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PH consular outreach processes 700-plus passports
The Philippine Consulate-General in Guam renewed and processed more than 700 e-passports during a five-day mobile outreach on Saipan.
The mobile outreach, held at the Kristo Rai Parish social hall from Oct. 24 to 28, resulted in the processing of 704 electronic passports and 72 extensions. For the first time, it featured two capturing passport machines on site.
The PCG team was composed of Consul Mark Francis C. Hamoy, Allan Tangayan, Maria Liza A. Manarin, and Annabelle M. Oviedo-Lavarez. They were assisted by officers and members of the United Filipino Organizations of Saipan.
Applicants were advised to check their current passports before the renewal date to avoid delays in processing. If a person’s passport is green or maroon with no chip, like a box, at the bottom cover or if the passport number start with “XX,” then the applicant is required to present a birth certificate from the National Statistics Office.
One of the UFO volunteers, Annamae Adaza, said, “The consular outreach has become important because that’s the only way for us to renew our passports. Not all of us can travel to Guam, that’s why it is hard for us without the consulate here. We are lucky this time since they have two [passport capturing] machines already so the capacity of work done is doubled.”
“Some applicants are still missing their appointments. They should have the initiative to find out their schedules and not rely on our calls. Sometimes the contact number they put in the applications do not work or contains the wrong number,” Adaza added.
