11 November 2004 – The Philippine Consulate General in the Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that it will be observing expanded service hours starting mid-November 2004 to January 2005 for document processing and related consular services.  This move is being done in anticipation of the peak travel season, usually lasting from December to February, brought by the Christmas Holidays, when many Hong-Kong based Filipinos are expected to come home for the Yuletide.  This is part of the Consulate’s efforts at enhancing its services for the Filipino community.

Following the expanded operating schedule, the Philippine Consulate in Hong Kong will be open for the processing of documents from 8 AM to 5 PM, Sundays through Thursdays, starting 14 November 2004 to 31 January 2005.  Normal Consulate opening hours is from 9 AM to 4 PM.

Also, starting 28 November 2004, a team from the Philippine Overseas Labor Office will be issuing Overseas Employment Certificates (OECs) at the Hong Kong Bayanihan Centre form 9 AM to 4 PM.

Consul General Corazon L. Belmonte-Jover presided over a recent meeting of the consulate staff and personnel from Philippine agencies attached to the Consulate to organize the mechanism and work schedules for the expanded service hours.   The Consulate decided to put in additional processing hours including the issuance of OECs at the Bayanihan Centre  to avoid the inconvenience to Filipino clients brought about by overcrowding at the Philippine Consulate premises expected during the peak travel season.

The Philippine Consulate has already advised the Filipino community and local Filipino media under its jurisdiction of the planned expanded service hours.  The schedule has also been posted at Hong Kong-based Filipino banks, remittance centers and stores.  The Philippine Consulate also encourages the Hong Kong-based Filipinos planning to travel during the yearend to process their documents (i.e. passports, notarials and OECs) ahead of time to avoid the usual last-minute rush.

Meanwhile, the Philippine consulate also maintains the following hotlines for emergency cases and other queries:

                                    Consular Matter (passports, notarials, visas):  93327451
                                    Assistance to Nationals (immigration, police cases): 91554023
                                    Labor Hotline (employment contract-related matters): 91020840
                                    OWWA Social Worker (counseling):   25461441
                                    Human Trafficking Cases:     97703869

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