Passport fixers still roam DFA’s high-tech facility

Apparently, investing millions of pesos on modernizing the country’s passport service is not enough to rid it of illegal transactions. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) admitted on Sunday that fixers remain in its new passport facility, even as it has now enlisted the help of police to curb the corrupt practice. The DFA’s Office of Consular Affairs (OCA) announced it is linking up with the Philippine National Police to address the problem of fixers allegedly arranging early appointments for passport applicants in exchange for as much as P10,000. “We have already met with officials of the PNP on this matter. Steps on addressing the presence of fixers are now underway, and we will closely work with the police to resolve the issue," OCA executive director Felipe Carino III said in a release posted on the DFA website. The release came after recruitment agencies hurled a barrage of criticism on the department regarding the prolonged waiting time for appointments and the reported presence of the fixers at the new OCA building in the Asean Business Park in Parañaque City. The DFA earlier transferred its passport services to the high-tech building along Macapagal Boulevard, acquired for a price of P530 million with assistance from the Development Bank of the Philippines. “Agency owners have reported to industry meetings that new applicants have been approached by fixers asking amounts ranging from P5,000 to P10,000 for appointments. In two separate instances, an applicant gave P6,000 and her appointment was set for July 1, while three others who gave P10,000 each have not been given new appointment dates," said recruitment consultant Emmanuel Geslani in a release. The DFA, however, said they are now addressing the problem on three levels. “First, identified and suspected fixers are being investigated by the Parañaque PNP and the DFA’s Office of Intelligence Services. Second, we are enhancing the capabilities of our appointments system so it can detect fixers online, such as those doing multiple bookings, so that the questionable appointments can be canceled immediately," Carino explained. DFA employees found to be involved in the anomaly will further be “dealt with severely," he added. The OCA is thus appealing to passport applicants to identify fixers who extorted money from them, or who tried to do so, and file a report with the DFA’s Office of the Passport Director (OPD). Carino also reiterated that securing a passport appointment is free of charge and may be set in two ways: by calling their hotline, 737-1000 and through the Internet by accessing www.passport.com.ph. He added the OCA may also waive the appointment requirement to speed up the processing of passports in select cases. “This applies to such cases like an overseas Filipino worker who already has a job contract, persons who need urgent medical attention abroad, students and professionals who are attending seminars and/or fellowships and death of a relative abroad, among others, as long as the passport applicant can provide supporting documents that can prove that he or she needs to leave the country as soon as possible. They may report immediately to the OPD for proper evaluation of their request," he said. The OCA has likewise been scored for the reported delays in the processing and release of electronic passports (ePassport), which now takes two to three months. (See: DFA scored for ‘delay’ in release of ePassports) The DFA, however, said the delay is only in the waiting time to get an appointment, citing various reasons such as non-appearance of applicants on their scheduled dates and the influx in the number of applicants. It is thus opening its passport office even during Saturdays starting July 1, and reviving its Passport Extension Office at the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration in Mandaluyong City. (See: DFA to open offices on Saturdays starting July) —JV, GMANews.TV