BACOLOD CITY — The “Passport on Wheels” of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) served about 1,000 Negrenses during the mobile passport processing held in two venues in Negros Occidental this week.
On Wednesday, 500 applicants in the southern city of Kabankalan availed of the service, the DFA said on its social media accounts.
The following day, the “Passport on Wheels” was also brought to SM City Bacolod in cooperation with the Province of Negros Occidental’s Special Projects and Concerns Division (SPCD).
SPCD officer-in-charge Lisa Coronel said in a statement on Thursday the applicants pre-registered with their office from August 1-31.
She added the DFA provided them a portal where they encoded the data of the applicants and where they also advised them of the requirements.
The registered applicants received a confirmation email providing them with reference numbers. They paid the PHP1,200 passport processing fee at accredited payment centers.
Among those who availed of the mobile passport processing were Marlo Villanueva of Talisay City and Mark Pelaez of Silay City, who expressed their appreciation for the convenience of the service and the efficient processing of their passport applications.
Last June 18 and 19, the DFA also brought the “Passport on Wheels” in this city as part of the activities of Bacolod’s 80th charter anniversary celebration.
For two days, a total of 433 passport applicants availed of the mobile passport processing service.
Mayor Evelio Leonardia thanked the DFA for bringing the “Passport on Wheels” to Bacolod.
He said Bacolodnons are among those experiencing difficulty getting an online appointment due to the backlog in the processing of applications.
The DFA launched the “Passport on Wheels” last January 15.
In June this year, DFA Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano announced the opening of 100,000 appointment slots for passport application and renewal to address the backlog. (Nanette Guadalquiver/PNA)
