The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has joined the government’s campaign against the proliferation of fake identification cards (IDs) of Persons with Disabilities through the creation of a unified ID system which will employ a web-based portal that can be used for real-time updating and ID verification by business establishments.
The use of a unified ID System was among the resolutions of the round table discussion with stakeholders presided by Secretary Rex Gatchalian last December 11 at the DSWD’s Central Office in Quezon City.
“The creation of a unified ID system which will employ a web-based portal will be launched the soonest,” Secretary Gatchalian said in his December 11 Facebook post.
While in the process of creating the system, Secretary Gatchalian urged the public to report incidents involving the sale of fake persons with disabilities IDs to the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA), an attached agency of the DSWD, through [email protected], to the Persons with Disability Affairs Office (PDAO), or any law enforcement agency.
The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has also launched a national crackdown against the sale and use of fake person with disability IDs as revenue losses from this type of tax evasion scheme already amounted to over Php88 billion.
Under the law, persons with disabilities’ benefits include a 20 percent discount and an exemption from value-added tax (VAT) on certain goods and services.
Unscrupulous persons, however, have exploited this system by selling fake persons with disabilities IDs to those fraudulently seeking to claim these benefits. These fake IDs are not only sold on the streets but also through online marketplaces, making them easily accessible, according to the BIR.
The DSWD on Monday (December 16) issued a stern warning against those who continue to perpetuate the illegal issuance, selling and use of fake ‘persons with disabilities’ identification cards.
“We are urging the public to report individuals involved in the issuance and sale of fake persons with disabilities ID cards, which aim to fraudulently access benefits and privileges intended for persons with disabilities. Falsifying public documents and using fake documents are criminal offenses punishable under the Revised Penal Code,” Asst. Secretary Irene Dumlao, the DSWD’s spokesperson, said.
Under the National Council on Disability Affairs’ Administrative Order No. 001, Series of 2008, persons with disabilities IDs are exclusively issued to individuals with permanent disabilities caused by one or more of the following conditions: speech impairment, learning disability, intellectual disability, mental disability, visual disability, psychosocial disability, physical disability, deaf and hard-of-hearing, cancer and rare diseases.
The NCDA’s administrative order includes individuals with disabling diseases that significantly limit their ability to perform daily activities.
Persons with disabilities IDs are issued exclusively by the Persons with Disability Affairs Office of every city and municipality nationwide.
There must be appropriate documentation confirming the medical or disability condition of a person applying for a persons with disabilities ID, according to the DSWD spokesperson.
The documents for ID issuance may be any of the following: Apparent Disability Medical Certificate issued by a licensed private or government physician; School Assessment issued by a licensed teacher and duly signed by the school principal; or a Certificate of Disability issued by the head of the business establishment or head of the non-government organization (NGO).
On the other hand, those with non-apparent disability must secure a Non-Apparent Disability Certificate from a licensed private or government physician.
