House approves bill updating passport law

MANILA, Philippines — A consolidated bill seeking to update the law on the issuance of Philippine passports has been approved by the House of Representatives.

A total of 201 lawmakers yesterday unanimously passed on third and final reading House Bill (HB) 8513 or the proposed New Passport Law, which would replace Republic Act 9239 or the Philippine Passport Act of 1996.

The proposed measure, endorsed by the committees on foreign affairs and appropriations, included HB 6399 authored by Deputy Speaker and Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez.

Rodriguez cited the need to update the passport law, noting three laws affecting the right to travel have been enacted since the statute’s enactment 24 years ago.

These laws are the Domestic Adoption Act of 1998, the Citizenship and Reacquisition Act of 2003 and the Philippine Identification System Act.

“The Filipinos’ right to travel is inviolable. The government has the duty to issue a passport or a travel document to any citizen or individual who complies with the requirement the prescribed by the law,” Rodriguez said.

He said to enhance and protect the right to travel, only minimum requirement for the application and issuance of passports and other travel documents should be imposed, and such issuance should be expedited.

Regular passports are valid for 10 years, except those issued to persons under 18 years old, which are good for five years.

The proposed law seeks the issuance of any of three travel papers under certain circumstances like urgent travel of a person who has not been issued a passport yet or who has lost his passport.