Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Eighteenth Congress
First Regular Session

5316
HOUSE BILL No.

Introduced by Representative Sandra Y. Eriguel :

EXPLANATORY NOTE

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, there are seven million five
hundred forty-eight thousand seven hundred sixty-nine (7,548,769) senior citizens in the
country as of September 2019, equivalent to 7.5% of the Filipino people. This number is
rapidly growing every year making the Philippines an aging populace.

This has prompted the creation of the National Commission of Senior Citizens just
this July 2019, aimed at ensuring the full implementation of laws, policies, and programs
of the government pertaining to senior citizens.

Senior citizens are given importance for their contributions to society during their
earlier years. At this stage of life most senior citizens no longer have the means nor the
capacity to do all the tasks best left to the younger generations, and neither should they. As
a sign of respect and gratitude senior citizens are given benefits and privileges to help them
enjoy their golden years with ease.

Every country has its own way of honoring its senior citizens through different
benefits and privileges. One of the ways by which the Spanish government helps their
senior citizens is by issuing them lifetime passports. This saves them from having to go
through the rigorous process of commuting to their local foreign affairs satellite office and
spending hours waiting in the long lines, especially in their later years

Upon applying for or renewing their passports from the age of sixty-five (65), our
senior citizens should be given the benefit of having passports with lifetime validity to help
them spend their time on more personal matters.

ph atetten G Aregeeeh
“HON. SANDRA Y. ERIGUEL, M.D.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Eighteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. ae

Introduced by Representative Sandra Y. Eriguel

AN ACT
GRANTING LIFETIME VALIDITY OF PHILIPPINE PASSPORTS TO SENIOR
CITIZENS, FURTHER AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 10 OF
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8239, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE “PHILIPPINE
PASSPORT ACT OF 1996,” AS AMENDED

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

SECTION 1. Section 10 of Republic Act No. 8239, otherwise known as the

“Philippines Passport Act of 1996”, is hereby amended to read as follows:

“SEC. 10. Validity. - Regular passports issued under this Act shall be valid
for a period of ten (10) years: Provided, however, That for individuals under eighteen (18)
years of age, only a passport with five (5)-year validity shall be issued: Provided, further,
That the issuing authority may limit the period of validity to less than ten (10) years,
whenever in the national economic interest or political stability of the country such
restriction is necessary: Provided, finally, That a new passport may be issued to replace
one which validity has expired, the old passport being returned to the holder after

cancellation.

PASSPORTS OF SENIOR CITIZENS ISSUED OR RENEWED AT AGE

SIXTY-FIVE (65) AND ABOVE SHALL HAVE LIFETIME VALIDITY.


SEC. 2. Implementing Authority. ~ The Department of Foreign Affairs shall issue
the necessary implementing rules and regulations and adopt the best practices to ensure
that the provisions of this Act are implemented in convergence with necessary reforms to
make the passport processing system seamless, convenient and pro-people, and the
production and security of passports at par with technological advances and world

standards.

SEC. 3. Separability Clause. ~ If any part or provision of this Act is declared
unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions or parts not affected shall remain in full

force and effect.

SEC. 4. Repealing Clause. - All laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, other
issuances or parts thereof, which are inconsistent witht his Act, are hereby repealed or

modified accordingly.

SEC. 5. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication

in the Official Gazette or in a national newspaper of general circulation.

Approved.