12 March 2015 – A mobile team from the Philippine Embassy in Mexico, composed of Mr. Fernando C. Carillo, Jr. and Mr. Dennis E. Cruz, visited Guatemala City from March 06 to 08 to provide e-Passport renewal and other consular services as well as conduct registration of overseas voters for the 2016 national elections.

The Embassy team provided its services at the residence in Guatemala City of Filipino community leader Gil Intalan. Volunteers from the Filipino community also assisted the team to help ensure the smooth flow of applicants.

In the course of the consular outreach, the team processed 53 applications for e-Passport renewal, two reports of birth, two reports of marriage, one authentication and one NBI clearance. It also handled the applications for overseas voters registration of 13 Filipino nationals, and distributed the voter IDs of six Filipino residents of Guatemala who had previously registered from 2009 to 2012.

In line with the Philippine Government’s campaign to raise awareness on the West Philippine Sea (WPS) issue, the Embassy team also disseminated copies of the pamphlet entitled “Ang West Philippine Sea: Isang Sipat” which explains the distinct facets of the WPS issue in an accessible question-and-answer format written in the Filipino language.

The Embassy team likewise inquired with the Filipinos in the area on possible candidates for the presently vacant position of Philippine Honorary Consul in Guatemala.

The Filipino community thanked the Embassy for sending a mobile team to Guatemala, enabling them to avail themselves of various consular services and giving them the opportunity to be enfranchised overseas for future elections in the Philippines. END