inclined surface to facilitate
mobility of wheeled chairs, carriages, and other similar conveyance

DISABLED PERSONS – those suffering from restriction or lack of ability to perform an activity in the
manner or within the range considered normal for a human being as a result of a mental, physical or
sensory impairment

DOOR – an entrance way; a barrier which swings, slides, tilts, or folds to close an opening in a wall or
cabinet or the like

EGRESS – an exit, or a mean s of going out

ELEVATOR – a hoisting and lowering mechanism equipped with a car or platforms which moves in guides,
in a vertical direction serving two or more floors or a building/structure

ENTRANCE – point of entry into a building: an exterior door, a vestibule, or a lobby

FLOOR – the surface within a room or area on which one walks

GRADIENT OF RAMP – the degree of inclination of a sloped surface expressed as a percentage or ratio

GRAPHIC SIGN – a drawing, painting, diagram, engraving, etching or other similar illustrations on which
a single glance conveys a given message; a visual aid

HANDRAIL – a hand support along a stairway or ramp consisting or rails and their supporting posts,
balusters or pillars and constituting an enclosure or a line of division

HEIGHT ABOVE FLOOR – distance between two points aligned vertically with one of the points on the
floor

4
PARKING AREA – allocated space composed of marked-off portions for single motor vehicles on a short-
time storage basis

PASSAGEWAY OR PASSAGE – a space connecting one area or room of a building with another

PEDESTRIAN CROSSING – part of road where pedestrians going across the road have priority over traffic

PUBLIC TELEPHONES – a shelf-unit telephone with coin operating functions for the use of the public

RAMP – a sloped surface connecting two or more planes at different levels

SIDEWALK – a paved footwalk at the side of a street or roadway

THRESHOLD – a strip fastened to the floor beneath a door, usually required to cover the joint where two
types of floor materials meet; may provide weather protection at exterior doors

TOILET – the room containing the water closet

VESTIBULE – a small entranceway or transitional space from the exterior to the interior of a building and
opens into a larger space

WALKWAY – an exterior passage for walking along, especially one connecting adjoining buildings and
related structures

WASHROOM – a room providing facilities for washing; a lavatory or toilet room

WATER FOUNTAIN – a fixture consisting of a shallow basin, together with a water jet designed to provide
potable water for human consumption

WIDTH OF CORRIDOR – the linear width of the obstructed path in corridors

5
APPENDIX A

A. Outside and Around Buildings

1. Dropped Curbs
 Changes in level walkways
 Minimum width = 0.90 m
 Maximum gradient sloped towards adjoining curbs = 1:12
 Maximum cross gradient sloped towards the road = 1:20
 Lowest point = 25 mm from road or gutter
2. Curb Cut-Outs
 Minimum width = 0.90 m
 Maximum Gradient = 1:12
3. Walkways and Passageways
 As level as possible; slip-resistant material
 Maximum gradient = 1:12 or 5%
 Maximum cross gradient = 1:100
 Minimum width = 1.20 m
 Minimum headroom = 2.00 m
4. Handrails
 Shall be installed at 0.70 m and 0.90 m above steps or ramps
 Handrails at great heights = 1.0 m to 1.06 m
 Extension on handrail = 0.30 m at the start and end
 Handrails that require full grip = 30 mm to 50 mm
6. Signages
 International Symbol of Access
 Minimum headroom = 2.00 m
 Maximum height = 1.60 m
 Minimum height = 1.40 m
 Raised labelling minimum height = 1 mm
B. Parking
1. Parking Areas
 Minimum width = 3.70 m
 Clear width between the front ends of parked cards = 1.20 m
C. Inside Buildings and Structures
1. Entrances
 1 entrance where elevators are accessible
 With vestibules: minimum depth = 1.80 m; minimum width = 1.50 m
2. Ramps
 Minimum clear width = 1.20 m
 Maximum gradient = 1:12
 Maximum length = 6.00 m if with gradient of 1:12
 Minimum level area = 1.80 m
 Handrails at 0.70 m and 0.90 m
 Minimum height of curbs = 0.10 m
3. Doors

6
  Minimum clear width = 0.80 m
 Maximum door pressure = 4.0 kg
 Closing device pressure interior door = 1.0 kg
 Minimum clear level space = 1.50 m x 1.50 m
 Minimum level space on corridor side = 1.20 m
 Doorknob height = 0.82 m to 1.06 m; 0.90 is preferred
 Vertical pull handles (preferred) = centered at 1.06 m
 Kick plate height = 0.30 m to 0.40 m
4. Thresholds
 Maximum height = 25 mm
5. Switches
 Manual switches = 1.20 m to 1.30 m above the floor
 Distance of switch from door latch = maximum of 0.20 m
7. Corridors
 Minimum clear width = 1.20 m
 Turnabout space for wheelchair = 1.50 m x 1.50 m; spaced at maximum of 12.00 m
 Turnabout space at or within 3.50 m of every dead end
8. Washrooms & Toilets
 Accessible water closet stalls = 1.70 m x 1.80 m
 Turning space = 2.25 sqm; 1.50 m minimum dimension
 Maximum height of water closets = 0.45 m; maximum flush control height = 1.20 m
 Maximum height of lavatories = 0.80 m; with knee recess = 0.60 m to 0.70 m, depth = 0.50
m
 Maximum height of urinal lip = 0.48 m
9. Stairs
 Tread surfaces should be slip-resistant material
 Slanted nosings are preferred
 Tactile strip = 0.30 m wide
10. Elevators
 Not more than 30.00 m from entrance
 Minimum dimension = 1.10 m x 1.40 m
 Centerline height for topmost buttons = 0.90 m to 1.20 m
 Button sizes = minimum diameter of 20 mm; Minimum depth = 1 mm
11. Water Fountains
 At least (1) every 2, 000 sqm
 Maximum height = 0.85 m
12. Public Telephones
 Unobstructed space = 1.50 m x 1.50 m
 Booth door openings minimum clear width = 0.80 m
 Maximum of 1.10 m above the floor
D. Safety
1. Fencing for Roadworks and Footworks
 Height of top rail = at least 1.00 m
 Tapping rail = maximum of 0.35 m
2. Covers for Excavations
 Minimum width of footway = 1.20 m
7
  Kickboard = at least 0.20 m high
3. Signage for Roadworks on Carriageway
 Signs should not reduce footway width to less than 1.20 m