Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas F. Ople today instructed the Regional Consular Offices (RCOs) of the Department of Foreign Affairs to continue improving the delivery of consular services to the people.  The Secretary also instructed the RCOs to ensure that no passports are issued to Al-Ghozi and the two Abu Sayyaf escapees.  The Secretary personally issued these instructions to the officials of the RCOs during the 5th Annual Seminar/Workshop for the DFA Regional Consular Officers, held at the Department of Foreign Affairs on 19-20 July 2003.

“The officers and staff of our regional consular offices attend to the consular and passport needs of our travelling public all over the Philippines.  They often work under less-than-ideal situations but are able to maintain the high standards of a world-class foreign service,” the Secretary said.

“Our regional passport offices are also always on the alert for terrorist and criminal elements who might apply for passports.  In the case of Al-Ghozi, I have instructed them to be extra vigilant,” the Secretary said.

“I have written an urgent letter to DILG Secretary Jose Lina asking him for the photographs as well as the cartographic sketches that project the possible appearances that Al-Ghozi and his escapees might have assumed.  We will give these to all our regional passport offices to better arm our officers and staff in our regional offices in being on the look out for Al-Ghozi,” the Secretary added.

“We intend to do our part in the fight against terror.  We do not limit our role to the diplomatic and political fronts in the war against terror.  We will utilize all the resources of the Department in winning this war,” the Secretary said.

On the continued improvement of consular services, Secretary Ople asked the RCOs to expand their mobile passporting services to ensure that the passport needs of everyone in their respective regions are properly served.

“I also asked the RCOs to make sure that they link their mobile passport services with the job fairs of the DOLE throughout the country.  Such link-ups will ease the burden on the job applicants who might otherwise have to go to different offices to process their papers,” the Secretary said.

“Bringing these services to the people, particularly to the less accessible towns and barangays, exposes them to many opportunities for employment and widens the choices for their future.  We can be the symbol and the face of government to our people in these places,” the Secretary added.