The government is encouraging persons with disabilities to register on a centralized platform to help establish a unified and reliable database of PWDs nationwide.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) are urging PWD ID holders to register with the Unified Persons with Disabilities Identification System (UPWDIS).
The UPWDIS is a centralized platform that aims to establish a single, reliable database of PWDs nationwide.
The initiative also involves consolidating databases maintained by local government units (LGUs) containing information about their PWD constituents.
The government said the records will first undergo verification and cleaning to ensure that the information to be integrated into the database is accurate and complete.
The initiative aims to prevent the issuance of fake PWD IDs and the misuse of associated benefits, ensure that qualified beneficiaries receive the benefits and privileges provided by law, and make it easier for PWDs to access government services.
The government said all PWD ID holders are required to register with the UPWDIS, regardless of whether their current IDs are still valid or have already expired.
Those eligible may register by visiting their local Persons with Disability Affairs Office (PDAO) or City/Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (C/MSWDO).
Mobile and assisted registration services will also be available for those who cannot visit their local PDAO or C/MSWDO, particularly those living in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas and individuals with limited mobility.
In the Philippines, PWDs are issued identification cards that allow them to access benefits and privileges under the law, including a 20% discount and value-added tax (VAT) exemption on certain goods and services purchased from establishments.
