DFA's mobile passporting generates P23M savings in Western Visayas
The mobile passporting project of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has acquired an accumulated savings for Western Visayas applicants estimated at P23.7 million from 2005 up to October this year.
DFA Regional Director Liza Jane Estalilla said the amount was computed based on how much savings have been accumulated by the transacting public by having their passports processed right in their locality.
In 2005, Estalilla announced that a total of 7,000 individuals have availed of the mobile passporting with the savings pegged at P13 million. From January to October this year, the office has released 5,932 passports and generated a P10.7 million saving.
The mobile passporting is one scheme where the DFA personnel go out on field and do the processing of passports on site. Usually, it is being done upon requests of local government units.
The province of Negros Occidental has most of the requests because of its geographical location. Since the DFA has no satellite office in Negros Occidental, without the mobile passporting, applicants would have to travel across the sea and spend thousands of pesos for the processing of their document in Manila.
Estalilla said there has been a significant increase in the demand for mobile passporting upon her assumption to office.
Meanwhile, Estalilla announced that DFA is slated to conduct mobile passporting in Bacolod City and parts of Negros Occidental on November 24-25; Sibalom, Antique on December 1 and Sagay City on December 8-9.
(PNA)