Daily Tribune
WITH the pilot phase in motion, the NCDA hopes that the new system will soon offer a more efficient way for persons with disabilities to access benefits, government assistance, and social services—finally removing long-standing barriers one card at a time.
Photo courtesy of RP1
Senator Erwin Tulfo on Sunday, 26 October, said he will push for the lifetime validity of persons with disabilities (PWD) identification cards.
Filed by Tulfo, Senate Bill No. 1405 seeks to amend Republic Act No. 7277, or the “Magna Carta for Persons with Disability.” Under the measure, the issuance of PWD IDs will be free of charge and valid for the lifetime of the cardholder.
“This is the plight of Filipino PWDs: once their ID expires, they need to line up again to get their requirements, and they need money for transport fares,” Tulfo said.
“They need to yet again allot time, energy, and resources just to renew their IDs, despite their disability. It is like adding insult to injury!” he lamented.
The senator explained that PWD IDs are essential since cardholders receive their benefits through them.
“Giving expiry dates to their IDs is like depriving them of access to the benefits given to them by law,” he added.
The “Magna Carta for Persons with Disability” provides several benefits and privileges, including a 20 percent discount on goods and services, as well as equal opportunities for employment and education, among others.
“The government should lighten the load of the PWDs who have long been suffering from their personal battles,” he continued.
According to the neophyte senator, the bill, when enacted into law, “is a small but meaningful step toward respecting PWDs’ rights, easing their burdens, and streamlining public service.”
Tulfo, who has been championing the rights of marginalized sectors, also called for better implementation of the Magna Carta for PWDs and the cooperation of LGUs for this purpose.
