By Mae Singuay

The Bacolod City Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD) will request Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez to extend the validity of old identification cards (IDs) issued to persons with disability (PWDs).

DSSD head Alma Gustilo proposed the acceptance of old PWD IDs in business establishments until February 29.

Earlier, Benitez tasked Gustilo to recall all DSSD-issued PWD IDs.

He issued Memorandum No. 30, advising business establishments effective immediately not to accept old paper-printed PWD IDs with no quick response (QR) codes.

The new PWD cards, made of polyvinyl chloride, have QR codes.

Gustilo will ask Benitez to extend the validity of old PWD IDs so that beneficiaries can still get discounts while processing their new IDs.

Around 12,000 PWD IDs have been issued, she said.

At least 3,000 IDs have already been registered on the national identification system, 4,000 are yet to be registered on the national system, and 5,000 are for verification.

PWDs will have their new IDs processed at the Bacolod Express Service Office and at the Government Services Express.

Gustilo said the IDs would be released immediately.

The barangay officials will also conduct home visits to help bedridden PWDs process their IDs.

They will issue a certification that their IDs are in process after February 29, if they are yet to be released, Gustilo said.

She said the DSSD discovered about a hundred fake PWD IDs circulating in the city.

Gustilo said the recall will eliminate the fake ones, as the new ones now have QR codes and are registered with the national system.

Benitez said the recall is part of the city government’s program to secure and streamline the processing of PWD IDs.

“It is essential to ensure data security, complying with updated regulations, addressing other relevant concerns regarding PWD IDs, including the indiscriminate issuance of PWD IDs which has come to my knowledge,” Benitez said./MS, WDJ