The Philippine Online Chronicles

It seems Metro dwellers will be seeing more "pink" this year.

After pink footbridges, pink lines, pink fences and pink walls, the Metro Manila Development Authority is cooking up the latest addition to its pink-themed road projects -- pink urinals for women.

For its first agenda for 2010, MMDA general manager Robert Nacianceno announced its plans to construct “pay urinals” for women at strategic points in the metropolis.

According to Nacianceno, the proposed "female urinals" is the agency's answer to “persistent requests of women” for public toilets to be made for them.

Male portalets, known as the "pink urinals" were built during the term of former MMDA chairman Bayani Fernando. The urinals were installed along busy thoroughfares to cater to commuters and drivers, and were supposed to discourage leaking against walls – a habit acquired by many Filipino men.

These urinals were painted bright pink so they can be easily spotted by pedestrians.

The urinals can be used free of charge; however, they have often received flak due to lack of maintenance and sanitation resulting in foul odors.

“Stink-free”

Unlike its predecessor, the MMDA assured the public that the urinals will be “stink free.” And while the male urinals are more open and only require water, the female counterpart will be more enclosed, will have electricity and water, and will be manned by a guard. An MMDA streetsweeper or personnel will likewise be assigned to regularly clean the facility.

A septic tank will also be constructed for each unit.

The female urinals will be constructed along major roads in the metro, near footbridges, said Nacianceno. “We want a better architectural design,” he added.

MMDA undersecretary Cesar Lacuna said that female urinals will cost about 10 times more to build, operate and maintain, compared to the male version. Each male urinal cost P30,000 at the time they were built in 2004.

The income from the pay toilet will be used to cover electricity, water and manpower expenses.

Meanwhile, MMDA chairman Oscar Inocencio is said to be seeking the help of sponsors from government agencies, such as the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor), as well as private and non-government organizations for the construction of the proposed toilets.

"Anything could happen inside a urinal" - Bayani

For his part, ex-MMDA chief Fernando did not sound very enthusiastic about the proposed urinal project.

The main proponent of portable toilets in the country said that he rejected the idea of  female urinals during his term because they were much "harder to maintain."

He added that the enclosed walls of the proposed toilet might be used for "other things" aside from heeding nature's call.

"People could do anything inside the covered urinals. What women need are standard toilets," he said on Inquirer.net. "But I wish the MMDA luck in finding a suitable design."

Fernando's running mate Sen. Richard Gordon, on the other hand, said that the plan was feasible and he was able to implement a similar project when he was Olongapo City mayor.

The former Tourism secretary even suggested that the MMDA adopt the "squat toilets" design used in Japan.

Photo: "MMDA_urinal" from wikipilipinas.org, Some rights reserved.