PDAO pushes for discount integration

TO IMPROVE accessibility and convenience for persons with disabilities (PWDs), the head of the Persons with Disability Affairs Office (PDAO) is urging the Mandaue City Government to integrate the mandated discounts directly into their PWD ID, which now features a QR code.

PDAO head Joseph Jumantoc told reporters on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025, that this initiative would allow PWDs to automatically avail themselves of their benefits without needing to wait in long lines when making purchases.

Currently, the QR code embedded in their PWD ID only contains basic details, such as the individual’s personal information and PWD number.

By expanding the QR code’s function to include discount verification and other privileges, transactions would be more efficient, reducing the burden on both PWDs and establishments processing the discounts.

Aside from streamlining the discount system, Jumantoc also highlighted the importance of online registration for PWDs.

Once a PWD is registered with their office, their information is also uploaded to an online system.

This allows establishments to verify their eligibility for mandatory benefits, including Philhealth coverage.

“All PWDs in Mandaue are now registered online,” Jumantoc said in Cebuano.

So far, PDAO has not encountered major issues regarding the registration and verification process.

To prevent fraud and ensure that only qualified individuals receive benefits, applicants are required to present a certificate of disability issued by a City health doctor before they can be issued a PWD ID.

Meanwhile, PDAO started to distribute the first tranche of cash assistance for eligible PWDs on Tuesday.

Each beneficiary received P4,000 out of the total P8,000 financial aid allocated per person. Of the 8,000 registered PWDs in Mandaue, only 6,500 will receive the financial assistance.

Those who were excluded include newly registered PWDs, individuals who failed to renew their status and those who only obtained a PWD ID for identification purposes but did not apply for financial aid.

Others were deemed ineligible due to local regulations, which require recipients to have voted at least twice or to have been residents of Mandaue for at least five years.

Under the law, PWDs are entitled to a 20 percent discount on various goods and services, along with an exemption from the 12 percent value-added tax.

For transportation fares, the mandated discount remains at 20 percent. However, discounts for basic and prime necessities are lower, at only five percent.

Jumantoc emphasized the importance of making all these benefits easily accessible.

“It would be better if everything is integrated into the PWD ID,” he said.

He said the idea of QR code enhancement aims to ensure that PWDs receive their benefits without unnecessary delays or complications. It could also serve as a model for other cities seeking to improve services for persons with disabilities. / CAV