As the Philippine Embassy continues its mobile consular services for the third year for Filipinos in New Zealand, Ambassador Virginia H. Benavidez led the Philippine Embassy Mobile Consular Team composed of Consul Arlene Gonzales-Macaisa, Atty. Levy Strang, Ms. Mary Bel Garcia and Mr. Julius Verano in conducting the first series of mobile consular services for 2014 for the benefit of Filipinos in Kerikeri and the surrounding cities of the North Island in New Zealand on 9-12 January 2014. Called “The Philippine Embassy in New Zealand: Serving with a Smile, Going the Extra Mile and Reaching Beyond Our Grasp” mobile consular services, 144 Filipinos from Kerikeri, Auckland, Hamilton, Whangarei, Mangawhai, Dargaville and surrounding areas availed of e-passports processing, notarial documentation and report of births and marriages services. This is the 28th mobile consular mission conducted by the Philippine Embassy since October 2011. To date, a total of 8,338 Filipinos comprising more than 20% of the 40,350 members of the Filipino community have benefitted from this first ever mobile consular service throughout the North and South Islands of New Zealand.

The Filipino community members in Kerikeri and other parts of the North Island reiterated their deep gratitude to the Philippine Government through the Philippine Embassy for rendering the much needed and sought after consular services right where they are residing and working. The first applicant, Ms. Susan M. Magcalas who works in Kerikeri conveyed her appreciation to the Philippine Embassy for the “wonderful service and accommodating staff” in reaching out to the Filipinos. Several Filipinos from the different cities and towns also gave very positive and highly appreciative feedback for this continuing excellent and timely service which saves them a lot of money, time, days off and resources as it would have been extremely costly, inconvenient and difficult if they had to go all the way to Wellington. “Excellent service, efficient and fast, accommodating and smooth processing, friendly, professional, polite, helpful and nice staff, well-organized and efficient system, well done and great and thank you for being service-oriented” were among the written feedback given by the Filipinos. The Philippine Embassy has always shared with the Filipino community the Philippine Government’s priority and concern for their welfare and well-being as the third major pillar of Philippine foreign policy. “In recognition of the vital roles and crucial contributions of the global Filipinos to nation-building in the Philippines and New Zealand, the Philippine Embassy will continue to reach out to them through our mobile consular services and dialogue, demonstrate its caring and sharing spirit and bring the Embassy’s services closer to more than 40,000 Filipinos here,” Ambassador Benavidez stated.

Ambassador Benavidez thanked Fr. Samuel Polanco, Parish Priest, Holy Family Catholic Church, Mr. Nigel Strang, Mrs. Laurel Strang, Mrs. Bertha Bell, Mr. Trevor and Mrs. Barbara Moore and Mr. Ken Reed for the warm hospitality and graciousness extended to the Philippine Embassy Mobile Consular Team which contributed to a successful and productive consular outreach mission in Kerikeri.