The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced on Monday a new passport appointment policy that targets to provide an easier passport application and renewal process for more Filipinos.
Appointment slots for passport application and renewal initially reserved for its employees and travel agencies will be redistributed to the public starting August 1, 2017.
According to Ricarte Abejuela III, acting director of the Passport Division of the Office of Consular Affairs, OFWs, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, pregnant women, solo parents, and children seven years and below are entitled to the express lane, easing the passport application process especially for first time OFWs.
“Our policy now is that no OFW should be left without a job just because he couldn’t get a passport,” Inquirer quotes Abejuela as saying.
The Filipino Times previously reported that DFA opened a total of 94,350 appointment slots from July to August—62,450 were added due to the increase in appointment quotas, while 31,900 came from cleaning up of fictitious appointments.
Credit: Inquirer
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