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10-year validity sought for Philippine passport

MANILA: The validity of passports must be extended from five years to 10 years, a partylist lawmaker has demanded.

AASENSO partylist Rep. Teodoro G. Montoro has reportedly cited the need to amend Republic Act 8239, also known as the Philippine Passport Act of 1996, in response to the concerns of traveling Filipinos that the validity of passports seem to be too short at five years.

“Even Overseas Filipino Workers who regularly travel to various countries complain that their deployment abroad is sometimes affected by the short validity of their passports which are needed in their employment application or renewals. OFWs are usually obliged to travel to areas where their passports can be renewed with cost and also incur additional expenses in so doing,” he was quoted as saying by Manila Bulletin in filing House Bill 1894.

Montoro reportedly noted that President Duterte himself stated in the past that Congress should amend RA 8239, particularly on the provision pertaining to passport validity.

Quoting the Chief Executive, he reportedly said because of the short validity of passports, ordinary Filipinos are forced to apply for passport renewals from time to time thereby experiencing long queues under uncomfortable circumstances.

The 1987 Constitution provides for the protection of the basic rights of Filipinos to travel without hitches, Montoro was quoted as saying by Manila Bulletin.

HB 1894 reportedly provides that regular passports shall be valid to a period of 10 years. It also provides that the issuing authority may limit the period of validity to less than 10 years in the interest of national security and national economy.

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