BATAS PAMBANSA BILANG 344 (ACCESSIBILITY

LAW)

“An act to enhance the Mobility of Disabled Persons by

Requiring Certain Buildings, Institutions, Establishments
and Public Utilities to Install Facilities and other Devices”

- This act was passed by Batasang Pambansa on

December 7, 1982.
- Approved on February 25, 1983 and signed by
former Pres. Ferdinand Marcos.

SCOPE

The provisions of these Rules and Regulations shall apply

to the following:

3.1 Public and private buildings and related structures for

public use and which shall be constructed, repaired or
renovated

3.2 Streets and highways and public utilitie

3.2.1 Streets and highways

3.2.2 Public transport vehicles which shall

include:

a. Passenger buses and jeepneys

b. Passenger trains, including those of the Light Rail

Transit Authority (LRTA)

c. Domestic inter-island vessels

d. Domestic aircraft of air carriers CURB CUT-OUTS

3.2.3 Public Telephones - Curb cut-outs should only be allowed when it will
not obstruct a walkway or in any way lessen the
3.3 Public transport terminals including those of LRTA width of a walkway;
- The minimum width of a curb cut-out should be
A. OUTSIDE AND AROUND BUILDINGS
0.90 m.;
DROPPED CURBS - Curb cut-outs should not have a gradient not
more than 1:12;
- Dropped curbs crossings should have a length
corresponding to the width of the crossing;
otherwise, the minimum width should be 0.90 m.
- Dropped curbs shall be ramped towards adjoining
curbs with a gradient not more than 1:12;
- Dropped curbs shall be sloped towards the road
with a maximum cross gradient of 1:20 to prevent
water from collecting at the walkway;
- The lowest point of a dropped curb should not
exceed 25 mm height above the road or gutter; WALKWAYS

- Walkways should be kept as level as possible and

provided with slip-resistant material;
- Whenever and wherever possible walkways
should have a gradient no more than 1:20 or 5%
 - Walkways should have a maximum cross great heights may be installed at 1.00 m to 1.06
gradient of 1:100; m;
- Walkways should have a minimum width of 1.20 - A 0.30 m long extension of the handrail should be
meters; provided at the start and end of ramps and stairs;
- If possible, gratings should never be located - Handrails that require full grip should have a
along walkways; when occuring along walkways, dimension of 30 cm to 50 cm;
grating openings should have a maximum - Handrails attached from the 40 mm wall to walls
dimension of 13 mm x 13 mm and shall not should have a clearance ; handrails on ledges
project more than 6.5mm above or below the should no less than 50 have a clearance not less
level of the walkways; mm than ;
- In lengthy or busy walkways, spaces should be
provided at some point along the route so that a
wheelchair may pass another or turn around;
these spaces should have a minimum dimension
of 1.5 meters and should be spaced at a maximum
distance of 12.00 meters between stops;
- To guide the blind, walkways should as much as
possible follow straight forward routes with right
angle turns;
- Where planting is provided adjacent to the
walkway, regular maintenance is essential to
ensure branches of trees or shrubs do not
overhang walkways or paths, as they do not only
present a particular danger to the blind, but they
also reduce the effective footway width available
to pedestrians;
- Walkway headroom should be less than 2.00 m
and should preferably be higher;
- Passageways for the disabled should not be
obstructed by street furniture, bollards, sign posts
or columns along the defined route, as they can
be hazardous;

HANDRAILS

- Handrails should be installed at both sides of

ramps ad stairs and at the outer edges of dropped
curbs at crossings; handrails should not be
installed beyond the width of any crossing so as
not to obstruct pedestrian flow;
- Handrails shall be installed at 0.90 m and 0.70 m
above steps or ramps; handrails for protection at
OPEN SPACES

- Where open spaces are provided, the blind can

become particularly disoriented. Therefore, it is
extremely helpful if any walkway or paths can be
given defined edges either by the use of planters
with dwarf wall, or a grass verge, or similar,
which provides a texture different from the path.

SIGNAGES

- Directional and informational sign should be

located at points conveniently seen even by a
person on a wheelchair.;
- Signs should be kept simple and easy to
understand; signages should be made of
contrasting colors and gray values to make
detection and reading easy;
- The international symbol for access should be PARKING AREAS
used to designate routes and facilities that are - Parking spaces for the disabled should allow
accessible; enough space for a person to transfer to a
- Signs on walls and doors should be located at a wheelchair from a vehicle;
maximum height of 1.60 meters and a minimum - Accessible parking spaces should be located as
height of 1.40 meters; close as possible to building entrances or to
- Signages labeling public rooms and places should accessible entrances;
have raised symbols, letters or numbers with a - Whenever and wherever possible, accessible
minimum height of 1 mm; Braille symbols should parking spaces should be perpendicular or at an
be included in signs indicating public places and angle to the road or circulation aisles;
safety routes; - Accessible parking slots should have a minimum
- Text on signboards shall be of a dimension that width of 3.70 m.;
people with less than normal visual acuity can - A walkway from accessible spaces of 1.20 m.
read at a certain distance. clear width shall be provided between the front
Symbol of Access ends of parked cars;
- Provide dropped curbs or curb cut-outs to the
- The International Symbol of Access shall be parking level where access walkways are raised;
composed of a white symbolized figure of a - Pavement markings, signs or other means shall be
person in a wheelchair with a square background provided to delineate parking spaces for the
in UN Blue Color. The symbolized figure shall handicapped;
always face to the right. Provide directional - Parking spaces for the disabled should never be
arrows when the space/area/function being located at ramped or sloping areas;
referred to
INSIDE BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES clear, level space on the corridor side of the door
may be a minimum of 1200 mm corridor width.
ENTRANCES
- Protection should be provided from doors that
- At least one entrance to every building should be swing into corridors.
accessible from arrival and departure points to the - Out-swinging doors should be provided at
interior lobby; storage rooms, closets, toilets and accessible
- One (1) entrance level should be provided where restroom stalls.
elevators are accessible; - Latching or non-latching hardware should not
- In case entrances are not on the same level of the require wrist action or fine finger manipulation.
site arrival grade, ramps should be provided as - Lever type locksets and other hardware should be
access to the entrance level; located between 20 mm and 1.06 m above the
- Entrances with vestibules shall be provided a floor; 900 mm is preferred
level area with at least a 1.80 m. depth and a 1.50 - Vertical pull handles, centered at 1.06 m above
m. width; the floor, are preferred to horizontal pull bars for
swing doors or doors with locking devices.
RAMPS - Doors along major circulation routes should be
- Changes in level require a ramp except when provided with kick plates made of durable
served by a dropped curb, an elevator or other materials at a height of 300 mm to 400 mm.
mechanical device; - For doors with peepholes, provide a secondary
- Ramps shall have a minimum clear width of 1.20 - Vertical pull handles, centered at 1.06 m above
m; the floor, are preferred to horizontal pull bars for
- The maximum gradient shall be 1:12; swing doors or doors with locking devices.
- The longer ramps whose gradient is length of a - Doors along major circulation routes should be
ramp should not exceed 6.00 m. if the gradient is provided with kick plates made of durable
1:12 ; 1:12 shall be provided with landings not materials at a height of 300 mm to 400 mm.
less than 1.50 m.; - For doors with peepholes, provide a secondary
- A level area not less than 1.80 m. should be peephole at a height of 1.1 m from the finish
provided at the top and bottom of any ramp; floor for wheelchair users.
- Handrails will be provided on both sides of the THRESHOLDS
ramp at 0.70 m. and 0.90 m. from the ramp level;
- Ramps shall be equipped with curbs on both sides - Thresholds shall be kept to a minimum; whenever
with a minimum height of 0.10 m.; necessary, thresholds and sliding door tracks shall
- Any ramp with a rise greater than 0.20 m. and have a maximum height of 25 mm and preferably
leads down towards an area where vehicular ramped;
traffic is possible, should have a railing across the
SWITCHES
full width of its lower end, not less than 1.50
meters from the foot of the ramp; - Manual switches shall be positioned within 1.20
m to 1.30 m above the floor;
DOORS
- Manual switches should be located no further
- All doors shall have a minimum clear width of than 0.20 from the latch side of the door;
900 mm.
WASHROOMS AND TOILETS
- Clear openings shall be measured from the face
of a fully open door at 90 degrees and the door - Accessible public washrooms and toilets shall
jamb permit easy passage of a wheelchair and allow
- Lever type locksets should be operable by a the occupant to enter a stall, close the door and
pressure or force not more than 1.0 kg; the door transfer to the water closet from either a frontal
closer device pressure on an interior door shall or lateral position;
not exceed 4.0 kg. - Accessible water closet stalls shall have a
- A minimum clear level space of 1500 mm x 1500 minimum area of 1.70 x 1.80 mts. One movable
mm shall be provided before and extending grab bar and one fixed to the adjacent wall shall
beyond a door; EXCEPTION: where a door shall be installed at the accessible water closet stall
open onto but not into a corridor, the required for lateral mounting; fixed grab bars on both
 sides of the wall shall be installed for stalls for
frontal mounting;
- A turning space of 2.25 sq. m. with a minimum
dimension of 1.50 m. for wheelchairs shall be
provided outside water closet stalls;
- All accessible public toilets shall have
accessories such as mirrors, paper dispensers,
towel racks, and fittings such as faucets
mounted at heights reachable by a person in a
wheelchair;
- The minimum number of accessible water
closets on each floor level or on that part of a
floor level accessible to the disabled shall be one
(1) where the total number of water closets per
sex on that level is 20; and two (2) where the
number of water closets exceed 20;
- In order to aid visually impaired persons to
readily determine whether a washroom is for
men or for women, the signage on men's
washroom door shall be an equilateral
triangle with a vertex pointing upward, and
those for women shall be a circle; the edges of
the triangle should be 0.30 m long as should be
the diameter of the circle; these signages should
at least be 7.5 mm thick; the color and gray STAIRS
value of these geometric forms should be
• Uniform risers of 150 mm (maximum) and treads
distinct from the color and gray value of the
of 300 mm (minimum) shall be used.
doors; the words "men" and "women" or the
appropriate stick figures should still appear on • Tread surfaces shall be of slip-resistant material;
the washroom doors for the convenience of the nosings shall be slip resistant to further
fully sighted; minimize slipping.
- NOTE: the totally blind could touch the edge of
• Slanted nosings are preferred than protruding
signs and easily determine whether it is straight
nosings so as not to pose difficulty for people
or curved;
using crutches or braces whose feet have a
- The maximum height of water closets should
tendency to get caught in protruding nosings.
be 0.45 m; flush control should gave a
maximum height of 1.2 m.; • Open stringers shall be avoided.
- Maximum height of lavatories should be 0.80 m
with a knee recess of 0.60 0.70 m vertical • The leading edge of each step on both runner and
clearance and a 0.50 m depth; riser should be marked with a paint or non-skid
- Urinals should have an elongated lip or should be material that has a color and gray value which is
trough-type; the maximum height of the lip in high contrast to the gray value of the rest of the
should be 0.48 m stairs

• A tactile strip 300 mm wide shall be installed

before hazardous areas such as sudden changes in
floor levels and at the top, bottom and
intermediate landings of stairs; special care must
be taken to ensure the proper mounting or
adhesion of tactile strips so as not to cause
accidents.

• Handrails shall be installed at 900 mm and 700

mm above stair treads. A 300 mm long extension
 of the handrail should be provided at the top and COVERS FOR EXCAVATION
bottom, of stairs.
• Excavations in the footway or carriageway where
• Stair handrails shall be continuous throughout the pedestrians may walk should be covered
entire length and extend not less than 300 mm temporarily with properly constructed and
beyond the top and bottom step. supported boards to provide path for pedestrians;

ELEVATORS • If the footway width will be reduced to less than

1.20 m. because of the excavation, the temporary
• Accessible elevators should be located not more
covering should extend across the whole
than 30.00 m. from the entrance and should be
footway;
easy to locate with the aid of signs;
• Minimum dimensions at obstructions
• Accessible elevators shall have a minimum
dimension of 1.10 m. x 1.40 m.; 1. Effective width of footways past any obstruction
should not be less than 1.20 m.
• Control panels and emergency systems of
accessible elevators shall be within reach of a 2. If unavoidable, loose materials temporarily
seated person; centerline heights for the topmost stored on footways must be properly fenced and
buttons shall be between 0.90 m. to 1.20 m. from prevented from encroaching onto the main
the floor; footway by the use of a kickboard at least 0.20 m.
high which may also serve as tapping board for
• Button controls shall be provided with braille
the blind;
signs to indicate floor level; at each floor, at the
door frames of elevator doors, braille-type signs
shall be placed so that blind persons can be able
to discern what floor the elevator car has stopped
and from what level they are embarking from; for
installation heights, see Section 6.6 Signages;

• Button sizes at elevator control panels shall have

a minimum diameter of 20 mm. and should have
a maximum depression depth of 1 mm.;

SAFETY

FENCING FOR ROADWORKS AND

FOOTWORKS

All excavations, whether on the road or footway must be

adequately protected or fenced-in to protect pedestrians in
general and the disabled in particular. Whatever the type
of fencing used, it is important that the railings should
incorporate the following features;

1.1 The height of the top of the rail should be at least 1.00
m. above the adjacent surface;

1.2 The railing should incorporate a tapping rail to assist

the blind; this should not be greater than 0.35 m. above
the adjacent surface;

1.3 The fence should be strong enough to offer resistance

should a blind person walk into it;

1.4 Gaps should not occur between adjoining fence

lengths;