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 Vice Consul Glenn Joseph Q. Obach, Mr. Edgar Matibag, Ms. Mary Bel Garcia and Ms. Monette Garcia in conducting mobile consular services for the benefit of Filipinos in Hamilton and the surrounding areas of the North Island in New Zealand on 10-13 July 2015. Called “The Philippine Embassy in New Zealand: Serving with a Smile, Going the Extra Mile and Reaching Beyond Our Grasp” mobile consular services, 656 Filipinos from Hamilton, Auckland, Manukau, Papatoetoe, Kawakawa, Whangarei, Thames, Putaruru, Cambridge, Morrinsville, Te Puke, Tokoroa, Te Awamutu, Te Kauwhata, Te Aroha, Otorohanga, Kawerau, Pukeatua, Rotorua, Taupo, Tauranga, Whakatane, Whanganui and surrounding areas in the North Island availed of e-passports processing, notarial documentation, reports of birth and marriage, dual citizenship and overseas voting registration services. This is the 43rd mobile consular mission conducted by the Philippine Embassy since October 2011. To date, a total of 18,239 Filipinos comprising 44.35% 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 Auckland 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. Ms. Therese Mae Reid, the first passport applicant and overseas voting registrant, conveyed her appreciation to the Philippine Embassy and said that the consular outreach mission was “very organized and helpful.” 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 Embassy Mobile Consular Team reiterated their deep appreciation to the Waikato Filipino Association (WFA) Executive Committee, namely, Jun Valencia, Chairperson, Jennifer Gilchrist, Vice Chairperson, Myles Imperial, Secretary, Fred Ramos, Assistant Secretary, Gladys Stephens, Treasurer, as well as to Hilly Maria Bernal, Ritchelle Roycroft, Shirley Bath, Jayson Pascual, Aurora Campbell, and to WFA Advisers, Nory Mayo, Valerie Purdie, Mely Hanley and Fatima Keenan, for their vital support and exemplary cooperation that immensely contributed to a successful consular outreach mission in Hamilton.

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