<p>The Senate on Monday approved the third and final reading of the proposed new Philippine Passport Act, a measure that seeks to streamline the country's passport application process to be at par with international standards.&nbsp;</p>
<p>With 20-0-0 votes, Senate Bill 2001 allows senior citizens and migrant workers to renew their passports virtually, without having to line up at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) office.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Under the bill, Filipinos who lost their passports will be allowed to request emergency passports, which would be valid for a year while emergency travel document certificates may also be sought for passports lost overseas before they return to the Philippines.</p>
<p>"The New Philippine Passport Law will be the framework upon which we will build a future reiteration of the Philippine passport and contactless technologies," said Senator Imee Marcos,&nbsp;chairperson of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations,&nbsp;during her sponsorship speech of the measure.</p>
<p>Aside from an online application portal, the bill provides for the establishment of an Electronic One-Stop Shop on the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) website to facilitate convenience of application and ease in gathering and submission of requirements.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The measure likewise institutionalizes the DFA&rsquo;s offsite and mobile passport services as well as a watchlist for people who have been denied passports or have had their passports canceled, which would fast-track the approval processes.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>SBN No. 2001 also proposes the creation of a Passport Revolving Fund. The funds will be sourced from the service fees charged from passport processing and issuance which require special consideration or issuance beyond regular office hours.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Congress shall review the disbursement and use of the fund annually.&nbsp;</p>

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Senate OKs new passport bill on final reading