CLARK FREEPORT -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has warned the public against persons using fake disability identification cards (IDs).
The social welfare agency urged the public to report individuals who are engaged with such illegal act to avail the benefits and privileges for persons with disability.
DSWD added that falsification of public documents and the use of falsified documents are criminal offenses and are punishable under the Revised Penal Code.
Based on Administrative Order No. 001, Series of 2008, issued by the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA), persons with disability (PWDs) IDs, shall only be issued to persons with permanent disabilities due to any one or more conditions such as psychosocial, chronic illness, learning, mental, visual, orthopedic, speech, and hearing conditions. These include persons suffering from disabling diseases resulting to their limitations to perform day-to-day activities as normally as possible.
There must be appropriate documentation confirming the medical or disability condition of a person applying for a PWD ID. The documents may be 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 a business establishment or a non-government organization (NGO).
Those with non-apparent disability must secure a non-apparent disability certificate from a licensed private or government physician.
Issuance of the PWD ID will only be through the Persons with Disability Affairs Office (PDAO) in every city or municipality around the country.
DSWD urges the public to report incidents involving the sale of fake IDs to the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) through council@ncda.gov.ph. They can also report to the PDAO or to any law enforcement agency. To verify the authenticity of persons with disability ID cards, the public may check the name of the ID owner with the Philippine Registry of Persons with Disability, which is managed by the Department of Health (DOH), through https://pwd.doh.gov.ph/login.php, or in the PDAO where the ID was issued.
Meanwhile, DSWD is in close coordination with DOH, NCDA, local government units, and law enforcement agencies to monitor the proliferation of fake persons with disability IDs. The department enjoins the public to work together to protect and ensure that the rights, benefits, and privileges of persons with disability are not subjected to abuses by unscrupulous individuals or groups.