After City Council’s exploratory call: Pressure on PWD IDs suspended

CEBU, Philippines – Acting Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia has ordered the immediate suspension of the printing of the new identification cards for persons with disabilities (PWD) for seven days, pending the outcome of the investigation into their sale to non-disabled persons.

This followed a resolution by the City Council instructing the Mayor’s Office to investigate the matter.

In a press conference yesterday, Garcia said he was “serious” about pursuing the matter and directed acting City Administrator Kristine Joyce Batucan to review the guidelines that govern how eligible persons can obtain a PWD card and the corresponding financial assistance.

The acting mayor also ordered Batucan to reorganize the PWD unit under the Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS) and restore strict enforcement of requirements.

He also said that the suspension of the issuance of new PWD cards will remain in place until the verification is completed, which includes verifying whether the recipients of the cards actually deserve them.

“I’m not the only one anymore. It will not take long. I will make a statement after my review,” Garcia said.

The reason for the investigation was Councilman James Anthony Cuenco’s privilege speech during their regular meeting last Wednesday, in which he announced that it had come to his attention that the PWD cards were being sold from P2,000 to P4,000.

He named four people (whose names The Freeman is now withholding) whom the City Council called into an executive session on June 6 “to shed light on the plan.”

Garcia said the city must investigate the four and directed the Cebu City Human Resources Development Office and the City Legal Department to do so.

“Mann from Kasabot is sad that there is a disabled sector that really needs our help and the disabled sector sometimes goes unnoticed by the government and society and we recognize that. That’s why we offer them all these benefits,” he said.

“I hope that this will make human rights activists more demanding, able to monitor their own ranks and at the same time, once this problem is solved, people can be more aware of it,” he added.

The incumbent mayor warned that he was “always serious” and that those who were proven guilty would be punished. — /RHM (FREEMAN)