President Aquino Declares June 30 Special Non-Working Holiday, Embassy will be closed

President Benigno Aquino issued Proclamation No. 154 last 26 April 2011, announcing that Monday, 20 June 2011 will be designated a special non-working holiday in the Philippines, in order to allow Filipinos to more fully participate in activities and events commemorating the 150th birth anniversary of Philippine national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal.

The proclamation was made in line with recommendations submitted by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), which recommended that June 20 be designated a non-working holiday instead of June 19, which falls on a Sunday.

In compliance with the proclamation and in commemoration of the 150th birth anniversary of Dr. Rizal, the Philippine Embassy in Singapore will be closed to the public on Monday, 20 June 2011.

Singapore: Philippine Independence Day Celebration 2011 - Oratorical Contest

If you're a Filipino, between 10-18 year old, currently living in Singapore, and good at Public speaking, this is you chance to showcase you’re speaking talent.

In public speaking, as in any form of communication, there are five basic elements, often expressed as "who is saying what to whom using what medium with what effects?" The purpose of public speaking can range from simply transmitting information, to motivating people to act, to simply telling a story. Good orators should be able to change the emotions of their listeners, not just inform them.

-Wikipedia

Theme:  Filipinos – Free and Responsible New Heroes
 
Contest Rules:

1. An elimination round to select the top 5 contestants is scheduled on May 28, 2011 from 2 pm to 6 pm. Venue is at High Reach Center, 21 Tan Quee Lan Street #02-06 Heritage Place opposite Bugis Junction off North Bridge Road.
   
2. Participants may select a declamation or oratorical piece of their choice either in English or Filipino. The choice piece of the contestant for the elimination round need not necessarily reflect the theme of the PIDC 2011 celebrations but must not exceed 5 minutes of delivery time.
   
3. To register for the elimination round on May 28, 2011, please register by sending an email to pidcsoratoricalcontest@gmail.com with the following details on or before May 27, 2011 –
    
   Name:
   Address:
   IC Number:
   Contact Number:
   Preferred Email Address:
   Title of Piece to be delivered:
   Language (English or Filipino):
   
4. Filipinos by citizenship, ethnicity, affinity or interest (e.g. a Singaporean who has a heart for Filipinos) may join.  The contest is limited to those belonging to the 10 – 18 years age group.
   
5. Criteria for judging –  Originality & Creativity                            20% 
                                Confidence, Stage Presence, & Style        30% 
                                Voice Projection                                    25% 
                                Speech Clarity                                      25%
   
6. The selected 5 finalists will be allowed to choose their preferred contest piece from a selection of pieces provided by the committee, which will include both English and Filipino declamation and oratorical pieces. They will perform their pieces during the PIDC Grand Fiesta 2011, Philippine Independence Day Celebrations at the Hong Lim Park on June 12.
   
7. All contestants are encouraged to be in a Filipiniana Attire and are requested to be at Hong Lim Park  near the stage area on June 12 by 10:00 am (time). Bring spare daily wear clothes.
   
8. Decision of the board of judges is final.
   
9. Awarding of the following prizes will be held on the same day at the same venue: 
      Best Orator:  Trophy + Round Trip Ticket to the Philippines 
                          Featured Winner in the PIDC Singapore Website
                          HOLIDAY PROGRAMME VOUCHER - 
                          FREE COURSE worth $500 from HighReach Educational Centre
    
           1st Runner Up : Trophy, Holiday Program Voucher –
                                  50% off on HighReach HOLIDAY PROGRAMMES
           2nd Runner Up : Trophy, Holiday  Program Voucher - 
                                  30% on HighReach HOLIDAY PROGRAMMES 
    
10. There will be only one set of winners for both of English and Filipino declamation entries .

Filipino Independence Day Council Singapore Grand Fiesta 2011: Slogan Puzzle Contest

The Pilipino Independence Day Council Singapore (PIDCS) in cooperation with the Philippine Embassy is inviting everyone to the Grand Fiesta 2011, a day-long celebration of  the 113th anniversary of proclamation of Philippine Independence, at the Hong Lim Park on 12 June 2011, Sunday, from 8:00AM to 6:00PM.

As part of the celebration, PIDCS is holding a "Slogan Puzzle Contest", wherein the winner will receive round trip tickets to the Philippines.

Additional information and contest mechanics are listed below:

Philippine Embassy Announces Resumption of Sunday Operations

The Philippine Embassy in Singapore will be resuming its Sunday-Thursday work schedule on Sunday, 8 May 2011.

The transacting public is advised that the Embassy will once again be open for passport, notarial, civil registry, and labor-related services from Sunday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1.30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Visa applications will continue to be accepted from Monday to Thursday only, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

For more information on the Embassy’s operating hours, refer to the following schedule:

Embassy Services	Schedule
Passport Application	Sundays to Thursdays, 9:00 am – 12:30 pm & 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm, or when a quota of 150 applicants is reached (whichever is earlier)
Collection of Overdue Passports & Passports Coursed Through Agencies	Mondays to Thursdays, 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm only
Regular Passport Collection	Mondays to Thursdays, 10:00 am - 12:30 pm & 1:30 pm – 4:00 pm only
Notarials (Application)	Sundays to Thursdays, 9:00 am - 12:30 pm & 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm only
Notarials (Collection)	Sundays to Thursdays, 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm only
Authentication (Application)	Sundays to Thursdays, 9:00 am - 12:30 pm only
Authentication (Collection)	Sundays to Thursdays, 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm & only
Visa Application	Mondays to Thursdays, 9:00 am – 12:00 noon only
Visa Collection	Mondays to Thursdays, 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm only
OEC / OWWA Membership Application	Sundays to Thursdays, 9:00 am – 12:30 pm & 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm only
Contract Verification & Authentication (Individuals)	Sundays to Thursdays, 9:00 am – 12:30 pm & 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm only
Contract Verification & Authentication (Agency)	Mondays to Thursdays, 9:00 am – 12:30 pm & 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm only

 

The Embassy will be closed to public transactions on Fridays and Saturdays.

Filipinos in distress requiring urgent and immediate assistance are advised to text or call the Embassy’s emergency hotline, +65.9072.2797.

The Embassy may limit the entry of non-applicants, given its physical space constraints. Applicants are discouraged from bringing companions, especially young children and the elderly.

Philippine Independence Day Celebration (PIDC) 2011, request for sponsors

This came from Philippine Embassy in Singapore…

In an earlier invitation and request for support, we have given the following datelines:

May 10, 2011 -  last day of submission of emailed or written commitment to Sponsor PIDC 2011

May 12, 2011 -  last day of submission of payment for the committed sponsorship as well as all materials and information needed for lay-outing the corresponding advertisement in the PIDC.

Special advertisement rate in the PIDC Souvenir Magazine (banner and 1/8 page feature) for FilCom Friends and members is:

S$ 100.00.

Participation and exposure during the June 12, 2011 Celebrations at Telok Ayer Hong Lim Green Park is available for the following:

S$ 200.00 - "non-selling" table

S$ 300.00 - "selling" table.

Payments may be made thru:

1. Raquel Rabang at PNB Lucky Plaza, 3rd Floor
2. Filipino Expatriate Wives Singapore

    DBS account no.: 029-901997-0

When making payments thru the Filipino Expatriate Wives Singapore, please send copies of your deposit slips or provide transaction details to facilitate accounting.
Again, please feel free to call any of us for further clarifications (Loida Corpus 9177 0133; Raquel Rabang 9776 1352; Nannette Villajos 9639 0478).

Many, many thanks for your continued support.

 

Philippine Independence Day Celebration Steering Committee

Singapore honor the current Philippine President by naming orchid after him

Singapore on Friday named an orchid with bright golden yellow petals after President Benigno Aquino, an honor accorded to visiting heads of state.

President Benigno S. Aquino III graces the orchid breed naming ceremony at the National Orchid Garden in the Singapore Botanic Gardens Friday

The island-state's National Parks Board named the orchid Ascocenda Benigno S. Aquino in a ceremony at the Singapore National Orchid Garden on Friday morning.

"This is a vigorous and free flowering hybrid. It bears flowering sprays with 10 to 12 flowers each. The flowers are 7 to 8 cm across. Petals and sepals are bright golden yellow with many distinct reddish-brown spots and tessellations," the board said in a statement.

President Benigno Aquino 3rd holds a picture of an orchid named after him—Ascocendra Benigno S. Aquino 3rd—during an orchid breed-naming ceremony at the National Orchid Garden in the Singapore Botanic Gardens on Friday

Aquino's late revered mother, former President Corazon Aquino, also had an orchid named after her but it was not in bloom this season.

Malacanang created Overseas Preparedness and Response Team to handle crises situations affecting Filipinos abroad

 

Malacañang has created a new, high-level team to strengthen the government’s ability to respond to the needs of overseas Filipino workers faced with political conflict and natural disasters in the countries where they toil.

Executive Order No. 34, signed on April 6 by President Benigno Aquino III and Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. establishes the Overseas Preparedness and Response Team under the Office of the President. It replaces the Middle East Preparedness Team that was formed in 2002 to deal with the evacuation of thousands of Filipino workers in the Middle East during the crisis in Iraq.

The EO mandates that the OPRT be composed of the executive secretary as chairperson and the presidential adviser on overseas Filipino workers’ concerns and the secretaries of the Departments of Foreign Affairs, Labor and Employment, National Defense, Justice, the Interior and Local Government, and Budget and Management as members.

The presidential adviser on migrant workers is Vice President Jejomar Binay.

The high-level crisis team has been tasked to draw up strategies and programs and to formulate policies to appropriately respond to crisis situations affecting Filipinos abroad. It shall develop and adopt interactive operating arrangements among agencies to effect maximum coordination.

The panel may call upon any department or agency of the government or private-sector group and coordinate with bilateral and multilateral partners in the formulation and implementation of plans, programs and policies.

“Natural disasters, civil unrest, armed conflicts and similar crises in foreign countries expose overseas Filipinos to immediate hazards and risks,” Ochoa said in a statement regarding the EO.

“So, it is only imperative that we establish a measure and a system that would ensure the safety and welfare of our countrymen abroad,” he added.

Philippine Embassy Singapore: Observe proper behavior and follow the laws and regulations of the host country

In view of recent incidents (author comment: look for related website forums) involving Filipinos in Singapore, the Philippine Embassy has issued the following guidelines to remind all Singapore-based Filipinos to observe proper behavior and follow the laws and regulations of the host country.

1. Obey the laws of the host country.  As foreigners who work, live or study in Singapore, Filipinos are obliged to respect the laws and regulations of the host country, and should behave properly as guests and visitors.
2. Filipinos should respect the differences between Filipino and Singaporean culture and be sensitive to these differences.
3. Refrain from engaging in partisan politics, especially during the election season in Singapore.  Filipinos should avoid any involvement in partisan political debates and activities in Singapore as this is a violation of Singapore laws.
4. Filipinos, including Permanent Residents, are not allowed to participate in political campaigns and do not have the right to vote in Singapore elections.  Under Singapore laws, errant foreigners may be charged under the Societies Act, the Public Entertainment and Meetings Act, the Immigration Act, and/or the Penal Code if they engage in partisan political activity in the city-state.
5. Avoid participating in online debates, chats or blogs that are political in nature.  Refrain from explicit negative comments, particularly racial or religious slurs and insults.  Participating in these online debates will only inflame the situation and may result in untoward incidents, possible loss of employment and investigation by authorities.

Updated Philippine Embassy Singapore Modified Office Hours from from 31 March to 24 April 2011

Another modified office schedule from Philippine Embassy in Singapore from from 31 March to 24 April 2011 only:

The Philippine Embassy in Singapore announced that due to further improvements to be made to its public waiting area, its Monday-Friday work schedule will be extended from 31 March to 24 April 2011. The extension is also being implemented in light of the slowdown of scheduled repairs, caused by the onset of heavy rain in the preceding weeks.

The Embassy will be closed to public transactions on Saturdays and Sundays during the said period.  No consular or labor services will be available over the weekend.

The transacting public is advised, however, that the Embassy will be open for passport, notarial, civil registry, and labor services from Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Visa applications will continue to be accepted from Monday to Thursday only.

As the improvements are being made to the Embassy’s public area, the modified office schedule is being implemented to minimize the risk and inconvenience to the transacting public.

Likewise, applicants are discouraged from bringing companions, especially young children and the elderly, to the Embassy.  In order to avoid overcrowding and congestion, particularly within the area under repair, the Embassy may limit the entry on non-applicants.

The public’s cooperation and kind understanding will be appreciated.

The Embassy will be closed on the following dates:

DATE	DAY	REMARKS
01 April 2011	Friday	OPEN
02 April 2011	Saturday	CLOSED
03 April 2011	Sunday	CLOSED
09 April 2011	Saturday	CLOSED
10 April 2011	Sunday	CLOSED
16 April 2011	Saturday	CLOSED
17 April 2011	Sunday	CLOSED
21 April 2011	Maundy Thursday	CLOSED
22 April 2011	Good Friday	CLOSED
23 April 2011	Saturday	CLOSED
24 April 2011	Sunday	CLOSED
29 April 2011	Friday	CLOSED
01 May 2011	Sunday	OPEN

 

Clients with queries are advised to send an e-mail to php@pacific.net.sg or leave a voice mail clearly stating their name, contact number and nature of inquiry at +65.6737.3977.  Queries will be responded to within one to three working days.

Filipinos in distress requiring urgent and immediate assistance are advised to text or call the Embassy’s emergency hotline, +65.9072.2797.

Resumption of normal operating schedule (Sunday-Thursday) shall be on (Sunday) 01 May 2011.

Campaign Support for inclusion of Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR) in New 7 Wonders of Nature

Philippine Ambassador to Singapore Minda Calaguian-Cruz declared the Philippine Embassy’s full support for the inclusion of the Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR) in the New 7 Wonders of Nature, a global polling campaign that “highlights and celebrates the beauty of the planet.”

 

“The Philippine Embassy supports the campaign to have the Puerto Princesa Underground River recognized as one of the new seven wonders of nature and enjoin all Filipinos and nature lovers to vote for our overwhelming choice,” the Philippine envoy said.

The PPUR was declared as one of the 28 official entries in this global polling search, which includes the Amazon River (Brazil), Komodo (Indonesia), Grand Canyon (USA), Maldives, Halong Bay (Vietnam), Uluru (Australia), Jeju Island (Korea), to name a few.

Puerto Princesa’s Assistant City Administrator/Tourism Officer Rebecca Labit visited Singapore in February and sought the support of the Filipino community in Singapore during the monthly Filcom meeting at the Embassy to ensure the entry of the PPUR in the New 7 Wonders of Nature.   No less than President Benigno S. Aquino III has endorsed the PPUR campaign.

The nationwide campaign for this worldwide search began on 01 March 2011 and will end on 10 November 2011, the last day of voting.

The Philippine Embassy appeals to all Filipinos and their friends in Singapore to vote for PPUR by logging on to New 7 Wonders or via SMS by typing PPUR and sending it to 2861.

PE Singapore Announcement of Delays in ePassport Release

This came from Philippine Embassy in Singapore:

Due to unforeseen technical problems in the production of ePassports in Manila, there will be delays in the release of the passports scheduled for collection from 1 to 11 March 2011.

Please be informed that the Embassy is closely monitoring the production process and will call the applicants as soon as their passports become available.  Alternatively, applicants may call tel. no. 65.6737.3977 ext. 127 or 111.

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate the public’s kind understanding.

Thank you for the kind cooperation.

Updated Philippine Embassy Singapore Modified Office Hours from 11 Feb – 31 Mar 2011

Philippine Embassy in Singapore announced that it will be reverting to a Monday-Friday work schedule from  11 February to 31 March 2011 in order to undertake improvements to its public waiting area.

The Embassy will be closed to public transactions on Saturdays and Sundays during the said period.  No consular or labor services will be available over the weekend.

The transacting public is advised, however, that the Embassy will be open for passport, notarial, civil registry, and labor services from Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.  Visa applications will continue to be accepted from Monday to Thursday only.

As the improvements will be implemented in the Embassy’s public area, the modified office hours have been put into place to minimize the risk and inconvenience to the transacting public.

Likewise, applicants are discouraged from bringing companions, especially young children and the elderly, to the Embassy. In order to avoid overcrowding and congestion, particularly within the area under repair, the Embassy may limit the entry on non-applicants.

The public’s cooperation and kind understanding will be appreciated.

The Embassy will be closed on the following dates:

• OPEN – 11 February (Friday)
• CLOSED - 12 February (Saturday)
• CLOSED - 13 February (Sunday)
• CLOSED - 19 February (Saturday)
• CLOSED - 20 February (Sunday)
• CLOSED - 26 February (Saturday)
• CLOSED - 27 February (Saturday)
• CLOSED - 05 March (Saturday)
• CLOSED - 06 March (Sunday)
• CLOSED - 12 March (Saturday)
• CLOSED - 13 March (Sunday)
• CLOSED - 19 March (Saturday)
• CLOSED - 20 March (Sunday)
• CLOSED - 26 March (Saturday)
• CLOSED - 27 March (Sunday)
• CLOSED - 01 April (Friday)
• CLOSED - 02 April (Saturday)
• OPEN – 03 April (Sunday)

Clients with queries are advised to send an e-mail to php@pacific.net.sg or leave a voice mail clearly stating their name, contact number and nature of inquiry at +65.6737.3977. Queries will be respnded to within one to three working days.

Filipinos in distress requiring urgent and immediate assistance are advised to text or call the Embassy’s emergency hotline, +65.9072.2797.

Resumption of normal operating schedule (Sunday-Thursday) shall be on (Friday) 01 April 2011.

Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Accepting Applications for 2011 Foreign Service Officer (FSO) Exam

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced that it is now accepting applications for the 2011 Foreign Service Officers (FSO) Examination.

The FSO Exams will be held on the following dates:

• Part I- Qualifying Test (20 Mar 2011)
• Part II – Preliminary Interview (04 and 06 Jun 2011)
• Part III – Written Examination (08 to 10 Jun 2011)
• Part IV – Oral Examination (12 to 14 Oct 2011)
• Part V – Psychological Examination (21-25 Nov 2011)

All parts of the examination will be conducted in the Philippines.

Applicants must meet the following basic criteria:

• Filipino citizen
• Less than thirty-five (35) years of age on 20 Mar 2011; and
• In possession of a four (4) year bachelor’s degree.

The list of additional requirements and the application form for the examination may be downloaded from the Embassy website (click on the links below).

Those interested may submit their duly accomplished application forms, together with all necessary supporting documents, in person at Window 1 of the Embassy no later than 5:00 pm on Wednesday, 2 February 2011.  Application forms may also be submitted in person to the DFA Main Office until 5:00 pm on Friday, 11 February 2011.

Applications will not be accepted beyond the set deadline.

To download the Examination Announcement and list of requirements, click here.
To download the 2011 FSO Examination application form, click here.

Malacañang Announces Christmas Holiday Schedule

Malacañang announced it was retaining the holiday schedule provided for under Proclamation No. 1841 of 2009 “Declaring the Regular Holidays, Special (Non-working) Days, and Special Holiday (for all Schools) for the Year 2010, saying the law was “relevant” for the occasion.

In an interview aired over dzRB on Sunday, Presidential Communication and Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma said the government concurred with the law also known as the “holiday economics” law which provides that non-religious holidays be moved to the nearest Monday.

The rationale behind this law is to give Filipinos a longer weekend with which they can use to bond and strengthen family relationships as well as spur domestic tourism.

Under Proclamation No. 1841, December 24 (Friday) and December 31 (Friday) have been declared as “additional special (non-working) days” while December 27 has been declared a non-working holiday as it falls on the Monday nearest Rizal Day, a regular holiday every December 30.

With this holiday schedule, a pocket of three working days from December 28 (Tuesday) to December 30 (Thursday) remains for the remainder of the year after Christmas.

Philippine Bureau of Immigration screening procedures led to a big drop in the number of human trafficking victims reaching Singapore

The Philippine embassy in Singapore lauded the Bureau of Immigration’s (BI) campaign against human trafficking that prevented the departure of thousands of undocumented overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) during the past weeks, many of them bound for the progressive city-state.

In a letter to Immigration Officer-In-Charge Ronaldo Ledesma, embassy charge d’ affaires Nathaniel Imperial said the BI’s recent screening procedures for departing Filipinos led to a big drop in the number of human trafficking victims reaching Singapore.

Imperial said Singapore, being a Freeport, is a regular destination and transshipment point of Filipinos who are victims of illegal recruiters and prostitution rings preying on young women.

“The Embassy appreciates this effort of the Bureau in countering the trafficking problem in the Philippines, especially since Singapore is a destination country of many trafficking victims,” the official said.

Imperial said that due to the BI’s intensified drive against human trafficking, the embassy now receives frequent queries from Filipinos in Singapore who wish to invite relatives and friends to visit them.

He asked the BI for specific guidelines as to when immigration officers at the airports may require affidavits and other proofs from travelling Filipinos who claim they were invited by relatives and friends abroad.

Lawyer Arvin Santos, BI airport operations division chief, said such affidavits must be authenticated by the Philippine embassy in Singapore, but stressed that such affidavit is not a guarantee that the invitee will be allowed to depart.

He said it is the discretion of the immigration officer to allow or disallow the departure of a passenger depending on the assessment during primary and secondary inspections.
Santos said there were past reports that affidavits were being forged by human trafficking syndicates to facilitate the departure of “tourist workers”, or would-be OFWs disguised as tourists.

Philippine Embassy – Report of New Birth and First-Time Passport Applicant

Report of birth and passport application forms must be accomplished by either of the Filipino parents or guardian.  The infant/child need to be personally brought to the embassy.

(For infants/children born in Singapore of Filipino parent/s)

Basic Requirements

• Duly accomplished passport application form
• Original and five (5) photocopies of the following documents
• • Birth Certificate issued by the Singapore Registration of Births
  • Report of Birth
  • Passports of parents (data pages only)
  • Marriage contract of parents (if applicable)
• Cash payment of S$187.00 (passport and notarization fees)

Additional Requirements (for newly born baby whose parents are not legally married)

• Affidavit of Acknowledgement to be executed by both parents
• Affidavit by the father consenting the use of his surname
• Cash payment of S$229.50 (passport and notarization fees)

Philippine Embassy Closure this November

Got this info from Philippine Embassy rep:

Please be advised that the Embassy will be closed on:

• November 17, Wednesday (Hari Raya) and
• November 29, Monday (Bonifacio Day).

A duty officer will be available to answer phone calls from 9AM to 5PM (6737-3977 for consular matters and 6734-7609 for labor matters).

For emergencies, please call the hp# 9072-2797.

--
Nathalie A. Fajardo
Cultural Assistant
Philippine Embassy
Singapore

Philippine Embassy (Singapore) Passport Renewal Process

As a passport with at least six months’ validity is a standard requirement for international travel, applicants are advised to renew their passports early to avoid inconvenience.

 

It takes six weeks to process the Philippine passport. In order to prevent overcrowding and in compliance with Singapore safety and welfare regulations, the Philippine Embassy institutes a cut-off of 80 – 100 applicants a day during periods of high consular traffic.

Applicants are advised to schedule their visits during weekdays to avoid long queues.

Basic Requirements

• Personal appearance of the applicant
• Duly accomplished passport application form
• Original and photocopy of passport (for renewals)
• Cash payment will be S$102.00 for the new ePassport (effective 28 June 2010).
• Passport Photos are no longer required, but applicants are required to wear the following:
  • For men: decent shirt, with collar
  • For women: decent attire, with or without collar (no sleeveless / no plunging neckline)

Additional Requirements

For Singapore Permanent Residents / Employment Pass / S-Pass / Dependant’s Pass / Long Term Pass & Work Permit holders (excluding household service workers)

• Original and photocopy of identity / employment card

For Household Service Workers

• Valid employment contract authenticated by the Philippine Embassy

For Seamen

• Seaman’s book
• Crew list
• Letter from the master of the vessel / authorized agency

For Married Women Who Wish to use the Surname of their Husband (holding machine-readable passports)

Married in Singapore

• Original and photocopy of Report of Marriage filed at the Philippine Embassy
• Original and photocopy of marriage certificate issued by Singapore Registry of Marriages (ROM)
• Photocopy of the data pages of passports of both husband and wife

Married in Philippines

• Original and photocopy of marriage contract issued by NSO and duly authenticated by DFA
• Photocopy of the data pages of passports of both husband and wife

Married in Abroad

• Original and photocopy of NSO-issued marriage certificate and duly authenticated by DFA
• Photocopy of the data pages of passports of both husband and wife

Important Notes

1. Collection of passports / travel documents may be delegated provided there is a proper letter of authorization.
2. Please take note of important embassy schedules for the processing and collection of passports / travel documents.

Philippine Bureau of Immigration mulls new Arrival/Departure card system

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is considering a new system to capture and store information from the arrival/departure cards being filled up by international travelers in the country’s ports of entry.

The front of a disembarkation form issued by the Bureau of Immigration of the Government of the Philippines. The form bears the statement: "WARNING: DEATH TO DRUG TRAFFICKERS UNDER PHILIPPINE LAW (RA 7659)".

 

Immigration officer-in-charge Ronaldo Ledesma said he instructed Jollybert Galleon, BI computer section chief, to undertake the study and submit his recommendation as soon as possible. Ledesma said the bureau needs to come up with a more economical and efficient mode of retrieving and encoding the data in the cards without entering into contracts with private companies that only tend to create controversies and problems for the bureau.

Last week, the Department of Justice (DOJ) ordered the cancellation of the BI’s contract with e.Xtend Inc., the company that produces the cards being distributed by the bureau to travelers who enter and leave the country.

The contract was ordered revoked due to the controversies generated by the picture of dermatologist Vicky Belo on the card in an advertisement for the services of the latter’s beauty clinic.

Earlier, President Aquino ordered the BI to remove his picture from the card when he saw it during his recent trip to the United States.

Under its contract with the BI, e.Xtend, Inc. also provides the equipment that scans and retrieves information written in the cards.

Beware: GSIS Issues Warning Against Fake Agents

The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) alerted the public that some private individuals have been caught using the agency’s name in securing reinsurance contracts in London and Australia without its authority.

Upon verification, the contracts were revealed to be fraudulent, while the persons involved were also uncovered as fake agents who were not connected in any way to the GSIS.  The following persons were identified as having falsely identified themselves as authorized representatives of the agency:

   1. Efren O. Docena;
   2. Roberto C. Ibasco; and
   3. Arnulfo R. Madriaga.

The GSIS warns that it assumes no responsibility to compensate or indemnify any party for any contract or agreement entered into by persons or entities who have not been authorized by the GSIS to do so.

The public is advised to seek verification from the GSIS prior to entering into any GSIS-related transaction with purported agents.