23 April 2015 – Philippine Ambassador to New Zealand Virginia H. Benavidez led the Philippine Embassy mobile consular team composed of Vice Consul Glenn Joseph Q. Obach, Ma. Victoria Reyes, Edgar Matibag, Mary Bel Garcia and Monette Garcia in conducting mobile consular services for the benefit of Filipinos in Christchurch and the surrounding areas of the South Island in New Zealand from April 09 to 13.
During the consular outreach, 947 Filipinos from Christchurch and surrounding areas in the South Island availed of e-Passport processing, notarial documentation, reports of birth and marriage, dual citizenship and overseas voters registration services. This is the 41st mobile consular mission conducted by the Philippine Embassy since October 2011. To date, a total of 16,700 Filipinos comprising 40.6% of the 41,129 members of the Filipino community have benefitted from this first ever mobile consular service throughout the North and South Islands of New Zealand, Tonga, Fiji, Samoa and Cook Islands.
The Filipino community members in Christchurch and other parts of the South Island reiterated their gratitude to the Philippine Government through the Philippine Embassy for rendering the much needed consular services right where they are residing and working. Mr. and Mrs. Felix Dizon Jr., parents of the first passport applicant, three-month old Sean Charles, conveyed their appreciation to the Philippine Embassy for the “excellent” services. 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 have been costly and inconvenient if they had to go all the way to Wellington. “Maasikaso (accommodating), helpful, convenient and organized,” were among the feedback given by the Filipinos.
The Philippine Embassy has always shared with the Filipino community the Philippine Government’s priority and concern for their welfare and well-being as the third major pillar of Philippine foreign policy. “In recognition of the vital roles and crucial contributions of the global Filipinos to nation-building in the Philippines and New Zealand, Tonga, Fiji, Samoa and Cook Islands, the Philippine Embassy will continue to reach out to them through our mobile consular services and dialogue, demonstrate its caring and sharing spirit and bring the Embassy’s services closer to more than 41,000 Filipinos in these countries,” Ambassador Benavidez stated.
Ambassador Benavidez and the Embassy mobile consular team reiterated their deep appreciation to Mr. Alfie Alojado Jr., Canterbury Philippines Assistance Group (CPAG), Mr. Johnatan Madera and Mr. Sam Bruzo for their vital support and exemplary cooperation that immensely contributed to a successful consular outreach mission in Christchurch.
The Embassy’s mobile consular team will be going to Auckland next to serve the Filipinos in the North Island on May 14 to 18. Details on this next consular mission have been 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