Senator Sherwin Gatchalian (Senate PRIB)

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian wants government to do something about the revenue leakage caused by the use of fake person-with-disability (PWD) identification cards (IDs), which last year amounted to P88.2 billion.

“Fake PWD IDs are causing economic damage in terms of foregone revenues from discounts given by establishments to holders of fake PWD IDs," Gatchalian said in a statement Saturday, Dec. 7.

“This is not just a fake ID problem but an economic problem because the government is losing revenue and businesses are being burdened into giving discounts to people who don’t deserve those discounts,” he underscored.

The senator from Valenzuela City said the government needs to adopt relevant technologies that would help plug such revenue losses.

According to Gatchalian, the government incurred an estimated revenue loss of around P88.2 billion in 2023 due to discounts and VAT exemption granted to people using fake PWD IDs. 

Estimates made by his office indicate that 8.54 million individuals used fake PWD cards last year compared to only 1.85 million legitimate PWDs.

"We need to stop the use and proliferation of these fake PWD IDs and the only way is to have a centralized database up and running,” he said at a recent Senate hearing conducted by the Senate Committee on Ways and Means.

Based on information from local government units (LGUs) such as Valenzuela and Quezon City, fake PWD IDs are being sold through the Facebook marketplace or even peddled door-to-door by unscrupulous individuals for fees, ranging from P500 to P2500.  

“A centralized database or registry that can be accessed anytime can be a deterrent to those who unlawfully sell these fake PWD IDs,” he said. 

The senator cited the experience of Bacolod City, which adopted a PWD ID with a QR code feature. This enables establishments to verify on the spot whether the PWD ID is legitimate or not. 

He noted that many LGUs continue to make use of traditional cardboard IDs that can be easily replicated.

The Ways and Means panel chairman, Gatchalian also committed to provide budgetary support for the National Council on Disability Affairs. The council is in charge of coordinating and developing policies covering disability issues, in the adoption and development of a centralized registry.

Gatchalian added that he was also considering the inclusion of a penal provision in Republic Act (RA) No.10754, also known as An Act Expanding the Benefits and Privileges of Persons with Disability, to discourage both use and sale of fake PWD IDs.