13 July 2004 – Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia Domingo Albert today congratulated the officers and staff of the DFA Regional Consular Office (RCO) in Tacloban which is slated to mark its first year anniversary tomorrow.

“I am pleased to greet the DFA Regional Consular Office in Tacloban for its achievements.  We continue to be guided by one goal and that is, to uphold our commitment of providing responsive public service in the whole of the Eastern Visayas region through our office in Tacloban,” the Secretary said.

Aside from providing regular services for the issuance and renewal of passports, RCO Tacloban conducted nine (9) mobile passport services throughout the Eastern Visayas region in its first year of operation.  A total of 1,049 passports were issued during these mobile passport services which were conducted once in Tabango and twice in Calbayog City, respectively, upon invitation of the Honorable Mayors of both municipalities.

The RCO also actively joined other agencies such as DOLE, NSO, POEA at various successful job fairs spearheaded by the local organizing government units of the nearby municipalities of Tanauan and Burauen and as far as Hilongos, Maasin City, Southern Leyte and Guiuan in Eastern Samar.  Recently, it participated in the Labor Day and Independence Day job fair series organized by DOLE in Tacloban City.

For its active participation in these job fairs, the RCO was honored with a plaque of recognition during the 44th Founding Anniversary Celebration of the Provincial Government of Southern Leyte, in recognition of its assistance and participation at the One Stop Shop Jobs Fair held last year in Maasin City.

The RCO also works closely with the Philippine Claims and Compensation Committee Secretariat (PCCCS).  It has extended assistance to the PCCCS by facilitating the location of nine Gulf War Claimants from Leyte, Samar and Biliran. END.