Senate Committee on Social Justice, Welfare, and Rural Development Chairman Erwin Tulfo has filed a bill seeking lifetime validity for Persons with Disability (PWD) identification cards.
Under Tulfo’s Senate Bill No. 1405, which seeks to amend Republic Act No. 7277 or the “Magna Carta for Persons with Disability,” the issuance of PWD IDs will be free of charge and shall be valid for the lifetime of the cardholder.
“It is like adding insult to injury!”
“This is the plight of Filipino PWDs: once their ID expires, they need to line up again to get their requirements, and they need money for transport fares. They need to yet again allot time, energy, and resources just to renew their IDs, despite their disability. It is like adding insult to injury!” the legislator lamented.
“Their PWD IDs are very important because they receive their benefits through that card. Giving expiry dates to their IDs is like depriving them of access to the benefits given to them by law,” the lawmaker added.
The “Magna Carta for Persons with Disability” provides several benefits and privileges, including a 20% discount on goods and services, equal opportunities for employment and education, among others.
“The government should lighten the load of the PWDs who have long been suffering from their personal battles.”
“The government should lighten the load of the PWDs who have long been suffering from their personal battles,” the senator stated.
According to him, the bill, when enacted into law, “is a small but meaningful step toward respecting PWDs’ rights, easing their burdens, and streamlining public service.”
Tulfo, who has been championing the rights of marginalized sectors, likewise called for better implementation of the Magna Carta for PWDs and the cooperation of LGUs for this purpose.
