Philippine officials in Saudi Arabia have stepped up their campaign against "fixers" who exploit Filipinos in distress by charging them illegal and exorbitant fees. To protect Filipinos from fixers, the Philippine Embassy changed some of the procedures for issuing travel documents. "(In) all requests handled by the Assistance to Nationals Section, the Travel Document shall NOT be handed over to the applicant," the embassy said. New procedures The Passport and Notarial Section, headed by First Secretary and Consul Mohd. Noordin Lomondot, shall only issue Travel Documents to the following:
Persons who have renewed their passports but could not wait for its release because they are scheduled to go home; Newly-born children whose parents have reported their birth and applied for a passport but could not wait for the release of the latter; and Persons who have lost their passport for one reason or another and can apply for the replacement of the lost passport but cannot wait for its release. In these instances, the following shall be required: Personal appearance; Duly accomplished Travel Document application form Photocopy of old passport, or in the absence thereof, an NSO birth certificate authenticated by the DFA; Affidavit of Loss if the passport is still valid; Two colored photos (royal blue background), 4.5 cm x 3.5 cm in size, taken within the last six months; and Cash payment of consular fees in the amount of SAR 120 (P1,354) only The Assistance to Nationals Section (ATN Section) under Vice Consul Roussel Reyes shall issue Travel Documents to the following who have lost their passports: Persons detained in various jails or police stations in its consular jurisdiction; Persons held at the Deportation Centers in its consular jurisdiction; Persons who will be endorsed for repatriation to the offices of the Saudi Social Welfare Authority (SSWA) in its consular jurisdiction; and Persons who are staying at the Filipino Welfare Resource Centers of the Philippine Overseas Labor Offices in its consular jurisdiction. In these cases, the following shall be required: Personal appearance, if possible; Duly accomplished Travel Document form; Two colored photos, which may be taken by the ATN Section for those detained; and Affidavit of Loss. "Due to the circumstances involved, the payment of the consular fees shall be waived," the Embassy said. The Embassy said the ATN Section shall only issue Travel Documents at the jail or office where the Filipino requesting assistance is being held or staying. It said a irregular Overseas Filipino Worker who visits the Embassy for the issuance of a Travel Document shall be interviewed and, if the ATN case officer is satisfied with the veracity of the application, be allowed to accomplish the relevant form - "provided that the issuance of the Travel Document shall be made at the concerned Saudi office (i. e., the Deportation Office)." "This procedure ensures the early issuance of the Travel Documents for those detained and at the Deportation Centers as well as streamline the process for those at the FWRC and SSWA," the Embassy said. - GMA News 
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