Romualdez backs DSWD plan for unified PWD ID system

House Speaker Martin Romualdez expressed full support for the Department of Social Welfare and Development's (DSWD) plan to establish a unified Person With Disability (PWD) ID system on Friday.

Romualdez urged the government to accelerate implementation to prevent fraud, restore public trust, and ensure that rightful beneficiaries receive their privileges without undue burden.

He emphasized the need for a secure and tamper-proof PWD ID system to curb widespread misuse of fake IDs, which has caused tensions between businesses and legitimate PWDs, leading to financial losses for establishments and unjust scrutiny for disabled individuals.

Romualdez pushed for additional security features such as QR codes and tamper-proof verification to strengthen the integrity of the unified PWD ID system and advocated for stricter penalties against those involved in producing and using fraudulent IDs.

The House of Representatives is preparing parallel measures to ensure nationwide standardization of PWD ID issuance, validation protocols, and increased penalties for fraudsters.