Accessible tourism for seniors, PWDs pushed

DEPUTY Speaker Las Piñas Lone District Rep. Camille Villar has filed a bill that would make tourism more accessible to senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs).

In a statement, Villar said that the lack of travel and tourism facilities and services, including discriminatory policies and practices, has discouraged or deterred disabled persons and their spouses, children and caregivers from traveling and touring the country.

«Accessible tourism is the ongoing endeavor to ensure tourist destinations, products and services are accessible to all people, regardless of their physical limitations, disabilities, or age. This includes publicly and privately owned tourist locations, facilities and services,» Villar said in filing House Bill 10349, or the «PWD and Senior Citizen-Friendly Tourism Sites Act.»

Villar added that accessible tourism will enable all people to participate in and enjoy tourism experiences, as more people now have access needs, whether or not related to a physical condition.

She added that accessibility is becoming an «important aspect» in realizing the rights of the world's ageing population.

«As we grow older, our chance of experiencing a permanent or temporary disability increases. A focus on accessibility can therefore ensure that we are able to participate fully in our societies well into our older years.

Accessibility also benefits pregnant women and persons who are temporarily rendered immobile,» Villar said.

She noted that the Philippines is a party to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which urges «state parties to take appropriate measures to ensure that persons with disabilities have equal access to the physical environment, information, transportation, and other facilities and services open or provided to the public.»

Under her proposed bill, the Department of Tourism (DoT), in coordination with the Department of Public Works and Highways, National Council on Disability Affairs, and National Commission of Senior Citizens, is enjoined to ensure that tourism sites, such as cultural or natural heritage sites, museums, national parks, agro-industrial and eco-tourism sites, wildlife areas, and