MANILA — Property giant SM Prime Holdings has secured 14 national awards for advancing accessibility for persons with disabilities, underscoring a corporate push for inclusive urban design, the company said.
The developer was recognized at the 31st Apolinario Mabini Awards, a biennial program established in 1974 by the Philippine Foundation for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled to honor advocates of disability rights.
SM Prime said its mall operating arm, SM Supermalls, captured 12 of the distinctions. These included a silver award for its Roxas City location and bronze awards for four other retail centers across the archipelago.
Seven additional SM malls received special citations for expanding or upgrading existing infrastructure to comply with the country's 1983 Accessibility Law, SM Prime said. The legislation mandates barrier-free features such as wheelchair ramps, handrails, and designated parking spaces in all public and private buildings.
The company's commercial division also earned two bronze awards for its Three E-Com and Five E-Com office towers, situated in the sprawling Mall of Asia business district in the capital region.
"These awards affirm our commitment to creating spaces where everyone can participate fully and independently," SM Prime President Jeffrey Lim said. "As our portfolio grows, accessibility will remain central to how we design, build and operate."
The recent haul builds on the 10 honors SM Prime received in the previous award cycle, as major Philippine developers continue efforts to modernize aging infrastructure and design new spaces to accommodate populations with varying physical abilities.