Antipolo City Mayor Andrea “Andeng” Bautista-Ynares on Sunday warned against the rampant use of fake persons with disability (PWD) identification cards (IDs).

In a Facebook post, Ynares said one family was spotted using fake PWD IDs in a mall to avail of discounts alloted for PWDs.

The mayor said the ID even forged her signature.

Ynares said the fake PWD IDs were allegedly owned by certain “Rodrigo Valdez Cabe Jr.,” “Catherine Cayanong Cabe,” and their child who are all from Barangay Dalig.

Based on the fake PWD IDs obtained by the mayor, one has allegedly a “visual impairment,” the other two have “hearing impairment” and “orthopedic disability.”

“Bukod sa wala sila sa database natin, may mga ibang kapansin-pansing findings din sa mga fake IDs na ito (Aside from they are not in our database, we also noticed some notable findings in their fake IDs),” Ynares continued.

Ynares said a case has already been filed against those who allegedly used fake PWD IDs based on the complaint of the said mall as a violation of Article 172 of the Revised Penal Code due to falsification and/or use of falsified public documents.

“Magsilbing babala po sana ito sa lahat ng mga gumagamit ng pekeng IDs (May this serve as a warning to those using fake IDs),” Ynares added.

She also noted that no other agencies in the city issuing senior citizen or PWD IDs aside from the Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs and Persons With Disability Affairs Office located at the GAD Building of Antipolo Government Center.

Ynares also urged the public to report those using fake IDs thru 8689-4565 or messaging its City Social Welfare Development Official Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/CSWDAntipoloOfficial.

Last December, the Bureau of Internal (BIR) Revenue warned that it will launch a nationwide crackdown on the sale and use of fake PWD IDs.

The BIR said people selling and using fake PWD IDs are committing tax evasion.

The agency also noted that the practice has cost government revenue losses of about P88.2 billion in 2023 alone.

As of 9 November 2024, there were about 1.8 million registered PWDs in the country, according to the Department of Health, however Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, said the number of PWD IDs circulating in the Philippines is at eight million.

A PWD ID lists a host of benefits, including a 20-percent discount on essential services and goods aside from an exemption from the payment of the 12-percent value-added tax on certain goods.

The discount is from all establishments on the use of services in hotels and restaurants; admission fees in theaters and places of culture, leisure and amusement; medicine purchases; medical and dental services in all private hospitals; fares for domestic air and sea travel, public railways, and skyways; and bus fares.

The law also requires the provision of express lanes for PWDs in all commercial and government establishments.