THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has launched its Passport on Wheels (POW) in Cebu on Monday, Feb. 4, to cater to new applicants and those who need to renew their expired passports.

DFA Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said they issued 218,226 passports in 284 places visited by POW last year.

“It is my great pleasure to be here in Cebu today and to take the opportunity to launch the DFA’s Passport on Wheels mega vans in our quest to bring passport services closer to the people of Cebu,” he said in his speech.

Locsin said he also plans to expand the office of DFA Cebu so it can cater to more passport applicants.

DFA has two mega vans with a total of 16 data capturing machines.

Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs Neil Frank Ferrer said each van can process 800 to 1,000 applications in a day.

The POW is at SM Seaside City at the South Road Properties. It is open from 9 a.m. and will close at 5 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays until March 2.

An applicant can set an appointment through the DFA website from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.

New passport applicants are required to submit a confirmed online appointment, personally appear before the POW to submit their accomplished application form, original copy of their authenticated birth certificate issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority and valid government-issued identification cards. (from PAC of Superbalita Cebu, KAL)