PH Embassy in Wellington Reaches Out to Filipinos in Tonga
A passport applicant avails herself of the services provided by the mobile consular team from the Philippine Embassy in Wellington during its outreach mission in Nukuʻalofa, Tonga. (Robin Payongayong photo)
WELLINGTON 18 September 2018 — A mobile consular team of the Philippine Embassy in Wellington successfully rendered a consular services outreach mission in Nukuʻalofa, Tonga on 26-27 July 2018. Tonga is included in the Embassy’s jurisdiction.
The outreach processed consular transactions comprising passport renewal, passport application, civil registration (reports of births and marriages), authentication and notarization of legal documents, and Philippine citizenship retention and re-acquisition. The mission also administered overseas voting registration.
The Filipino Community in Tonga, currently numbering around 70, expressed its warm appreciation of this undertaking as it provided them access to the Embassy’s services without traveling to New Zealand. The outreach was also an opportunity for the Embassy to strengthen its network with the Filipino Community in Tonga.
On 27 July 2018, a Filipino Community event was hosted by the Association of Filipinos in Tonga, Inc. (AFTI) at Lifravana Restaurant and Refreshment, the one and only Filipino eatery in Tonga.
During the event, Philippine Ambassador to Wellington Jesus S. Domingo shared with the Filipino Community the Embassy’s universal diplomacy approach, and encouraged them to get more involved in the social, cultural and humanitarian activities in Tonga.
The fellowship event was also an opportunity for Filipinos to engage in a productive dialogue with Ambassador Domingo and the Embassy mobile consular team composed of Vice Consul Glenn Joseph Obach and Monette Garcia.
The mobile consular team also updated AFTI members on the latest policies and programs of the Philippine government in general, and of the Department of Foreign Affairs in particular.
Ambassador Domingo acknowledged the AFTI, headed by President Annie Sanchez, for the essential support and cooperation that contributed to a successful consular outreach mission in the Tongan capital. END
For more information, visit www.wellingtonpe.dfa.gov.ph/ www.philembassy.org.nz or https://www.facebook.com/PHLinNZ/
A Filipino Community member applies at the overseas voting registration administered by the mobile consular team from the Philippine Embassy in Wellington during its outreach mission in Nukuʻalofa, Tonga. (Robin Payongayong photo)
Oath of Allegiance, as a citizen of the Philippines is administered at the Philippine Embassy in Wellington’s consular services outreach mission in Nukuʻalofa, Tonga. (Robin Payongayong photo)