They’re finally coming to their senses.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) finally listened to the public and said it will postpone the opening of the recently constructed Kamuning footbridge in Quezon City.
The structure recently went viral after many noticed how impossibly steep it was, with netizens dubbing it “Stairway to Heaven.”
MMDA spokesperson Celine Pialago told CNN Philippines yesterday that the footbridge will open on Nov. 27 instead of the original opening scheduled today. Pialago said that the agency will redesign the structure.
Constructed with a budget of PHP10 million (more than US$189,000), the bridge goes up at a steep angle, has a short flat walkway, then plunges down to connect pedestrians to the other side of the road. It was built over the Manila Metro Rail Transit System or MRT-3.
Pialago said that the new design will have railings and landings, ABS-CBN News reported.
Didn’t think people would need that before making it?
MMDA General Manager Jojo Garcia earlier defended its design but admitted that only healthy people can use the bridge.
“It’s not designed for [people with disabilities] or seniors. This is only designed for healthy [people],” said Garcia.
He forgot to mention that pregnant women or those with children might have a hard time climbing the damn thing, but what’s the big deal, right?
In a separate interview with radio station DZMM, he said that the bridge had to be built at such a steep incline to avoid the MRT-3’s power lines.
Pialago echoed Garcia’s sentiment, saying that the pedestrian overpass was not intended for senior citizens and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), GMA News reported.
She said that there was a need for the footbridge because the spot underneath it is an accident-prone area that pedestrians try to cross.
According to the MMDA’s records, 10 pedestrians get into accidents in that area on a monthly basis, GMA News added.
However, netizens have lambasted the footbridge for being unsafe.
Here’s an example of how creative Filipinos can get with their memes:
Hopefully, the new design will be a bit more inclusive to all sorts of pedestrians.
If not, what’s the use?
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