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Politics

BINAY TO DFA: TAKE CAUTION IN PH E-VISA PROCESSING

Senator Nancy Binay urged the Department of Foreign Affairs to make personal appearances at consular offices as a non-negotiable requirement for some categories applying for e-visas. Binay welcomed the pilot implementation of Philippines’ first-ever electronic visa on August 24 but also urged the foreign affairs department to come up with better homeland security policies to […]

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Politics

HIGHER ALLOWANCES FOR DIPLOMATS URGED

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano backed the proposal of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to increase the allowance of its active personnel and the pension of its retired diplomats, saying “living with dignity” enables them to represent the Filipinos well in the global arena and be of better service to Filipinos working abroad. In a […]

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Politics

DEL ROSARIO A MAN OF FIRM INTEGRITY – ESCUDERO

Senator Chiz Escudero mourned the passing of former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario as he extended his condolences to the family. “My sincerest condolences to the family and loved ones of former Foreign Secretary Albert Del Rosario,” Escudero said. “I had the opportunity of working with him during the Aquino Administration and knew him […]

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Politics

TULFO TO DFA: HIRE LAWYERS WHO WILL WIN OFW CASES

Senator Raffy Tulfo urged the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to strengthen its free legal services for distressed Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) by hiring high-caliber lawyers. During the Senate hearing of the Committee on Migrant Workers regarding several bills seeking to strengthen financial and legal assistance to OFWs, Tulfo said that the effective way to […]

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Politics

BETTER PENSION, BENEFITS FOR DFA RETIREES PUSHED

The technical working group (TWG) of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs chaired by Pangasinan Representative Ma. Rachel Arenas convened recently to resume discussion on the bills seeking to adjust the monthly pension and disability benefits of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) retirees. In his opening remarks, Committee on Foreign Affairs Vice Chair and […]

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Politics

DFA REGIONAL CONSULAR OFFICES GET HOUSE PANEL OK

The House Committee on Foreign Affairs chaired by Pangasinan Representative Ma. Rachel Arenas adopted a resolution urging the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to establish regional consular offices in preferred areas of lawmakers. The resolution was proposed by Arenas after informing the members that in practice, the Committee on Foreign Affairs would report out bills […]

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Politics

GATCHALIAN: STOP PASSPORT SERVICE MISINFORMATION

Senator Win Gatchalian called on the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to address the apparent misinformation that has recently caused the influx of applicants for passport and apostille services that have been flocking and lining up all day and even staying overnight at the Aseana Business Park Office in Parañaque City. Gatchalian expressed concern over […]

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Politics

VILLANUEVA : OPEN MORE OFF-SITE PASSPORT CENTERS

As the easing of COVID-19 cases prompts OFWs to job-hunt again, the government should open more off-site passport processing centers in malls outside of Metro Manila, Senator Joel Villanueva said. Villanueva said the move of the Department of Foreign Affairs to open six Temporary Off-Site Passport Services (DFA-TOPS) in NCR last month is “a great […]

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Politics

HIKE 2022 AID FOR DISTRESSED OFWS – VILLANUEVA

The fund intended for helping Filipinos overseas, including over 10 million overseas Filipinos, in the 2022 national budget should be augmented to reflect how the government values the welfare of overseas Filipinos, Senator Joel Villanueva said. According to the National Expenditure Program for next year released by the DBM recently, Villanueva said the Assistance to […]

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Politics

HIKED BENEFITS FOR RETIRED DFA CAREER EXECS URGED

Senator Panfilo M. Lacson took the cudgels for retired career officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) as he pushed for an increase in their monthly pension and disability benefits, in exchange for their long years of looking after the welfare of Filipinos and the interests of the Philippines abroad. Lacson, in filing Senate […]