Question & AnswerQ&A (EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 45)
The primary purpose of EO No. 45, s. 2017 is to reorganize the Field Offices of the Office of Consular Affairs (OCA) of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) into DFA Consular Offices (DFA COs) to improve the delivery of consular services such as passport issuance, authentication, and assistance-to-nationals services to Filipino citizens efficiently and effectively.
The DFA COs are tasked to (a) issue passports to Filipino nationals; (b) provide authentication services; (c) issue verification for consular record documents and accept applications for delayed registrations of birth, marriage, or death abroad; (d) provide assistance-to-nationals services; and (e) perform other functions assigned by DFA-OCA under existing laws and regulations.
All DFA Consular Offices are under the supervision of the Assistant Secretary for the DFA Office of Consular Affairs (OCA).
Additional DFA COs may be created if the following criteria are met: (a) the projected clientele is 75,000 or more outside NCR or 300,000 or more inside NCR annually; (b) the projected number of passports or documents processed is at least 100,000 annually; and (c) the projected consular collections amount to at least Php 71,250,000 annually. The establishment requires approval by the President upon recommendation from DBM.
Closure may occur when (a) there is a 50% or more decline in service demand over five years; (b) a nearby newly opened DFA CO can serve the area; (c) security reasons or natural/man-made calamities warrant closure; or (d) other analogous circumstances arise. Written notice to DBM and the Office of the President is required within 30 days after closure.
Yes. The existing Satellite Offices (SOs) and Regional Consular Offices (RCOs) are renamed as DFA Consular Offices (DFA COs). Each DFA CO is referred to as 'DFA Consular Office [name of city/municipality/location].'
Each DFA CO shall be headed by a Foreign Service Officer (FSO), Foreign Service Staff Officer (FSSO), or other qualified competent personnel duly designated by the Secretary of Foreign Affairs.
They shall be provided with quarters at government expense subject to DBM limits. They can opt to live elsewhere at their own expense. They are also entitled to transport of personal effects up to 500 kilograms at government expense, and monthly commutable representation and transportation allowances within prescribed ceilings.
Expenditures are charged to the annual appropriations of the DFA and the Passport Revolving Fund under RA No. 8239. Insufficiency of funds may be covered by the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund initially, then included in the DFA's budget under the General Appropriations Act.
The Executive Order takes effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in a newspaper of general circulation.