“Hindi katanggap-tanggap sa akin ang mungkahing itaas ang passport fee mula sa kasalukuyang ₱950 patungong ₱1,500,” Go said in a statement.
The proposed adjustment surfaced during the Senate deliberations on the Department of Foreign Affairs’ budget. Senate Finance Committee chairperson Senator JV Ejercito disclosed that APO Production Unit, Inc., which prints Philippine passports, had sought an increase from ₱950 to ₱1,500 amid concerns over the sustainability of its passport operations. Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro said the DFA had asked for the proposed adjustment to be deferred until 2028, when the government expects to introduce the next-generation Philippine passport.
The DFA’s official passport portal currently lists the regular processing fee at ₱950 and expedited processing at ₱1,200, excluding the ₱50 convenience fee charged by authorized payment centers. A ₱1,500 regular fee would therefore represent an increase of about 58% from the existing rate.
According to Go, the timing of the proposal is particularly concerning given the economic pressures confronting Filipino households.
“Hindi ito napapanahon. Nasa gitna tayo ng krisis na dulot ng kaguluhan sa Middle East, na nagbunsod ng sunud-sunod na pagtaas ng presyo ng langis at mga pangunahing bilihin at serbisyo. Dagdag pa rito, patuloy ang pagdami ng mga walang trabaho batay sa pinakahuling datos noong Hulyo 2026,” he said.
Government data show that headline inflation remained elevated at 6.1% in August, following 6.2% in July. Inflation for the bottom 30% of income households stood even higher at 8.2% in August.
Fuel prices have likewise remained under pressure from global supply disruptions. On September 15, the Department of Energy reported that the one-month average Dubai crude price had reached US$99.41 per barrel. The DOE said pump-price increases for the September 15 to 21 period amounted to ₱5.68 per liter for gasoline, ₱4.31 for diesel, and ₱4.62 for kerosene, amid sustained increases in international oil prices. TryTime Trackers
International oil markets have been shaken by continuing tensions and attacks on energy infrastructure in the Middle East. Brent crude settled at US$105.68 per barrel on September 14 as disruptions heightened concerns over global supply.
Go also cited worsening unemployment figures as another reason to avoid imposing additional costs on the public.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority’s latest Labor Force Survey, unemployment increased to 6.0% in July 2026 from 5.3% a year earlier and 4.7% in April. Around 3.14 million Filipinos were unemployed in July, up from 2.59 million in July 2025, even as the total number of employed persons also rose year-on-year.
Go said particular consideration must be given to overseas Filipino workers, for whom passports are essential documents for employment and travel.
“Huwag na sanang dagdagan pa ang bigat na pasan ng ating mga mamamayan, lalo na ang mga OFWs na araw-araw nagsasakripisyo para sa kanilang pamilya at sa ating bayan. Masakit na ang mapalayo sa kanilang mga mahal sa buhay—huwag naman sanang suklian ang kanilang sakripisyo ng halos dobleng bayarin sa kanilang passport,” he said.
The senator also recalled the extension of Philippine passport validity during the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte. ExplorePacific Goods
Republic Act No. 10928, signed into law in August 2017, extended the validity of regular Philippine passports from five years to 10 years for Filipinos aged 18 and above. Passports issued to those below 18 retain a five-year validity.
“Tandaan po natin: hinabaan ang validity ng passport mula limang taon tungo sa sampung taon noong panahon ni dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte upang mabawasan ang gastusin ng mga Pilipino sa madalas na renewal. Tapos ngayon, dodoblehin ang gastos sa passport fee?” Go said.
Go urged the government to examine alternatives to passing higher passport production costs directly on to applicants, including the feasibility of subsidizing part of the expense.
“Kung talagang kailangan, dapat pag-aralan kung maaari itong i-subsidize ng gobyerno kaysa mapunta sa korapsyon. Bilyon-bilyong piso ang pondo ng taumbayan, bakit hindi ito ilaan sa kapakinabangan ng mamamayan?” he said.
Under RA 11983, or the New Philippine Passport Act, reasonable fees may be collected for passport processing and issuance, although any fee may not be increased more than once every three years. The law also provides mechanisms governing passport services and the use of the Passport Revolving Fund, which is subject to government accounting, auditing, and congressional review. ExplorePacific Goods
Go maintained that affordability should remain central to any government decision on passport fees, especially at a time when families are contending with elevated costs for food, transportation, fuel, and other necessities.
“Ang kailangan ng mga Pilipino ngayon ay malasakit, hindi dagdag na pasakit,” he said.
“Serbisyo, hindi negosyo,” Go concluded.
Senator Bong Go