DFA Consular Office Tacloban Participates in Regional Consultative Workshop

TACLOBAN 13 December 2019 — As part of the information dissemination initiative to make the public within the region become aware of the various consular services through meetings, engagements, and inter-agency linkages, the Department of Foreign Affairs – Office of  Consular Affairs’ Consular Office (CO) in Tacloban participated in the “Talakayan sa Rehistro Sibil” during the Consultative Workshop on Civil Registration and Decentralized Civil Registry Documents Annotation on 20 November 2019 at Pongos Hotel, Ormoc City, Leyte.

The event was organized by the Regional Association of Civil Registrars 8 (RACiR-8), in coordination with the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Regional Office 8, to mainly clear some issues and problems relating to civil registry documents submitted to government agencies.

CO Tacloban provided clarifications to some concerns particularly in the process of securing passports but with birth and marriage certificates still requiring rectifications/corrections. It also highlighted the importance of civil registry documents submitted to the Department of Foreign Affairs as requirements to avail its consular services (passport services, civil registry registration, and Assistance-to-Nationals). Moreover, CO Tacloban also emphasized the role of local civil registrars and how both can be partners in implementing initiatives in providing the public with efficient and effective consular services. Lastly, it discussed the various IDs acceptable for passport applications and the significance of civil registry documents in verifying relevant demographic information and reliably assessing the identity of the applicant.

The CO was represented by Ms. Karen B. Terado, CO’s Administrative Officer and Information Officer.

The consultative workshop was attended by 130 local civil registrars in Region 8 and PSA staff and officials. END