Results Based On Interview

4.
1 Results
4.1.1 Results Based on Interview with Experts
Interview with Mr Redendo Martinez
A personal interview with Mr Redendo Martinez, head of the Association

of the Differently-abled Persons (ADAP), was held on July 30, 2015 from 10:56
to 11:12 AM at the Ground floor Sangunian Panlungsod Legislative Bldg ADAP
office. Mr Martinez is the Chairman of ADAP and a person with orthopaedic
disability.
When asked on his opinion about whether people with disabilities
foregoing tertiary education is a societal or a personal matter, he answered it goes
both ways. As a societal matter, firstly, he said that there is lesser chance for
differently-abled persons to proceed tertiary education, not only because of
accessibility issues, but mainly because of poverty. He said that if we take a
better look on their situation, differently-abled people are essentially indigent.
Due to their disabilities, they became dependent to their parents. The lack of
funding for every family with a differently-abled member is relative to the
economic standing of our society. Secondly, it’s also a societal matter in the
sense that issues with regards to accessibility will always be extant. He said it’s
also a personal matter. Plenty of differently-abled persons, he said, have still not
accepted the situations themselves. There is a lack of acceptance, open-
mindedness, and better understanding that their disabilities are not them; that
their disabilities are simply a part of them and does not make their totality as a
person. However, he proved his point better on how it’s also a personal matter,
when he said that there are also differently-abled persons who takes up the
challenge and pursue their dreams. Inclusivity, he said, is actually very important
because it mainly shows acceptance— acceptance of the persons with disabilities
with themselves as well as the acceptance of abled-bodies towards differently-
abled bodies. The different ability of person with disability will be developed.
Inclusivity would help them open up and it would help them understand better.
The built environment has very important influence towards the

differently-abled bodies. He shared his personal experience as a person with
orthopaedic disability. He recalled during the time when he was in high school
2
and said that, probably the most challenging thing with regards to the built
environment (in which case, the school) is the accessibility. During high school,
his classes were held in different classrooms. And it gets worse when his classes
were on different ends of the campus. He had to travel far. During rainy seasons,
he had no choice but to talk with his crutches. It became more challenging when
he had to walk on the paved road without a shed. The path where shed was
available was not paved and thus harder for him to walk with crutches.
Mr Martinez also said that the differently-abled people are the most
challenging type of marginalized people in the society in the sense that there are
plenty of categories. He suggested that to able to figure out the important
elements that should be paid attention to in designing facilities, one should have a
better understanding on the different categories of their disability. Only with full
and thorough study and understanding, regardless of being a differently-abled
person or not, will one be able to create an inclusive environment.
Interview with Mr Filmor Malnegro
A personal interview with Mr Filmore Malnegro of the Psychology

Department. It was held on July 29, 2015 from 2:00PM to 2:21PM at the
Psychology Research Laboratory at 2 nd floor Dotterweich building in Ateneo de
Davao University. The purpose of the interview was to seek out a psychological
view regarding the differently-abled in our society.
He said that the in the usual set-up of an academic institution, differently-

abled persons are usually forgotten. Sometimes, institutions fail to integrate the
people with disabilities and thus, in that sense, the marginalization of the
differently-abled is an indication of a societal matter. However, it is also a
personal matter because at the end of the day, the determination to uphold and
pursue one’s goals can only come from a person, regardless of them being
differently-abled or not. Being in an inclusive environment is also important, Mr
Malnegro said. Because being in an inclusive environment, being able to hang out
on normal grounds with the majority, being able to be themselves--- these are all
vital points for the differently-abled to finally overcome the social stigma towards
them and finally be able to feel a “sense of belongingness”.
Mr Malnegro also pointed out an interesting topic. He shared a condition

named learned helplessness, in which a person fails to make an effort into trying
3
to get out of a problem or mess because past experiences have taught them that
there is really no way out and that they are helpless. This condition, Mr Malnegro
said, is also very applicable to the differently-abled people. Some others have
grown their entire life being dependent to their parent thus they fail to learn
something by themselves. Either they’re scared or they’re the past failed them so
they take no effort into becoming independent and better. Their mentality is
mostly framed with the notion that everything should be catered for them because
they’re in the worst situation life could bring. The learned helplessness condition
should be considered in designing an educational facility in the sense that, the
facility should be provide an impressive accessibility design but not too much
that it would result into overdoing. Easy access and comfort should be kept in
mind, however, it must be keep into a certain degree to avoid learning
helplessness.
Interview with Mr Jsalem Lagat
A personal interview was held with Mr Jsalem Lagat of the Sociology

Department. It was held on August 3, 2015 from 4:00PM to 4:21PM at the Room
F313 at 3rd floor Finster building in Ateneo de Davao University. The purpose of
the interview was to seek out a sociological view regarding the differently-abled
in our society.
There are plenty of social factors that affects the decision of people with
disability to forego college. Mostly, he said, are accessibility concerns. However,
it also has personal matters. He said it takes two to dance cha-cha; it has personal
and it has social concerns. And sometimes the boundary between the two is very
thin.
When asked how the built environment affects the learning abilities of a
person, Mr Lagat explained the different learning styles of people inside the
classroom. There are primarily three. First are visual learners, who learn a lot
through what they see. Graphs, forms, and illustration are very important to these
type of learners. To an extent, some of these learners have pictographic memory.
Second are the auditory learners, who learn through hearing. They don’t have to
write down notes and take down records. They have better memory through
hearing and when they study and review for their classes, they usually recite out
loud the words. Some others find comfort in studying with background music
because it helps them remember. And third, these are the tactile type of learners.
4
They have to touch a surface for better study process. Examples of these types are
those who fidget so much with their pens. For others, it could be distracting but
for them, that’s just how they process. Inherently, we have strong points as well
as weak points. If these contexts are integrated on the differently-abled people, it
would put them in a certain degree of advantage. Our built environment is
traditionally ablest. And in a sense, it displays a certain level of limitations.
However, it can also enhance and help. Thus, design and planning is actually very
important— from acoustics, proxemics, ergonomics, lighting, ventilation, etc. But
above all that, what’s really more important is to identify the different types of
disabilities that could be catered in a certain infrastructure. Identification is the
primary key as well as the design considerations towards the different types of
disability.
Interview with Arch Armand Michael Eustaquio, UAP
An online interview through electronic mail with Arch Armand

Eustaquio was sent on July 25, 2015 at 1:13 PM and received a reply on July 27,
2015 at 10:44 AM. The purpose of the interview is to obtain information in the
planning considerations and procedures in conceptualizing the design of school
for the differently-abeld. As an expert in the accessibility design, Arch Eustaquio
believes that A Non-Handicapping environment or an Accessible Built
Environment can empower persons with disabilities an enable them to get
educated, get employed, get out of poverty, mainstream, and be fully productive
citizens of society. It can also change society in general in a positive way by
changing the public’s attitude and perception of persons with disabilities. Right
now the attitude of a majority of the public towards persons with disabilities
seems to be one of exclusion. They are excluded from mainstream society, unable
to move about independently, denied access to education, transportation, and
access to buildings by the lack of accessibility features.
He said that architecture in itself cannot solve the exclusion of persons

with disabilities in mainstream society. If and only if Batas Pambansa Bilang 344
or the Accessibility Law is not fully and genuinely implemented in the
Architectural Design of all buildings for public use whether government or
privately owned, can Architecture be an instrument of Inclusion for persons with
disabilities.
5
When asked about what possible new spaces could be incorporated into
designing a barrier-free environment, he said that It is not so much on “new”
spaces but the accessibility of spaces. If all spaces are designed and built to be
fully compliant with the accessibility law these will be conducive to persons with
disabilities and persons without disabilities alike. Persons with disabilities will
feel included and persons without disabilities will know that society and the built
environment should not “exclude” persons with disabilities by providing facilities
and features that level the playing field and allow persons with disabilities to
compete side by side with persons without disabilities. All applicable
accessibility features and facilities in Batas Pambansa Bilang 344 or the
Accessibility Law are important elements in creating a barrier-free as well as a
conducive learning environments for persons with disabilities.

Results Based On Interview

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Results Based On Interview

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Results Based On Interview

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

4.

4.1.1 Results Based on Interview with Experts

Interview with Mr Redendo Martinez

A personal interview with Mr Redendo Martinez, head of the Association

The built environment has very important influence towards the

Interview with Mr Filmor Malnegro

A personal interview with Mr Filmore Malnegro of the Psychology

He said that the in the usual set-up of an academic institution, differently-

Mr Malnegro also pointed out an interesting topic. He shared a condition

Interview with Mr Jsalem Lagat

A personal interview was held with Mr Jsalem Lagat of the Sociology

Interview with Arch Armand Michael Eustaquio, UAP

An online interview through electronic mail with Arch Armand

He said that architecture in itself cannot solve the exclusion of persons

You might also like