PHL reopens Consulate General in Houston

The Philippines will reopen on Monday, September 24, 2018, its Consulate General in Houston, 25 years after it was closed, to address the needs of Filipinos in South Central United States, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

"The reopening of our Consulate General in Houston is consistent with the priorities laid down by President [Rodrigo] Duterte for us to bring our services closer to Filipinos overseas," DFA Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said in a statement.

"Through our Consulate General, we will endeavor to serve all Filipinos living on this side of the United States,"

The Consulate General, which was closed in September 1993, is expected to serve some 179,000 Filipinos in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.

Consul General Jerrill Santos said the reopening of the Consulate General "is in response to the growing needs of Filipinos in South Central US and the strong clamor of the Filipino community there."

The DFA said the Consulate General, upon its reopening, will offer civil registry services such as Reports of Birth, Marriage and Death, notarial services, affidavits certification, issuance of travel documents and fingerprinting for National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) clearances.

Passport processing, visas, authentication services and dual citizenship services will be made available in the coming days.

The Consulate General will also provide assistance to distressed Filipino nationals, promote Philippine culture, and strengthen economic ties between the Philippines and the South Central US.

The Consulate General is temporarily housed at 9990 Richmond Avenue, Suite 270N, Houston, Texas, and will move into Suite 100N at the same building by the end of the year. It can be contacted at +1 (832) 668 5139 and email address pcghouston.consular@gmail.com. —KBK, GMA News