
A group of restaurant owners in the country described fake persons with disability (PWD) cards as a “financial hit that can mean the difference between survival and closure.”
Resto PH, also known as the Restaurant Owners of the Philippines, on Tuesday, February 4, said that such fake IDs are “crippling the restaurant industry.”
It acknowledged that while the PWD discount was created to support people who genuinely need it, fake cards put a “serious strain on restaurants and other businesses” since they are the ones who cover the mandated 20% discount.
“Many people don’t realize that it’s not the government covering the 20% discount — it’s the businesses themselves. Every fraudulent discount comes directly out of a restaurant’s pocket, cutting into already thin margins,” Resto PH said.
Thin profit margins mean that a significant portion of a business’s sales revenue goes toward covering its expenses.
“For restaurants, especially small and family-run ones, this isn’t just an inconvenience — it’s a financial hit that can mean the difference between survival and closure,” the group added.
“When multiple fake PWD cards are used at a single table, the losses can be devastating. This isn’t just about lost revenue; it affects employees, food quality, and even menu prices for honest customers,” Resto PH said.
“We’re asking for fairness. The discount should help those it was meant for, not be a loophole for those looking to save a few pesos at the expense of struggling businesses. If you care about the restaurants you love, help protect them — say no to fake PWD cards,” it concluded.
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A copy of the group’s statement was also shared by chef Rolando Laudico (also known as Chef Lau), who used to be a judge in the “Junior MasterChef Pinoy Edition” and the “MasterChef Pinoy Edition.”
Resto PH previously said that it began noticing a rise in fake PWD IDs in 2019 and early 2020, though the issue had been present even before that.
Some members of the group said things took a turn for the worse when the economy reopened and Filipinos started dining out again.
“For example, we have entire families that will present cards that say they’re all PWD. We’ve seen some where the parents will give cards, the children will submit cards, even the yaya,” Jorge “Oye” Fores, co-founder of Mamou restaurant, shared before.
Last December, it was announced that the Bureau of Internal Revenue will launch a nationwide crackdown on the sale and use of fake PWD cards.
It said that the practice was a tax evasion scheme, adding that it has caused a revenue loss of about P88.2 billion in 2023.
“The discount given by law to PWDs is for the improvement of their well-being and easing of their financial burden,” BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. said before.
“It is not some common discount card that is accessible to the general public. Expect the BIR to run after fake PWD ID sellers and users,” he added.
Under the law, PWDs are entitled to benefits such as a 20% discount and an exemption from value-added tax (VAT) on specific goods and services to enhance their quality of life and ease financial burdens.
BIR said the system has been exploited by individuals who are not considered PWDs, yet want to claim such benefits through fake IDs.