08 May 2014- The consular team of the Philippine Consulate General in Agana, Guam went island hopping from April 23 to 29 to bring consular services to the Filipino communities in Majuro, Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI) and in Kosrae State, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM).

The consular outreach took place in Majuro and Kosrae from April 24 to 25 and from April 27 to 28, respectively.

The consular team was composed of four staff, led by Consul Edgar Tomas Q. Auxilian as team leader, Mr. Francisco Magno, Ms. Margie Morales, and Ms. Emerita Marquez.

The following is the breakdown of services rendered by the Consular Team during the said outreach in Majuro and Kosrae:

The mobile consular services in Majuro and Kosrae were conducted in response to various requests from the Filipino communities in these areas due to their urgent need for passports and their difficulty in traveling to Guam to avail of the services at the Consulate because of the US visa requirement.

In Majuro, the consular team was assisted by Dr. Alexander Pinano, Philippine Honorary Consul to RMI, and by the officers of the Filipino Association in Marshall Islands (FAMI), headed by its President, Fernando Domingo Jr. 

The Filipino Association in Kosrae (FILASKO), led by its President, Jimmy Nulud, in coordination with Philippine Honorary Consul in Pohnpei Dr. Merlynn Abello-Alfonso assisted the team in FSM. 

There are an estimated 600 to 700 Filipinos in Majuro and the entire RMI. Meanwhile, there are only less than 100 Filipinos in the state of Kosrae, FSM.

Upon arrival in Majuro on April 23, the consular team was met at the airport by Dr. Alex Pinano and the FAMI officers. They were received at the VIP room of the Majuro International Airport and introduced to RMI President Christopher J. Loeak and the First Lady, RMI Foreign Minister Tony de Brum and Health Services Minister Phillip Muller.

Accompanied by Dr. Pinano, Consul Auxilian paid a courtesy call on President Loeak on April 24. President Loeak pointed out the significant contributions of Filipinos in RMI by stating that most buildings and infrastructures in RMI were built by Filipinos. He also expressed appreciation to the consular team for bringing the consular services closer to the Filipinos in Majuro.

Consul Auxilian also called on Minister de Brum on April 25, upon the arrangement of Dr. Pinano.   

The consular team likewise had a meeting with the FAMI officers to discuss relevant issues and concerns of the Filipinos in Majuro during the despedida dinner hosted by FAMI in the evening on April 25. After the said meeting, Consul Auxilian presented, on behalf of Consul General Bayani V. Mangibin, to Dr. Alexander Pinano, the Certificate of Recognition from the Department of Foreign Affairs in recognition of his dedicated 22 years of loyal and committed service as Philippine Honorary Consul in Majuro. Consul Auxilian also expressed appreciation to Dr. Pinano and to all the FAMI officers for the support extended to the consular team.

Consul Auxilian, together with Dr. Pinano and the officers of FAMI, also visited an old Filipina who is now a Marshallese citizen, who is suffering dementia and has no family to take care of her in Majuro, to check her condition and find out what help can possibly be extended to her.

On April 27, in Kosrae, the consular team attended the Sunday mass in the morning at St. John’s Catholic church to meet with the Catholic Filipino community as well as a welcome dinner and meeting with the Filipino community that was arranged by FILASKO at the Black Construction Barracks in the evening to discuss various issues and concerns of the Filipinos in Kosrae. Consul Auxilian thanked the Filipino community, especially the FILASKO officers for their support in the success of the mission in Kosrae.

Consul Auxilian and his team has also called on Kosrae Governor Lyndon H. Jackson in the morning of April 28 at the Governor’s office and thanked him for his support to the Filipinos in Kosrae. END