President Rodrigo Duterte, during Monday's State of the Nation
Address (SONA) at the Batasan Pambansa in Quezon City, called on Congress to
study the possibility of extending a passport's validity to ten years from the
current five years.
“On the clamor of our citizens for the timely issuance of
Philippine passports, the government shall work towards amendment of the 1996
Passport Law to lengthen the validity from the current five years to ten
years,” Duterte said.
Duterte also floated the idea of extending a passport's validity
up to 30 years.
“Tutal kayo naman ang gagawa ng batas, you are the ones who will
pass the law, even if you extend it good for 30 years, okay ako. Bahala kayo,
basta stretch it a little bit, because five years is simply short,” Duterte
explained in his address.
Additionally, Duterte called on concerned government officials
to hasten the passport application process.
Duterte said that he had witnessed passport applicants in Davao
and Cotabato queuing for days outside a popular mall just to get their
passports.
“I’d like to call the attention of [Foreign Affairs] Secretary
[Perfecto] Yasay… Sige pangalanan na natin, SM. Nandun ang mga tao sa pavement
natutulog, dahil first come, first served [basis]. Doon na sila natutulog sa
labas ng mall dahil doon lang ang outlet ng Department [of Foreign Affairs],”
Duterte explained.
“Nasasaktan talaga ako nakikita sila doon natutulog sa pavement.
Make use of the computer. I do not want to see the people lining up under the
heat of the sun. I don’t want people lining up under the rain,” he added.
OFW processes
The president also bared some of his plans for the welfare of
overseas Filipino workers (OFWs,) among which was the streamlining of the
application process OFWs had to go through.
“I urge the government [officials] who will attend to the needs
of our OFWs… Gusto ko he (Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III ) will rent a
building for OFWs. Then lagyan ng BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue), lahat
na, something to do with the clearances of the police,” Duterte explained.
Duterte was distressed by the tedious process OFWs have to go
through just to complete their requirements for working abroad.
“My God, make use of the computer. Why did he (the OFW) have to
travel if he will only accomplish one document at one time. At kung tingin
ninyo taga probinsya siya, tapusin ninyo agad!” Duterte emphasized.
“Kung hindi ninyo gamitin [ang mga computer] tapon nyo nalang,”
he added, drawing cheers from the crowd.
Duterte also called on the authorities to beef up the fight
against human trafficking.
“We shall intensify, mainit talaga ako dito, we shall intensify our
fight against human traffickers... Para maprotektahan ang pera ng ating mga
OFW,” Duterte said.
