New look PH passports out soon; improved online system assured

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is set to launch this August a newly-packaged Philippine passport which will contain, among others, additional security features and images showcasing the country's rich culture and heritage.

“The new electronic passport is now being prepared and will soon be out for issuance by mid-August,” revealed Dominic Tajon, sales manager of APO Production Unit, the agency that bagged the multi-billion printing of electronic passports.

Tajon recently led a select group of journalists to a tour of APO’s high-security printing facilities at the Lima Technology Center in Malvar, Batangas.

The three-building facility boasts of state-of-the-art printing machineries that produce not only e-passports but also excise tax stamps for tobacco companies.

Apart from the launching of newly-designed e-passports, Tajon also announced that online application issues will soon be straightened out.

He assured that the public that the online service for passports applications will have marked improvements by next month.

“Actually, the reason why there are still long queue is due to the transition (from old to the new system),” Tajon told reporters at the site visit.

In a media handout, it says that APO will deliver personalized ePassport to the DFA through a new system that is fully integrated and automated, greatly reducing time while increasing efficiency and reliability.

Under the new system, Tajon said the enrollment and personalization will be faster. As a result, the processing time for passport will be cut down from 14 days to 10 days for regular processing, and from seven days to five days for express lanes.