DFA-Cebu to open more slots for passport applicants

THERE is still a chance for Cebuanos to get their passports in Cebu this year and not elsewhere after the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) decided to consider adding more appointment slots in their office here.

“Although it is not yet final, but like what we did for the month of September where we added slots, same goes to the months of October and November,” Wendel Canque, executive assistant of the DFA in Central Visayas, said in a press briefing yesterday.

Right now, the DFA-Cebu’s appointment slots for September to November are full, leaving those who want to apply for passports no choice but to get appointments in adjoining areas like Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental or Bacolod City in Negros Occidental, where there are fewer applicants.

Canque, however, said that if plans push through, an additional 90 slots per day will be open at the DFA-Cebu in October and November. There are no additional slots yet for December.

DFA-Cebu attends to at least 400 to 600 applicants per day who booked their appointments months ahead. The number does not include the allowed walk-in applicants, such as senior citizens, solo parents, below seven years old and overseas Filipino workers (OFW).

Canque said DFA no longer caters to bulk appointments for travel agencies, which are also required now to set appointments online for their clients. Travel agencies account for 25 to 30 applicants entertained each day in DFA-Cebu, said Canque.

Canque stressed DFA-Cebu has no control over appointments. It is centralized in DFA Manila.

Canque urged the public to show up for their appointments, as those who miss their schedules could only apply for a new appointment after 30 days.