Passport Renewal Needs to be Outsourced

THE clamor among the Overseas Filipinos in Eastern Region of Saudi Arabia to outsource the passport renewal is getting louder.  For them, the Online Appointment System (OAS) of the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh to renew the passport is no longer viable and it’s not anymore the solution to the problem.  As such, the solution is to outsource the passport renewal.

 

     The Online Appointment System was implemented on January 2011 to computerize the high demand for passport renewals.  Also, it aimed to stop the long queue of our Kababayans coming a night before the scheduled Embassy on Wheels (EoW) in order to be included in the quota of 300 applicants.  They slept in an open area without shades outside the premises of International Philippine School in Al-Khobar (IPSA), the previous venue of EoW.   EoW is the monthly Consular Service of Philippine Embassy to the more than three hundred thousand Filipinos working in Eastern Region which comprise the cities of Al-Khobar, Dhahran, Dammam, Abqaiq, Ras Tanura, Jubail, Al-Hassa, Al-Khafji and Hafar Al-Batin. 

 

     What’s wrong with the Online Appointment System (OAS)?  Many Filipinos are clamoring and even angry to the extent because they cannot get an online appointment even though they tried hard to get one.  Some of them don’t have the luxury of using the computer with internet like the drivers and the household service workers.  It is unfortunate for them to describe the OAS that is not service-friendly and causes more problems and hardship to them rather than service-oriented.  Walk-ins (those with no appointments) are not allowed during EoW and it’s clearly mentioned in embassy website.  Yet, hundreds of our Kababayans are trying their luck to walk-in during EoW simply because they cannot get an online appointment.  They are under the mercy of the consul in-charge to be admitted or not depending on their reason.  They will wait outside the hotel and endure the heat and humidity during summer and cold with chilling winds during winter.  Some of our Kababayans especially the household service workers, the most vulnerable ones, are victims of fixers and paid SR.500 to SR.800 just to get an online appointment.

 

     AFCSCOM has done its part in requesting to augment the frequency of EoW in the past.  In fairness, the embassy has done its share too.  In fact, there were months that the EoW service was doubled.  Also, there were special EoWs just for passport renewal only.  Aside from Al-Khobar, EoW is also  conducted in Jubail to serve those Filipinos working in far-flung area like Al-Khafji.  Yet, the service is still not enough.  Why?  It is simple.  It’s like the law of supply and demand.   The supply or the service cannot meet the demand.  In fact, the demand is very high considering the large number of Overseas Filipinos (OFs) working in Eastern Region.  

 

     What should be done then?  Do you think increasing the frequency of EoW say 4 times a month and doubling the special EoW will solve the problem?  Probably yes.  But we are pessimistic on this because of the budget issue.  In fact, there was a time during the tenure of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo the EoW was halted.  Because of AFCSCOM’s initiative in writing a petition letter to Pres. Arroyo the EoW was re-instated.  Also, last January 2017, the EoW was postponed because of budget issue.  An embassy official said there was a budget cut made by the Department of Foreign Affairs on Consular Service of the embassy.  That’s why when the EoW resumed on February 24-25, 2017, it was held in a cheaper venue in Moon Hotel, Dammam and later it was transferred to Double Tree Hotel in Al-Khobar.  Moreover, we have to include also the per diem of the consul in-charge and his/her team from Riyadh plus the expenses on logistics which surely has a big impact on the budget.

 

     Now, because of the budget issue and the shortcomings of Online Appointment System, the call to outsource the passport renewal is getting popular?  To outsource means to obtain service from an outside agency.  For now, outsourcing is the best solution to the problem we have on passport renewal.  If an authorized agency will handle the passport renewal and other consular services the applicants can transact everyday during normal working days and other special days scheduled by the service provider.  There will be no congestion of whatsoever and everybody can avail the service.  Also, the consular team from Riyadh will not be exposed to risk of accident when traveling by land to Al-Khobar.  Of course, there will be service fees but this can be negotiated by the embassy to the minimal.  The Overseas Filipinos will be willing to pay it in return for good service they will get. 

 

     To solidify the voice of Overseas Filipinos, AFCSCOM will soon send a petition letter in this regard to the new DFA Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano.  Coupled with prayers, we hope the request will be granted.