SENATOR Francis ‘Kiko’ Pangilinan on Thursday said he is opposed to the increase in the passport renewal fees imposed on overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and other Filipinos in Middle East, Europe, Asia, and the US.
“Mariin kong tinututulan ang pagtaas ng presyo ng passport renewal fees sa Middle East, Europe, Asia, at US. Ang desisyon ng mga embahada at konsulado natin sa mga nasabing bansa na gumamit nang mga outsourcing companies para mag-proseso ng passport renewal ay dagdag gastos sa mga nahihirapang Filipinos,” Pangilinan said.
(I oppose the increase in the passport renewal fees imposed on OFWs and other Filipinos in the Middle East, Europe, Asia and the US. The decision of Philippine embassies and consulates in these countries have led to the fee increase to cover administrative costs by these outsourcing companies,” Pangilinan said.)
“Hirap na hirap na ang maraming OFWs at mga Filipinos sa gitna ng pandemya,” Pangilinan said.
(“Our OFWs and other Filipinos are already suffering in the middle of this pandemic,” Pangilinan said.)
OFWs and other Filipinos renewing their passports in the Middle East, Europe, Asia and the US can now avail of the services of private outsourcing companies. Through these outsourcing companies, fees for passport renewal now range from P4,900 and P5,300.
The Department of Foreign Affairs said using these outsourcing companies is “optional and voluntary.”
A November 11, 2021 advisory of the Philippine Embassy in Rome said Filipinos who choose to renew their passports through the BLS International will be charged 35 Euros (P1,993) for “convenience fee,” and 4.5 Euros (P256) for “revolving fund.”
The “convenience fee” and “revolving fund” are in addition to the current passport renewal fee of 54 Euros (P3,075). A passport renewed through the outsourcing company now costs 93.5 Euros (P5,324).
