In the Philippines, disabled individuals have special privileges and benefits available for them, especially if they possess a PWD (Persons with Disabilities) ID Card such as discounts, educational assistance, tax incentives, and many others.
The Philippine government implements the Magna Carta Law for Disabled Persons to support, protect, distinguish and recognize the rights of persons with disabilities.
A disabled person can get a PWD ID card for free. However, it is only valid for only 3 years and so it has to be renewed after it expires.
PWD ID Card Requirements and Process
To begin with, the applicant or a caregiver can visit the following offices where he or she lives:
- Office of the Mayor
- Office of the Barangay Captain
- National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) or its regional counterpart
- DSWD Offices
- Participating organizations with memorandum of agreements with the Department of Health
To apply for the PWD ID Card, the following requirements should be submitted:
- PWD ID Requirements
- Barangay Certificate
- Application form
- Two 1×1 ID pictures of the disabled person
- A duly signed clinical abstract and medical certificate signed by any licensed private, government clinic, or hospital-based physician
After all the requirements have been checked and approved, they will then be forwarded to the Health Officer of the Main City or municipal Health Center. The Health Officer will then accomplish a certification form, affix control number and upload the information to the Philippine Registry for PWD.
Next, the applicant should then bring the form and disability certificate to the City or Municipal Social Welfare Office or DSWD or NCDA for the issuance of the PWD ID Card.
Benefits and Privileges
Here are some of the benefits that PWD ID Card holders can enjoy 20% discounts of the following:
- public transportation including railways, skyways and bus fare
- fare for domestic air and sea travel
- all services in hotels and other lodging establishments, restaurants & recreation centers
- admission fees on theaters, cinema houses, concert hall, and others
- medicine purchases in drugstores
- medical & dental services including (diagnostic and laboratory fees & professional fees of attending doctors in all private hospitals & medical facilities)
READ ALSO: JOB EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR PWD.
Furthermore, educational assistance can also be given for those who plan to pursue primary, secondary, tertiary, post tertiary, vocational or technical education in public & private schools by giving them scholarship grants, financial aids, subsidies and other additional incentives.