By Mariela Angella Oladive
The Iloilo City government, via the Persons with Disability Affairs Office (PDAO), is encouraging persons with disabilities (PWDs) to affix security labels to their PWD IDs ahead of the February 29th deadline.
PDAO Head Eleanor Gregorio has reported that over 3,000 PWDs are yet to comply with the security measure.
Executive Order No. 157 – 2023, issued by Mayor Jerry P. Treñas, requires these security labels to be attached to each PWD ID by the end of the three-month period starting from November 29, 2023, to February 29, 2024.
This measure aims to combat the proliferation of counterfeit PWD identification cards. According to Gregorio, the security labels are designed to be tamper-proof and traceable.
Out of the expected 15,000 PWDs, only about a thousand have come in per month since the label installation began.
Despite the lower turnout, Gregorio assured that the PDAO is well-prepared for a possible surge, with staff willing to render overtime or weekend work within office hours to meet the demand.
“Even after the deadline, we will continue to install security labels. However, starting March 1, 2024, PWD privileges will be put on hold until the IDs are updated with the security label,” Gregorio explained.
PWDs must present their actual PWD IDs and provide photocopies of both the front and back of the card for the security label update.
The PDAO will have the updated IDs ready for collection on the following day during the office’s specified releasing hours.
