The Philippine Embassy announced that the delay in passport releases for the last few weeks was a result of technical concerns and the surge in the demand for E-Passports.

"We apologize for the inconvenience caused by the delays, especially to Overseas Filipino Workers and their families, but we would like to assure them that the Department of Foreign Affairs is exerting its best efforts in resolving the issue as soon as possible," Celeste Vinzon Balatbat, Chargé d' Affaires, a.i. of the Philippine Embassy said.

Minister and Consul Celeste Vinzon Balatbat, Chargé d' Affaires, a.i., also stated that those with expiring passports who cannot forego their travel may opt to apply for an extension of the validity of their passports instead of applying for a new one.

She attributed the delay in passport releases primarily as a result of maintenance work and upgrades on equipment in the E-Passport Personalization Center at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) facility in Quezon City.

This, she said, also coincided with the seasonal increase in passport applications as Filipinos start making preparations for travel abroad this summer.

Minister and Consul Celeste Vinzon Balatbat, Chargé d' Affaires, a.i., added that the DFA has been working closely with the BSP to resolve the issue and that the DFA is confident that the waiting period will be reduced in the coming weeks.

The delays, which started in February, have affected primarily applicants in the 19 Regional Consular Offices and Foreign Service Posts abroad.