Government losing P88.2 billion due to fake PWD cards

MANILA, Philippines — With the government losing P88.2 billion in taxes due to the surge of unscrupulous people using fake disability (PWD) cards, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said the new technology could help prevent people from taking advantage of the discount,

Gatchalian, who presided over the Senate Ways and Means Committee public investigation, found out about the rampant proliferation of fake PWD cards, which are bought at social media market places for just P500 to P1,500.

The senator said the Department of Social Welfare and Development is about to roll out a new technological initiative in early 2025 aimed at curbing the rise of fake Persons with Disability (PWD) IDs in the Philippines with plans to implement a central verification system for all PWD cards.

“In Bacolod City, they have a central database that establishments can access and all their PWD ID cards have a QR code. So you go there, you buy basic commodities and you will claim a 5 percent discount. Just scan the establishment and it will appear if you are legitimate or not,” Gatchalian added.

Based on the number of PWDs registered with the census and the Department of Health, Gatchalian estimated that there are 1,847,015 “legitimate” Filipino PWDs, who are outnumbered by the estimated 8,535,141 “illegitimate” ones with fraudulently obtained ID cards.

Gatchalian recently highlighted Bacolod City's success in addressing this issue through innovative technology. Under the leadership of Mayor Albee Benitez, Bacolod has implemented a system that links PWD ID cards to a central database, allowing businesses to instantly verify the authenticity of the cards via QR codes.

“It’s fast, real time,” (Mabilis) said Gatchalian. “There are almost no fake PWD cards in Bacolod City because first they were scared and second they will know and find out if you are fake or not.(Halos na wala yung pekeng PWD card sa Bacolod City dahil una natakot at pangalawa ay malalaman at malalaman kung ikaw ay peke o hindi).

He said the system was a quick and efficient process that has effectively minimized the use of fraudulent PWD IDs.

He said the success of Bacolod’s approach has led the National Commission on Disability Affairs (NCDA) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to plan a nationwide rollout of the same technology by the first quarter of 2025.

Gatchalian criticized individuals who fraudulently claim disability to take advantage of the 32 percent discount given to PWDs.

“"First of all, you (those using fake PWDs) should feel guilty because you are pretending to have a disability that you don't have,” Gatchalian said. (Ang unang-una, makonsensya naman kayo dahil nagpapanggap kayo na mayroong kapansanan na wala naman).

Gatchalian noted that the National Statistics Office (NSO) already should use an advanced database to verify the authenticity of birth certificates across the country, and he proposed that similar systems be applied to PWD registries. (CEBU NEWS)