DFA Conducts ATN Retooling Seminar Anew

The representatives from 29 Philippine Embassies and Consulates General in the Asia Pacific Region receive their Certificate of Participation in the ATN Retooling Seminar held at the Makati Diamond Residences from 17 to 19 December 2019.

MANILA 20 December 2019 - A total of 29 Philippine Embassies and Consulates General in the Asia-Pacific region participated in the closing salvo of the Department of Foreign Affairs’ (DFA) Retooling Seminar on Assistance-to-Nationals (ATN) for this year, held at the Makati Diamond Residences from 17 to 19 December 2019.

The retooling seminar, which gathered 23 Foreign Service Officers and 25 Desk Officers, collated several speakers from various DFA offices and other government agencies on critical ATN-related topics, such as the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM), updates on the state of illegal drugs investigations in the country, report on the country’s actions to prevent trafficking in persons, as well as a thorough discussion on a coordinated medical repatriation.

DFA Assistant Secretary for Human Resources Management Antonio A. Morales delivered a lecture on “Developing Potentials of Personnel Through a Shared Culture of Performance.”

DFA’s other ATN-related frontline functions, such as the Apostille Convention and the Passport Guidelines, were revisited. Likewise, the new guidelines on the use and disbursement of ATN and Legal Assistance Funds were presented.

Talks on coping with mental and emotional stress and a short session on Neuromuscular Integrative Action mind-body wellness capped the three-day seminar.

Led by the DFA-Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs, the said ATN retooling seminar was the third in the series held for 2019 following the sessions with the Philippine Regional Case Officers and the officers from the Middle East and North Africa region, in August and November 2019, respectively. END

Dr. Joel Buenaventura of the Department of Health’s (DOH) Migrant Health Unit (standing left) reorients participants on the Joint Memorandum Circular signed by the DOH and the DFA with eight other government agencies to ensure efficient and effective coordinated medical repatriation of nationals with health issues.

Participants of the ATN Retooling Seminar engage in a dynamic awareness activity.