The Philippine government lost an estimated ₱88.2 billion in taxes in 2023 due to the proliferation of fake Persons with Disabilities (PWD) IDs, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian revealed.
During a Senate Committee on Ways and Means hearing, Gatchalian disclosed that 8.5 million individuals use fake PWD IDs, compared to only 1.8 million legitimate PWDs.
He noted that discounts provided by establishments have reached ₱166 billion, heavily affecting revenues.
Restaurant Owners of the Philippines (Resto PH) president Eric Teng reported that PWD discounts impacted 5% to 25% of their sales over the past two years.
The Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP) also highlighted the growing strain fake PWD IDs place on their sector.
The hearing uncovered that fake PWD IDs are being sold online, adding to the problem’s scope.
Valenzuela City’s Persons with Disability Affairs Office head, Snooky Cortez, shared that fake IDs were discovered when some residents requested medicine booklets that did not match records.
The National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) recommended adding security features to all PWD IDs to prevent fraud.
NCDA Executive Director Glenda Relova proposed transferring PWD registry management from the Department of Health to their agency to address the issue effectively.