Saipan Tribune

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Monday, March 11, 2013

PH consulate in Guam to hold consular outreach on Saipan

The Philippine Consulate General in Agana is coming to Saipan to hold its first ever mobile consular outreach on March 23 to 26, more than four months since the closure of the Saipan Consulate General.

While the venue has yet to be finalized, Consul Edgar Tomas “Gary” Auxilian said yesterday that the Guam consulate is looking at holding the services at the Mount Carmel Cathedral Joeten-Daidai Social Hall in Susupe.

Auxilian disclosed that the Pedro P. Tenorio Multi-Purpose Center and the Marianas Business Plaza are not available on the dates when the team will be here.

The Guam consulate earlier shared a February “indicative” schedule for its initial mobile consular services.

Auxilian explained that the delay was due to the re-calibration of the e-Passport equipment previously issued to and used by the Saipan consulate. The equipment, he said, had to be shipped to Manila where actual adjustment and resetting was done, before it was transported back to Saipan.

“Immediately after we got the equipment, we identified a schedule to conduct the mobile consular outreach, making it in time for our target schedule, which is the first quarter of 2013,” he told Saipan Tribune in a phone interview.

Vice Consul Pat Cortes will head four consular staff and they will be aided by United Filipino Organization. Auxilian will not be able to join the team, saying, “I will be staying on Guam during that time to attend to other matters.”

Among the consular services to be provided during the Guam Consulate's visit are passport renewal and application, civil registry, and notarial services.

With only one passport equipment to be used and given the Guam Consulate's limited time on Saipan, Auxilian urged those who will avail the mobile consular services to submit their information and have it encoded ahead of time, thereby reducing processing and waiting time at the mobile consular outreach.

Auxilian said that those who will send the necessary information in advance will be given a schedule when they can make an appearance between March 23 and 26.

The requirements and fees for the various consular services have been posted on the Guam Consulate's Facebook page (Agana Pcg) and their website, www.philippinesguam.org. The office can also be reached through the IT&E-provided hotline number, 682-2222.

Auxilian said the Guam Consulate is looking at coming back to Saipan in June, hopefully in time for the Philippine Independence Day celebration. The schedule for the Tinian and Rota mobile consular services will be announced soon.