NEW PHILIPPINE PASSPORT ACT, PBBM SIGNED

The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) has announced that the “New Philippine Passport Act” or the Republic Act No. 11983 repealed the Passport Act of 1996, has been signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. providing new passport law in the country.

The new passport law will be effective 15 days after the completion of its publication either in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

New passport law in the country (Photo courtesy of Rappler)

PCO specified that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is authorized to provide offsite and mobile passport services in areas outside of the consular offices and foreign service posts under the new law.

It is also mandated to establish and maintain an online application portal and Electronic Stop Shop readily accessible on its official website.

In handling, use, and application of new passports, penalties under the law states that any person without legal authority who confiscates, retains, or withholds passport issued by the DFA, could go to jail for at least 12 years and have to pay a fine of at least P1 million but not more than P2 million.

The new law requires the DFA to provide special arrangements for passport applications for certain groups like senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWD), pregnant women, children under seven, solo parents, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), and people with urgent or exceptional situations.  

For passport forgers and offenders relating to improper use of passport and other travel documents will face six to 15 years of imprisonment and a fine not less than P100,000 but not more than P250,000.

Filipino citizens who are not government officials or employees traveling overseas for personal travel, are not entitled to diplomatic or official passports, but regular passports instead. - PCO

Source: Luisa Cabato/Philippine Daily Inquirer

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