Fake PWD IDs lost gov’t P88 billion in taxes in 2023 —Gatchalian

The government has lost around P88.2 billion worth of taxes in 2023 because of fake Persons with Disabilities (PWD) IDs, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said on Thursday.

In a hearing of the Senate ways and means committee, Gatchalian said that according to his office's estimates, there are 8.5 million people using fake PWD IDs and only 1.8 million "legitimate" PWDs.

The lawmaker said in terms of discounts being given by establishments, the amount already reached P166 billion.

"These fake PWD IDs are causing a lot of economic damage in terms of foregone revenues and unqualified discounts," Gatchalian, chairperson of the panel, said.

Restaurant Owners of the Philippines (Resto PH) president Eric Teng also said that they have detected an increase from 5% to 25% of their sales affected by PWD discounts in the past two years.

"Two years ago we detected 5% of our sales affected by PWD discounts. Now, we are seeing close to 25% or over which is a fivefold increase in the last two years,” Teng said, adding that the spread of fake PWD IDs was observed after the pandemic.

“This inevitably will force us to raise prices. And when we raise prices, the effect will be to harm the persons with disabilities themselves. The legitimate disabled people will be the victims of these fake PWD cards,” he added.  

The Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP) said its sector is also feeling the effect of the proliferation of fake PWD IDs.

“Legitimate PWDs lose access to benefits as resources are diverted to unscrupulous individuals. Non-PWDs unfairly deplete the supplies of innovative life-saving medicines. And number three, pharmacies bear 70% of the cost of discounts,” PHAP executive director Teodoro Padilla said.

In the same hearing, it was disclosed that there are fake PWD IDs being sold online.

Valenzuela City Government Persons with Disability Affairs Office head Snooky Cortez said that they discovered fake IDs after some residents asked them for medicine booklets but their IDs did not match the numbers in their system.

“May mga taong lumapit sa kanila na nagsabi na sila po ay sa LGU nagtatrabaho o may kakilala po silang taga-LGU. Dahil nga po naririnig nila na sa Valenzuela ay may kahigpitan ang pag-aapply ng PWD, kaya po mas ang kanilang ginagawa ay magpalakad na lamang po,” Cortez said.

“Yung taong nag-offer alam nilang related sa city hall. Yung isa po ay nagtatrabaho sa city hall. But different department po,” she added.

The price ranges from P500 to P2,500, Cortez said.

Marie Cabrera of the Quezon City LGU also shared similar cases of fake PWD IDs offered on Facebook.

Due to this, the local government of QC placed a QR code in their PWD Ids to verify if it's authentic.

The National Council on Disability Affairs has recommended that all PWD IDs to have the same security features.

NCDA Executive Director Glenda Relova also suggested the transfer of the management of the registry for PWDs from the Department of Health to their agency to address the issue. — BM, GMA Integrated News