MMDA still designing women's urinals

MANILA, Philippines - The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said yesterday the design for female urinals is still on the drawing board.

MMDA general manager Robert Nacianceno said they are still waiting for inputs from women’s groups to finalize the design and structure of the female urinal, which he noted does not look any different from a portalet.

“It will have a door and will be private and secured. It will have a septic tank, good ventilation, clean water and a toilet,” he said.

According to Nacianceno, the MMDA intends to build three test models that will be placed in areas of heavy people traffic such as under the Ortigas-EDSA flyover and at the EDSA-Timog area.

Nacianceno said the MMDA has tapped Rowena Estrella, an engineer of the agency, to design the female urinals. Nacianceno said the MMDA intends not to spend more than P30,000 for each female urinal. “I think we can keep the cost of construction down as we have trained people to do it. We can also make one in just three days,” he said.

Asked why the MMDA did not buy portalets instead, Nacianceno said portalets are too expensive to buy and maintain.

He said the female urinals will be painted green in keeping with the new “Metro Green” theme of the MMDA.