’No backlog on passport issuance’ - DFA official
LARK FREEPORT --- An official of the De partment of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in Central Luzon has clarified that there is no backlog on the issuance of passports.
During the Pampanga Press Club’s media forum at the Widus Hotel and Casino here, DFA Central Luzon Director Edmundo Mangubat hinted that backlog is different from failure to secure a slot prior to the application of passport.
“Backlog? Parang wala po kaming backlog. Fortunately we don’t have,” Mangubat said.
“Maybe yung sinasabing hindi po makakuha ng slot it means may backlog. Sa pananaw ko po ay hindi po iyon ang backlog. Sa Region 3 wala po kaming backlog,” he added.
Every Monday, the DFA official disclosed that he conducts a briefing in front of the DFA office at Robinsons Starmills in the City of San Fernando informing Region 3 residents particularly the Kapampangans about the updates and developments.
“I usually say to them, there are two ways in applying now in our region. First is online [appointment], ngayon po totoo po yung sinasabi ng ating kasama na kapag nilagay yung slot ay ubos kaagad. Ang ginawa po natin ay mayroon tayong priority lane,” Mangubat said.
For the priority lane, the DFA regional office accommodates walk-in applicants limited to senior citizens, persons with disabilities, solo parents, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), and children below seven years old and their companions, according to the official.
“So basically ang sinasabi po natin sa ating mga kababayan dito, kung meron lang problema na medyo pwedeng gawan ng paraan ay binubuksan po natin ang pintuan natin. Ang hiling ko lang po sa ating mamayan na dumadating every Monday, ikwento ninyo sa lahat ng mga kaibigan, kamaganak, kapatid para po kami ay matulungan,” Mangubat said.
This move will prevent hassles and untoward incidents because of long queues, according to him.
“Huwag lang po tayong mag-aaway away kasi nagkakaroon po ng news sa ibang regional offices na nagsisiksikan. So ang paliwanag ko po, pag tayo ay Kapampangan ito po ang bayan natin, ang gawin po natin ay i-welcome po natin ang taga ibang rehiyon o lugar,” Mangubat said.
“Yung mga dumadayo naman dito sa Pampanga kagaya ng mga taga-Manila huwag niyo naman kaming tratuhing mga probinsiyano. Tratuhin kaming tama na ang ibig sabihin ay wine-welcome namin kayo. Pare-pareho po tayong mga Pilipino so magtulungan tayo. Hindi po tayo dapat maging EDSA na kung kaya nagkakaroon ng traffic kasi ay naguunahan,” he added.
Mangubat also disclosed that the number of passport applicant is increasing everyyear.
The official attributed this to the 10-year validity of the new passports, promotions of airlines, and other reasons.
Applicants for new passports should provide the DFA office a birth certificate by the National Statistics Office (NSO) and national government-issued identification cards.
An average of 700 passport applicants visit the DFA regional office every day. Mangubat said that a minimal number of applicants without proper documents are disapproved.
“Average, usually mga 700 po ang tinatawag na production namin. Out of that, siguro mga 600 plus ang aming naa-approve. Mayroon po tayong nadidis-approve kapag kulang ang mga dokumento particularly kung may mali or sa birth certificate o ibang mga papeles na inyong sina-submit,” Mangubat said.
“But usually, maximum tolerance iniintindi namin. Bakit po, dahil po ang pasaporte is the right of the Filipino to obtain and the right of the Filipino to travel,” he added.