HOUSEOF REPRESENTATIVES |
RECEIVED |

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

SEVENTEENTH CONGRES:
First Regular Session REGIST VION UNIT

3262) Bus NOES

House Bill No. Si

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Introduced by DIWA Party-list Representative Emmeline Y. Aglipay —

EXPLANATORY NOTE

While the government provides many services, availing of these services can be difficult.
‘There are many reasons for this, from the ratio of citizens to government facilities, to the
slow moving machinery of bureaucracy, to simple inefficiency. In serving the people, the
State must constantly reassess its systems and procedures to ensure that it is providing the
best and most efficient assistance. To do otherwise would be to violate the rights of its
citizens.

One of those rights is the right to travel. The Constitution guarantees that our right to travel
shall not be impaired except in the interest of national security. public safety, or public health,
as may be provided by law. Accordingly. the government has the duty to issue passport or
any travel document to any citizen of the Philippines or individual who complies with the
requirements under Republic Act No. 8239 or the Philippine Passport Act of 1996. But the
issuance and renewal of passports can take an inordinate amount of time given the demand
for travel documents, which only increases as the country's prosperity grows. One way to
manage is demand is to lengthen the validity of passports, which may lessen the frequency
and volume of applications for passport renewal, and reduce the long queues at the DFA
office and backlogs for passport renewals.

For the reasons abovementioned, this bill ~- filed as a counterpart of Senate Bill No. 324 with
the support of its author, Senator Cynthia Villar - increases the validity of the regular
passports issued to adult applicants from five (5) years to ten (10) years.

Hoowiheis x Kile

EMMELINE Y. AGLIPAY - VILLAR
Representative, DIWA Party-list

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

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

3262

House Bill No,

Introduced by DIWA Party-list Representative Emmeline Y. Aglipay ~ Villar

AN ACT
EXTENDING THE VALIDITY OF THE REGULAR PHILIPPINE PASSPORT
ISSUED TO ADULT APPLICANTS TO TEN (10) YEARS, AMENDING FOR THIS
PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8239 OR THE PHILIPPINE PASSPORT ACT OF
1996

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

SECTION1. Section 10 of Republic Act No. 8239 is hereby amended to read as follows:

SEC. 10. Validity.- Regular passports issued TO
ADULT APPLICANTS under this Act shall be valid for a
period of [five (5)] TEN (10) years, WHILE THOSE
REGULAR PASSPORTS ISSUED TO MINORS SHALL
BE VALID FOR A PERIOD OF FIVE (5) YEARS:
Provided, however, That the issuing authority IN ITS
DISCRETION may [limit] DECREASE the period of validity
IN BOTH INSTANCES [to less than five (5) 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 retumed to the
holder after cancellation.

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SEC. 2. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order, letter
of instruction, administrative order, rule or and regulation inconsistent with the provisions of
this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly.

SEC. 3. Effectivity. ~ This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation,

Approved,

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