CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- A top official of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in Central Luzon disclosed that a team from the agency’s head office in Manila will visit the proposed venue of their satellite office inside the Clark Freeport.
DFA Central Luzon director Asuncion Florentin said she is set to accompany a group of officials from the department’s national office to the Berthaphil Industrial Estate here, where the satellite office will be established.
Florentin said the DFA is presently working on the establishment of a satellite office in Clark in adherence to its commitment with Clark Development Corporation (CDC).
Local executives and businessmen in the Metro Clark area earlier urged the DFA to reestablish its consular office inside the Freeport following its transfer to City of San Fernando in Pampanga late last year.
Mabalacat Mayor Marino “Boking” Morales has offered the old municipal hall for the DFA satellite office.
Morales also suggested that DFA may rent a stall at SM Clark for its satellite office.
The mayor said that both of the proposed venues are accessible for people coming from the eastern and northern parts of Luzon.
Florentin, however, said that her office have not yet received any letter from Morales.
She even declined to comment regarding Morales’ offer, saying she is not in the position to decide regarding the matter.
Morales claimed that many people were affected because of the withdrawal of the DFA consular office here.
But Florentin said that the pull out has been decided by the DFA head office and that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo herself knows about the agency’s transfer. (Reynaldo G. Navales)