PWD IDs are identification cards for people with disabilities (PWD) in the Philippines. Card owners receive special benefits and privileges, such as a 20% discount and VAT exemptions on certain goods and services.
However, some issues surround the proliferation of fake PWD IDs, which the DOH, BIR, and restaurant owners try to resolve through crackdowns. Unfortunately, there are instances when legitimate PWD IDs are tagged as fake due to outdated information from the DOH database.
For instance, some restaurants have signage requiring PWD ID verification before discounting. So, how can you verify your PWD ID?
Here are some steps on how to verify your PWD ID through the Department of Health’s (DOH) PWD Registry, which some restaurants often use.
Disclaimer: This post is for educational purposes only and should not be used as legal advice.
How to verify PWD ID validity online
Here’s a step-by-step guide for verifying your PWD ID online using the DOH PWD Registry website.
Step 1: Go to the Philippine Registry for Persons with Disability.
You can access their website via web or mobile: https://pwd.doh.gov.ph/tbl_pwd_id_verificationlist.php
Step 2: Type your PWD ID Number in the appropriate field.
Please note that the database only works if you follow a specific format when inputting your PWD ID Number. This is the proper format: RR-PPMM-BBB-NNNNNNN, where:
- RR = 2-digits Region Code
- PP = 2-digits Province Code
- MM = 2-digits Municipality Code
- BBB = 3-digits Barangay Code (the default # is 000 unless specific barangays are issuing PWD ID)
- NNNNNNN = 7-digits Sequential No.
For example, someone from the City of San Juan will have a format of 13-7405-000-XXXXXXX, and a PWD ID holder will have a card number that looks like something like this: 13-7405-000-0000002.
Step 3: Click “Search.”
Once you click search, it may take a few seconds to load and display the result.
Step 4: You’ll have either of the two results, found or not found.
Once you start searching the registry, it will show whether your records are in its database.
For found:
If your ID number is found in the DOH PWD Registry, it will show the following details:
- PWD ID Status – showing the date of validity and whether it’s already expired.
- Last, Middle, and First Names – showing only the first letters each, with the rest of the word hidden in an asterisk (similar to GCash).
- Date of Birth
- Sex
- ID Number
For “No records found”:
When your query returns a “No records found” message box, it doesn’t necessarily mean your ID is fake. For one, you can attest that it’s authentic because you personally applied for your PWD ID at the proper issuing offices in your locality.
For instance, I have a PWD cousin whose PWD ID number is missing the typical dashes and zeroes on his card. Formatting doesn’t help either, but that doesn’t mean he’s not a PWD.
There are common instances when your Local Government Unit (LGU) has yet to upload the PWD ID records to the database, causing confusion. This also means no amount of formatting will help, and you’ll have to follow up with your LGU if they have already uploaded the data.
Formatting Reminders from the NCDA
According to the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA), the issuing offices, the Persons with Disability Affairs Office (PDAO) or Municipal Social Welfare and Development Offices (MSWD), as the case may be, shall use the NSCB Philippine Standard Geographic Code (PSGC) and sequential numbering system to issue the PWD ID Number.
IMPORTANT: NCDA also reminded issuing offices to ensure the PWD ID No. is sequentially assigned with no missed numbers to ensure database integrity.
You may check your municipality or city’s PSGC through this website to verify if your PWD ID number starts with the proper Correspondence Codes: https://psa.gov.ph/classification/psgc
What happens when the issuing offices do not follow the format?
On a Reddit thread, a user shared their experience with an apparent miscommunication between the DOH and the LGUs regarding the proper formatting of the PWD ID numbers, resulting in missing entries in the registry.
This may even cause inconvenience and unnecessary embarrassment for PWDs if a restaurant incorrectly tags their IDs as fake when looked up through the DOH ID Verification site when it’s not their fault in the first place.
While some people may be using fake PWD IDs to cheat their way to get discounts, the system in place shouldn’t be inconvenient, or worse, suspect real PWDs of using fake IDs, as not all disabilities are physical. Instead, the agencies in charge should coordinate to streamline updating the DOH PWD database.