The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is pushing for a unified digital identification system for persons with disabilities (PWDs) to improve ID verification and curb the use of fake cards.
At a Senate Committee on Finance Sub-Committee E hearing on Wednesday, Secretary Rex Gatchalian said the DSWD had proposed the Unified Persons with Disabilities Identification System (UPWDIS) after reports of a rise in fraudulent PWD IDs. The proposed system would use a digital format instead of physical cards.
“After that time when we found out, nung napabalita itong paglaganap ng fake PWD ID, the Department immediately went to work and proposed a unified system. The unified ID system, it's a digital format wala ng physical ID,” Gatchalian told the Senate.
The initiative comes amid concerns over a discrepancy between the number of PWD ID users and registered persons with disabilities. According to National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) data, about 8.5 million people use PWD IDs, while only around 2.8 million are registered nationwide.
Gatchalian said the current system is fragmented, with local government units (LGUs) issuing IDs under existing policies.
The differences have resulted in about 1,500 ID designs, making it harder for businesses and other establishments to verify cards consistently, he added.
To enable the DSWD to issue IDs, the agency is working with the Department of Health and the Department of Finance to amend the implementing rules and regulations of Republic Act No. 10754, which expands benefits and privileges for persons with disabilities.
“In-amend lang namin yung IRR to include us, DSWD as an issuing entity. Pinakamabilis, next 2 weeks we're about to sign with DOH and DOF. Pag na-implement na yun, suddenly may personality na kami mag-issue ng ID, then our unified system can be used already,” the DSWD chief pointed out.
Gatchalian said the agencies expected to sign the amended rules within two weeks, which would give the DSWD authority to issue IDs and put its unified system into use.
The DSWD is also working with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to address irregularities in local ID issuance.
“We worked with the DILG to make sure na talaga may crack down sa mga LGU kasi that's an ethical violation, administrative violation yun. It's a matter of the LGUs enforcing it,” Gatchalian said.
He also said violations by LGUs could carry ethical and administrative consequences.
The department plans to provide software and hardware to LGUs, particularly those with limited resources, to help them implement the system.
Gatchalian said the DSWD intended to use funds from the NCDA budget to purchase hardware for local PWD affairs offices so they could use the software.
