SEATATIVES

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Republic of the Philippines 02 Aug 20
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 0-75 i
Quezon City aac:__lef
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Seventeenth Congress

First Regular Session RECISTRITION UNTT
2340 BILLS AND WNUEX SERVICE

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by Representative JOEY SARTE SALCEDA

AN ACT EXTENDING THE VALIDITY OF THE PHILIPPINE PASSPORT FROM
FIVE (5) TO TEN (10) YEARS AND AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC
ACT NO. 8239 ALSO KNOWN AS THE PHILIPPINE PASSPORT ACT OF 1996

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Indispensability of Philippine Passport. The Philippine Passport is a
travel document and a primary national identity document to all Filipino
citizens. It is the principal document with a dual purpose that is a) to serve
as a certification containing the description and other personal
circumstances of its bearer, issued for direct travel to and from the
Philippines, and, a request from the Philippine government to other
governments allow the bearer thereof to pass safely and freely, and in case
of need to afford his/her all lawful aid and protection.

OFWs as Passport Holders. The Passport is an indispensable document in
exercising the right to travel. Every year hundreds of thousands of Filipinos
travel in different parts of the globe either for leisure, business or work. A
substantial portion of these travelers are the millions of Overseas Filipino
Workers who frequently leave and enter the country every year. These
OFWs dubbed as the “Bagong Bayani” eke out a living abroad, away from
their love ones and send in billions of remittances, around 61% of the
country’s gross domestic product, to support their families.

The five (5) year validity under RA 8239 Deemed Too Short. With the
exception of the rich and the middle class who travel mostly for leisure and



business, majority of applicants for renewal of passport are OFWs. These
OFWs, who are mostly employed in menial jobs, are forced to shell out
considerable portion of their earnings to spend for the periodic renewal of
their passports aside from other incidental expenses appertaining to the
renewal process, such as travel expense, food allowance etc.

Moreover, the number of new passport applicants and renewal applicants as
seen in the long queues in the Department of Foreign Affairs and its satellite
offices is an unmistakable proof on the huge number of those availing of
these procedures and the considerable administrative cost that DFA
personnel have to contend with to service these applicants.

By extending the validity of the Philippine Passport from five (5) to ten (10)
years and for the said purpose amending the Philippine Passport Act of 1996,
we are giving flesh to President Duterte’s pledge during his first SONA to
improve basic social services. In more practical terms, the validity extension
will give all Filipino passport holders, especially the OFWs, some financial
relief and physical convenience by decreasing the cost of renewing passport
and the inconvenience of staying in long queues for passport renewals.
Additionally, the measure will allow administrative respite to the concerned
agencies. Hence, this proposed bill.

EDA

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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

Seventeenth Congress
First Regular Session

2340

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by Representative JOEY SARTE SALCEDA

AN ACT EXTENDING THE VALIDITY OF THE PHILIPPINE PASSPORT FROM
FIVE (5S) TO TEN (10) YEARS AND AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC.
ACT NO. 8239 ALSO KNOWN AS THE PHILIPPINE PASSPORT ACT OF 1996

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines
in congress Assembled

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

Sec. 2, Repealing Clause. ~ All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders,
presidential proclamations, rules and regulations or parts thereof
inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed and modified accordingly.

Sec. 3. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity and effectivity of other
provisions hereof.



Sec. 4. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
complete publication in at least two (2) national newspapers of general
circulation.

Approved.