6b. Compliance with the Accessibility Law (Batas Pambansa Blg.

344 and its Amended IRR) on physical structures in health facilities managed by the local government
As one of the primary facilities frequently utilized by PWDs, full compliance with the Accessibility Law in health facilities will be assessed starting this year.

While full compliance with the minimum requirements should still be the goal, LGUs will also be given equitable consideration. For the items in the list of minimum
requirements that could not be complied with, submission of a plan to be implemented within the next three years for the compliance for these physical structures shall be
considered as substantial compliance for purposes of the SGLG.

Provinces, cities and municipalities:

At least one primary health facility of LGU should comply with at least 7 of the following requirements set set forth in the BP 344:

1. Stairs (if applicable)

● Tread surfaces should be a slip-resistant material; nosings may be provided with slip-resistant strips to further minimize slipping
● Slanted nosings are preferred to projecting nosings so as not to pose difficulty for people using crutches or braces whose feet have a tendency to get caught in
the recessed space or projecting nosings. For the same reason, open stringers should be avoided.
● The leading edge of each step on both runner and riser should be marked with a paint or non-skid material that has a color and gray value which is in high
contrast to the gray value of the rest of the stairs.
● A tactile strip 0.30 m. wide shall be installed before hazardous areas such as sudden changes in floor levels and at the top and bottom of stairs.

2. Walkways
● Gradient no more than 1:20 or 5%
● Maximum cross gradient of 1:100
● Minimum width of 1.20 meters
● If possible, gratings should never be located along walkways. When occurring along walkways, grating openings should have a maximum dimension of 13 mm x
13 mm and shall not project more than 6.5 mm above the level of the walkway
● Continuing surface without abrupt pitches in angle or interruptions by cracks or breaks creating edges above 6.50 mm
● 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 1.50 m and should be spaced at a maximum distance of 12:00 m between stops
● To guide the blind, walkways should as much as possible follow straightforward routes with right angle turns
● Ensure branches of trees or shrubs do not overhang walkways or paths, as not only do these present a particular danger to the blind
● Walkway headroom should not be less than 2.0 m and preferably higher
● Passageways for the disabled should not be obstructed by street furniture, bollards, sign posts or columns along the defined route

3. Corridors
● Corridors shall have a minimum clear width of 1.20 m. Waiting areas and other facilities or spaces shall not obstruct the minimum clearance requirement
● Recesses or turnabout spaces should be provided for wheelchairs to turn around or to enable another wheelchair to pass. These spaces shall have a minimum
area of 1.50m x 1.50m and shall be spaced at a maximum of 12.00 m
● Turnabout spaces should also be provided at or within 3.50 m of every dead end
● As in walkways, corridors should be maintained level and provided with a slip resistant surface
4. Doors and Building Entrances
● All doors shall have a minimum clear width of 0.80 m
● Clear openings shall be measured between the surface of the fully open door at the hinge and the door jamb at the stop
● Doors should be operable by a pressure or force not more than 4.0kg. The closing device pressure on interior door shall not exceed 1kg
● A minimum clear level space of 1.50 m x 1.50 m shall be provided before and extending beyond a door. (EXCEPTION: where a door shall open onto but not
into a corridor, the required clear, level space on the corridor side of the door may be a minimum of 1.20 m. corridor width)
● Protection should be provided from doors that swing into corridors
● Outswinging doors should be provided at storage rooms, closets and accessible restroom stalls
● Entrances should be accessible from arrival and departure points to the interior lobby
● One (1) entrance level should be provided where elevators are accessible
● In case entrances are not on the same level of the site arrival grade, ramps should be provided as access to the entrance level
● Entrances with vestibules shall be provided a level area with at least a 1.80 m depth and a 1.50 m width

5. Washrooms and toilets

● Accessible public washrooms and toilets shall permit easy passage of a wheelchair and allow the occupant to enter a stall, close the door and transfer to the
water closet from either a frontal or lateral position
● Accessible water closet stalls shall have a minimum area of 1.70 x 1.80mts. One movable grab bar and one fixed to the adjacent wall shall be installed at the
accessible water closet stall 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 wheelchair shall be provided for water closet stalls for lateral mounting
● 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 set 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 for 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 and the color and gray value of the doors. The words "men" and "women" or the
appropriate stick figures should still appear on the washroom doors for the convenience of the fully sighted. (NOTE: the totally blind could touch the edge of the
signs and easily determine whether it is straight or curved)
● The maximum height of water closets should be 0.45 m. Flush control should have a maximum height of 1.20 mts.
● Maximum height of lavatories should be 0.80 m. with a knee recess of 0.60 - 0.70 M. vertical clearance and a 0.50 m. depth
● Urinals should have an elongated lip or through type. The maximum height of the lip should be 0.48 m.

6. Ramps
● Changes in level require a ramp except when served by a dropped curb, an elevator or other mechanical device
● Ramps shall have a minimum clear width of 1.20 m
● The maximum gradient shall be 1:12
● The length of a ramp should not exceed 6:00 m. if the gradient is 1:12. Longer ramps whose gradient is 1:12 shall be provided with landings not less than 1.50
m.
● A level area not less than 1.80 m. should be provided at the top and bottom of any ramp
 ● Handrails will be provided on both sides of the ramp at 0.70m. and 0.90 m. from the ramp level
● Ramps shall be equipped with curbs on both sides with a minimum height of 0.10 m.
● Any ramp with a rise greater than 0.20 m. and leads down towards an area where vehicular traffic is possible, should have a railing across the full width of its
lower end, not less than 1.80 meters from the foot of the ramp.

7. Parking areas
● Parking spaces for the disabled should allow enough space for a person to transfer to a wheelchair from a vehicle
● Accessible parking spaces should be located as close as possible to building entrances or to accessible entrances
● Whenever and wherever possible, accessible parking spaces should be perpendicular or to an angle to the road or circulation aisles
● Accessible parking slots should have a minimum width of 3.70 m
● A walkway from accessible spaces of 1.20 m. clear width shall be provided between the front ends of parked cars
● Provide dropped curbs or curb cut-outs to the parking level where access walkways are raised
● Pavement markings, signs or other means shall be provided to delineate parking spaces for the handicapped
● Parking spaces for the disabled should never be located at ramped or sloping areas
● To ensure a more equitable access to parking slots, NCDA recommends this suggested ratio of PWD-accessible parking slots to the total number of parking
slots:

8. Switches, Controls, Buzzers

● Manual switches shall be positioned within 1.20 m to 1.30 m above the floor
● Manual switches should be located no further than 0.20 from the latch side of the door

9. Handrails
● Handrails should be installed at both sides of ramps and stairs and at the outer edges of dropped curbs. Handrails at dropped curbs should not be installed
beyond the width of any crossing so as not to obstruct pedestrian flow
● Handrails shall be installed at 0.90m and 0.70m above steps or ramps. Handrails for protection at great heights may be installed at 1.0m to 1.06m.
● A 0.30 m long extension of the handrail should be provided at the start and end of ramps and stairs
● Handrails that require full grip should have a dimension of 30mm to 50 mm
● Handrails attached to walls should have a clearance no less than 50mm from the wall. Handrails on ledges should have a clearance not less than 40mm.

10. Floor Finishes

● CR and ramp flooring (with grooves)
● Corrugated floor for the blind

11. Drinking/Water fountains

● One (1) fountain for every 2,000sq.m. of floor area or one (1) on each floor
● Waterspout shall be at the front and shall be push button controlled if wall mounted
● Maximum height – 0.85 from floor to rim
● Consideration for drinking/water fountains: other equipment used to provide easy access to safe drinking water (e.g. water dispenser)
12. Public telephone
● Clear, unobstructed space of 1.50 x 1.50m in front of wall-mounted and free-standing units and at alcoves/recesses
● Door width – 0.80m (min.) coin slots, dialing controls, receivers and instructional signs shall be located at 1.10 (max) above the floor
● Consideration for public telephone: other publicly accessible telecommunication device (e.g. mobile phone)

13. Seating accommodations

● 4 to 50 seats – 2 wheelchair seating space
● 51 to 300 seats – 4 wheelchair seating space
● 301 to 500 seats – 6 wheelchair seating space

14. Signages
● Directional and information sign should be located at points conveniently seen even by a person on a wheelchair and those with visual impairments
● Signs should be kept simple and easy to understand. Signages should be made of contrasting colors and contrasting gray matter to make detection and reading
easy
● The international symbol for access should be used to designate routes and facilities that are accessible
● Should a sign protrude into a walkway or route, a minimum headroom of 2.0 meters should be provided
● Signs on walls and doors should be located at a maximum height of 1.60m. and a minimum height of 1.40m.
● Signages labelling public rooms and places should have raised symbols, letters or numbers with minimum height of 1 mm; braille symbols should be included in
signs indicating public places and safety routes
● Text on signboards shall be of a dimension that people with less than normal visual acuity can read at a certain distance

15. Elevator (if applicable):

● Accessible elevators should be located not more than 30.00 m. from the entrance and should be easy to locate with the aid of signs
● Accessible elevators shall have a minimum dimension of 1.10 m. x 1.40 m
● Button controls shall be provided with braille 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.
● Button sizes at elevator control panels shall have a minimum diameter of 20 mm and should have a maximum depression depth of 1 mm

Consideration is further given to an LGU with a three-year plan for the compliance of that is either:

(a) Standalone plan - Separate plan indicating the proposed programs, projects and activities (PAPs) to be implemented until 2026 with timeline, budget, and funding
source; OR

(b) Integrated plan - Integration of PAPs to be implemented until 2026 for the rehabilitation or construction of PWD-accessible health facility in the CDP/PDPFP, LIPH,
LDIP, AIP, or annual budget.