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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider DFA opens 1st PH passport renewal center in LA

DFA opens 1st PH passport renewal center in LA

Published Dec 4, 2021 11:58 am

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has opened the Philippine ePassport Renewal Center in Los Angeles (LA PaRC) in California, the first such facility in North America as a testament to the government's commitment to providing easier service to Filipinos worldwide.

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Civilian Security and Consular Affairs Brigido Dulay, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr., Consul General Edgar B. Badajos, and VFS Head of Operations for the USA Sonia Dhayagude during the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the first Philippine ePassport Renewal Center in Los Angeles, California on December 3, 2021. (LAPCG Photo via DFA)

In a statement, the DFA said the passport renewal center was inaugurated on Dec. 3, 2021 through the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles in the United States (US).

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr., Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Civilian Security and Consular Affairs Brigido Dulay, and Consul General Edgar Badajos led the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the facility, which is testament to the government's commitment to provide better consular services to Filipinos.

In his remarks during the inauguration, Locsin said the PaRC system supplements and strengthens the consular operations of the country's 94 embassies and consulates around the world.

"It radically reduces the pressure to get more things done faster and faster until more and more mistakes are made or the public is condemned to slower and slower service," he said.

The Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles serves the largest section of overseas Filipinos in the entire region of the Americas and has been at the forefront of innovating and adopting new ways and means to increase its capacity to deliver consular services to its clients, especially passport renewal.

According to Locsin, the PaRC now operates on more days and for longer hours including weekends. He described it as a "mean machine" that meets the needs of overseas Filipinos and DFA workers alike.

"Filipinos here in Los Angeles and in the surrounding states need not worry about missing work obligations or other inconveniences caused by an 8-to-5 time window," he said.

"I know you work so hard to make a life out here, and we will make sure that the PaRC works harder for you to help you achieve that end," he added.

VFS Global, the largest outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions worldwide, currently operates ePassport Renewal Centers on behalf of the DFA in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE); Riyadh, Jeddah, and Al Khobar in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Edinburgh, Cardiff, and Belfast in the United Kingdom; Dublin in Ireland; Marseilles in France; Singapore; Kuwait; and in Los Angeles in the US.

Meanwhile, the DFA reminded qualified passport renewal applicants planning to go to LA PaRC to first set an appointment via https://services.vfsglobal.com/usa/en/phl/.

Related Tags

Los Angeles passport renewal center DFA TEDDY BOY LOCISN passports Department of Foreign Affairs 120421 Teodoro Locsin Jr.
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