‘PH consulate in NMI could re-open’

Marciano De Borja, the new Consul General of the Philippines in Guam, hopes that the Philippine Consulate General office on Saipan can be re-opened in 2016 with a change of administration in the Philippines.

He said the office could “re-open, perhaps on a scaled-down” level, noting that 10 consular posts around the world were closed down in 2012 due to cost-cutting measures.

He told Saipan Tribune that re-opening a consular office here is part of his office’s “long-term recommendations” to the Philippine government, acknowledging the large number of Filipinos in the region.

“I don’t think the presence of Filipinos will decrease. It will probably increase,” he said.

Meanwhile, he promised to increase the frequency of consular mobile services—which now occurs once every quarter—to every other month.

This, he hopes, will eliminate backlog of Filipino nationals applying for the different services his office offers.

De Borja’s visit to Saipan comes as another mobile consular service is currently ongoing at the Pedro P. Tenorio Multi-Purpose Center in Susupe. This will run from the Sep. 9 to 11.

A total of 600 Filipinos have been scheduled to have their passport renewed, according to the office.

In only its first day, 480 nationals have already applied for passport renewal for next quarter’s services in November—which, according to United Filipino Organization president Annamae Adaza, is the quota as of now.

Jenny Rizo, who as of yesterday afternoon had been waiting since morning to get her passport extended as it expires next year, said she would like to see a consulate general office on Saipan.

“For Filipinos, right now it’s hard. Some people here still can’t go to work,” she said.

‘Courtesy visits’

De Borja paid a visit to Gov. Eloy S. Inos and the Office of the Attorney General yesterday.

The two had a casual and lively conversation, with De Borja offering the governor “Raffe Gourmet” chocolates from Cebu, noting that Philippine President Benigno Aquino gave the same chocolates to U.S. President Barack Obama during his visit to the country.

“We’re happy with the good treatment of our nationals here. We’re here to coordinate with your office regarding any problems,” De Borja told Inos.

De Borja told the governor that ideally there should be a consulate on Saipan, even a small one.

He noted that the present Philippine administration has not made a decision on the matter.

“I don’t like to tell our countrymen that we have to wait until the next administration but that’s the reality,” he said.