MANILA (PNA) —- To appease its detractors who accuse the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) of exorbitant e-passport fees, the DFA has presented a comparative international price list for the public to mull on,adding that the Philippine travel document is, in fact, “one of the lowest in Asia and the world.”

In fact, DFA asserted, the current fee of P950 (about US$ 21),barely covers the actual cost of producing the e-passport, since much of that amount goes to printing, lamination, and similar production expenses.

DFA also defended itself against charges of corruption over the contract for the e-passport by claiming that it “has largely no role in the procurement of supplies for the passport production.”

On orders of Secretary Alberto G. Romulo, DFA surveyed in June at least 60 countries which currently issue e-passport and/or machine-readable passport (MRP).

DFA then concluded that the Philippine document "is way below those of other countries in Asia, including Thailand (US$ 33), Brunei (US$ 37), Malaysia (US$ 97), Cambodia (US$ 120), Singapore (US$ 52), and Japan (US$ 180).

The Philippine e passport is also cheaper compared to those of the United States and Canada, DFA added.

While detractors, mainly overseas-based Filipino workers, said they understand DFA's argument but they insist that the fee is still exorbitant, citing that when the document is applied for in, say Hong Kong, it would cost them at least US$ 150 because of the currency exchange.

They insist that the fee should still be P950 or US$ 21 wherever it is processed.

To this issue, DFA suggested that Filipinos overseas can avail of lower passport fees by applying in the Philippines.

DFA also claimed that more than 70 percent of passport applicants apply in Manila.

At the same time, DFA pointed out that it has an existing contract with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) which produces the passports for the DFA.

”The BSP also conducts an open and competitive bidding for its supplies requirements in strict compliance with its financial and audit controls, as well as relevant procurement laws and regulations,” DFA added.