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Pinoy Abroad

PHL Consulate General in Jeddah reports accomplishments to Pinoy community


The Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah aims to increase its consular mobile services (CMS) from 11 this year to 16 next year to address the consular needs of Filipinos in far-flung areas.

This was mentioned by Consul General Edgar Badajos when he reported the consulate's accomplishments for the year before the Filipino community in a meeting called State of the Post Address (SOPA).

Badajos explained that they initiated the first SOPA in keeping the government’s goal to observe transparency in its program, projects and activities. 

Presented during the event were the consulate's accomplishments in consular, assistance to nationals (ANS), infrastructure, political, economic and cultural areas.

The accomplishments of its attached agencies like the Philippine Overseas Labor Office, Social Welfare Office, SSS, Pag-IBIG, and the Philippine Trade and Investment Center were also presented.

For Consular matters, the SOPA 2018 highlighted the conduct of 11 CMS in different areas in Saudi Arabia's Western Region, which allowed many Filipinos in far-flung areas to process their consular needs and raised their other work-related or personal concerns without traveling to the Philippine Consulate based in Jeddah.

For 2019, Badajos said that the consulate committed to increase the number of CMS to 16. He said from April to December 2018, the consulate processed 24,000 passport applications and 1,600 visas to foreign nationals who want to visit the Philippines.

The provision of courtesy lane for household service workers (HSWs) and the use of auto email notification for passport pick-up were also introduced in 2018, according to Badajos.

For assistance to nationals, Badajos highlighted the opening of the first ever 24/7 contact center in a Philippine Embassy or consulate which provides Filipinos a venue to easily reach out to the consulate on ANS concern and general inquiries.

Since its opening in August 2018, Badajos said the 24/7 contact center was able to process a total of 14, 297 transactions.

The SOPA 2018 gave a run through of the assistance the consulate has given to distressed OFWs, including among others, medical assistance, welfare assistance, blood money claims, and end-of service benefits on behalf of the surviving heirs of deceased OFWs according to Badajos.

Badajos also reported the various improvements made at the consulate such as a canopy over the grounds being used for the Filipino Community activities, a new FilCom Multi-Purpose Hall, and a new Sentro Rizal.

Badajos said The Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah plans to make SOPA a regular year-end activity with Filipinos under its jurisdiction, in the interest of providing transparency in governance. —Ronaldo Concha/KBK, GMA News

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