MANILA — The public will not be charged extra for passports.
This was the assurance of the APO Production Unit, Inc., the company mandated to produce passports, after Senate Committee on Finance Chairperson JV Ejercito asked it regarding the proposal to increase the passport fee from P900 to P1,500.
READ: Philippine passport prices may climb soon
APO was in the Senate on Wednesday for its 2027 budget briefing together with the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).
"We are not asking for the increase of the price to the public. But what we are really asking for is a subsidy, that the DFA include that in their budget," said Atty. Gil Carlos Puyat, APO President.
"The reason for this, your honor, is because the price has been frozen since 2016. With the recent war in Iran, the prices of raw materials and logistics have gone up and so has our foreign exchange. Also inflation has been affecting us. We are just hoping that the discussions may move forward, that's why we wrote a letter," Puyat added.
Ejercito asked Puyat if they would be forced to shut down if not subsidized.
Puyat said this is something they need to discuss with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
According to Ejercito: "We also asked DFA Secretary, with the presence of Senator (Erwin) Tulfo din, to resolve this issue and to recommend, if need be, if we can subsidize. Tignan natin kung kakayanin natin dahil nga limitado yung galaw natin dito, limitado yung budget natin, but the last thing we want to happen, Mr. Chair, is mawalan tayo ng passport supply."
Senate Deputy Majority Leader Joel Villanueva also weighed in on the matter.
"Ang sa akin lang, Mr. Chairman, is kung masa-subsidize ng gobyerno yung increase, kaysa mag-increase, kahit nga huwag lang ngayong taon or puwede mo naman next year, magkaroon lang ng another option if we can subsidize it through this General Appropriations Act. Ma-subsidize tapos sa susunod na lang i-increase, puwede rin ho, ang sa akin lang may options tayo available for us," Villanueva commented.
Senator Bong Go said he is against increasing the passport processing fee and hopes that a government subsidy will be given.