Photo from the DFA
MANILA, Philippines — A senator on Thursday flagged the lack of funding for recently opened regional consular offices in the country and foreign service posts, which an official said would force the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to “cannibalize” its funds to sustain their operations.
“There are a few concerns regarding the budget, it’s very paltry sum and I have some concerns that in fact no funds were provided for the RCOs (regional consular offices) in many of our provinces,” Senator Imee Marcos said during the budget hearing of the DFA in the Senate.
Marcos pointed out that several regional consular officials were given funding in 2019 but were excluded in the proposed 2022 budget.
“We’re a bit worried. These RCOs are a huge help to our probinsyanos (Filipinos in the provinces) and we’re really worried that they’ll have to shut down because in 2019 nabigyan yan ng pera (they were given money), 2022, axed out na naman (they were axed out),” she said.
Based on the DFA’s presentation, it proposed a P62-million allocation for the operations of five of its regional consular offices.
But the Department of Budget and Management, which submits to Congress the National Expenditure Program, did not approve the request.
“Some of them we have already opened using our existing budget just to operate it and for others—because this requires the approval of the office of the president, it’s already with the OP—but you’re right, unless we get the continuing funds for this, we will have to cannibalize basically our own funds to realign it to make this consular offices operate,” Foreign Undersecretary for consular affairs Brigido Dulay Jr. told senators.
He further agreed with Marcos that the DFA’s regional consular offices are the “most effective” way to reach out to Filipinos across the country.
“It is the most effective manner really—our consular offices—to serve our Filipinos…so we direly need the funds for that particular purpose,” Dulay said.
Marcos expressed willingness to push for more budget to ensure that these consular offices are funded.
“To those who live in the provinces, we all rely on these RCOs and ‘cannibalize’ is an alarming word and I hope we find a better way,” she said.
“Perhaps you can give us an update baka kung sakali naman kung hindi masyadong malaki yung halaga, e maisingit singit na lang diyan,” she added.
(Perhaps you can give us an update, maybe if it’s not too big, we can insert some funds for that.)
Foreign service posts
Marcos also pointed to the country’s six newly opened foreign service posts, asking if there is sufficient funding to continue operating them.
She was referring to the foreign posts established in Rabat, Morocco; Stockholm, Sweden; Barcelona, Spain; Nagoya, Japan; Melbourne, Australia; and Istanbul, Turkey.
“Is there enough money to sustain these new FSPs? Nakakahiya kabubukas lang (It will be a shame, they just opened),” she said.
According to Dulay, funds were allocated for 2021 but “it was not completely funded.”
“The complete allocation for those posts was not given to us. So again, to operate, [DFA Sec. Teodoro] Locsin Jr. has been very frugal and he’s always said that we’ll take from our budget so again, practically again we’re cannibalizing our current budget to make it operate,” the DFA official said.
Marcos also asked for a breakdown of the needed budget for the operation of the said posts.
“Also indicate your priorities, there are several posts here, several RCOs. San kayo kumikita diyan? Alin yung maraming naga-apply para sa pasaporte? At yung sa FSP (foreign service posts) na mga bago, let’s pick which ones are really useful and helping Filipinos overseas,” the senator said.
(Also indicate your priorities, there are several posts here, several RCOs. Where did you earn? Which offices receive the most passport applications? And for the new FSPs, let’s pick which ones are really useful and helping Filipinos overseas.)
“Just to give us an idea so that we can help you along the way,” she added. Dulay said they will comply.
Meanwhile, Locsin reminded Dulay, in his submission to the chamber, to consider the number of Filipinos being serviced by the new foreign posts.
“Just because we have a post out there doesn’t mean you have to fund it to the gills,” the DFA secretary said.