Villar to address ATM concern of blind persons

MANILA, Philippines - Senator Manuel Villar Jr. said the Senate would address the concern of the visually impaired regarding the use of automated teller machines (ATM), the designs of which did not fully consider their needs as users.

Villar introduced Senate Bill 3363 that seeks to mandate the reconfiguration of existing ATMs, specifically the incorporation of non-visual aids for the benefit of the visually impaired clients.

“While ATMs in the country currently have braille dots on the keypad, they do not provide any non-visual method for readings or relaying the messages that appear on the screen, making it difficult for visually impaired people to use them,” Villar said.

Under the bill, all banks that have ATMs would be required to equip their machines with an audio transmission system, apart from the visual transmission system for the transmittal of messages during each transaction.

It would be necessary for the banks to purchase new machines.

An audio transmission system refers to a system that recites with sonic clarity through a personal listening device substantially the same information that is conveyed by a visual transmission system.

The personal listening device would be in the form of an earphone or similar audio receiver.

This would ensure that only the client would be able to hear the commands for the transaction.

“In order to promote assistive technology for the blind/visually impaired, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought,” Villar said.

The first ATM was introduced in Ohio in the United States in 1959, which was subsequently redesigned by engineers of other countries in the early 1960s.

It the 1980s ATMs were introduced in the Philippines, ushering in the concept of electronic banking in the country.

A World Bank report published this year showed that there are around 14.88 ATMs for every 100,000 adults in the country as of 2010.