Transit Dialog has published my essay, Commuting as a PWD is Hard. Read it here: https://www.facebook.com/share/UtteJ59zbqc4Hoax/?mibextid=WC7FNe ๐
"๐๐ฐ๐ต ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ ๐ฅ๐ช๐ด๐ข๐ฃ๐ช๐ญ๐ช๐ต๐ช๐ฆ๐ด ๐ข๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ท๐ช๐ด๐ช๐ฃ๐ญ๐ฆ... ๐๐ฆ ๐ข๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ซ๐ถ๐ด๐ต ๐ต๐ณ๐บ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ด๐ถ๐ณ๐ท๐ช๐ท๐ฆ, ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ธ๐ฆ ๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ฑ๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ข๐ต ๐ธ๐ฆ ๐ค๐ข๐ฏ ๐ฃ๐ฆ ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ด๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ค๐ต๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ง๐ฐ๐ณ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ฑ๐ญ๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ข๐ต ๐ธ๐ฆ ๐ข๐ณ๐ฆ."
๐๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ ๐ฎ ๐ฃ๐ช๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ
๐๐บ ๐๐ข๐ฎ๐ข๐ฏ๐ต๐ฉ๐ข ๐๐ข๐ช๐ญ ๐๐ถ๐ค๐ข๐ด
I am a PWD. My disability is not apparent, so I may look and seem like I am well. However, I am far from it.
Each day is a struggle, and one of my biggest challenges is commuting. Public transportation in our country is already difficult to navigate, more so for the disabled like me. Thus, it is up to me to survive my trips, and to make sure that I reach point B without overexerting myself.
My biggest struggle is the discrimination that I face from drivers and operators. Whenever I ask for a discount, they give me a head to toe look. It is embarrassing, and there are times when showing them my PWD ID is still not enough. Most of the time, they laugh at me and tell me that I am not entitled to the discount.
Some drivers even tell me that I can walk or I can see. I never took no for an answer, and I always insist on getting that discount that I am entitled to. So far, being firm works for me.
Another challenge is riding the priority car in our trains. The senior citizens there always tell me to give up my seat for them. Sometimes, they even give snide remarks, which insinuate that I am not really disabled.
I give up my seat for those who really need them, especially those who are crippled, pregnant, blind, and the elderly. But those who are rude to me do not deserve my seat. Sometimes, I even insist that I need that seat, too. I am disabled and I deserve a seat as well. We do not need to be rude just to occupy some space in the priority seating area.
Dealing with the daily grind of commuting in the Philippines is taxing. As a PWD, it has become my responsibility to keep myself safe and sane during my commute. I opt to listen to music or read a book to pass the time. Blocking out the external noise helps me focus on my surroundings instead of hearing unnecessary comments from people who do not think I am disabled enough.
I also practice the art of ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ข or ignoring comments that do not pertain to me. I always think that they reflect the character of these people, and if they have the nerve to be unkind to the disabled, then I would not want to engage with them.
I hope that as commuters, we choose to be kind to others. If we see someone who is in the priority area, just assume that he or she deserves to be there. People do not need our unnecessary judgment. Sometimes, we just need to mind our own business.
We also need to be mindful of how our words can affect others. For some people who are sick or undergoing medical treatment, it is already overwhelming to commute and be in public spaces. Unwarranted comments only show lack of sensitivity to those who are different from us.
I hope that drivers and operators of public transportation can also have sensitivity training on disabilities. They also need to be aware of the discount we PWDs are entitled to. Yes, they already have challenges on franchising and the threat of being phased out, but PWDs are paying passengers, too. We also deserve to be given the treatment that we deserve.
Remember, not all disabilities are visible. Please be kind to PWDs. I am a PWD, and I hope that this essay will remind you that disabled people need to be treated better. We deserve kindness, especially when taking public transport.
We are just trying to survive, and we hope that we can be respected for the people that we are.
#authorlife
