Restaurant Owners Association of Davao City, Inc. (RestoDC) President Benjie Lizada raised the concern over the proliferation of fake Persons With Disability (PWD) identification cards.
This came up after several restaurant owners saw an increase in fraudulent PWD ID cards being used by some people to get the 20% discount.
“Can you imagine in a restaurant sabihin natin na in a table of 16, lahat silang 16 may PWD card. Very improbable. It is happening in Manila. And some of our restaurants are complaining that it is happening here also,” Lizada said during the Business Matters media forum at Hukad, Ayala Abreeza Mall.
According to him, the proliferation of phony PWD ID cards jeopardizes the rights of legit PWD sector members in addition to restaurant proprietors.
“Usa ka member namo ang PWD discounts kada bulan mokabat ug P50,000 wala pa apil ang senior citizen discount. If this is not addressed maigo lang gihapon ang mga consumers kay tanang restaurants magpasaka ug presyo para lang makabawi ang nawala sa fake PWD IDs,” Lizada said.
Lizada said that some of these counterfeit PWD IDs are allegedly being sold online or by individuals.
He also acknowledged that at present, there is no system in place to identify whether the PWD IDs acquired from these persons are legit or fraudulent.
Lizada said that using counterfeit PWD IDs significantly affects the restaurant industry, particularly the local establishments that are still recovering from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Lizada also made it clear that they are willing to offer discounts to legitimate members of the PWD sector.
“If its (PWD card) valid, walang problema,” he said.
Lizada believes that the National IDs might help in addressing the issue of fraudulent PWD IDs.
He also said they are coordinating with RestoPH in Manila to address this concern.
“I asked for the consensus of our members kung sasali kami sa Davao Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. para nationwide ang approach dito sa PWD fake cards,” he said.
