MANILA, Philippines - As part of an ongoing, innovative effort to bring the delivery of passport and other services closer to the public, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) inaugurated another mall-based consular office at Robinsons Place in Lipa City, Batangas on Wednesday afternoon.
Dubbed as DFA-Lipa City, the facility is the DFA’s first mall-based consular office in Southern Tagalog. Seven others were previously opened in other parts of the country.
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Rafael Seguis led the inauguration together with DFA senior special assistant Rowena Sanchez and executive director for consular affairs Wilfredo Santos, Lipa City Mayor Meynard Sabili represented by his chief of staff, lawyer Virgilio Macasaet Jr., and Robinsons Land Corp. general manager Arlene Magtibay and vice president Tommy Lee O.
In his remarks, Seguis said the DFA “is now going full-blast with its initiative to bring our consular services closer to the people.”
DFA-Lipa City transferred from Batangas City last Sept. 17. It is expected to cater to some 400 passport applicants daily.
Following mall operating hours, it is open from Monday to Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., for both passport processing and releasing, and on Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., for passport releasing only.
Mall-based consular offices of the DFA follow mall schedules to allow applicants to avail themselves of consular services even after office hours.
DFA-Lipa City is headed by officer-in-charge Glenn Corpin.
The applying public can look forward to the opening of passport offices in the cities of Baguio, Legaspi, Bacolod, Dumaguete, Laoag, Iloilo, Tacloban, Puerto Princesa, Butuan and Cagayan de Oro in the next few months.
The DFA already opened passport offices at Robinsons Galleria on Sept. 19 and at Robinsons Place in General Santos City on Sept. 21.
Mall-based consular offices were also opened at the Pacific Mall in Mandaue, Cebu; Robinsons Starmills in San Fernando, Pampanga; MarQuee Mall in Angeles City; and SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City during the past months.
For inquiries on how to avail oneself of passport and other consular services at DFA-Lipa City, the public may call (043) 722-0578 or e-mail at batangas.rco@dfa.gov.ph.