The problem of fake PWD IDs: Vigilance at a cost

Everyone loves a good discount. Any wisecracking consumer would love to take advantage of a supposed deduction to their expenses, especially with the soaring prices of commodities. So much so that people have employed creative—albeit illicit—means to avail of such a privilege with the proliferation of fake persons with disabilities (PWD) IDs in the Philippines.

Business owners have put their qualms front and center with the revenue losses, most notably in the restaurant industry. 2023 alone projected that P166.1 billion of the P208.4 billion worth of PWD discounts availed for the year came from such dubious activities, according to Senator Sherwin Gatchalian’s estimate. At approximately 79% of transactions, it is no wonder why a culture of skepticism emerged.

Any business owner would resort to systematized scrutiny to avoid falling prey to these schemes. Nonetheless, stringent efforts—often bordering stigmatized and prejudiced means—incur a far greater cost on the inclusivity and sensitization of an entity that more often than not contributes to its goodwill. This notion takes into account as to what expense will this culture of distrustful vigilance have on our relationship with customers.

Beyond what we notice

A few weeks before the end of 2024, a rather unsettling scenario in one of Taft Avenue’s coffee shops caught my attention. As I was second in line for a daily dose of caffeine, I noticed the lady before me presenting her PWD card to the cashier brandished with a psychosocial disability. Our cautious cashier scrutinized her card for around a minute and appropriately inputted the appropriate discount. At a disturbing twist, the employee made a rather unseemly remark as I approached the counter… “Hindi naman mukhang PWD si ate.”

In a shameful lapse of judgment on my part, I simply scoffed her words by overpowering them with my specific beverage order. My brief encounter was a classic case of cynicism that sprang from the fake PWD ID problem. However, I believe that the underlying cause lies more along the lines of ignorance.

Mental illnesses and disorders belong to a classification of disabilities that are not perceptively identifiable at an initial glance—otherwise known as invisible disabilities. Chronic yet episodic ones such as epilepsy also belong to this hard-to-distinguish class. Even more so, it often entails voluntary disclosure to allow others to understand and amply accommodate their needs.

One cannot expect that everyone is aware and sensitive in dealing with invisible disabilities. Such a case must especially apply to our rank-and-file members who are simply doing their best to look out for the best interest of their employers. As such, the task of equipping them with sufficient knowledge lies in the hands of the owners—business leaders who must step up their mettle in a society that continues to value such ethical practices of inclusivity.

The added value of awareness

It is one thing to simply claim that profitability is attainable in pursuing this acceptance toward all walks of PWDs. As a matter of fact, management theory puts things in perspective by utilizing the service profit-chain model as espoused by James Heskett. The classic model proposes a correlation between top-notch service in gaining customer loyalty while attaining sound financial performance.

Nonetheless, there lies a blur as to where an organization’s heightened awareness and sensitization are placed in the grand scheme toward steady revenue. The answer lies in the very beginning of Heskett’s chain by establishing an inclusive internal service quality. Business owners—or human resource practitioners in the case of large corporations—can engage their employees in initiatives that broaden their awareness of PWDs.

Equipping employees with a grasp of understanding PWDs, especially those of invisible ones, empowers them with additional knowledge that they can carry beyond the workplace. Such newfound learnings enrich their pursuit of holistic development that provides more meaning and contentment in their day-to-day endeavors.

Needless to say, the other end of this chain gains even more benefits in the guise of satisfied customers. Those who suffer from such conditions and illnesses are given much-needed accommodation away from the often discriminatory lenses of our society. In the long run, this satisfaction translates into a sense of customer loyalty which assures a profitable future for any business. Without a doubt, this rather utopic chain is a win-win scenario for enterprises and differently-abled consumers alike.

Wary, not discriminatory

In recent months, almost every countertop and cashier in restaurants around Metro Manila has noticeably brandished a “No to Fake PWD ID” sign. This well-meaning campaign against such dastardly antics has since caused both praise and criticism of how businesses are pivoting to combat the fraudulent practice.

Establishments tend to execute full-out interrogations when probing PWD ID presenters. An added burden is the often unreliable verification system which further aggravates situations. To put it bluntly, such approaches can and will inevitably sometimes come off as uncomfortable for customers. Harsh as it may seem, the word discriminatory will eventually come into the foray which may inexplicably tarnish the business's reputation.

Once again, owners and administrators are responsible for training employees to strike the right balance of caution and care. The word prudence seems appropriate for describing the optimal approach. As cliché as it may sound, it is often rooted in finding the right words—or tone of query—when tackling the delicate problem at hand.

Challenging as the times may be in overcoming this modus operandi, compassion and understanding must still prevail. In the grander scheme of things, businesses are enjoined to treat the matter with wariness and warmth going hand-in-hand—not just for establishing a profitable goodwill but to be humane to those among us who have limited capacities.