ANGELES CITY – Subic-Clark Alliance for Development Council chair Edgardo Pamintuan said Sunday the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) should put back its regional consular office in Clark Freeport.
Pamintuan said that a permanent principal DFA office should be restored inside Clark considering the Freeport is on the crossroad of provinces in Luzon.
People in Central and Northern Luzon need a main office and not a satellite office, he stressed.
Traders and local officials in the Metro Clark area earlier urged the DFA to put up a satellite office in Clark following the agency’s transfer from the Freeport early this year.
The DFA Pampanga consular office officially transferred to the City of San Fernando on January 4 this year.
Mayor Marino Morales earlier appealed to the DFA to re-establish its consular office in Clark Freeport.
Morales said the DFA pullout has affected investors inside the Freeport and the local traders around Clark.
The DFA transferred without consulting the local government units in the Metro Clark area particularly Mabalacat town, which is host to several businesses inside the Freeport, he added.
But DFA Central Luzon Asuncion Florentin made an assurance that a satellite office will be established inside the Freeport.
Aside from this, the DFA have agreed with Clark officials that a satellite office will be restored in Clark.
She added that the DFA central office is now coordinating with the officials of Clark Development Corporation for a possible location. (Reynaldo G. Navales)