Universal Design

for
Barrier-Free
Tourism
ADELA AVILA-KONO
Accessibility Advocate
• Apolinario Mabini Awardee 2008
• Cebuana Trailblazer 2011
• Cebu City Charter Day Awardee 2015
Organization of Rehabilitative Advocates for Inclusion
Regional Council on Disability Affairs—7, Cebu City

Architectural Drawings by:

ARCH’T SERGE V. RAAGAS, CAFA-USC
ARCH’T NOEL R. AVILA, Past DD-C1, UAP
Cebu City

Last updated: 8-24-16

 CONSIDER THE STATISTICS
15% of the world’s population or PWDs are
785 million persons are PWDs
the world’s
.
(World Report on Disability)

largest
13,850,677.8 Filipinos minority.
(Based on 15% of 92,337,852 Philippine population (2010 census)

This number is increasing due to:

• Infectious diseases • Traffic accidents • Medical advances
• Natural disasters • Lack of safety • Ageing process
consciousness

Each of us are likely to experience disability

at some point during our lifetime.
 Entered into force in 2008

PRIORITY AREAS FOR ACTION

• Implement universal &
inclusive design for all …in
the built environment.
• Promote barrier-free /
accessible tourism (BFT).
• Accessibility must be
applied in urban and rural
areas.
Universal Design
First coined by Archt.
Ronald L. Mace
The concept of
designing all products
and the built
environment to be
aesthetic and usable to
the greatest extent
possible by everyone,
regardless of age,
ability or status in life.
 BARRIER-FREE & INCLUSIVE TOURISM (BFT)

• A strategy towards the creation of barrier-free

environments that generates greater returns (more
$$$) on investment by reaching a previously
untapped market, such as PWDs and older persons.

• Gives financial incentive to the business sector to

create more accessible physical environments &
employment opportunities allowing for inclusion of
people with special needs.

• Allows PWDs and older persons to travel to

whatever place, attraction or event without fear of
barriers and unfriendly and unsafe
accommodations.

• 30% of the population would travel more when the

environment would be better accessible.
UNESCAP/CDPF Regional Workshop on Promotion of Barrier-free Tourism, Sanya City, Hainan Island, China,
30 October - 1 November 2006. Sanya Declaration on Accessible Tourism in Asia and the Pacific
 BFT’S RATIONALE
DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS
• Aging
• Feminization of Aging

SOCIAL TRENDS:
• OPs and PWDs are traveling more for leisure,
conferences, sports.
• Re: physical access, families with young
children, who are part of this increasing tourist
market, have similar needs to PWDs and OPs.
• Elderly & senior citizens have the time &
money to spend in tourist areas leisurely.

SPENDING TRENDS:

• A “market of millions” from PWDs & OP with high

disposable incomes
• PWDs usually spend the most of their budget on
hotels
• PWDs double their spending if some minor amenities
were made available.
Source:
Source: PROMOTION OF BARRIER-FREE TOURISM FOR PEOPLE WITH
Source: UNESCAP DISABILITIES IN THE ASIAN AND PACIFIC REGION, Jean-Louis
Aiko Akiyama HK Stories Fall 2010
Vignuda, Tourism Unit Transport, Communications, Tourism
and Infrastructure Development Division, UNESCAP
UNESCAP Harris Poll, disabledworld.com Tourism Promotion Board Study (Japan) in 2006, UNESCAP
 Large numbers of people require tourism to be made
barrier-free, safe & convenient.

Empowered PWDs attending

national & international:
• study tours (30 -50)
• seminars (50 – 100)
• conferences (2 – 3,000)
• Paralympics (23,000)

For the tourism & hospitality industry, this is a quantifiable OPPORTUNITY LOSS.
THE ACCESSIBILITY LAW / B.P. 344
• Passed in February 1983, this Philippine law is
33 years old and severely outdated.
• Its design specifications are “not friendly enough” for
the mobility and safety needs of PWDs, particularly
those in wheelchairs.
• It has no provisions that relate to information and
communications technology.
• It cannot be invoked for barrier-free, accessible or inclusive
tourism as provisions and technical guidelines on hotels,
resorts & restaurants, bathrooms, pools, amenities, & new
places of amusement, are absent.
• It is not gender-sensitive.
 ACCESSIBILITY LAW: WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE UPDATED
AREAS MENTIONED OLD SPECS UNIVERSAL SPECS
1 Parking Only width is indicated (3.7 m) Length (6 m) should also be indicated for vans
Capacity not indicated Capacity of at least 2 wheelchairs in airports
2 Elevators Minimum door width: 80 cm Door width: 90 cm
Depth: 140 cm Depth: 150 cm for motorized wheelchairs
3 Clearance under Tables At least 60 cm clearance and a depth of 40 cm
4 Thresholds 2.5 cm 1.27 cm (1/2”)
5 All doors (+interior) widths 80 cm At least 90 cm
6 Force needed to open interior doors 4 kg 2.3 kg
7 Lavatory height 80 cm Split-type with lower one at 75 cm
Lavatory amenities: hand dryers, soap
8 “reachable” 100 cm (1 m) from the floor
dispensers, etc.
9 Accommodation places: hotels, inns, etc. 1:50 More guest rooms than 1:50
10 Switches 130 cm 120 cm max
11 Outlets not clear above-table height
12 Grab bars in toilets Bar at back; male-oriented Both sides and 1 L-bar on the wall
13 Drinking Fountains 85 cm from floor Lower one at 70 cm
14 Public Phones (booth width) 80 cm 90 cm
Needs more actual collaboration with transport
15 Transport provisions Not enforceable/enforced
industry to implement the spirit of the law.
 THE ACCESSIBILITY LAW: WHAT IS LACKING...
NEW PROVISIONS NEEDED SPECIFICATIONS
1 Pedestrian bridges Must have ramps at 1:12 or elevators

2 Airport elevators Capacity must increase according to airport size & luggage

3 Split-level Counters Must be mentioned, with lower counter height set at 75 cm

Unisex Toilets or Family / Companion
4 Must be provided
Restrooms
Must be provided with dual peepholes, switches, outlets, hanger
5 Hotel rooms and amenities
racks at specified heights.
PWD-friendly toilet and bathtub/shower
6 Must be provided
design & amenities
7 Pools Must be provided whether renovated sunken or raised

8 Menus Must be provided with Braille

9 Guide-dogs welcome Must be provided in hotels, conference halls, restaurants, malls, etc.

10 Van Parking With slot length indicated for unfolding ramps

11 Ride Attractions Must not be banned, only regulated
12 Fitting Rooms Must be provided with signage, 90 cm entrance width & grab bars

13 Automated Teller Machines Must be provided with Braille or embossed keys

HANDICAPPING
ENVIRONMENTS
• Transportation-related
difficulties & dangers
• Inaccessibility of tourism &
accommodation sites
 HANDICAPPING
ENVIRONMENTS
• Inaccessibility of eating places
• Difficulties & dangers in toilets & showers

Difficulty reaching the faucet

& brushing teeth

Doors opening inward preventing closure &

sacrificing privacy

Obstruction underneath table

prevents wheelchair-user from
eating comfortably.

No proper grab bar supports

Accessibility gone wrong…
Accessibility gone wrong…
Accessibility gone wrong…

Everything was too high for a

favorite children’s restaurant
Accessibility gone wrong…

X
Model: Carmel Ruedas
Accessibility gone wrong…
Accessibility gone wrong…

Panic/emergency button is too high.

It should be 1 foot from the floor.
Accessibility gone wrong…

Proper
plumbing
planning is
needed
first.
Accessibility gone wrong…

Vertical grab bar must be at 1 foot

ahead of the front tip of the toilet
bowl.

Model: Ms. Jing of DOT

LEGAL BASIS: Provincial Ordinance 2011-09
LEGAL BASIS: City Ordinance 2396
LEGAL BASIS: DOT Accreditation Requirements
SIGNAGE

Icon must face

direction of ramp to
prevent confusion.

Big-i, Osaka

SM Seaside
 TRANSPORTATION
• Buses: with lifts or ramps
• Ships: wider doors and
Tokyo
gangplanks
• Railways: safety railings on
platforms, wheelchair accessible
• Taxi drivers must be helpful &
courteous
• Eliminate discriminatory
practices of some airlines
• Friendly & consistent policies & New York
NASA
systems of PWD handling from
reservations to actual boarding
Tokyo
• Trained personnel to assist PWDs Disneyland

& elderly
• Laws on discounts must be
implemented & respected
Bullet Train
Tokyo
PARKING

Universal Studios Japan

Big-I Hotel Osaka

SM City Cebu Ayala Cebu

 AIR/PORTS & Tokyo Station

TERMINALS
Big elevators
to move
multiple
passengers in
wheelchairs
Large & easy to spot signage
Narita Airport
with Braille tiles
Suvarnabhumi Airport, Thailand

Ramp
Mother & baby- escalators
friendly stations

Priority seats (ex. near toilets,

Deaf near announcement areas)
Yokohama Landmark

Shinagawa Prince Hotel, Tokyo

Universal
Design in
toilets
 TOURISM SITES
• Proper signage
• Dual heights of
drinking fountains
& public phones Narita Airport

• Spacious fitting
rooms, preferably
with grab bar
• Accessible banks or
ATMs.

• Trained personnel
to assist or even
do sign language
Gerry Barrera in SM City

• Laws on discounts
respected

Ayala New Wing

TOURISM SITES
Wheelchair access,
assistance and boarding
safety in rides & attractions
Joy Lam, PWD, Mactan

Universal Studious Singapore

Garden by the Bay, Singapore

HK Disneyland
River Cruise Ride
HK Ocean Park
TOURISM SITES
• Multiple
wheelchair
seating in
sports
venues,
theatres,
auditoriums
SM special box good for 2 wheelchairs
inside the cinema

Universal Studios
Singapore
TOURISM SITES
Universal Design in PWD
toilets, showers &
changing rooms in gyms
Mother, child & baby
facilities
Diaper-changing bed for
the incontinent
Universal Studious USA
Japan
Lanmark Tower, Yokohama
SM Consolacion, Cebu
RESTAURANTS
Signage on
designated
tables with
knee space

No steps or thresholds

Menus overlaid with Braille

Picture menus for the

communication-challenged
RESTAURANT
Buffets

Low-set buffet for kids and not-too-high regular

buffet good enough for wheelchair-users

Shangri-la Mactan

Install mirrors above the buffet,

if too high.
ACCOMMODATION
Multiple
accessible
rooms

Low / recessed / split-level

reception counters

Equarius Hotel Singapore

Access to
other parts of
the site, i.e.
the shops,
restaurants,
bars, beach
front, pool, &
spa
Hilton Cebu Resort
ACCOMMODATION Bed
Reachable height
switches not
at a max higher
of 120 cm than
50 cm
Cebu Marriott

Outlets
above
desk

Cebu
Century Plaza

Jpark Island Resort

Dual-height peepholes

Parklane Hotel
No carpeting / non-skid flooring
Bedside supports
ACCOMMODATION
High & low closet hangers

Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo

JPark Island Resort Mactan

Equarius Hotel , Singapore

Traders Hotel Manila

Century Plaza Hotel
UNISEX / COMPANION / FAMILY
RESTROOMS

90 cm

Provide a
family-type
restroom in
addition to
gender-specific
facilities.
Center for Inclusive Design and
Environmental Access, School
of Architecture and Planning -
University at Buffalo, The State
University of New YorkBuffalo, NY
14214-308
 TOILET DOORS
• Doors, especially toilet doors, should
have a clear width of 90 cm for
90 cm
motorized wheelchairs.
• If not sliding doors, doors should
open outward. If not, it cannot close
once wheelchair is in.
• It should have a door-pull handle at
the hinge side for pulling the door
back to close is very helpful for those
in wheelchairs.
• Doors shall be designed to open Cebu Century Plaza
easily with lever handles for persons
with no hand or grip function.
• Doors should be opened by a single
effort requiring less than 4 kg of
force. Door closers must be loosened.
 LAVATORIES
• No threshold/step to
bathroom
• Lavatory basin height at
75-80 cm max from floor.
(For use of children, 70-75
max from the floor.)
• Must have knee space &
no obstruction underneath
Cebu

• Non-skid floors, even Century Plaza

when wet
• Reachable towel racks,
Cebu
hooks, laundry line at 100- Century Plaza

110 cm
• Lever faucets for weak or
no hands.
Hilton Cebu Resort
 Hong Kong

LAVATORIES

High and low lavatory

useful for kids and
wheelchair-users
Universal Studios
Florida Slanted or low-set
mirrors & lever faucets
for weak arms & hands

Century Plaza Hotel

Models: Joey Alburo & Lenie Taborada Amenities must be at 1

meter max from the floor.
BATHTUBS

With non-slip bench and hand-held shower

Non-slip bench across tub or bathing chair
made available upon request in hotels
ROLL-IN SHOWERS

Mactan Hilton

Humps around
the shower area Mactan Shangri-la
Marriott USA
Private residence allows
wheelchair and
Roll-in shower area must be lower by 1.3 the water. L-bars for support
cm or ½” than the rest of the bathroom.
Reachable spot
for bathing
articles
If not,
Non-skid flooring
provide a
shower (for transfers)
grating.
Grab Bars
NCDA ED Gigi Ruiz with SM Officers

Our hands
are not at
the back!!!
Grab Bars
• L-bar on wall for standing or climbing support
(none in BP344).
• Vertical bar is placed 1 foot ahead of tip of
bowl.
• Grab bars on both sides (only 1 side in BP344).

• Distance between L & R bars at 75 cm max so

support is not compromised. (bar is halfway
nearer to user than in BP344).
• Height of horizontal bar is at 70-75 cm (lower
than in BP344).
 UNIVERSAL TOILET SPECS
To ensure proper installations for
our safety & convenience, please
supervise very closely!

Illustration by: ARCH’T NOEL R. AVILA, UAP

Illustration by: ARCH’T SERGE V. RAAGAS, CAFA-USC

 GRAB BARS

L-shaped bar used

in Japan &
Singapore Separate bars are better for the
Philippines to reduce the incidence
Century Plaza
of errors such as below:
An option in case there is no wall for
the L-bar. The bars are useful also for
towels.

X
Useful for
balance & adds
to the turning
space of
wheelchairs. Flip-up bar
UNIVERSAL TOILET
FOR THE BLIND & VISUALLY IMPAIRED
Tactile tiles arranged in 90 or 45 degree angles to prevent disorientation.
FOR THE BLIND &
VISUALLY IMPAIRED

Bold or contrasting
colors lead the
eyes
ATTRACTIONS
Treks, rides or attractions must be
open to PWDs, not banned or
discouraged.

Martin Gadrinab
Joy Lam (polio survivor) on
(paraplegic) Parasail &
on Zipline Aquanaut
SWIMMING POOLS
To make a sunken pool accessible, carve a
slope alongside the edge of the sunken pool
towards its entrance such that it is 40 cm high
on the level of the wheelchair seat.

Raised Type Seat at entryway

at 40 cm high should be smooth,
but not too slippery.
Sunken Type

Smooth but not slippery

for the bottom

Smooth tiles for the legs not to be scraped

Illustration by: ARCH’T SERGE V. RAAGAS, CAFA-USC

 RAISED
SWIMMING
POOLS

Ayala Condo
Crimson Resort

Cebu Doctors
University
BEACH ACCESSIBILITY

Pathmat Beach Access Matting

INCLUSIVE POLICIES IN THE TOURIST CHAIN
• Eliminate discriminatory
practices (ex. taxi drivers,
airlines, entertainment, etc.)

• Friendly & consistent policies

& systems of PWD handling
from reservations to actual
boarding

• Upon arrival, the passenger’s

own wheelchair must be
brought to the plane’s door to
avoid unnecessary repeated
transfers and accident risk

• Trained personnel to assist

PWDs & elderly

• Laws on discounts must be

implemented & respected
Remember…
The Universal Design specifications contained herein are
NOT suggestions.

The design principles and measurements must be followed

closely if they are to retain their functionality.

Our safety and convenience depends on these.

Its ultimate purpose is our dignity & independence.

 PROMOTING BFT
• Before promoting BFT, make sure your hotel
has barrier-free facilities.
• Make sure you mention in your advertising
that you have such facilities.
• Ensure that the Reception or Front Desk
understands what “barrier-free” means, and
can explain exactly what facilities you have in
case someone inquires. Be ready to e-mail
pictures of your toilet & bathroom, if
necessary.
• Hotels can tie up and promote audio tours for
the blind, scuba diving for the deaf,
wheelchair sports, including mountain-
trekking.*
• Front desk should be able to provide
information or suggest sites, establishments
and resorts in the local area that have barrier-
free facilities & inclusive environments.
IMPACT OF BFT
• Complements the program
of the Philippine
Retirement Authority (PRA)
• Supports medical tourism
• Promotes local tourism
• Generates employment,
even among PWDs
• Improves quality of life for
all.
• Elevates the city to world-
class standards.
• INCLUSION &
PARTICIPATION
…if it is barrier-free.

Thank you!