The Department of Social Welfare and Development is further improving its Minors Traveling Abroad system to speed up travel clearance processing while continuing to protect children from trafficking, exploitation, and other forms of abuse.
Assistant Secretary Ada Colico of the DSWD’s Protective Programs said the agency is preparing additional enhancements to the MTA system, including an express lane and a group application feature.
“We will have an express lane, ito yung para sa mga kailangang-kailangan na within the day or within a day yung travel permit. Sa ngayon po, mayroon po tayong mga group application, but hindi pa po ready si system as of now, but we are developing it sa phase 2 kung saan yung school, yung mga sports organization ay mag-apply na as a group,” Colico said during the DSWD Thursday Media Forum on July 2.
To assist travelers accompanying minors, Colico said the DSWD has established MTA help desks at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminals 1 and 3, Clark International Airport, Mactan-Cebu International Airport, and Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao.
The help desks assist travelers with travel clearance concerns and other issues involving minors traveling abroad.
“Sa help desks po, tutulungan kayo kung paano mag-apply. Kung kumpleto yung requirements ninyo, we can assist you there. [For offloaded minor passengers] kung kumpleto ang requirements nila, natutulungan natin sila doon sa help desk kasi we can facilitate faster,” Colico told reporters.
According to the DSWD official, the help desks have already served 1,591 clients, including inquiries and assistance involving offloaded minors, strengthening the agency’s child protection efforts at the country’s major international gateways.
Colico reiterated that a travel clearance certificate is required for minors, or individuals below 18 years old, traveling abroad without any parent or person exercising parental responsibility or legal custody over the child.
The DSWD launched the MTA system in 2025 to streamline the application and issuance of clearances for minors traveling abroad.
The system allows applicants to submit documentary requirements and payment, attend scheduled interviews, and receive clearances online.
The DSWD said these improvements have reduced the need for repeated visits to agency offices while ensuring that applications continue to undergo thorough assessment and verification by licensed social workers and other proper authorities before travel clearances are issued.
As of June 30, the DSWD has received around 73,674 applications through the MTA system, reflecting the growing number of Filipino families using the streamlined travel clearance process.
To further assist applicants, the DSWD maintains client support channels through its official DSWD MTA Facebook page and the MTA Chat Support available through the MTA portal.
Applicants may also send inquiries through grievance_cpomta@dswd.gov.ph, call (02) 8951-7440 or (02) 8951-7438, contact 0945-160-4534 for calls, 0927-420-0086 for chat support, or 0956-625-5375 for additional assistance.
The DSWD said the continuing enhancement of the MTA system forms part of its commitment to deliver responsive public service while ensuring that every Filipino child traveling overseas receives the maximum level of protection through an efficient, accessible, and secure travel clearance process.
The DSWD Media Forum is held weekly at the agency’s Central Office New Press Center and hosted by Special Assistant to the Secretary Raymond Burgos and Digital Media Service Director Dianne Joie Ruiz.