DFA OPENS FIRST METRO CONSULAR SATELLITE OFFICE AT SM MEGAMALL

              The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) opens its first consular satellite office in Metro Manila at SM Megamall on Sept. 1, 2012.

DFA Undersecretary for Administration Rafael Seguis (4^th from left), Office of the Consular Affairs Acting Asst. Secretary Wilfredo Santos (5^th from left) , Senior Special Asst. of the DFA Undersecretary  for Administration Rowena Sanchez (3^rd from right) and DFA-NCR East Office OIC Merle Puruganan (2^nd from right) graced the opening of the DFA First metro Consular Satellite office at SM Megamall.  Joining them are SM SVP for Controllership Ricky Lim,  SM Supermalls President Annie Garcia, SM Department Store President Jorge T. Mendiola and Most Rev. Barnardino Cortez.

             Conveniently located at the 7^th floor of the mall’s newly opened Building C, the 1,300 square meter DFA consular satellite office (or DFA-National Capital Region East Office ) offers New Passport Application, Passport Renewal, Replacement of Lost Passport and Authentication services.

This office is part of the out-of-the-box formula that the DFA pursued last year to make their services faster, more accessible and convenient to the public and also as a result of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangements the DFA entered with SM and other private companies.

This partnership with SM will give mallgoers the opportunity to have their passports processed while shopping, having fun, and doing their other errands in SM Megamall. 

“The opening of DFA-NCR East is the continuing fruition of the President and the Secretary of Foreign Affairs’ commitment to bringing world class and convenient service to the public,” DFA Undersecretary for Administration Rafael E. Seguis said.

Mandaluyong Councilors Francisco Esteban and Alexander Sta. Maria.

It can accommodate up to 1,000 applicants a day for New Passport Application, Passport Renewal and Replacement of Lost Passport.  Applicants are encouraged to schedule an appointment for fast facilitation of their passport applications, as only applicants with scheduled appointments, PWD, OFW and senior citizens with valid proof of age shall be accommodated. 

 “One’s application can be finished in an hour or less while Seniors, PWD and OFW are guaranteed to finish their application in 45 minutes.” said DFA Passport Division Director Andre Estanislao.

“Two hundred (200) applicants a day can be accommodated for the Authentication service.   Walk-in applicants are also accepted here,” he adds.

   NSO Administrator and Civil Registrar General  Carmelita Ericta and SM SVP for Controllership Ricky Lim.

            The DFA-NCR East will be open to public from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Mondays to Saturdays, for both processing and releasing.    It will also be open from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Sundays, but for releasing only.

To schedule an appointment, applicants can log on to www.passport.com.ph or to www.megamallpassport.com.ph or call the DFA appointment hotline (02) 737-1000.

The DFA-NCR East office is located at the 7^th floor, Building C of SM Megamall. This project with the Department of Foreign Affairs is one of the many services SM extends beyond shopping to its customers.  Apart from offering foreign exchange, remittance, bills payments, show tickets, and phone card services at its Department Stores and Business Centers in the mall, SM also facilitates government services through tie-ups with the NSO, Pag-ibig, Phil-Health.