DFA slams recruitment firms over misinformation after long queue in consular office

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Thursday called out recruitment firms that disseminated false information on the application for travel documents after a huge number of Filipinos camped outside the DFA's consular office in Parañaque City to secure appointment slots. In a statement, the DFA said the applicants, bound for work overseas, were informed by their manpower agencies that they would get slots if they line up early and stay overnight. "DFA’s preliminary investigation into the incident revealed that several recruitment agencies had disseminated misinformation among their applicants regarding the Department’s walk-in policy," the DFA said. "According to accounts of applicants, their recruitment agencies urged them to line up and stay overnight at DFA Aseana so that all their travel documents could be expedited. Other applicants conveyed that their agencies instructed them late at night to proceed to DFA-Aseana immediately." On March 22, the DFA announced that it will begin accommodating walk-in applicants for Apostille or document authentication services The announcement was met with an influx of applicants who queued and camped outside DFA-Aseana building on the evening of March 22 until the following morning of March 23. "DFA considers this behavior of certain recruitment agencies highly irresponsible and malicious, not only for disregarding the DFA’s announced limits for walk-in applicants and attempting to monopolize DFA’s walk-in services to the detriment of other eligible applicants, but also for disregarding the welfare of our OFWs whom they ought to protect by putting them out in the streets in the middle of the night," the department said. On a daily basis, the DFA's main consular office in Aseana can only accommodate 900 passport applications and 1,400 authentication applications booked through its online appointment systems. It also accepts only 300 walk-in applicants for the Passport Courtesy Lane and 300 walk-in applicants for Authentication/Apostille services. "For safety and health reasons, the Department urges the public not to line up beyond operational hours," the DFA said. Walk-in applicants are also accommodated daily at 10 off-site offices in Megamall (100 applicants); SM Manila (150 applicants); Robinsons Star Mall (80 applicants); Alabang Town Center (150 applicants); Robinson’s Place Iloilo (60 applicants); Ali Mall Cubao (80 applicants); CSI Mall in La Union (50 applicants); SM City Davao (90 applicants); Pacific Mall Mandaue (100 applicants); and SM Downton Premier in Cagayan De Oro (37 applicants). The DFA also discouraged Filipinos from transacting with fixers who claim to offer assistance in obtaining passport and authentication appointment slots while charging high fees. "DFA is exerting all efforts and coordinating with relevant agencies to put a stop to the abuse of appointment slots by enterprising individuals and groups," it said. "The Department heeds the public’s clamor and remains steadfast in its commitment to resolve issues surrounding consular services and delivering these services effectively to Filipinos." —Michaela Del Callar/KBK, GMA News

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