The Philippine Embassy in Vietnam has issued a warning to Filipinos, advising them that using passports as collateral for loans is illegal.
In a Monday advisory, the embassy said that passports as collaterals for loans (sangla) is punishable by law, citing Republic Act 11983 or the New Passport Act.
“The Embassy likewise reminds all Filipinos that passports are the property of the Philippine Government, and must be in the possession of Filipinos at all times,” the advisory read.
The embassy also urged individuals with information about people involved in this practice, whether as creditors or debtors, to report such cases through its official email address, hanoipe.consular@dfa.gov.ph.
According to Section 11 of the Philippine Passport Act of 1996, passports should “not be surrendered to any person or entity other than the government or its representative.”
