Bill extending passport validity to 10 years OK’d on second reading

By KATHRINA CHARMAINE ALVAREZ, GMA News


The Senate has approved on second reading a proposal extending the validity of Philippine passports from five years to 10 years.
Senate Bill 1365, authored by nine senators, amends Republic Act No. 8329 or the Philippine Passport Act of 1996.
Under the proposal, regular passports shall be valid for a period of 10 years. Those 18 years old and under, however, shall be issued passports with a five-year validity.
Those who authored the bill are Senators Richard Gordon, Cynthia Villar, Ralph Recto, JV Ejercito, Loren Legarda, Sonny Angara, Joel Villanueva, Grace Poe, and Alan Peter Cayetano

The House of Representatives has already approved the counterpart measure on third and final reading last February. —KG, GMA News

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