Fees for DFA Services and Provident Fund

The Order anchors DFA’s authority to charge and collect reasonable fees for processing passport, visa, notarial, certification and authentication, and other Department issuances through Foreign Service Act authority to review, revise, and update rules on issuance.
The Order cites Executive Order No. 641 (25 July 2007) as authorizing the establishment of Provident Funds in the Government, which may be funded by other sources provided by law.
The Order cites Section 40 (c), in relation to Section 41, of the 2009 General Appropriations Act to authorize the exclusive use of service fees collected by departments, bureaus, offices, and agencies for authorized deductions to operate a Provident Fund for all employees.
The Order cites Administrative Order No. 279 (05 May 1992) as authorizing provident fund funding from the balance of service fees paid for services rendered by the government agency concerned.

The Order directs that the DFA’s mandate includes preserving and enhancing national security, promoting economic security, and protecting the rights and welfare of Filipino overseas.
The Order recognizes that the DFA must deliver passport, visa, notarial, certification and authentication, and other Department issuances efficiently and effectively.
The Order establishes a framework to meet increasing demand for DFA personnel to work beyond regular office hours and to adopt technologies/processes for expedited consular processing earlier than normal periods.
The Order links certain service-fee revenues to the DFA Provident Fund for the benefit of DFA employees.

Section 1 applies to DFA consular services, including passport processing, and other DFA Department services, both here and abroad.
Section 1 applies to situations where service issuance is required beyond regular office hours or earlier than the normal processing period.
Section 1 covers fees intended to cover the use of technologies to further expedite consular services.
Section 1 authorizes the DFA to charge and collect other applicable fees related to the expedited processing services.

Section 1 authorizes the DFA to charge and collect Expedite Service Fees over and above regular fees for processing DFA consular services, including passport processing, and other Department services.
The Expedite Service Fees are for issuance beyond regular office hours or earlier than the normal processing period.
The DFA may also charge other service and/or applicable fees to cover the use of technologies to further expedite these services.
Section 1 imposes an upper limit: the DFA must set the Expedite Service Fees, other service and/or applicable fees in an amount not more than the DFA’s regular fees for the same categories of consular services and other Department services.

Section 2 requires that revenues collected from Expedite Service Fees, other service, and/or applicable fees accrue to the DFA Provident Fund.
Section 2 provides that accrual to the DFA Provident Fund begins on 01 March 2010.
Section 2 requires that these fee revenues be used exclusively by the DFA for the operation of the Fund.
Section 2 specifies that the Fund operates in favor and/or for the benefit of all its employees.