30 November 2005 – Philippine Ambassador to Canada Jose S. Brillantes lauded the team from the Philippine Embassy in Ottawa for another highly successful consular clinic in Montreal, Quebec, on Sunday, 27 November. The outreach program drew scores of Filipinos in Montreal and nearby cities in the province of Quebec to the Philippine Centre on Van Horne Avenue.

Hailing the efforts of the team from the Embassy, Ambassador Brillantes said, "The Embassy’s consular outreach program is another manifestation of our continuing dedicated effort to bring government services closer to the people.”

Among the numerous services that kababayans in Montreal availed themselves of during the clinic are passport renewal, fingerprinting services for NBI clearance, Balikbayan stamps, authentication and acknowledgment and other notarial services. A number of naturalized Canadians also applied for reacquisition of Philippine citizenship and took their oath of allegiance before a consular officer during the clinic. Members of the team also fielded queries from the public regarding overseas absentee voting and the Philippine Government’s balikbayan program.

Many of those who availed themselves of the consular services offered expressed their appreciation for the Embassy’s regular weekend outreach programs in Montreal, as they have only the weekends to attend to their consular needs.

The team from the Philippine Embassy in Ottawa regularly conducts consular clinics for the Filipino community in Montreal, in cooperation with the Philippine Association of Montreal and Suburbs, Inc. At least once in two months, an Embassy team visits Montreal for a day-long consular clinic on Sundays, to serve the consular needs of kababayans in Montreal, primarily caregivers, who cannot attend to their consular needs, except on weekends.

Last Sunday’s team was led by Consul General Joey Angeles, with Consul Shirley E. Banquicio, Vice Consul Rhen Rodriguez, Yolanda Ofiana, Angela Conag, Elizabeth Alberto and Alvar Rosales. They were assisted by officers of the Philippine Association of Montreal and Suburbs, Inc. (FAMAS).

Ambassador Brillantes, who was also in Montreal on the same day to attend the graduation ceremonies of a school run by Filipinos, also joined in the consular outreach activities and stayed with the team until the last client was assisted.

This early, the Embassy has already proposed a schedule for its consular outreach program for 2006 to the FAMAS, which regularly hosts the consular clinic at the Philippine Centre. END