DFA opens authentication center in Cebu

Filipinos in the Visayas no longer need to travel to Manila to have their documents authenticated after the Department of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday opened its first authentication center in Cebu.

DFA Opens Authentication Center for the Visayas: https://t.co/lZgZzgn7b1

Filipinos in the Visayas no longer need to travel to Manila to have their documents apostillized (authenticated) as the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) opened its first authentication center in Cebu. pic.twitter.com/tK6pwVIw1N

— DFA Philippines (@DFAPHL) September 10, 2019

“For too long, [Filipinos in the Visayas] have spent considerable time, money and effort to avail of a simple government service,” Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said at the center's inauguration ceremony at Pacific Mall Mandaue in Cebu.

The opening of Cebu’s authentication center comes on the heels of the country’s accession this year to the Apostille Convention, which shortens the authentication process for applicants and does away with the issuance of certificates with a "red ribbon" as proof of authentication.

An apostille is a certificate that authenticates the origin of a public document. It is issued by a country that is party to the Apostille Convention to be used in another country which is also a party to the Convention.

After authentication or apostillization by the DFA, there is no more need for authentication by the Foreign embassies or consulates except for countries that have not acceded to the Convention and countries that objected to the Philippine accession.

The apostille aims to streamline the whole authentication procedure of documents for use abroad, resulting in more convenience, less cost and processing time for the applicants.

“After the opening of our first authentication center in Mindanao at the Davao Consular Office last June, the launch of our first authentication center for the Visayas here in Cebu completes the nationwide roll-out of DFA’s authentication services,” Locsin said.

The consular office in Cebu will accept applications for authentication from Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Scheduling an appointment is not necessary.

The DFA’s Cebu office is the eighth consular office to offer authentication services.
Locsin said the department is eyeing more authentication centers across the Philippines in the coming months. — BM, GMA News