HOUSE YF REPRESENTATIVES

CEIVED
6 Aus 2016

Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

3015

HOUSE BILL ___

Introduced by Representative Mariano Michael M. Velarde, Jr. (BUHAY Party List)

EXPLANATORY NOTE

For the purpose of travel to international destination a passport is a very
important travel document used to certify the holder’s identity and
nationality. Thus, it is significant for a passport applicant to provide his or
her true and accurate personal information during their application.

This Bill proposes to amend Republic Act 8239 otherwise known as the
Philippine Passport Act of 1996. It intends to strengthen the issuance of
regular passports. In the existing law, a government issued identification
card is not sufficeint enough to validate the applicants true identity.
Therefor, it is a must for an applicant to provide government issued
identification documents with authentifciation feature. This feature will aid
the Department of Foreign Affairs identify the authenticity of documents
submitted by applicants.

Also it proposes to extend the validity of passport from five years to ten
years for adults, five years validity for 18 years and below applicants. This
will lessen the queues of renewal and will be convenient specially for the
overseas welfare workers.

In view of the significance of this measure, passage of this bill is earnestly

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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

3015

HOUSE BILL.

Introduced by Representative Mariano Michael M. Velarde, Jr. (BUHAY Party List)

Be enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

AN ACT AMENDING CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT 8239
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE “PHILIPPINE PASSPORT ACT OF 1996”

Section 1.— Section 5 (b) of Republic Act 8239, also known as the “Philippine Passport Act
of 1996” is hereby amended to read as follows:

“SEC. 5. Requirements for the Issuance of Passport. ~ No passport shall be issued to
an applicant unless the Secretary or his duly authorized representative is satisfied that the
applicant is a Filipino citizen who has complied with the following requirements:

XXX;

b) The birth certificate duly issued or authenticated by the Office of the Civil Registrar
General AND ANY VALID GOVERNMENT-ISSUED IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENT
WITH PHOTO: Provided, however, That if the birth of the applicant has not been registered
yet, or if his birth certificate is destroyed, damaged, or not available due to other causes, he
shall apply for delayed registration of his birth with the Office of the Civil Registrar General
which shall issue to said applicant a certification of pending application for delayed
registration of birth attaching thereto a copy of an accomplished certificate of live birth. Such
certification and the accomplished certificate of live birth AND ANY VALID
GOVERNMENT-ISSUED IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENT WITH AUTHENTICATION
FEATURE shall be sufficient to support an application for passport in addition to other
papers which the Department may require from the applicant;

c) In the absence of a birth certificate, a baptismal certificate for those who are members of a
Christian religious organization, or similar or equivalent certificate issued by a non-Christian
religious group, attesting to the applicant’s having been admitted to such religious group or

sect at an early age and where it is indicated that the applicant is a Filipino citizen, which
should be accompanied by a joint affidavit by two (2) persons who have personal knowledge


of the applicant and of such age as to credibly state the applicant’s date and place of birth,
citizenship, and names of parents; AND A COPY OF ANY VALID GOVERNMENT-
ISSUED IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENT WITH AUTHENTICATION FEATURE
ACCOMPANIED WITH THE ORIGINAL FOR PURPOSE OF

VALIDATION: Provided, That Filipinos who do not believe in any religion and whose
parents for any reason failed to have the said applicant baptized shall be exempted from the
baptismal certificate requirement: Provided, further, That in lieu thereof, the applicant shall
execute an affidavit to that effect duly corroborated by affidavit of at least two (2) persons of
good reputation who personally know such fact:

XXX

i) If the applicant is a government employee, the travel authority issued by the head
of department, agency or office AND ALSO A COPY OF THE AGENCY'S
IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENT WITH AUTHENTICATION FEATURE
ACCOMPANIED BY THE ORIGINAL FOR VERIFICATION may be required
only if said applicant is applying for an official passport”

Section 2.~ Section 10 of Republic Act 8239, also known as the “Philippine Passport Act of,
1996” is hereby amended to read as follows:

“Section 10. — Validity. — Regular passports issued under this Act shall be valid for a
period of ten (10) years for adults, and a period of five (5) years for individuals under
cighteen (18) years of age. Provided, however, That the issuing authority may limit the period
to less than ten (10) years, whenever in the national economic interest or political stability of
the country such restriction is necessary. XXX”

Section 3. — Repealing Clause. ~ Any law, executive order, decree, issuance, ordinance, rule
and regulation or any part thereof contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of thi Act is
also hereby repeal, modified or amended accordingly.

Section 3. — Effectivity Clause. — This Acty shall take fifteen (15) days after its publicati
in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.

Approved.

Pe MARL if [’VELARDE, JR.