As the Philippine Embassy continues its mobile consular services for the fourth year for Filipinos in New Zealand and countries under its jurisdiction, the Philippine Embassy Mobile Consular Team composed of Vice Consul Glenn Joseph Q. Obach, Ms. Ma. Victoria Reyes, and Ms. Monette Garcia went to the Cook Islands to conduct the eighth series of mobile consular services for this year on 27-28 September 2014. Called “The Philippine Embassy in New Zealand: Serving with a Smile, Going the Extra Mile and Reaching beyond Our Grasp” mobile consular services, 158 Filipinos from the Cook Islands availed of e-passports processing, notarial documentation and reports of birth and marriage, and overseas voting registration. This is the 35th mobile consular mission conducted by the Philippine Embassy since October 2011. To date, a total of 12,484 Filipinos comprising about 30% of the approximately 41,000 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 the 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. The first applicant, Ms. Suzane Ramos, conveyed her appreciation to the Philippine Embassy for the good service provided by the staff, saying that she was guided properly and that everything was explained to her clearly. 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, New Zealand. “Very well-organized, helpful, excellent service” 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 the host countries, 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 Filipinos in New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and the Cook Islands,” Ambassador Benavidez stated.