MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Raffy Tulfo on Wednesday called for stricter action against fake identification cards for persons with disabilities (PWDs), citing a reported six million fraudulent IDs and urging a review of eligibility rules to ensure benefits reach legitimate recipients.
During a Senate hearing on the proposed 2027 budget of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Tulfo cited figures attributed to the Department of Justice showing that of eight million PWD IDs issued, only two million were legitimate and registered with the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA).
“The widespread proliferation of fake PWD IDs is being used to deceive fellow Filipinos and the government,” Tulfo said, describing the scheme as particularly harmful to legitimate PWDs entitled to a 20 percent discount.
Tulfo cited estimates that the alleged fraud had resulted in P88 billion in lost tax revenues for the government and P166 billion in losses for businesses, particularly restaurants required to grant discounts to qualified PWDs.
He said his office had received complaints from the Restaurant Owners of the Philippines about the impact of fraudulent IDs on establishments.
The senator also flagged the online sale of fake PWD IDs, saying his staff had found Facebook and Carousell accounts offering assistance in obtaining the cards for prices ranging from P13 to P1,000, depending on the package. Some offers included a booklet along with the ID, he said.
Tulfo questioned the NCDA’s ability to monitor the problem and coordinate with other government agencies and local government units.
