PHL Embassy Extends Mobile Consular Services, Overseas Voter Registration to Kababayans in St. Petersburg

Members of the Filipino Community in St. Petersburg, Russian Federation pose with representatives of the Philippine Embassy in Moscow during the Consular Outreach Mission on December 17. Photo credit: J.A. Aurellano.

19 December 2017 ST. PETERSBURG – Filipinos based in St. Petersburg received much-needed consular services from the Philippine Embassy in Moscow on December 17 at the Philippine Honorary Consulate in Vasilievsky Island.

Embassy representatives provided passport renewal, overseas voter registration and notarial services to Filipino citizens who braved the harsh winter weather.

“We do our best with limited resources to reach Kababayans under our jurisdiction. They are very supportive and maintain good relations with the Embassy,” said Ambassador Carlos D. Sorreta. He added, “We are also very fortunate that our Consul General, ad honorem, Mr. Sergey Alexeev and his staff are always ready to assist by providing the venue and making arrangements.”

“Nagpapasalamat po kami na nakabisita ang Embassy sa amin dito sa St. Petersburg kasi malaking bagay po na hindi na kami mag-absent sa trabaho at gagastos papuntang Moscow, lalo na po na marami sa amin ay kulang sa dokumento,” said one OFW in appreciation.

St. Petersburg is located in north-western Russia 700 kilometers from Moscow and is home to an estimated 300 OFWs. Filipinos based there typically travel eight hours by train to visit the Embassy in the Russian capital.

Though the majority of OFWs in Russia are in Moscow, there are significant Filipino communities in St. Petersburg, Vladivostok, Yakutsk and a few other cities.

The Philippine Embassy in Moscow has jurisdiction over the entire Russian Federation as well as Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine –the largest geographically by any Philippine Foreign Service post. END

OFWs Ms. Ofelia Mariano, Ms. Lourdes Labang and Ms. Helen Barcelo pose with Embassy representatives Mr. Rommel Briones, Mr. Alex Aurellano and Mr. Ben Grejalde during the opening of the Consular Outreach Mission on December 17 at the Philippine Honorary Consulate in St. Petersburg. Photo credit: J.A. Valdez.

For more information, visit www.moscowpe.dfa.gov.ph.