MANILA (UPDATE) - The House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading House Bill 4767 which seeks to extend the validity of passports from 5 years to 10 years.

The bill, which is a consolidation of 22 measures, was approved unanimously by lawmakers in Monday's plenary session.

The proposed measure seeks to amend Republic Act 8239 or the Philippine Passport Act of 1996, which states that a passport shall only be valid for a period of five years regardless of the age of the applicant.

Under the proposed measure, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), however, is authorized to limit the validity of a passport to less than 10 years whenever required by national economic interest or political stability of the country or in the case of minors below 18 years of age.

With the approval of the House, the bill can now be sent to the Senate for concurrence.