MEMBERS of the Baguio City Council have asked the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to prioritize Cordillera residents for passport appointments.
During Monday’s regular session, newly installed DFA-Cordillera chief Dencio Derupe, together with DFA administrative officer Mayette Iniguid, was summoned because of complaints regarding unavailability to secure appointments and an unethical behavior of one of its employees.
Derupe said that since the online appointment system was implemented, DFA-Central Office in Manila is the one handling all schedules and that DFA satellite office in SM City Baguio is merely receiving and processing applications.
Derupe said the DFA in SM City Baguio, manned by only eight staff members, handles 300 to 350 appointments on a daily basis.
Councilor Edgar Avila who led the summons for the DFA asked a priority be given to Cordillera residents before accepting other applications from other areas.
Avila cited another complaint involving Iniguid, saying the latter acted arrogantly when she did not honored an endorsement from an official of Kapangan in Benguet.
Derupe, who answered for Iniguid at the Council, apologized for the incident and assured they will investigate on the matter.
Derupe added that all the concerns of the City Council will be forwarded to the DFA-Central Office for consideration.