PH to Launch New, High-Security Passports at a Faster Timeframe - PCO

Great, great news travelers! The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said that PH is set to issue new passports with added security features, which will be delivered in a shorter period of time from the production facility to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

Here's the statement issued by the Presidential Communications (Government of the Philippines) regarding the issuance of new, high-security passport:

Every Filipino who wishes to go overseas and applies for a passport will receive the “all new high-security passport” starting August 15.

The new passports will feature impressive design promoting the regions of our country.

Photo from Presidential Communications Office

Other changes include intaglio printing used for the printing of money and the printing of the coat of arms using optical variable illusion ink where color varies at different angle.

Photo from Presidential Communications Office

Added security features have been placed such as upgraded security feature of microchip to capture the personal data of the applicant, invisible UV fluorescent ink and thread, and elaborate design when subject to UV light.

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Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Martin Andanar assured that the new passports would be readily available, “The new APO printing system increases the production speed of the new passports to 35%.”

Andanar, whose office supervises the APO Production Unit, Inc., further said, “This means the new passport printing system results to delivery of passports from press to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to an average of 5 days compared to 7-14 days previously.”
“It is the objective of the PCO to keep on improving our printing processes so we can even hasten the delivery from our APO Lima Plant in Batangas to DFA within 4 days by 2017,” Andanar explained.

All information courtesy of the Presidential Communications Page.