Passport on Wheels makes stop in Cebu

• Source: https://news.mb.com.ph/2018/08/03/passport-on-wheels-makes-stop-in-cebu/
• Saturday, August 4, 2018

By Calvin Cordova

CEBU CITY—Thousands of passport applications and renewals were processed during the Cebu stop of the Passport on Wheels (POW) program of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

Michael Dino, secretary of the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (OPAV), said at least 4,000 individuals were able to apply or renew their passport through Passport on Wheels which started last Tuesday and ended Thursday at Oakridge Pavilion in Mandaue City.

Dino said the program was brought to Cebu with the help of Special Assistant to the President Bong Go.

Cebu was POW’s first stop in its Visayas leg. It will next be in Bohol.

“The objective of the Passport on Wheels is to make it very convenient for people to get their passports. There were a lot of complaints that it takes six to seven months before one can have an appointment online,” said Dino.

One of those who applied for a passport, Ray Anthony Balaba of Lapu-Lapu City, was impressed by the speed of the processing.

“The experience was good. It took me less than an hour to complete the whole process. It’s good that they brought this here because it’s very hard to get an appointment online,” Balaba said.

The DFA deployed at least 47 personnel to process the applications.

“We are bringing our services closer to the people especially those who are far from the consular offices,” said DFA principal assistant Mina Ganzon.