Friday, November 30, 2007 Passport service in Ifugao held
LAGAWE, Ifugao -- In an effort to bring the government closer to the people, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) conducted a two-day mobile passport service here last November 17 and 18.
Director Florencio Franco Jr. of the DFA in Tuguegarao, Cagayan said this is part of their program to conduct a regular outreach to the nearby provinces, in order to provide assistance to people, especially those who cannot afford to visit the regional office to apply for a passport.
The activity was able to serve about 300 Ifugao residents applying for a passport. “Most of them want to work abroad as domestic helpers,” Franco said.
This is the third mobile passport service activity in the province. The DFA’s services have benefited 330 in February, 280 in June, and 317 in November bringing to a total of 927 Ifugaos who availed of DFA’s mobile passporting services in 2007.
“We really appreciate the cooperation of the (Ifugao) Provincial Government for sponsoring this activity which will help much the constituents especially Ifugaos who want to work abroad,” Franco said. The Provincial Government provided transportation, meals and lodging for 17 DFA personnel.
On the other hand, Provincial Executive Assistant Charles Baguilat said this activity is in line with the thrust of the administration of Governor Teddy Baguilat Jr. to provide employment to unemployed Ifugaos.
“We have to coordinate with the DFA in Region 2 for them to extend their coverage here in our province. This outreach program of the agency helped our people very much because they need not go to Tuguegarao to apply for a passport since we are bringing the said agency right here to the capital town for them,” Baguilat said.
Franco added that there was no problem encountered by his staff when they conducted the outreach activity and that he observed that the applicants were quiet and everything went well. “It might have something to do with the culture of the Ifugaos who are known to be peace-loving people,” he said.
Joy Sichanco of the DFA consular office in Tuguegarao City explained that the mobile passporting service facilitates the achievement of the DFA’s objective to participate in the national endeavor to sustain development and to enhance the Philippines' competitive edge in a global milieu.
The passport is a document issued by the Philippine government to its citizens who intend to travel abroad, through which the Philippine government requests other governments to allow its Filipino citizens to enter into their countries and to extend to them all forms of assistance and protection, if the need arises, she added.
Franco informed that their office is ready to issue a machine-readable passport within this month. (PIA)
