The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is set to open two new consular offices this month and additional six before June to augment the delay in passport processing.

In an interview with the media on the sidelines of a Congressional inquiry on Tuesday, March 6, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Alan Peter S. Cayetano said: “Itong (This) March, we will open two new offices then… itong (this) June may dadating tayong (we are expecting) another six vans with five machines each. And in between now and then, the other six offices would start. So I’m expecting na (that) by June, 60, 70, 80% of the problem will be solved at hindi na ganon katagal ang hintayan (and the waiting won’t take that long).”

DFA earlier announced last month that the Office of the Consular Affairs (OCA) in Aseana will be open on Saturdays.

“Pinag-aaralan na rin kung kaya ng two shifts o 16 hours patakbuhin ang ibang mga opisina. Then kumukuha kami ng extra machines na ilagay sa mga mall, opisina, para mas makapagkuha ng passport. And then sa mga kapatid nating Muslim na magha-Hajj, mayroon na rin tayong action plan especially in Mindanao and near Muslim Mindanao para madali silang makakuha ng passport,” Mr. Cayetano added as the department expects more passport applicants by April and May.

(We are looking into the possibility of having two shifts or operate the some offices for 16 hours. Then we’re also getting extra machine to be placed in malls and offices which can process passports. And then for our Muslim brothers and sisters who are going for the Hajj, we have an action plan especially in Mindanao and near Muslim Mindanao so they can get passports easily.)

Mr. Cayetano said that the delays in the passport application is mainly due to large demand but he noted that the additional offices and vans will have doubled the department’s capacity and reduce the waiting time in the appointment.

However, Mr. Cayetano said he has told APO Printing Unit (APO-PU), which prints the passports for DFA, to buy additional machineries to handle the surge in passport applications.

During the House inquiry, former foreign affairs chief Perfecto R. Yasay Jr. said the DFA’s contract with APO-PU to print the passports is highly disadvantageous as APO did not disclose entering into a joint venture agreement (JVA) with United Graphics Expression Inc. (UGEC).

“Under the JVA, APO acknowledged not to possess the financial and technological resources in upgrading its capability to comply with international standards for the production of highly sensitive and secure forms which included the e-passport system,” Mr. Yasay said adding that it was UGEC which had the financial capacity to do the printing that was contracted to APO. — Minde Nyl R. Dela Cruz

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