27 June 2013 – Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario visited on June 19 the site of the Department of Foreign Affairs’ Regional Consular Office in Dumaguete City (DFA Dumaguete), in the province of Negros Oriental, that is expected to be fully operational by August 2013.
Secretary del Rosario was welcomed at the Robinsons Place by Negros Oriental Governor Noel Degamo, Dumaguete City Mayor Manuel T. Sagarbarria, Robinsons Land Corporation (RLC) Regional Operations Manager for Visayas and Mindanao Joseph Sian and Robinson Dumaguete Mall Manager Mary Grace Lim. House Representatives George Arnaiz and Henry Teves, and Silliman University officials were also present.
The visit was highlighted by a tour of the proposed site and a briefing on the status of construction of DFA-Dumaguete by DFA Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs Jaime Victor B. Ledda and Mr. Sian. After the visit, the Secretary proceeded to Silliman University where he briefed hundreds of students, teachers and local government leaders on Philippine foreign policy.
DFA-Dumaguete will be the 20th DFA consular office to become operational and one of the nine offices to be established in cooperation with RLC. Through the establishment of DFA offices in strategic areas in the country, the efficient delivery of e-passport and authentication services using modern technology is ensured and travelling time and expenses for passport applicants particularly those living in far flung areas are significantly reduced.
With Dumaguete’s strategic location, DFA-Dumaguete is looking at servicing more than two million people from Dumaguete, Siquijor, Southern Cebu, Bohol, Dipolog, Dapitan and other areas in Northern Mindanao. END