MANILA - Filipinos may begin applying for passports with 10-year validity beginning January 1, 2018.

This, after the Department of Foreign Affairs released Thursday the implementing rules and regulation of the law extending passport validity.

Department Order 010-2017, signed by DFA Sec. Alan Peter Cayetano on October 25 said passports with 10-year validity period will be issued for those applying for the first time or for those applying for replacement or renewal.

But passports of minors will only be valid for 5 years.

"Regular passports issued to Filipinos under 18 years of age at the time of application shall be valid for 5 years," the order said.

DFA also clarified that they may limit the period of validity of passports to less than 10 years in countries which require certain restrictions.

Last August, President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act 10928, an act extending the passport validity and amending section 10 of Republic Act 8239 or the Passport Act of 1996.

--report from Zhander Cayabyab, ABS-CBN News