PH consulate in SF renders 43,800 services last year, exceeding target

The Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco recently opened its Kalayaan Hall as a consular waiting and processing area, providing more convenience to its clients especially during the winter season. CONTRIBUTED

SAN FRANCISCO – Despite the the Covid-19 pandemic, the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco rendered more than 43,800 consular services to Filipinos in the U.S. Pacific Northwest last year, the diplomatic post announced.

“Amid the numerous changes and adjustments in response to the raging pandemic, the Consulate exceeded its targets in 2021 and rendered 43,845 consular services to our kababayans in the U.S. Pacific Northwest,” Consul General Neil Frank R. Ferrer reported during the 2022 Consular Planning Meeting on Jan. 5.

These services include passport and visa issuances, dual citizenship applications, civil registrations and notarization of documents.

Ferrer added that of the total consular output for last year, 22.6% were rendered during nine consular outreach missions in Alaska, Colorado, Montana, northern Nevada, Oregon and Washington State.

At the consulate planning meeting Consular Section Head and Consul Jed Martin A. Llona crunched the numbers from 2021, which show that 24,617 passports were issued or renewed last year. This is more than the Consulate’s target of 18,112 passports, as well as the 21,823 passports issued in 2019 or prior to the pandemic. The Consulate also processed 893 passport validity extensions, and issued 357 travel documents.

Llona also reported the 2021 full-year figures from the other consular services: 9,363 dual citizenship applications processed, above the Consulate’s target of 4,112; 5,152 notarial services rendered, above the target of 5,088; 2,262 civil registrations (Report of Birth/Marriage/Death) processed, above the target of 1,854; and 1,201 Philippine visas issued, above the target of 1,163.

Officers and personnel of the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco convene for its 2022 Consular Planning Meeting on Jan. 6. CONTRIBUTED

Innovations in the Consulate’s consular processes were also instituted in 2021. These include the roll-out of the Global Online Appointment System of the Department of Foreign Affairs, where online passport appointments are opened via www.passport.gov.ph; the designation of an Information Officer, who guides clients upon their entry to the Consulate; the introduction of touchscreen counters for client check-in at the Consulate; and the launch of the once-a-month Saturday consular service.

Meanwhile, the Consulate ended last 14 October 2021 the 2019-2021 overseas voting registration for the 2022 National Elections with the processing of 11,451 applications, including recapture, correction of entries, and transfer.

This wave of new overseas voters raised to 47,820 the total number of registered voters in the U.S. Pacific Northwest for the 2022 elections.

Consul General Ferrer vowed “to deliver efficient, effective, and timely passport and other consular services to Filipinos in the U.S. Pacific Northwest in 2022, building on the Consulate’s accomplishments in 2021.”

The Consulate continues to abide by the health and safety protocols of local authorities to avert the further spread of COVID-19. All personnel and clients are required to wear face masks inside the Consulate, and are requested to observe physical distancing at all times. Meanwhile, hand sanitizer stations are readily available inside the building.