DFA files complaint vs ticketing centers over passport appointment slots

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) filed a complaint and requested a probe against ticketing centers for allegedly selling passport appointment slots through social media sites.

The DFA alleged that Canferz Payment and Ticketing Center offered passport appointment slots on Facebook and booked them under the account of Valesco-SMS Inc., which is a Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and DFA accredited licensed recruitment agency (LRA).

The department said the offered passport appointment slots to LRAs were intended only for first-time Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) applicants, adding that it was in consideration of their special needs amid the government’s special accommodation extended for them.

“Upon investigation, the Department discovered that the privilege extended to DFA-accredited LRAs was apparently abused as a means to illegally sell passport appointment slots to non-eligible applicants,” the department said in a statement released on Friday.

“The DFA revoked the accreditation and access of Valesco-SMS Inc. to the DFA OFW Portal and filed a police complaint, affixing the police blotter of one of its alleged victims,” it added.

Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. ordered the OFW Portal taken down. However, he assured OFWs would be accommodated in the DFA’s Passport Courtesy Lane facility as walk-in applicants starting March 14.

The department also reiterated that the appointment slots in the online passport appointment system were a “free service” offered by the DFA.

“The DFA continuously warns the public against advertisements on social media offering passport appointment assistance for a fee and reiterates that it does not use any social media network to offer or confirm passport application appointments nor has it authorized any company or individual to offer and accept passport appointment scheduling on the Department's behalf,” it added.

Meanwhile, the Canferz Payment and Ticketing Center acknowledged that booking an appointment slot on the DFA website was free. It, however, noted that several clients are willing to pay for their assistance fee.

“Pero para sa mga walang oras mag abang, walang strong internet connection at sa mga walang tyaga na magpuyat, sila yung nagiging client namin na willing to pay for assistance fee which is aware sila na yung service ng encoder sa pag aabang ng slot ang binabayaran nila,” the ticketing center said.

(But for those who don't have time to wait, who don't have a strong internet connection, and for those who are too impatient to stay awake, they are the ones who became our clients. They are also willing to pay for the assistance fee which they were also aware of for the service of the encoder while waiting for the slot.)

“Magbukas man ng slot sa DFA website kaunti lang and mabilis din mawala kaya kailangan mabilisang pag-eencode. Then may mga errors pang maeenocunter na existing appointment and minsan delay ang confirmation, sobrang hassle kaya may assistance fee yung pagbook,” it added.

(Even if you open a slot on the DFA website, it is only limited, so you need to encode quickly. Then some errors can be encountered and sometimes the confirmation is delayed.)

It also assured that they would cooperate with the DFA to resolve the matter.

“We are requesting the DFA na burahin yung business name namin na nakapublished dahil napaka unfair dahil reseller lang din naman kami and small time travel compare sa malalaking travel company offering same service. Sana po nag reach out sila sa amin asking our side and willing naman kami na makipag tulungan if needed,” the ticketing center added.

(We are requesting the DFA to clear our business name that was published because it is very unfair because we are also just a reseller and small-time travel company compared to large travel companies offering the same service. I hope they reach out to us asking our side and we are willing to help if needed.)

GMA News Online sought comment from Valesco-SMS Inc., but they have yet to respond as of posting time. — DVM, GMA News