Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

RECEIVED
DATE August 1, 2022
* TIME 5:07 pm
\ aad Bai

9
Wo inpex

S
Cf

S

S

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 2901

Introduced by Hon. MARVIN C. RILLO
Representative, Fourth District, Quezon City

EXPLANATION NOTE

Persons with disabilities (PWDs) are part of Philippine society. They have
the same rights as other people to take their proper place in society, and they
should be able to live freely and as independently as possible. Thus, it has been
the declared policy of the State to grant rights and privileges for persons with
disabilities by giving PWDs full support for the improvement of their total well-
being and their integration into the mainstream of society. !

Toward this end, Republic Act No. 7277, as amended, otherwise known as
the Magna Carta for PWDs, was enacted. The law provided for the issuance of
PWD identification cards (PWD-IDs) which entitles PWDs to certain rights,
benefits and privileges enumerated therein.

Currently, the validity of the PWD-IDs is three (3) years from the date of
issuance, subject to re-evaluation of the beneficiary's existing disability status.
This limitation on the validity of the PWD-IDs is understandable considering the
possible abuse to which the system maybe vulnerable. However, this rationale
may well be inapplicable to persons with permanent disabilities, and only
creates superfluous bureaucracy and unnecessary expense on their part to
require them to go through the process of renewing their PWD-IDs and shell out
money every three (3) years.

Recent data shows that there are more than 1.6 million Filipinos with
disabilities in the Philippines; about 12% of the total country’s adult population
that we mingle and interact with are persons with disability (PWDs) - and a great
number of them are afflicted with permanent disabilities who are affected and
unnecessarily inconvenienced by the renewal of their PWD-IDs.

In this proposed Act, Republic Act No. 7277, as amended, is sought to be
further amended to provide for a lifetime validity of PWD-IDs issued to persons
with permanent disabilities duly certified by the Municipal or City Health Office
of his place of residency, and do away with the said unnecessary nuance in the
bureaucracy.

' Section 2 of Republic Act No. 7277, as amended, otherwise known as the Magna Carta for Persons with Disability,


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 2901

Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE MARVIN C. RILLO

“AN ACT PROVIDING FOR LIFETIME VALIDITY OF PERSONS WITH
DISABILITY IDENTIFICATION CARDS ISSUED TO PERSONS WITH
PERMANENT DISABILITY, FURTHER AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7277, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE “MAGNA CARTA
FOR DISABLED PERSONS”, AS AMENDED”

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representative of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

Section 1. Section 32 of Republic Act No. 7277, otherwise known as the
"Magna carta for Disabled Persons", as amended, is hereby further amended to
read as follows:

“Section. 32. Persons with disability shall be entitled to the
following:

XXX,

‘The above-mentioned privileges are available only to persons
with disability who are Filipino citizens upon submission of any of
the following as proof of his/her entitlement thereto:

() An identification card issued by the city or municipal
mayor the barangay captain of the place where the
person with disability resides;

(Il) The passport of the persons with disability concerned;
or

(Ill) Transportation discount fare Identification Card (ID)
Issued by the National Council for the Welfare of
Disabled Persons (NCWDP).

The identification cards issued to persons with permanent
disability as provided in (I) and_(Il)_of the preceding
paragraph shall be valid during the lifetime of the



beneficiary, and may be renewed in case of loss or damage;
Provided, that such permanent disability is certified by the
Municiy or City Health Office where the PWD resides; and
Provided further, that the issuing offices shall implement
measures to ensure that the lifetime validity of the PWD
identification cards is not abused, especially when the ID
holder is already deceased.

Section 5. Implementing Rules and Regulations - The Department of
Health, in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and
Development, and in close consultation with the National Council for the
Welfare of Disabled Persons shall develop the implementing rules and
regulations of this act within 60 days after its approval.

Section 6. Separability Clause. - If any portion or provision of this Act
is declared unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provision not
affected thereby shall remain in force and effect.

Section 7. Repealing Clause. - Pertinent provisions of Republic Act No.
7277, or the “Magna Carta For Persons With Disability,” and all other laws,
decrees, executive orders and rules and regulations contrary to or inconsistent
with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.

Section 8. Effectivity.- This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
following the completion of its publication either in the Official Gazette or in
two (2) newspaper of general circulation.

Approved.