CLARK FREEPORT— A former Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) official yesterday has expressed alarm over “fixers” who take advantage of demands for passports at the DFA offices in the City of San Fernando and the newly-established satellite office here.
The ex-DFA official, who asked not to be named, said the fixers asked those who could not wait for appointments at DFA-San Fernando to instead apply for a passport at the DFA satellite office.
“They charge each person at least P5,000 for their respective passport. Those who are in a hurry to get one and doesn’t want to fall in line are the immediate targets,” said the official.
“The question is who in the DFA offices tolerate this illegal act. This should be investigated,” he added.
This came as officials of Clark Development Corporation (CDC) announced the opening of the satellite consular office of the DFA located at the Clark Center, Berthaphil Estate here which was approved by Foreign Affairs Sec. Alberto Romulo.
The satellite office, open daily (Monday-Friday) from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., is expected to decongest the growing number of applicants at the DFA regional consular office in the City of San Fernando.
In a statement, Assistant Vice President Bernardo Angeles, Jr. of the Investment and Promotions of CDC said the opening of the DFA satellite office is an offshoot of the agreement between CDC and the DFA after the consular office extension office here was transferred in San Fernando early this year.
Mayor Marino “Boking” Morales of Mabalacat lauded the efforts of CDC to return the services of DFA at the Freeport.
“This will greatly benefit my people and the others who frequent Clark and nearby areas,” he said. “There will be new opportunities for income and business.”
Clark International Airport Corp (CIAC) President and CEO Victor Jose Luciano was also reportedly responsible for the re-establishment of the DFA-satellite office.
Angeles said the presence of the DFA regional consular office in Clark has a multiplier effect for Clark and its contingent communities since residents from North of Pampanga and the neighboring provinces of Tarlac and some parts of provinces from Northern Luzon will no longer travel to Metro Manila or City of San Fernando to apply for new or renew passports.
The establishment of the DFA satellite office here was also the result from the request made by the influential Metro Clark Advisory Council (MCAC) which is chaired by Benigno N. Ricafort and co-chaired by Morales. MCAC is composed of Local Government Units adjacent to the Freeport.
The ex-DFA official, who asked not to be named, said the fixers asked those who could not wait for appointments at DFA-San Fernando to instead apply for a passport at the DFA satellite office.
“They charge each person at least P5,000 for their respective passport. Those who are in a hurry to get one and doesn’t want to fall in line are the immediate targets,” said the official.
“The question is who in the DFA offices tolerate this illegal act. This should be investigated,” he added.
This came as officials of Clark Development Corporation (CDC) announced the opening of the satellite consular office of the DFA located at the Clark Center, Berthaphil Estate here which was approved by Foreign Affairs Sec. Alberto Romulo.
The satellite office, open daily (Monday-Friday) from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., is expected to decongest the growing number of applicants at the DFA regional consular office in the City of San Fernando.
In a statement, Assistant Vice President Bernardo Angeles, Jr. of the Investment and Promotions of CDC said the opening of the DFA satellite office is an offshoot of the agreement between CDC and the DFA after the consular office extension office here was transferred in San Fernando early this year.
Mayor Marino “Boking” Morales of Mabalacat lauded the efforts of CDC to return the services of DFA at the Freeport.
“This will greatly benefit my people and the others who frequent Clark and nearby areas,” he said. “There will be new opportunities for income and business.”
Clark International Airport Corp (CIAC) President and CEO Victor Jose Luciano was also reportedly responsible for the re-establishment of the DFA-satellite office.
Angeles said the presence of the DFA regional consular office in Clark has a multiplier effect for Clark and its contingent communities since residents from North of Pampanga and the neighboring provinces of Tarlac and some parts of provinces from Northern Luzon will no longer travel to Metro Manila or City of San Fernando to apply for new or renew passports.
The establishment of the DFA satellite office here was also the result from the request made by the influential Metro Clark Advisory Council (MCAC) which is chaired by Benigno N. Ricafort and co-chaired by Morales. MCAC is composed of Local Government Units adjacent to the Freeport.
