The proposal to extend the validity of passports to up to 10 years is up for approval at the House of Representatives’ committee level.
The foreign affairs committee’s technical working group, led by Pampanga 2nd District Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, has finished consolidating 22 bills, all seeking to extend passport validity to 10 years for adults and five years for minors.
The consolidated bill will be presented to the foreign affairs committee chaired by Bulacan 4th District Rep. Linabelle Ruth Villarica during its next hearing.
In a statement by the House leadership, Arroyo said the bill authors did not intend to introduce any other amendment to the Philippine Passport Law (Republic Act No. 8239). She said the proposed measure only seeks to lengthen the passport’s validity.
She said the current five-year span is “rather too short given the tedious process and cost it requires to obtain or renew a passport.”
The proposed measure amends Section 10 of the passport law which states that “Regular passports issued under this Act shall be valid for a period of five (5) years for minors, ages zero to seventeen (0-17) years old and ten (10) years for adults eighteen (18) years old and above.”
Under the current law, a passport is defined as “a document issued by the Philippine government to its citizens and requesting other governments to allow its citizens to pass safely and freely, and in case of need to give him/her all lawful aid and protection.” RAM/rga
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