JULY 16, 2023: A glimpse at the facade of the Cebu City Hall. CDN Digital photo | Brian J. Ochoa
CEBU CITY, Philippines – The printing of new Persons with Disabilities (PWD) identification cards (IDs) is temporarily suspended at Cebu City Hall for seven days.
Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia announced three directives during a press conference on Thursday, May 23, following the privilege speech of City Councilor James Cuenco regarding the alleged corruption involving the unauthorized printing and selling of PWD IDs on May 22.
The suspension of the printing of new PWD IDs started immediately upon the announcement and would remain in effect for seven days. This period will be dedicated to conducting a thorough review and investigation of the issue.
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Aside from temporarily suspending the printing of new IDs, Garcia also directed Lawyer Kristine Joyce Batucan, the acting city administrator, to conduct a comprehensive review of the guidelines governing the obtaining of a PWD ID and its associated benefits.
He also inquired about the feasibility of restructuring the PWD unit at Cebu City Hall to ensure a rigorous application process and prevent any potential lapses in security.
“I want to make sure nga ang mga tawo didto…ilang striktohon og naay moapply og PWD ID. Dili ra sayon-sayonon sa estorya or sweet talks,” Garcia said.
(I want to make sure that the people there…they will be strict if someone would apply for a PWD ID. They should not be easily persuaded by sweet talks.)
The acting mayor said that the investigation would run for seven days. However, it might extend longer as he still would need to gather information about the four individuals alleged to be involved in the scheme.
If anomalies are found, Garcia said that the city would be prepared to impose sanctions.
On May 22, City Councilor James Cuenco revealed that, according to multiple sources, individuals not entitled to such benefits had been able to acquire a PWD card for a fee ranging from P2,000 to P4,000.
This fraudulent acquisition grants these individuals access to discounts intended exclusively for disabled constituents, including those at restaurants, parking facilities, and even on plane tickets.
Cuenco proposed scheduling an Executive Session to invite the Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS) and the DSWS-PWD Unit to inform the governing body of the PWD application process, safety measures ensuring the authenticity of PWD IDs and procedures for auditing the PWD master list.
The executive session is scheduled for June 6, 2024.