03 February 2015 - The Philippine Embassy in Ankara conducted its first consular mission for 2015 in Istanbul from January 24 and 25.

The team, composed of Philippine Minister and Consul General Robert O. Ferrer, Jr., Ms. Rowena Neri, Mr. Ceferino Angel L. Caldez, Jr. and Ms. Jackie Lou C. Ong, processed 18  passport renewal applications, 13 applications for overseas voters registration, six certifications, five notarial services, five applications for Embassy ID registrations for overseas Filipino, two travel documents, two verification requests for lost valid passport, one application for report of marriage, one visa and five consular-related inquiries.

Minister and Consul General Ferrer also conducted an interview for ten employers of overseas Filipinos, fielded ten Assistance-To-Nationals (ATN) queries and requests, and officiated the wedding of Mr. Marben Christopher Urgino and Ms. Rosario Ruma in the presence of the Filipino community in Istanbul.

Minister and Consul General Ferrer and ATN Officer Caldez immediately attended to three ATN cases. They also visited a Filipino-Turkish national in a vegetative state diagnosed with “Spontaneous Hypertensive Intracerebral Hematoma”.

The team also conducted an economic intelligence survey as part of the mission. The McDonalds branch in Besiktas District welcomes its regular Filipino clients with “Maligayang Pagdating” emblazoned on its frontage.  The team also visited the nearby ‘Connie’s Mini-Market and Call Shop’ owned by Filipino-Turkish national Connie L. Cruz, so far the only Filipino-owned store in Istanbul. END