Philippine citizens in Hawai'i and American Samoa may apply for a new Machine Readable Passport beginning Monday.

Applicants are required to appear in person at the Philippine Consulate.

The new passports are expected to speed the processing of passengers. Data on a Machine Readable Passport will be scanned and stored in databases of immigration agencies.

Applicants will receive passports six weeks after they submit their paperwork.

Existing Philippine passports will continue to be honored until their expiration date.

For more information, contact the Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu at 595-6316, ext. 234 or honolulupc@hawaii.rr.com.