MANILA, Philippines?Serial Number EA0000001.
That?s the number of the country?s first ePassport that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Tuesday issued to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Ms Arroyo Tuesday graced the launching of the state-of-the-art passport during the DFA?s 111th founding celebration.
More than 60 countries now use the ePassport.
To illustrate the document?s features, the President scanned her ePassport on the passport reader which immediately revealed her biometric information, digital signature and photograph.
?This will have a great impact on our national security because when you talk of ePassport you talk of a passport that is difficult to tamper with,? Assistant Foreign Secretary Domingo Lucenario said at a briefing.
Security features
The ePassport?s security features have been enhanced with a hidden encoded image, an ultra-thin holographic laminate and a tamper-proof electronic microchip, according to Lucenario.
Its integrated circuit (IC) chip stores the passport holder?s photograph and other personal data for easy verification of identity. The chip can be read by border control officials in other countries using a passport chip reader.
?The ePassport will facilitate and hasten the entry formalities in other countries of OFWs, Filipinos residing in other countries and Filipino travelers, as well as further reduce opportunities for passport fraud and tampering,? Lucenario said.
New passport costs P950
Despite its advanced security features, the ePassport will cost P950, making it one of the lowest-priced passports in the world.
Filipino passport applicants, however, may still choose between the ePassport and the Machine Readable Passport (MRP) currently priced at P500 since the latter already complies with international standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), of which the Philippines is a member.
ICAO has given all countries until April 1, 2010 to issue MRPs.
?We are giving applicants a choice between MRP and ePassport because both are ICAO-compliant. Unfortunately to some of our countrymen, the price is an issue,? Lucenario said.
5M old green passports
He said the DFA had asked the international community to still honor the old green passports, which number five million, until their expiration dates.
Filipino travelers stand to benefit the most from the globally compliant ePassport, according to DFA spokesperson Ed Malaya.
Based on an agreement between the DFA and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the latter is tasked with dealing with a private company to undertake the ePassport project.
French firm
In a public bidding conducted by the BSP in 2007, the French firm Oberthur Technologies emerged as the winner, besting 14 other companies.
The BSP awarded the ePassport project to Oberthur, which was also responsible for issuing the first ICAO-compliant ePassport in the world (Belgium).
The French firm also provided the electronic component of the first ICAO-compliant ePassport in Asia (Thailand).
As agreed upon, Oberthur will provide the DFA with an end-to-end solution to its passport application from processing to database systems and security management.
By appointment only
The ePassport project is part of the DFA?s modernization program that started in 2007, with the launch of the MRP. To date, about four million maroon MRPs have been issued.
Initially, application for the ePassport will be on appointment basis. Full implementation of the project will take place in the next three months.
