04 August 2014 - Philippine Ambassador to New Zealand Virginia H. Benavidez led the Philippine Embassy Mobile Consular Team composed of Minister and Philippine Consul General Arlene Gonzales-Macaisa, Ms. Ma. Victoria D. Reyes, Ms. Mary Bel C. Garcia, Ms. Monette F. Garcia and Mr. Edgar M. Matibag in conducting mobile consular services and overseas voters registration for Filipinos in Auckland from July 23 to 29.
This is the 32nd mobile consular mission conducted by the Philippine Embassy since October 2011 and the 6th mobile consular mission to Auckland. The mobile outreach called “The Philippine Embassy in New Zealand: Serving with a Smile, Going the Extra Mile and Reaching Beyond Our Grasp” , served a total of 636 Filipinos from Auckland and surrounding areas in the North Island who availed of the e-Passport processing, report of births and marriages, dual citizenship applications, as well as 370 registrations for overseas voting.
To date, a total of 11,428 Filipinos comprising 28.32% of the 40,350 members of the Filipino community have benefitted from this first ever mobile consular service throughout the North and South Islands of New Zealand.
The Filipino community members in Auckland and other parts of the North Island reiterated their deep gratitude to the Philippine Government through the Philippine Embassy for rendering the much needed and sought after consular services right where they are residing and working. The first applicant, Mr. Teodoro C. Atienza, conveyed his appreciation to the Philippine Embassy for the excellent service given by the staff. Several Filipinos also gave very positive and highly appreciative feedback to the Philippine Embassy for this continuing excellent and timely service which saves them a lot of money, time, days off and resources as it would be extremely costly, inconvenient and difficult if they had travel all the way to Wellington.
The Philippine Embassy continuously urges Filipinos in New Zealand, Tonga, Fiji, Samoa and Cook Islands to register and exercise their right to suffrage for the 2016 National elections. Immigrants, dual citizens, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), seafarers, students, and other qualified Filipinos who are or who will be in New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, and Cook Islands during the 30-day voting period were encouraged to file their applications for registration/certification during the Mobile Consular Services in Auckland.
Ambassador Benavidez thanked Philippine Honorary Consul General Paulo Garcia and Honorary Vice-Consul Virginia Russell for ensuring a smooth and successful mobile consular service at the Philippine Consulate General and for the vital support and exemplary cooperation extended to the Philippine Embassy Mobile Consular Team.
The Embassy’s mobile consular team will be going to Christchurch next to serve the Filipinos in the South Island in September 2014. Details on this next consular mission will be uploaded at the Philippine Embassy website www.philembassy.org.nz and Facebook at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. END