Philippine President Aquino has enrolled for the first ePassport to be produced at the Asian Productivity Organization (APO) Production Unit's new high-security printing plant in Malvar, Batangas.The Department of Foreign Affairs has signed a 10-year P8-billion (US$172 million) contract with APO to produce the country's ePassports.The DFA consular office has been in transition since February 23 after it shifted its passport printing from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to the APO Production Unit.APO has noted that its new e-passport has a more durable booklet made from higher quality materials. It also has added security features, such as a tamper-proof electronic microchip and a hidden encoded image.Design-wise, it features distinctly Filipino images, such as photos of the Philippine eagle, the country's tourist destinations, and the lyrics of the Philippine National Anthem.The machine at the said plant can print up to 20,000 passports a day, with a mere eight seconds spent on each passport, a report on Balitanghali said.In June, the Philippines' House of Representatives also approved a bill that would issue each citizen with an ID card that would consolidate identity documentation.

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