What began as a compassionate policy to support persons with disabilities (PWDs) has become a costly loophole. Restaurants across the Philippines are losing more than P70-P88 billion annually according to RestoPH and the BIR, with many individual outlets losing up to P100,000 per month — or P1.2 million annually — due to the widespread abuse of PWD discount cards.

These laminated cards — when faked, borrowed, or improperly issued — can slash nearly 28 percent off a bill. While intended to empower PWDs, the system is being exploited, burdening small businesses and undermining trust.

Having lived in countries like the US, Singapore, and South Korea, I’ve never seen a benefit system this vulnerable to daily fraud. In those countries, PWD privileges are tied to centralized, tamper-proof cards issued only after rigorous medical and government validation.

In the Philippines, most PWD cards are issued at the barangay level, printed on low-cost materials, and lack a verifiable database. LGUs issue cards under different criteria with no unified oversight. Restaurant owners are often forced to accept cards they cannot validate, even when misuse is obvious.

This not only hurts businesses — it stigmatizes real PWDs, who are viewed with suspicion. And with no reimbursement mechanism, restaurants absorb the loss entirely.

Reform must begin with declaring all existing PWD cards invalid. The definition of who qualifies as a PWD must also be redefined, aligning it with international norms such as those set by the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, to ensure clarity, fairness and consistency in application.

A one-year transition period should be granted where legitimate applicants undergo revalidation through the DSWD, with DoH medical backing. Approved individuals would be issued a secure, smart-card style ID — similar to a driver’s license — with embedded chips and QR codes to prevent forgery.

During the transition, PWDs proved to qualify but unable to access discounts could receive one-time tax rebates or subsidies to offset their forgone benefits. In fact, real PWDs could be entitled to a higher annual tax incentive — exceeding the typical value of the discounts lost during the one-year halt — ensuring they are ultimately better supported.

To help ease implementation, restaurants should be given a legal alternative: contribute to a government or barangay health fund instead of granting daily discounts. These contributions could support Barangay Health Worker programs, PuroKalusugan programs, mobile disability screening and distribution of assistive devices. LGUs can certify compliant establishments annually, offering both transparency and relief.

Few politicians will dare push this reform — it’s unpopular to oppose a benefit perceived as compassionate, even if it is widely misused or abused. That’s why this overhaul may need to come via Executive Order, with the DSWD, DoH and LGUs coordinating implementation.

True compassion lies not in unchecked generosity, but in protecting the integrity of programs meant to serve the most vulnerable.

Let’s protect real PWDs. Let’s protect the small businesses that serve them.

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Dr. Jaemin Park leads Heal Venture Lab, a Singapore-based regional venture accelerator focused on access and affordability in healthcare. He is also an adjunct professor at the University of the Philippines College of Public Health. He works closely with innovators, investors, and public institutions across Southeast Asia.