The Philippine Embassy in Berlin conducted a Consular Outreach Mission at the Kleiner Michel Parish Hall in Hamburg on 13 July 2019. The Outreach Team was headed by Philippine Ambassador to Germany Theresa Dizon-De Vega with Vice Consul Marie Chris Chieng, Vice Consul Mina Lim-Ganzon, Mr. Ruben Atienza, Ms. Rowena Hernandez, and Mr. Renante Estrella. Joining the mission was Labor Attaché Atty. Delmer Cruz.

 

The Team rendered 121 consular services including passport applications, civil registration, visa applications, and legalization of documents. Over 35 clients availed of one-on-one counselling services from the Philippine Embassy and Labor Attaché Cruz throughout the day-long services.

 

The Outreach Team was assisted by Filipino Catholic Mission (PKM), Filipino community leaders and volunteers from different associations based in Hamburg and nearby areas and Rev. Fr. Simon Boisier of the parish.

 

Mrs. Lalaine Dela Cruz, a Filcom leader and volunteer, welcomed the Outreach Mission as it brings services closer to Filipinos who live a considerable distance from the Philippine Embassy in Berlin and makes the application process for consular matters more convenient, “Filipinos in this area really anticipate the holding of an outreach mission by the Embassy every year”, she added.

 

An estimated 1,600 Filipinos reside in the Hamburg area with additional populations based in nearby the areas of Kiel, Bremen, Rostock, and Lübeck. In addition, hundreds of Filipino seafarers pass through the port of Hamburg on a daily basis.

 

Ambassador Dizon-De Vega thanked the public, the Parish, the PKM, and the Filipino Community volunteers for their invaluable assistance in the Outreach Mission.  The Philippine Embassy in Berlin will conduct additional missions in other parts of Germany for the remainder of the year. END