Seoul, 21 January 2018 ? The Embassy of the Philippines in Seoul, South Korea released the first batch of passports with a validity of 10 years today, 21 January 2018.

Ms. Carla May B. Begas, a Filipina marriage migrant from Chungnam, Chuncheongnamdo in the mid-western part of Korea, is the first to receive a passport with 10-year validity among the 33 Filipino nationals who applied for the renewal of their passports on 3 January 2018. Ms. Begas was ecstatic and very grateful when her passport was personally handed to her by Philippine Ambassador to Korea Raul S. Hernandez at the Consular Section of the Embassy.

The issuance of passports with 10-year validity is one of the reforms in consular services that the Department of Foreign Affairs has undertaken in line with President Rodrigo Roa Duterte's commitment to improve the delivery of services to the public.

Under Republic Act No. 10928 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations, passports with 10-year validity will be issued to Filipinos 18 years old and above while Filipinos below 18 years of age will still be issued passports with 5-year validity.