13 February 2015 – Philippine Consul General in Manado Jose D.R. Burgos paid a courtesy call on the Head of the Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights (KEMENKUMHAM), Drs. Andi Dahrif Rafied, and Drs. Alif Suaidi, Regional Division Coordinator for Immigration of KEMENKUMHAM’s Regional Office in Manado City on February 05.

The meeting was an opportunity to highlight the excellent relations and desire for further coordination between the Consulate General and KEMENKUMHAM, as well as discuss recent developments in Indonesia’s immigration procedures, cooperation on immigration data, as well as shared issues related to the Philippines-Indonesia border, particularly matters of cross-border marriage, documentation and recognition and regularization of citizenship of both countries’ nationals. Also discussed was the need for greater integration in the border areas, in light of the upcoming One ASEAN Economic Community 2015, necessitating greater coordination between the KEMENKUMHAM and the Consulate General.

The Consul General also took the opportunity to highlight its efforts, especially in providing consular services to Filipinos in its area of jurisdiction, including its coordination with local authorities, the private sector, and other stakeholders, as well as its efforts in promoting trade and regional interconnectivity between the two regions of Southern Mindanao and North Sulawesi, particularly the development of regional interconnectivity projects such as Direct Flights between Davao and Manado cities, and the upcoming Davao-General Santos-Tahuna-Bitung (DGTB) shipping service, projected to commence sometime in the first quarter of 2015. END