Initial Batch of Ten-Year Valid Passports; Bares More Reforms

Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alan Peter Cayetano personally hands the ten-year validity passport to an Overseas Filipino Worker who works as a seaman.

15 January 2018 MANILA - The Department of Foreign Affairs released the first batch of passports valid for 10 years even as it announced more reforms to further improve the delivery of consular services to the public on January 12.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter S. Cayetano presented the 10-year validity passports to applicants at the Office of Consular Affairs Building at the Aseana Complex.

“The issuance of passports that will be valid for 10 years is among the passport reforms in consular services that we are undertaking in line with the President’s commitment to improve the delivery of services to the public,” Secretary Cayetano said.

“We would like to thank the President, the Senate and the House of Representatives for Republic Act 10928 that extended the validity of the Philippine passport to 10 years,” Secretary Cayetano said.

Under Department Order No. ‎010-2017 (Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act No. ‎10928 (2017), Secretary Cayetano said Passports valid for 10 years will be issued to Filipinos 18 years old and above. He said Filipinos under 18 years will still be issued five-year valid passports.

Secretary Cayetano said the ten-year passport will still cost PHP950.00 for regular processing of 10 working days, and PHP1,200.00 for express processing of 7 working days.

In addition to the launching of passports with 10-year validity, Secretary Cayetano said the DFA will launch on Monday, January 15, its Passport on Wheels mobile service, and later this year will open several consular offices in the provinces.

That is why the DFA is now focused on more efficient processing of passports. We are increasing our capacity to process by adding more people, adding more machines, and adding more processing centers all over the country.

The Secretary said the DFA is also planning to introduce an e-payment system during the first quarter of 2018 that will allow passport applicants to pay the processing fee through banks and other platforms.

“The setting up of an e-payment system is expected to streamline the application process, increase show-up rates, and defeat fixers,” Secretary Cayetano added.

DFA produced 3,712,420 passports in 2017. This is 602,806 or 19.38% more than the passports produced in 2016. With the Passport on Wheels, additional consular offices and the e-payment system, DFA is confident that it can reach and service more applicants. END

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano hands a ten-year validity passport to a retired teacher and senior citizen applicant,

Sample specimen of a 10-year validity Philippine Passport.