The Philippine Embassy in Italy has warned overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Malta against using their Philippine passports as collateral for loans, saying such practice is illegal.

In an advisory, the Embassy emphasized that passports are government property and must not be used for financial transactions.

“It has come to the Embassy’s attention that several Filipino nationals in Malta may be involved in the unlawful practice of using their passports as collateral for loans,” the advisory stated.

It stressed that passports used this way will be “automatically rendered canceled,” and warned of possible legal consequences for both the borrower and the lender.

The Embassy said it has already informed the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila and will notify affected individuals once guidance is received.

Both the Philippine Embassy in Italy and the Philippine Consulate in Malta reiterated their commitment to supporting Filipinos abroad in complying with legal protocols and urged the community’s cooperation.