CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—The Department of Foreign Affairs has saved the national government P1.04 billion in operating funds with the relocation of 16 consular offices to shopping malls that exempted the agency from paying lease, electricity and water fees, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Rafael Seguis said.
The savings are a result of public-private partnership with the Robinsons Land Corp., Pacific Mall Corp., Ayala Land Inc. and SM Prime Holdings, Seguis said during the opening of the Central Luzon regional consular office at the Lingkod Pinoy Center of the Robinsons Starmills here on Tuesday.
In a speech, Seguis, undersecretary for administration, said the mall facilities of those property developers have been hosting some of consular offices in the provinces.
Since it opened in 2011, the consular office in San Fernando has processed or released 1,620,855 passports, according to Jaime Victor Ledda, assistant secretary for consular affairs.
It has averaged between 700 and 1,400 passport applications daily since April, Ledda said.
On top of the savings, the consular office in San Fernando was also designed to exhibit the works of artists like Claude Tayag, Daniel Dizon and members of the Pampanga Arts Guild.
“This is part of our cultural diplomacy efforts,” said Elmer Cato, DFA special assistant for special projects. Tonette Orejas, Inquirer Central Luzon