Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES # RECE IVE bp”

DATES tbat 27

Quezon City, Metro Manila

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

uduse Bi No. 7319

Introduced by Representative Ivan Howard A. Guintu

EXPLANATORY NOTE

On March 24, 1992, Republic Act No. 7277 or the Magna Carta for Persons with
Disability was enacted providing benefits, privileges, incentives, and discounts to persons
with disabilities (PWDs). On September 25, 2007, the Philippines became a signatory to the
United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities, which was later
ratified by the Philippine Senate on April 15, 2008. The purpose of the Convention is to
promote, protect, and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and
fundamental freedoms by all PWDs, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity.

‘According to the 2010 Census of Persons with Disability in the Philippines, about 16
per thousand of the country’s population had a disability. In addition, based on the 2010
Census of Population and Housing (2010 CPH), of the 92.1 million household population in
the country, 1.44 million persons or 1.57% had a disability. The recorded figure of PWDs in
the 2000 CPH was 935,51, which was 1.23 percent of the household population.'

In a more recent survey, results showed that in 2016 around 12% of Filipinos aged 15
and older experienced severe disabilities. 47% experienced moderate disability while 23%
experienced mild disability. On the other hand, almost a third of the population aged 60 and
older experienced severe disability. In this survery, the disability levels of respondents were
measured by various functioning domains such as mobility, hand and arm use, seeing,
hearing, pain, and breathing; among others.?

Furthermore, the National Council on Disability Affairs is tasked to monitor the
implementation of several laws to ensure the protection of PWDs’ civil and political rights.

' Philippine Statistics Authority, Persons with Disability in the Philippines (Results from the 2010 Census),
available at
https://psa.gov.ph/tags/persons-disability#:~:text-O1%20the%2092,1%20million%20houschold,percent%200%
20the%20household%20population.

2 Philippine Statistics Authority, National Disability Prevalence Survey (NDPS), 03 May 2019, available at
Inttps://psa. gov.ph/ndps/disability-survey-id/138567.



‘As part of its mandate, it released a guideline to serve as a mechanism for the issuance of a
PWD Identification Card (PWD-IDC). The PWD-IDCs are issued to any bona fide Filipino
with disabilities due to any one or more of the following types of disabilities: deaf/hard of
hearing, intellectual, learning, mental, orthopedic, physical, psychosocial, speech and
language impairment, visual, people with cancer, and people with a rare disease. Under the
guideline, the PWD-IDC issued shall be valid for five (5) years. Those who will renew their
PWD-IDC are required to submit the application form, all the appropriate documentation
confirming their medical or disability condition, and pay the renewal fee.

The five-year validity of the PWD-IDC allows the issuing office to re-evaluate and
determine the health of the PWD-IDC holders, and their entitlement to the benefits provided
by the law, especially in the case of those with temporary disabilities. It also serves as a basis
for updating the status or profiles of PWDs per local government unit. However, this
rationale is not applicable to PWDs with permanent disabilities, such as those who have
permanent or total physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments.

Thus, this proposed measure seeks the lifetime validity of the PWD-IDCs issued to
PWDs with a permanent disability, duly certified by the Municipal or City Health Office
where the PWD resides. Qualified PWDs will no longer be burdened by renewing their
PWD-IDCs every five years.

In view of this, early passage of this bill is sought.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

Hduse BILL No. 7319

Introduced by Representative Ivan Howard A. Guintu

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR LIFETIME VALIDITY OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITY
IDENTIFICATION CARDS, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT
(R.A.) NO. 7277, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE MAGNA CARTA FOR PERSONS
WITH DISABILITIES, AS AMENDED, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

SECTION 1. Section 32 of Republic Act No. 7277, as amended, otherwise known as
the “Magna Carta for Persons with Disability,” is hereby amended to read as follows:

“SEC. 32. Persons with disability shall be entitled to:
XXX

The abovementioned privileges are available only to PWD 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 or
the barangay captain of the place where the PWD resides;

(ii) The passport of the PWD concemed; or

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

THE IDENTIFICATION CARD, AS PROVIDED IN (1) AND (II) OF
THE PRECEDING PARAGRAPH, ISSUED TO THE PWD WITH
PERMANENT DISABILITY SHALL BE VALID DURING THEIR


LIFETIME AND MAY BE RENEWED IN CASE OF LOSS OR
DAMAGE; PROVIDED, THAT PERMANENT DISABILITY SHALL
BE DEFINED AND IDENTIFIED BY THE APPROPRIATE
GOVERNMENT AGENCY; PROVIDED FURTHER, THAT THE
PWD’S PERMANENT DISABILITY SHALL BE CERTIFIED BY THE
CITY OR MUNICIPAL HEALTH OFFICE WHERE THE PWD
RESIDES.

xxx”

SEC. 2. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), in
consultation with the Department of Health (DOH), the Department of Finance (DOF), and
the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA), shall promulgate the necessary rules and
regulations for the effective implementation of the provisions of this Act. Provided, That the
failure of the concerned agencies to promulgate the said rules and regulations shall not
prevent the implementation of this Act upon its effectivity.

SEC. 3. If any provision of this Act is declared invalid or unconstitutional, other
provisions hereof which are not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.

SEC. 4. All laws, orders, decrees, rules and regulations, and other parts thereof
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended, or modified
accordingly.

SEC. 5. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official
Gazette or two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,