Philippine passport fee may rise to ₱1,500 — but not yet

The cost of obtaining a Philippine passport may increase from ₱950 to ₱1,500 (approximately $24), according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). However, the DFA intends to postpone the hike until 2028, when the government plans to introduce a new-generation passport. This proposed rise surfaced during a Senate hearing on the DFA's proposed ₱35.17-billion 2027 budget, following the APO Production Unit's request for a higher price to sustain operations.

The APO Production Unit, a government-owned corporation responsible for producing Philippine passports, warned that without a price adjustment, it might eventually cease passport production. Senate Finance Committee chairperson, JV Ejercito, cautioned that a disruption could have severe consequences for Filipinos requiring passports for travel, employment, and other purposes.

DFA Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro informed senators that the DFA had asked APO to defer the increase due to the Philippines preparing to roll out its Next Generation Philippine Passport in 2028. This means the government might adjust the fee twice within a relatively short period. The proposed regular fee discussed at the Senate hearing is ₱1,500, which would result in a ₱550 increase, or about 58%, from the current regular fee of ₱950.

The proposed ₱1,500 fee is not a new passport fee but a proposed adjustment related to passport-production costs. APO, a self-sustaining government corporation, produces high-security government documents and has produced 24.9 million ePassports since 2016. However, the DFA is wary of raising the price now and being unable to adjust it again when the new passport system is introduced, as per Republic Act 11983, which restricts passport fee increases to once every three years.