San miguel: After months of systems development and internal testing, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and its attached agency, the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA), have rolled out the unified ID system for persons with disabilities (PWDs) on Tuesday.

According to Philippines News Agency, the DSWD announced the commencement of the unified PWD ID rollout in San Miguel, Bulacan. This initiative marks the beginning for 35 pilot local government units (LGUs) aimed at providing a more convenient and efficient validation method for PWD constituents. Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao expressed the DSWD’s satisfaction with the launch, highlighting the initial rollout areas as San Miguel, with Pasay, Muntinlupa, and Sta. Rosa in Laguna also scheduled to launch this week.

The process for obtaining the unified PWD ID involves application, verification, and approval by the LGUs through their respective Persons with Disability Affairs Offices (PDAO). Meanwhile, the NCDA is tasked with the centralized printing of the IDs. Dumlao emphasized that the NCDA will coordinate with other participating LGUs to schedule their respective pilot rollouts in the upcoming weeks.

The unified PWD ID system features a digital ID accessible via a mobile app or web portal, complete with a QR code for quick verification by business establishments. Additionally, physical IDs are available as RFID-enabled PVC cards for offline use. Approximately 200,000 persons with disabilities, representing about 10 percent of the estimated 2 million PWDs nationwide, are expected to participate in this pilot rollout.

Pilot areas for the rollout include various regions such as Parang, Maguindanao in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, several cities in Pangasinan, and municipalities in Bulacan province, among others. This initiative is part of the Marcos administration’s efforts to combat fake PWD ID cards and enhance inclusivity in programs and policies for the vulnerable sector.