PWD Customer Not Given Discount, Delivery App in Trouble
A delivery app is facing legal action for allegedly refusing to grant a PWD discount to a senior citizen customer.
A legal advocate for persons with disabilities (PWDs) is planning to take Foodpanda to court after the delivery app rejected a PWD customer’s request for a 12% discount on their order.
Recently, Paolo Capino, the CEO of Advocates Philippines Inc., shared on Facebook screenshots of the response a PWD customer received when they requested the discount. According to the email, Foodpanda denied the request, explaining that the customer’s name and PWD ID number were not found in the Department of Health (DOH) registry.
Under Philippine law, PWD cardholders are entitled to a 20% discount on food orders and are also exempt from the 12% value-added tax. However, Foodpanda’s refusal was based on the customer’s information not being listed in the DOH registry, which the company cited as their reason for not honoring the discount.
Capino argued that businesses should not use the DOH registry as the sole basis for applying the law. He pointed out that the registry is flawed, and it is not the responsibility of PWDs to ensure they are included in it.
The advocate emphasized that businesses must comply with the law and treat PWDs fairly, regardless of their listing status.
The official has made it clear that legal action is imminent. He urged the public to keep providing evidence and said that if businesses continue to discriminate against legitimate PWDs, they should be held accountable in court.
Here is the full post:
“How foodpanda is actively discriminating against Persons With Disabilities in the Philippines.
This was sent to me by a PWD follower of mine.
The only thing they should do is to comply with the law. The Department of Health (Philippines) website for PWD verification is defective and encourages harassment against the differently abled.
It is not the obligation of the PWD to make sure they are listed on that website.
We will go to court soon, just keep those evidence coming. Let’s make these business owners accountable if they continue to discriminate against legitimate PWDs.”
In another post, Kiko Pangilinan urges removal of booklet requirement for PWDs
The social media users expressed their reactions to the post:
