Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

Bill No, D974

House

Introduced by: Representative Magnolia Rosa C. Antonino

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Republic Act No. 8239, otherwise known as the “Philippine Passport Act
of 1996” was enacted into law to enable the people to go anywhere in the world
wherever he or she desires to go. However, this law explicitly provides certain
classifications or types of passports to be issued to all Filipino citizens depending
on one’s standing in the government.

For instance, persons imbued with diplomatic status or on diplomatic
mission like the President and former Presidents of the Republic of the
Philippines, Vice-President and former Vice-Presidents, Senate President and
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court,
Cabinet Secretaries and Undersecretaries and Assistant Secretaries of the
Department of Foreign Affairs, Ambassadors, Foreign Service Officers of all
ranks in the career diplomatic service, Attaches and members of their families,
Members of Congress when on official mission abroad or as delegates to
international conferences, etc. are issued Diplomatic Passport. Government
officials on official trip abroad but who are not on a diplomatic mission or
clelegates to international or regional conferences or have not been accorded
diplomatic status are issued Official Passport while a Regular Passport is issued
to Filipino citizens who are not eligible or entitled to diplomatic or official
passports.

Based on International Convention on Diplomatic Relations, holders of
Diplomatic and Official Passports enjoy certain privileges when traveling abroad
on diplomatic or official mission as compared to citizens holding regular
passports.



It is therefore the paramount objective of this bill to include barangay
officials among, the government officials to be issued Official Passport that will
also entitle them certain privileges or a hassle-free travel abroad.

In view of the foregoing, the passage of this measure is earnestly sought,

MAGNC A ROSA C. ANTONINO.

Representative
Fourth District, Nueva Ecija



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

5574

House Bill No.

Introduced by: Representative Magnolia Rosa C. Antonino

AN ACT
AUTHORIZING THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS (DFA)
TO ISSUE OFFICIAL PASSPORT TO BARANGAY OFFICIALS WHEN
ON OFFICIAL TRIP ABROAD, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE
SECTION 7 PARAGRAPHS (b) and (c) OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8239,
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE “PHILIPPINE PASSPORT ACT OF
1996"

Be it enacted by

the Senate and House of Representatives

of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Section 7 paragraphs (b) and (c) of Republic Act No. 8239,
otherwise known as the Philippine Passport Act of 1996, is hereby amended to
read as follows:

“SEC. 7. Types of Passports. - The Secretary or the
authorized representative or consular officer may issue the
following, types of passports:

(a) Diplomatic passport for persons with diplomatic status or on
diplomatic mission such as:

XXX XXX XXX

(b) Official Passport to be issued to all government officials,
LUDING BARANGAY OFFICIALS, and employees on
official trip abroad but who are not on a diplomatic mission or
delegates to international or regional conferences or have not
been accorded diplomatic status such as:



(1) Undersecretaries and Assistant Secretaries of the Cabinet other
than the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Associate Justices
and other members of the Judiciary, members of the Congress
and all other government officials, INCLUDING BARANGAY
OFFICIALS, and employees traveling, on official business and
official time;

(2) Staff officers and emplovees of the Department of Foreign
Affairs assigned to diplomatic and consular posts and officers
and representatives of other government departments and
agencies abroad;

(3) Persons in the domestic service and household members of
officials assigned to diplomatic or consular posts;

(4) Spouses and unmarried minor children of the officials
mentioned above when accompanying or following to join
them

() Regular Passport issued to Filipino citizens who are not eligible
or entitled to diplomatic or official passports, [including] SUCH
AS government officials, INCLUDING BARANGAY
OFFICIALS, or emplovees going abroad for pleasure or other
personal reasons. Government officials, INCLUDING
BARANGAY OFFICIALS, and employees and members of their
families may, during their incumbency in office, hold two
passports simultaneously; (1) a regular passport for private
travel; (2) a diplomatic or official passport when traveling
abroad on diplomatic or official business. The wife and minor
children of persons entitled to a diplomatic or official passport
shall be issued regular passports, if they are not accompanying,
or following to join them.”

SEC. 2. All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations which are
inconsistent with this Act are hereby amended, repealed or modified
accordingly.

SEC. 3. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the
Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,