Chefs, local restaurants blame 'weak' system for rise in PWD cards
Chefs and local restaurant owners are criticizing the flawed system that enables the proliferation of fake persons with disabilities (PWD) cards.
Restaurateur and content creator Myke Sarthou, also known as Chef Tatung, in a Facebook post, highlighted how fake PWD IDs are undermining the PWD law's purpose. He argued that these cards steal benefits from those who truly need them, and negatively impact both individuals with disabilities and the community.
"Small businesses, especially in the hospitality sector, face financial losses when unwarranted discounts are granted to those abusing the system. This often forces them to adjust prices, ultimately affecting everyone. Moreover, the reliance on fake IDs breeds mistrust, causing both service providers and the public to question the authenticity of genuine PWDs—fueling discrimination and eroding respect," he said.
"In our industry, hospitality is not about hostility. We take pride in welcoming every guest with warmth and care. Yet, when someone deliberately exploits the system by using a fake ID, it throws us off balance—not merely in financial terms, but striking at our very core."
The National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) officer-in-charge deputy executive director, Dandy Victa, recently sought clarification from the Department of Justice on whether establishments can withhold PWD discounts pending card verification. However, for Tatung, it is "disheartening and demoralizing to see our staff put in the extra effort for verifications especially when it leads to confrontations that could have been avoided."
He called for national unity against "corruption, criminality, and organized syndicates," stressing that the true enemy is not each other, but those who abuse the system.
"Normalizing the use of fake PWD cards among our barkadas and within our families, communities, and even workplaces eats into our moral fabric. Nagiging normal na ang pang loloko sa kapwa. Nagiging normal na ang pag gamit ng fake pwd cards sa araw araw without any guilt," he continued.
"I cringe on the thought of parents getting fake [PWD ID] for their kids, and worry on the impact this has to children who grow up embracing a disability that is not [as] real as their identity."
The chef called on the public to work together to fix the issue, but called on the government to "take full responsibility for this mess."
"Let us not let politicians grandstand on this issue and play Robin Hood to get our votes. We need clear, fair, and actionable plans. We need a solution that allows businesses that employ millions to continue to thrive. Let us develop our communities based on social trust and learn to support those truly deserving with kindness and compassion," he ended his post.
'Weak' system
Onlypans Taqueria also weighed in on the issue, pointing out the "weak" system.
"There's a real problem with fake PWD IDs being abused. But before we start pointing fingers, we need to ask the bigger question: Why is the system so weak that it allows this to happen in the first place?" they wrote in the statement.
"If the system actually worked, if verification was centralized, transparent, and foolproof, this wouldn't even be a debate. But instead, we're stuck with [a] flawed database, inconsistent enforcement, and a process that punishes the wrong people," they continued.
The local taqueria argued that businesses and PWDs shouldn't have to bear the burden of proving legitimacy. Instead, the burden "should be on the system to work."
"At the same time, we also need to be better. A disability isn't always something you can see. PWDs don't just exist in wheelchairs or with visible
conditions, many struggle with mental health disorders, chronic illnesses, and other invisible disabilities. That's not the problem. The problem is a
system so broken that it makes life harder for everyone, both those who need benefits and those trying to uphold the rules," they highlighted.
"Hanggang kailan tayo magbubulag-bulagan? Hanggang kailan natin ipapaubaya? Kung walang tunay na hustisya, paano natin masasabing patas ang sistema?"
Republic Act No. 10754, or the Act Expanding the Benefits and Privileges of Persons with Disability, states that people "who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others" are entitled to at least 20% discount and value-added tax exemption for their "exclusive use and enjoyment or availment" during sales and services. The Department of Health will classify the PWDs through an issuance.
In October 2024, the DOJ released a legal opinion pointing out that PWDs—and senior citizens—get the 20% discount and VAT exemption only for themselves. They can get the perks for group meals, as long as they will have the food alone during dine-in transactions.
Restaurant owners have long been complaining about the rise of fake PWD IDs, which greatly affect their income.
In December 2024, Eric Teng, president of the Restaurant Owners of the Philippines (Resto PH), told the Senate committee on ways and means that 25% or more of the sales in restaurants were affected by the PWD discounts.
In response, the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) earlier this year said it would begin pilot testing a unified identification system.
NCDA, an agency of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, said that the pilot testing will run for six months and be rolled out in July.
