PASSPORT LINE. Applicants queue to secure a passport at the New DFA office along Macapagal Boulevard. 蜜桃工作室 FILE PHOTO
Good news for those who want to renew or get a Philippine passport for the first time.
There will be a freeze on passport processing fees this year, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
DFA spokesperson Raul Hernandez on Tuesday said 鈥渢here are no formal moves to increase passport costs.鈥�
The agency鈥檚 Office of Consular Affairs (OCA) is 鈥渘ot planning any increase in passport processing fees this year,鈥� Hernandez told the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
Regular passport processing, which is pegged at P950 (about $22), can be claimed after 14 working days. 鈥淓xpress,鈥� or expedited, processing in seven days costs P1,200.
The DFA used to charge P500 and P750, respectively, for the issuance of passports. The fees were raised in 2009 following the introduction of聽 鈥渆-passports.鈥�
In the past two years, the DFA issued at least five million passports, generating more than P6 billion for the government.
This year, the DFA expects to process 2.8 million passports, about 200,000 more than the travel documents it issued in 2011.
Faster processing
In its 2011 accomplishment report, the DFA noted that 鈥渢he releasing time of passports has been shortened from 31 days to 14 days for regular processing.鈥�
It said 鈥渢he appointment waiting time for passports has been reduced from 75 days to seven days.鈥�
The DFA has repeatedly reminded passport applicants to schedule an appointment with the OCA to ensure that their applications will be accommodated.
The appointment system 鈥渨ill enable the OCA to preprocess information submitted in advance by a passport applicant, thus avoiding long queues as experienced by walk-in applicants,鈥� the DFA explained.
By appointment
According to the DFA, passport applicants may set an appointment by going online (www.passport.com.ph), or by calling 737-1000.
Travel agents may make an appointment at www.dfa.gov.ph or send e-mail to scheduler@dfa-appointment.net. They may also call the DFA trunk line 834-4000 or 834-4961, 834-4855 and 834-3707 for more details.
One of cheapest
The fee of $22聽 for the regular processing of a passport goes up to $60 at Philippine diplomatic missions abroad.
It is higher because of 鈥渢ransport and logistics costs plus the higher rates for personnel services and utilities in our foreign missions,鈥� said the DFA鈥檚 Public Information Service Unit (Pisu).
But Pisu pointed out that the Philippine processing fee was 鈥渙ne of the lowest in Asia, if not the world.鈥�
The fee is way below those of other Asian countries, including Japan ($180), Cambodia ($120), Malaysia ($97), Singapore ($52), Brunei ($37), and Thailand ($33).
The Philippine passport also costs much less than counterparts in the United States ($110) and Canada ($86).
Malls
The DFA has entered into memoranda of agreement with private firms operating malls nationwide, like SM Prime Holdings, Ayala Land, Robinsons Land Corp. and Pacific Mall Corp., for e-passport operations.
鈥淲ith this move, the DFA was taking a big leap forward as it can now more effectively deliver consular services to the people in modern, more applicant-friendly settings at very little cost to the government,鈥� Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said
鈥淪ince the last quarter of 2011, the combined public-private partnership arrangements we have entered into with the private sector on this initiative translates to almost P1.04 billion in savings for the government over a period of 10 years,鈥� he聽 added.
The DFA is scheduled to inaugurate next month the new offices of DFA-Cebu at Pacific Mall in Mandaue City, according to Hernandez.
鈥淲e have actually already transferred there, but operations are not yet in full blast. We are set to open in several other locations nationwide in April and more in June,鈥� he said.
Originally posted: 6:37 pm | Tuesday, January 31st, 2012