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 Vice Consul Glenn Joseph Q. Obach, Ms. Ma. Victoria Reyes, Ms. Rosalyn del Valle-Fajardo, Atty. Levy Strang and Ms. Monette Garcia in conducting the fourth series of mobile consular services in 2014 for the benefit of Filipinos in Invercargill and the surrounding areas of the South Island in New Zealand on 15-19 May 2014. Called “The Philippine Embassy in New Zealand: Serving with a Smile, Going the Extra Mile and Reaching Beyond Our Grasp” mobile consular services, 339 Filipinos from Invercargill, Mataura, Gore, Dunedin, Ashburton, Oamaru, Alexandra, Queenstown, Balclutha, Lumsden, Dipton, Winton, Waimate, Otautau, Christchurch, Rakaia and surrounding areas in the South Island availed of e-passports processing, notarial documentation and report of births and marriages, and overseas voting registration. This is the 31st mobile consular mission conducted by the Philippine Embassy since October 2011. To date, a total of 10,325 Filipinos comprising 25.59% 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 Invercargill and other parts of the South 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. Ms. Jackie Lou Credo, mother of the first passport applicant who was a six-week old baby, conveyed her appreciation to Ambassador Benavidez for the warm hospitality provided by the staff. 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. “Very helpful, very convenient and cost efficient, very welcoming and hospitable, kind staff, good work, big help, inquiries well served, very accommodating, friendly, excellent service, well-organized” 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 about 40,350 Filipinos here,” Ambassador Benavidez stated.

Ambassador Benavidez thanked Ms. Dorothea Hawkins, Southland Filipino Society, Inc. (SFSI) Chairman, and the SFSI committees for ensuring a smooth and successful mobile consular service at the Filipino Community Centre of Southland, and for their vital support and exemplary cooperation extended to the Philippine Embassy Mobile Consular Team. “Together with the sacrificial service and tireless efforts of the Philippine Embassy Mobile Consular Team, Ms. Hawkins and the SFSI committees immensely contributed to a productive consular outreach mission in Invercargill,” Ambassador Benavidez stated.

Details of the next consular mission will be uploaded at the Philippine Embassy website www.philembassy.org.nz and Facebook at embassy@wellington-pe.co.nz.