DFA Opens Authentication Center for the Visayas

Officials lead the ribbon cutting ceremony of the authentication center in Cebu (from left) Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Civilian Security and Consular Concerns Atty. Brigido DJ. Dulay, Mandaue Mayor Jonas Cortes, Presidential Adviser for the Visayas Secretary Michael Lloyd Dino, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr., Pacific Mall Corporation president Dr. Edward Gaisano and Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs Neil Frank Ferrer. (DFA-OCA photo by Eric Valenzuela)

10 September 2019 — Filipinos in the Visayas no longer need to travel to Manila to have their documents apostillized (authenticated) as the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) opened its first authentication center in Cebu.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. led the inauguration ceremony of the authentication center at Pacific Mall Mandaue in Cebu on 10 September 2019.

“Before today, Filipinos from the Visayas needed to travel to Manila to have their documents authenticated by the DFA. They are usually OFWs whose work or livelihood abroad rests on a piece of paper that needs authentication. For too long, they have spent considerable time, money and effort to avail of a simple government service,” Secretary Locsin said.

“After the opening of our first authentication center in Mindanao at the Davao Consular Office last June, the launch of our first authentication center for the Visayas here in Cebu completes the nationwide roll-out of DFA’s authentication services,” he added.

The opening of Cebu’s authentication center comes in the heels of the country’s accession to the Apostille Convention, which shortens the authentication process for applicants.

“Thanks to President Duterte who signed the Instrument of Accession to the Apostille Convention, the authentication process for public documents has been cut by half. If the authenticated document is to be used in a foreign country, which is among the 117 members of the Apostille Convention, there is no longer any need for authenticated documents to undergo another authentication in their embassy or consulate here in the Philippines. This means less aggravation and less cost for the millions of Filipinos who rely on the cross-border exchange of public documents for work, study and business.,” Secretary Locsin explained.

Also present during the event were Presidential Adviser to the Visayas Michael Lloyd Dino, Mandaue Mayor Jonas Cortes, Pacific Mall Corporation president Dr. Edward Gaisano, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Civilian Security and Consular Concerns Atty. Brigido DJ. Dulay, Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs Neil Frank Ferrer, local government officials and members of the media.

The DFA’s Consular Office in Cebu, located in Pacific Mall Mandaue, is the eighth consular office to offer authentication services. The Department aims to open more authentication centers across the Philippines in the coming months.

The Consular Office in Cebu will accept applications for authentication from Monday to Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Scheduling an appointment is not necessary. END

Secretary Locsin gives his opening remarks. (DFA-OCA photo by Eric Valenzuela)