Mobile passporting set during Sabangan Gagayam Festival

By Gabriel Moguet

SABANGAN, Mountain Province – Processing of passports will be held here on March during the Gagayam Festival if plans don’t miscarry.

Town officials earlier asked the Department of Foreign Affairs to conduct the activity in coordination with the Department of Labor and Employment and Public Employment Service Office.

Funding for the activity was approved by the Sangguniang Bayan Jan. 27.

Nitz Lampac, executive secretary to the mayor, who was tasked by Mayor Donato Danglose to present the funding proposal to the SB, said Sabangan folk, especially the working class , usually had no time to process their passports at San Fernando City, La Union.

Board and lodging of DFA personnel and other expenses for the activity will be charged to the municipal government.

Miguela Limmayog, head of DOLE provincial office, said her office and PESO will be coordinating with the DFA Baguio or DFA Region 1(Tuguegarao), National Bureau of Investigation and the Professional Regulation Commission to come so that it would be a one-stop shop.

Local officials said if the DFA’s procedure on mobile passporting will be the normal procedure, the activity will be conducted before or after the celebration of Gagayam Festival so that the populace can appreciate more the activity as one can have his /her passport processed in just one day.

If however the DFA will make use of the electronic procedure, applicants will be determined earlier so that issuance will be during the celebration of the Gagayam Festival.