BSP picks e-passport covers supplier

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is now assured of a continuous supply of electronic passports or “e-passports” after the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) successfully conducted a bid for the supply of the electronic covers or e-covers of the passports which include an integrated microchip for storage of data.

The BSP, after a seamless and comprehensive transparent public bidding, selected the current supplier of the e-passports, French-Belgian firm Oberthur Technologies, to supply the “e-passport covers”, after the latter submitted the lowest calculated bid.

The passport cover contract is expected to start as soon as the BSP makes a formal award this month to prevent delays in the processing of passports in the DFA consular office along Diosdado Macapagal Ave. in Pasay City.

The ePassport’s security features have been enhanced in 2009 with a hidden encoded image, an ultra-thin, holographic laminate; and a tamper-proof electronic microchip.

Its integrated circuit chip stores the passport holder’s photograph and other personal data for easy verification of identity and is fully inter-operable.

This means border control officials in other countries using a passport chip reader could read the chip.

The ePassport is said to have facilitated and hastened the entry formalities of migrant workers and Filipinos residing in other countries and travelers, aside from denying opportunities for passport fraud and tampering.

Online application for the new e-passports daily has reached 6,900 to more than 7,000 while 4,500 to 5,000 apply individually at the DFA.

Oberthur Technologies won the E-passport project in a public bidding in July 2008 after it offered the lowest bid of P900 million.