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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Romualdez backs call for unified PWD ID system amid rampant misuse

Romualdez backs call for unified PWD ID system amid rampant misuse

Published Feb 14, 2025 04:49 am

At A Glance

  • House Speaker Martin Romualdez on Friday, Feb. 14, backed calls for the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to establish a unified system for Person With Disability (PWD) IDs amid its widespread misuse.

House Speaker Martin Romualdez on Friday, Feb. 14, backed calls for the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to establish a unified system for Person With Disability (PWD) IDs amid its widespread misuse.

He also said that the House of Representatives was preparing a parallel measure to ensure the nationwide standardization of PWD ID issuance as well as validation protocols, and increased penalties for ​those committing fraud.

Romualdez urged the government to expedite its implementation in a bid to end fraud, restore public trust, and ensure that only ​the rightful beneficiaries receive their privileges without undue burden.


He said a unified PWD ID system must be secure, efficient, and tamper-proof to stop the widespread misuse of fake IDs, which has eroded confidence in the program and unfairly burdened legitimate persons with disabilities.

“Ang pekeng PWD ID ay hindi simpleng pandaraya—ito ay pagnanakaw sa mga tunay na may kapansanan at sa negosyong sumusunod sa batas. Kailangang wakasan natin ito ngayon na​ (Inappropriate use of PWD ID is not only a simple fraud. It is a robbery committed against legit PWDs and businesses that follow the rules. We need to stop it now),” he said.

According to Romualdez, the rampant misuse of fraudulent PWD IDs already sparked tensions between businesses and legitimate PWDs. Many establishments are bearing financial losses due to fake claims.

Meanwhile, legitimate PWDs are unfairly scrutinized and forced to justify their disabilities every time they try to avail of benefits they are entitled to.

“Tuwing may isang mandaraya, nagdurusa ang lahat—ang negosyong nag-aambag sa ekonomiya at ang PWD na kailangang dumaan sa panghuhusga at pagdududa. Hindi ito makatarungan​ (Everybody suffers when someone commits fraud—businessmen who contribute to the economy and PWDs who have to undergo judgment and doubt. This is not justifiable),” he stressed.

Romualdez commended DSWD’s initiative to introduce a unified ID system with enhanced security features, such as RFID technology.

He said it is a long-overdue reform that must be implemented without unnecessary bureaucratic delays.

​He also pushed for additional security measures​ to guarantee the integrity of the PWD ID system, such as QR codes and tamper-proof verification features​, which have been successfully adopted by some local government units to curb counterfeiting.

He also called for tougher penalties against individuals and syndicates involved in the production and use of fraudulent PWD IDs.

Related Tags

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