DFA: Passport processing resumes in Cebu, Bacolod, Iloilo

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Foreign Affairs has resumed its passport processing operations in its regional offices in the cities of Cebu, Bacolod and Iloilo, following the Monday’s 6.9 magnitude earthquake, which affected Western and Central Visayas.

The DFA’s Public Information Service Unit said Tuesday that the agency’s regional consular offices, or RCOs, in the three Visayan cities “resumed operations on (Feb. 7) to provide services to the public.”

Pisu said the three RCOs temporarily suspended their respective operations “in the interest of public safety,” after the earthquake occurred off Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental past noon Monday.

Reports reaching the DFA headquarters in Pasay City said “there was only superficial damage to the RCO buildings in Cebu and Iloilo while the RCO in Bacolod sustained some minor cracks on the floor of its waiting area.”

The RCOs also reported that they were “still on alert status” and their respective personnel were “checking the facilities to ascertain if there are any structural damage to the RCOs.”

The DFA’s Office of Consular Affairs is “in constant communication with the RCOs in Cebu, Bacolod and Iloilo to monitor the situation,” Pisu added.