Parañaque 2nd District Representative Brian Raymund Yamsuan has proposed that permanently disabled individuals be granted lifetime validity of their person-with-disability (PWD) identification cards to free them from unnecessary and burdensome renewal procedures.
Yamsuan has filed House Bill (HB) 6306 for this purpose, which he said, complements the ongoing efforts of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) in rolling out a unified ID system for PWDs.
“The renewal of PWD IDs for those with temporary or progressive conditions is reasonable, but for people with lifelong disabilities, especially those from low-income families, this process is unnecessary and only adds to their distress and inconvenience,” said Yamsuan as the nation marked International Day of Persons With Disabilities in the Philippines on December 3.
“Let’s simplify and make the process easy for them by providing lifetime validity of their PWD IDs free of charge,” he added.
Yamsuan said his proposed measure will help ensure continued access to the benefits provided under the law to legitimate PWD beneficiaries.
“Requiring them to appear in person every few years to renew an ID that certifies an unchanging medical condition contradicts the spirit of accessibility and inclusion promoted by the Magna Carta for PWDs.”
“This is an opportune time to pass House Bill 6306 and other similar measures pending in Congress as the government continues to streamline the management of PWD IDs and stop the fraudulent practice of selling these IDs to fake beneficiaries,” Yamsuan said.
According to the latest available data from the Department of Health and the NCDA, there are now about 2.8 million Filipinos who are registered as PWDs, or about 2.5 percent of the total population. This number is significantly lower that the World Health Organization (WHO)’s global estimate of around 16 percent.
“A UNICEF study suggests that this discrepancy could be due to the fact that many legitimate beneficiaries are discouraged by the challenges they encounter under the current system in applying for or renewing their IDs,” Yamsuan noted.
Yamsuan said unifying the management of the PWD ID system, along with the grant of lifetime valid IDs to permanently disabled persons, will reduce the administrative workload of the local government units (LGUs) and enable them to reallocate efforts to identifying and registering unlisted yet legitimate PWDs. This will also provide LGUs with more time and resources in checking and updating the status of temporary and progressive disability cases to eliminate those who no longer need PWD benefits.
HB 6306 amends Section 32 of Republic Act (RA) 7277 or the Magna Carta for Persons With Disability to include a provision stating that IDs “issued to persons with permanent disability shall be free of charge and shall be valid during the lifetime of the cardholder.” Renewal by the beneficiary can be done in cases of loss or damage of his or her lifetime ID.
Yamsuan has filed House Bill (HB) 6306 for this purpose, which he said, complements the ongoing efforts of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) in rolling out a unified ID system for PWDs.
In the bill, such permanent disability should be certified by the municipal or city health office and verified by the Local Social Welfare Development Office (LSWDO) of the LGU.
The measure also proposes to include a provision under Section 4 of the Magna Carta defining “permanent disability” as a “physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairment that (1) substantially limits one or more major bodily functions or activities of an individual; and (2) is medically determined to be irreversible, non-transitory, or otherwise expected to last for the lifetime of the individual, as certified by a licensed physician of the municipal or city health office and verified by the LSWDO.”
Under existing rules, PWD ID cards have a fixed validity period, typically for five years. Upon its expiration, the applicant is required to again undergo medical certification, and submit the necessary documents to renew the ID’s validity.
Yamsuan said this process is redundant and cumbersome, especially for permanently disabled persons facing limited mobility or those who live in far-flung communities with limited access to issuing offices.
“Requiring them to appear in person every few years to renew an ID that certifies an unchanging medical condition contradicts the spirit of accessibility and inclusion promoted by the Magna Carta for PWDs,” Yamsuan said.
“The burden also disproportionately affects indigent PWDs who constitute the majority of the sector and often rely on the social welfare benefits provided for PWDs in order to survive,” he noted.
These include availing of the 20 percent discount and VAT exemptions on medicines, food, transport and other goods and services; educational assistance; employment support and other benefits.
