HOUSE 2 -I
| RECEINVEO

Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE!
Quezon City, Metro Manila

pate: 16 AUG 2016

TIVE.

Ry

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS |
First Regular Session |

Bis
2970

2ST RATION UNIT

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by
HON. ELENITA MILAGROS “EILEEN” ERMITA-BUHAIN

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill is in furtherance of the provision of the 1987 Constitution,
to wit:
“Neither shall the right to travel be impaired except in
the interest of national security, public safety, or public
health, as may be provided by law.” (Section 6, Article
1)

Accordingly, the government has the duty to issue a passport or
any travel document to any citizen of the Philippines or individual
provided that he complies with the requirements under Republic Act No.
8239 or the Philippine Passport Act of 1996.

In his first State of the Nation Address last July 25, 2016,
President Rodrigo R. Duterte asked Congress to pass a law that would
lengthen the validity of passports to ease and lessen the frequency and
volume of applications for new and renewal of passports thereby reduce,
if not eliminate the long queuing of applicants at the Department Foreign
Affairs (DFA).

In compliance with the aforesaid provision of the Constitution and
directive of the President, this bill aims to extend the validity of regular
Philippine passports issued to adult applicants from five (5) years to ten
(10) years while the regular passports issued to minors shall be valid for a
period of five (5) years.

In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

ELENITA MILAGROS “EILEEN” ERMITA-BUHAIN

=NTATIVES



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

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 2970

Introduced by
HON. ELENITA MILAGROS “EILEEN” ERMITA-BUHAIN

AN ACT
EXTENDING THE VALIDITY OF THE REGULAR PHILIPPINE PASSPORT
ISSUED TO ADULT APPLICANTS FROM FIVE (5) YEARS TO TEN (10)
YEARS, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE 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 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 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] REDUCE the period

of validity AS PROVIDED HEREIN [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 returned to the holder after

cancellation.”

SEC. 2. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, ordinances, rules and
regulations and other issuances or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this
Act, are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.


SEC. 3. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
after publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) national newspapers of
general circulation.

Approved,