The National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) said that existing persons with disability (PWD) IDs will remain valid and fully recognized throughout the three-year transition to the Unified Persons with Disabilities Identification System (UPWDIS).
Under Administrative Order No. 001, Series of 2026, valid physical PWD IDs issued earlier by local government units (LGUs) must continue to be honored by all establishments nationwide during the transition. PWDs who hold these cards do not need to replace them to keep claiming their benefits.
The NCDA also said the new Unified PWD Digital ID can be used immediately to claim all mandatory benefits and privileges under Republic Act No. 9442 and Republic Act No. 10754. The privileges listed by the agency are:
- a 20% discount and VAT exemption on medicines and basic necessities;
- medical and dental services;
- transportation fares;
- hotel accommodation and restaurant purchases; and
- admission to recreational and public facilities.
The NCDA said the three-year transition gives LGUs time to build capacity, set up infrastructure and carry out the UPWDIS. The agency said the period is meant to ensure that no person with disability is deprived of their rights during the national shift to a unified digital system.
The agency also addressed compliance. It said that refusing to accept either a valid existing PWD ID or the new Unified Digital ID during the transition violates Republic Act No. 7277, the Magna Carta for Persons with Disability, as amended by Republic Acts No. 9442 and No. 10754. Such a refusal may result in legal action, according to the NCDA.
The NCDA encouraged all eligible PWDs to register for the UPWDIS. It said the unified system aims to eliminate fraudulent PWD IDs and make sure benefits go only to genuine and qualified persons with disabilities.
The NCDA released the clarification through its official Facebook page. The release did not state when registration for the UPWDIS opens or give a specific date for the end of the transition period.
