Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) will soon be able to enjoy the services offered by a dedicated passport application center, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
Charles Jose, spokesman of Foreign Affairs, reported that the new OFW passport center will be located at the DFA’s current consular office at Robinson’s Galleria in Ortigas. This is just across the office of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).
In a press briefing, Jose said:
“This shows that we are giving importance to our OFWs and the contribution that they give to the country’s economy.”
Meanwhile, he pointed out that the DFA office at Robinson’s Galleria will be exclusively for OFWs.
“Coming from POEA, if they have any business that they need to transact with POEA, they just have to cross the street, cross EDSA, and they can go to Robinsons Galleria for their passport application,” said Jose.
Unlike how things were in the past, OFWs are no longer required to get an appointment online for their passport application. DFA has implemented this new change to further improve their services to the OFWs, the so-called modern-day heroes of the country.
“This policy applies to all OFWs – old and new,” Jose clarified.
When pressed about when is the exact day that the center will be open, he simply replied “It will be very soon.”
These changes are,, of course, necessary given the fact that the Philippines is one of the top labor-exporting countries in the world.
Additional improvements are also being implemented by the DFA to ensure that the public can enjoy better service. For example, they have added 50 spots from the allotted 2,400 online passport appointments daily. They’ve also implemented updates to enhance their process.
The DFA receives about 15,000 passport applications on a daily basis.
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via: rappler / gmanetwork / youtube