DFA opens 100k passport appointment slots on Thursday

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has opened 100,000 passport application slots on Thursday, June 14, 2018, to address the current backlog in its online application and renewal system, DFA Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said.

At a press briefing in Taguig City, Cayetano said 50,000 slots will be made available to the public at 12 noon while another 50,000 will be available at 9 p.m.

He also said that 10,000 slots — 5,000 at 12 noon and 5,000 at 9 pm —  will also be available from Monday to Saturday except holidays.

The additional slots were opened following complaints that the DFA's online appointment system is showing no available dates.

From 10,500, the DFA has increased its processing capacity to 19,000 daily to address the rising demand of passport applications, Cayetano said.

Of this figure, 12,000 are through online passport system, 1,000 first-time overseas Filipino workers through licensed recruitment agencies, 4,000 passport on wheels applicants and 2,000 are walk-in applicants.

The DFA also introduced an e-payment system for Metro Manila to make passport application faster and more convenient to the public. The department hopes to implement the new service nationwide by August, Cayetano said. —KBK, GMA News