Philippines to intensify frontline assistance to nationals in US

The Philippine embassy in Washington, D.C. and heads of Philippine consulates general in the United States will intensify provision of frontline assistance to nationals, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

A command conference on Assistance-to-Nationals and other frontline services was held in New York on Oct. 2.

Chaired by DFA Office of Migrant Workers Affairs Assistant Secretary Reynaldo Catapang, the heads of post discussed means of streamlining assistance efforts to overseas Filipinos, updating contingency plans in light of new challenges and immigration policy developments, forging closer partnerships with US government partners, civil society organizations, and advocacy groups, extending legal and other assistance, more effective information dissemination, and speedier responses to human and labor trafficking cases.

The participants briefed Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano on developments in their respective areas as common concerns of posts in the US.

Meantime, Cayetano called on Filipino-Americans to unite on key issues.

During a meeting held recently with members of the Filipino community at the Philippine Center in New York, the issues discussed between Cayetano and Filipino community members included changes in the delivery of frontline, consular and assistance-to-nationals services to Filipinos overseas, the need for more Filipinos overseas to be active in politics in their adopted countries, the ongoing government campaign against drugs, developments in the fight against terrorist elements in Marawi, and the new Philippine passport processing and delivery developments.

He urged Filipinos overseas to unite on key issues affecting their fellow nationals overseas.

Filipinos should do their best to work for policies and laws which will benefit the overseas Filipino Community in the US, Cayetano said.