Senate ratifies bicam report on New Philippine Passport Act

The Senate on Wednesday ratified the final version of the proposed New Philippine Passport Act. 

Senator Imee Marcos, chairperson of the Senate committee on foreign relations, sponsored the bicameral conference committee report on the disagreeing provisions of the versions passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Under the reconciled version, Marcos said the proposed 20% discount for passport applications of senior citizens and persons with disability (PWDs) was removed, with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) noting that no other government department grants such discount.  

Meanwhile, penalties for offenses related to improper use of passports or any travel document as well as those related to forgery, counterfeiting, mutilating, or altering of the documents were increased from not less than 18 months and 1 day but not more than 6 years to 12 years to 15 years. 

Senators approved the third and final reading of the proposed measure in September.—Sundy Locus/AOL, GMA Integrated News