DFA Launches Philippine ePassport, Issues First ePassport to President Arroyo‏

PR-611-09, 11 August 2009 – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) launched today the Philippine ePassport that will make the country at par with developed countries. No other than President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was the recipient of the first ePassport presented to her by DFA Secretary Alberto G. Romulo in ceremonies held at the DFA Auditorium coinciding with the Department's 111th Founding Day anniversary. President Arroyo's ePassport bears the serial number EA0000001. To illustrate its features, the President scanned her ePassport on the passport reader which revealed her biometric information, digital signature and photograph. A joint project of the DFA and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the issuance of the ePassport makes the Philippines compliant with international standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), of which it is a member. Filipino travellers and migrant workers stand to benefit the most from the globally-compliant ePassport currently being used in over 60 countries. The ePassport's security features have been enhanced with a hidden encoded image, an ultra-thin, holographic laminate; and a tamper-proof electronic microchip. Its Integrated Circuit (IC) chip stores the passport holder's photograph and other personal data for easy verification of identity and is fully inter-operable which means that the chip can be read by border control officials in other countries using a passport chip reader. The ePassport will facilitate and hasten the entry formalities in other countries of OCWs, Filipinos residing in other countries and Filipino travelers, as well as further cut down on opportunities for passport fraud and tampering. Despite its advanced security features, the Philippine ePassport will be available for a fee of P950, making it one of the lowest-priced ePassports in the world. Filipino passport applicants may still choose between the ePassport OR the machine readable passport (MRP) currently priced at P500. The ePassport project is part of the DFA's passport modernization program which started in 2007 with the launch of the machine readable passport. To date, about four million MRPs have been issued. Initially, application for the ePassport will be on appointment basis. Full implementation of the project will take place in the next three months.

Pinoys told to beat Aug. 31 deadline for 2010 polls listing

Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah reminded Filipinos in the western region Wednesday to register for the May 2010 elections before the registration deadline ends on August 31. In a meeting with Filipino community leaders Consul Leo Tito Ausan, head of the consulate’s overseas absentee unit, also urged them to help the mission step up its registration campaign to ensure that they can vote on May 2010 for a new president, vice president and other lower elective officials. Ausan said Wednesday that in spite of the low attendance in the meeting, the consulate got solid commitments from the Filipino community leaders that they will ask their members and friends to register for the 2010 elections. The consulate has been conducting overseas absentee voting registrations at its compound even after office hours from Saturday to Wednesday “but not beyond 9 P.M.” The consulate will open its compound for absentee voting registration on appointment for groups of not less than 15 people, he said. The consulate has opened hotline +966-569754664 for appointment and queries on overseas absentee voting and other concerns. Meanwhile, the first mobile absentee voting registration held at the Alhekma International School was able to register 77 new voters in four hours.. “I am happy in a short period people came and gave time to register,” Ausan said and thanked the school officials and owner, Nada Bin Yamin, for allowing the consulate staff to conduct the registration. Big companies with large numbers of Filipino workers like the Saudi Cable and Altayar Companies have encouraged their workers to register. - SG