As the Philippine Embassy continues its mobile consular services for the fifth year for Filipinos in New Zealand, Ambassador Virginia H. Benavidez led the Philippine Embassy Mobile Consular Team composed of Minister and Consul General Arlene Gonzales-Macaisa, Ms. Monette Garcia and Ms. Katrina Garcia in conducting mobile consular services for the benefit of Filipinos in Cook Islands on 3-4 August 2015. Called “The Philippine Embassy in New Zealand: Serving with a Smile, Going the Extra Mile and Reaching Beyond Our Grasp” mobile consular services, 103 Filipinos from Cook Islands availed of e-passports processing, notarial documentation, reports of birth and marriage, dual citizenship and overseas voting registration services. This is the 45th mobile consular mission conducted by the Philippine Embassy since October 2011. To date, a total of 18,438 Filipinos comprising 44.83% of the 41,129 members of the Filipino community have benefitted from this first ever mobile consular service throughout the North and South Islands of New Zealand, Tonga, Fiji, Samoa and Cook Islands.

The Filipino community members in Cook Islands 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. Ms. Suzane Greig, the first passport applicant, and Ms. Gina McKenzie, first overseas voting registrant, conveyed their appreciation to the Philippine Embassy and said that they were thankful for the consular mobile team for the “never ending service for us outside the country.” Several Filipinos also gave very positive and highly appreciative feedback to the Philippine Embassy 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.

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, Tonga, Fiji, Samoa and Cook Islands, 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 41,000 Filipinos in these countries,” Ambassador Benavidez stated.

Ambassador Benavidez and the Philippine Embassy Mobile Consular Team reiterated their deep appreciation to the Filipino Community in the Cook Islands officials, Mr. Julian Perla, Ms. Gemma Untalasco and Mr. Vincent Aydalla, Club Philippines Raro officials, Mr. Noni Soliven and Ms. Victoria Artesano, and other members of the Filipino communities in Cook Islands for their vital support and exemplary cooperation that immensely contributed to a successful consular outreach mission in Cook Islands.

The next consular missions are being scheduled in Gore, South Island of New Zealand, Samoa and Tonga. Details will be uploaded at the Philippine Embassy website www.philembassy.org.nz and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PhilippineEmbassyWellingtonNewZealand soon.