DFA Open 34th Consular Office in Malolos
From left: Malolos City Vice Mayor Gilbert Gatchalian, Malolos City Mayor Christian D. Natividad, Department of Foreign Affairs Office of Consular Affairs Executive Director Maria Theresa S.M. Lazaro, Xentro Mall Chairman Alexader Cruz, Xentro Mall President Romeo Bachoco, and DFA Consular Office-Malolos Officer-in-Charge Florencio Ilagan Jr. cut the ribbon to officially open the newest DFA Consular Office at Xentro Malolos on 17 January 2019. (DFA photo)
MALOLOS CITY 28 January 2019 — To address the growing demand for passports and other consular services in Bulacan and surrounding areas, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) opened its new consular office (CO) at Xentro Mall in Malolos on 17 January 2019.
The inauguration was led by DFA Office of Consular Affairs Executive Director Maria Theresa S.M. Lazaro. In her remarks, the Executive Director Lazaro mentioned that the opening of CO-Malolos would help the Department fulfill its commitment to bring its services closer to the public.
Executive Director Lazaro also stated that once fully operational, CO-Malolos will serve approximately 5,000 to 7,000 passport applicants a month.
Malolos City Mayor Christian D. Natividad also gave his remarks, calling the opening of the new office a “homecoming” since Malolos was where the First Philippine Republic was announced and organized 120 years ago, and the DFA was one of the first government agencies created under the Republic.
The new CO, located at the third floor of Malolos Central Transport Terminal and Commercial Hub at Xentro Mall, is the DFA’s 28th consular office outside Metro Manila and its 34th consular office in the Philippines.
The inauguration ceremony was timed with the opening of Fiesta Republica from 17 to 23 January 2019, a week-long celebration of Philippine democracy and a festival of Filipino history, arts and culture in Malolos City. END