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December 2, 2025 | 3:34pm
Photo shows a PWD ID from Quezon City and one from Dasmariñas City, Cavite.
Philstar.com / Dominique Nicole Flores
MANILA, Philippines — Persons with disabilities typically have ID cards that expire every five years, even though their condition remains. A House bill aims to provide lifetime validity to prevent redundant renewals, particularly for permanent disabilities.
Rep. Brian Yamsuan (Parañaque City, 2nd District) filed House Bill 6306 to ease the burden of renewing ID cards for PWDs by amending the Magna Carta for Persons with Disability, which currently requires submitting a new medical certificate from a physician and paying a renewal fee.
"While reasonable for temporary or progressive conditions, this requirement is unduly burdensome for persons with permanent disabilities, who must nonetheless undergo repetitive medical certification and bureaucratic procedures despite their condition being lifelong," the explanatory note read.
The bill not only requires lifetime validity for PWD IDs issued but also makes them free of charge, provided the permanent disability is certified by the local health office and verified by the Local Social Welfare Development Office.
Yamsuan stressed that ID renewal, while standard, can be burdensome for PWDs, particularly those who are less mobile or live far from renewal centers, as certain steps demand in-person visits. This very rule, he said, already "contradicts the spirit of accessibility" that the law promotes.
"The burden also disproportionately affects indigent PWDs, who constitute the majority of the sector and often rely on social welfare benefits," the explanatory note added.
There is at least one registered person with a disability for every 100 Filipinos, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority, much lower than the World Health Organization's global estimate of 16%. Yamsuan attributed the gap to the obstacles that hinder PWDs from registering and accessing their benefits.
"Simplifying ID validity for those with permanent disabilities will thus encourage more registrations and ensure continuous access to benefits without undue bureaucratic hindrance," he said, adding that it would also streamline the local government's management of PWD IDs.
Persons with disabilities are entitled to a 20% discount and exemption from the 12% value-added tax on goods and services, including medical needs, accommodation, transportation, as well as support for education, employment and accessibility.
The Senate has a counterpart measure filed by Sen. Erwin Tulfo in October. This will have to undergo committee-level deliberations, second reading and third reading before approval and transmittal for the president's signature.
