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HELLO PHILIPPINES
www.hello-philippines.com
Philippine Embassy Around The World
March 2012 – No. 4 / Fortnightly • UK & Europe Edition
ADVISORY: CONSULAR OUTREACH MISSION, NORWICH 10 MARCH 2012 (COM-1)
ADVISORY ON INTERNATIONAL DEPARTURE FORMALITIES FROM PHILIPPINE INTERNATIONAL PORTS The Embassy of the Philippines wishes to advise all Filipino travellers from the Philippines, departing from any airport or seaport bound for another country, that the Bureau of Immigration has issued on 10 January 2012 its ‘Guidelines on Department Formalities for International-Bound Passengers in all Airports and Seaports in the Philippines.” The entire text of the Guidelines can be found at http://www. immigration.gov.ph. Among the highlights of the Guidelines are the following: 1. Tourist travellers shall be required to present a valid passport, visa, and roundtrip ticket; 2. Financial capacity to travel may be proved by an authenticated affidavit of support or an affidavit of undertaking/guaranty; 3. Repatriated irregular workers may not be allowed to travel without clearance from the Inter-Agency
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Council Against Trafficking (IACAT); Passengers who stayed abroad for more than 1 year as tourist/ temporary visitor and intending to depart for a second or subsequent time shall be subject to secondary inspection; First time overseas Filipino workers shall present a passport, visa, airline/sea craft tickets, Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC); and Allowable Visa Usage; Balik-Manggagawa OFWs shall present a passport, valid visa, airline/sea craft ticket; and OEC issued by POLO or POEA; A Special Travel Exit Clearance shall be required from PEZA registered companies sending their employees to the Republic of Korea for training; conduction crew, seafarer going on special training prescribed by the foreign employer; those covered by Work to Residence Policy travelling
to New Zealand with no prearranged employment; and workers undergoing final interview or qualifying examination abroad as prescribed by the foreign employer; 8. Immigrant or permanent resident visa holder shall present a passport, permanent residence visa/immigrant visa, Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) Emigrant registration sticker; and airline/sea craft ticket; 9. Filipino spouse and other partners of foreign citizens shall present a passport, permanent residence permit or visa/immigrant visa, Guidance and Counseling Certificate, CFO Emigrant registration sticker, and airline/ sea craft ticket; and 10. Filipinos travelling on immigrant visas shall first register with CFO, secure a CFO Emigrant sticker, and attend a Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar (PDOS). ■ London,8February2012
ADVISORY ON RENEWAL/CLEARANCE OF VlSAS The Philippine Embassy in London wishes to advise all Filipinos intending to renew or change their entry/student/other visas to the same visa category or another visa category, as a result of changes in the Point Based System of managed migration adopted by the UK Government, to transact only with duly licensed immigration consultants and/or solicitors. The Philippine Embassy has been in receipt of numerous complaints from Filipinos
regarding their failed dealings with unlicensed immigration consultants and/or solicitors. While these complaints have been brought to the attention of local government authorities in the UK. our kababayans fail to obtain refund of the unconscionable fees often paid by them when they submit their documents to these unlicensed immigration consultants and/or solicitors. It is suggested that all transactions be made at the
offices of licensed immigration consultants and/or solicitors and, when necessary, ask them to produce their license to practice as immigration consultants and/ or solicitors before making any payment. Refrain from transacting business in clinics, cafes, telephones or mobile phones, e-mail, and other venues where it is not possible to ascertain the legitimate status of the immigration consultancy practice being offered. ■
ADVISORY ON THE EARTHQUAKE IN CENTRAL PHILIPPINES The Philippine Embassy in London wishes to provide the following information that the members of the Filipino Community in the United Kingdom, and their friends, may find useful in relation to the earthquake which hit Negros Oriental last 6 February 2012. l. Missing Relatves or Friends. Inquiries may be referred to the NDRRMC Operations Center at +632 911-1406; 912-2665 or 9125666. E-mail: dopcec@ndcc.gov. ph. Website: www.ndrrmc.gov.ph. ll. Donations. The needs of the victims are being met locally and no intemational appeal for assistance
has been issued by the Philippine Govemment. The earthquake is not at the catastrophic level but donations, if offered, may be sent to the following: National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Center (NDRRMC) Account Name: NDRRMC Donated Fund Account Number: 0435-021927130 Swift Code: DBPHPMM Account Number: 36002016 Address: DBP Camp Aguinaldo Branch, PVAO Compound, Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City Contact Person: Ms. Rufina A.
Pascual, NDRMMC Collecting Officer Contact Number: +632 421-1920; +632 911-5061 to 65 Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Earthquake Hotline: +632 2321192 Philippine Red Cross Please visit www.redcross.org.ph or email prc@redcross.org.ph Updates on the effect of the earthquake may be found at www.ndrrmc.gov.ph. ■ London, 14 February 2012
The Embassy is pleased to announce the holding of its 1st Consular Outreach Mission for 2012 at the following venue: DATE: 1O MARCH 2012, SATURDAY TIME: 9 AM TO 5 PM (SATURDAY) VENUE: COSTESSEY CENTRE, LONGWATER LANE, COSTESSEY, NORWICH, NORFOLK, NR8 5AH CONTACT PERSON: MR. JEROME ALBANO, PRESIDENT OF PINOY IN NORWICH AKSYONG SAMAHAN [PINAS] (0779974-7514) - for directions to the venue SERVICES OFFERED: • E-PASSPORT APPLICATIONS (by booking with the Embassy £rom 27 February - 02 March 2012 only on a first-book/first-served basis) • EMERGENCY GREEN PASSPORT APPLICATIONS • PASSPORT VALIDITY PERIOD EXTENSION APPLICATIONS • PASSPORT AMENDMENT (FROM SINGLE TO MARRIED NAME — ON GREEN PASSPORTS ONLY) • ONE-WAY TRAVEL DOCUMENT APPLICATIONS • REPORTS OF BIRTH, MARRIAGE, DEATH • NOTARIAL & LEGALIZATION SERVICES (AFFIDAVITS, SPAs) • NBI FORM APPLICATIONS • ACCEPTANCE OF PHILIPPINE VISA APPLICATIONS (NOTE: NO ACTUAL VISAS WILL BE ISSUED DURING THE OUTREACH MISSION) • PHILIPPINE CITIZENSHIP RETENTION/RE-ACQUISITION • ASSISTANCE-TO-NATIONALS
AND LEGAL ADVICE REGARDING PHILIPPINE LAW • SSS, PAG-IBIG AND OWWA MEMBERSHIP/ BENEFITS (OEC ISSUANCE) • ADVICE ON EMPLOYMENT/ LABOR RELATED MATTERS • OVERSEAS ABSENTEE VOTING REGISTRATION (Please bring a valid passport) All those who will avail of the services during the Outreach Mission are advised to check the documentary and other requirements at www. philembassy-uk.org. Applicants may likewise download application forms in advance from the same website. All those who will avail of the services during the Outreach Mission are advised to check the documentary and other requirements at wwwphilembassy-uk.org. Applicants may likewise download application forms in advance from the same website. Those who wish to receive their e-Passports, visas to the Philippines, or other documents by post are advised to submit a self-addressed stamped special delivery envelope with their applications. Payments for consular services can be made in cash (English currency) or with postal money orders made out to the Philippine Embassy. Personal cheques are not accepted for payment purposes. The Embassy looks forward to seeing you at the Consular Outreach Mission in Norwich. ■
Republic of the Philippines
COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS COMMITTEE ON OVERSEAS ABSENTEE VOTING MANILA
NOTICE OF REGISTRATION AND ELECTION TO ALL FILIPINO CITIZENS Notice is hereby given that under Republic Act No. 9189, otherwise known as “The Overseas Absentee Voting Act of 2003”, all citizens of the Philippines abroad, not otherwise disqualified by law, at least eighteen ( 18 ) years of age on the day of the election, and who are registered overseas absentee voters with approved application to vote in absentia, may vote for Senators and Party-List Representatives. For this purpose, all qualified Filipinos citizens not registered as voters under Republic Act No. 8189, otherwise known as “The Voters Registration Act of 1996”, (the system of continuing registration) shall file an application for registration while those who are already registered under the said Act shall file an application for certification. For purposes of the May 13, 2013 elections, the filing of applications
for registration/certification and transfer of registration records shall be filed at the Post or other designated registration areas from October 31, 2011 to October 31, 2012. The 30-day voting period will commence on April 13, 2013 until 3:00 o’clock in the afternoon (Philippine time) of May 13, 2013 at Philippine Embassies or Consulates. (The time for voting to be announced later) For details, please contact Mr. Rosendo Rodriguez/Mrs. Edith Malilin at telephone numbers 0207451181 6/02074511826/02074511803 or the following online/web sources: The Philippine Embassy, London (Official Facebook Page); @philemblondon (Official Twitter Account); www. philembassy-uk.org (Official website); and embassy@philemb.co.uk (for email queries).
Embassy of the Philippines, London, United Kingdom
6 - 8 Suffolk Street, London SW1Y 4HG Tel: 020-7451-1780 Fax: 020-7930-9787 E-mail: embassy@philemb.co.uk Website: philembassy-uk.org
DFA-Overseas Absentee Voting Secretariat (Manila) COMELEC-COAV (Manila): www.dfa.gov.ph / ww.dfa-oavs.gov.ph www.comelec.gov.ph Hotlines: +6328344361, +6328343275 Hotlines: +6325222251, +6325212952, +6325239924