MANILA – The Department of Foreign Affairs launched Friday its online portal for first-time overseas Filipino workers applying for a passport. The portal allows accredited recruitment agencies to secure for them passport appointment slots.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano led the launch at the DFA-ASEANA office where the first batch of OFWs availing of the system was also present.

Under the system, 170 accredited recruitment agencies will be allotted 1,000 passport appointment slots daily.

The DFA reminded OFWs that securing a passport appointment is free of charge and that recruitment agencies charging them for the appointment slot will be removed from the system.

Cayetano said the system will ease the difficulty of first-time OFWs in availing the courtesy lane and enable them to secure appointments fast.

"Sa sistema ngayon, ang lahat ng agencies na accredited and then ang POEA sa direct hire ay may password at mayroon silang direktang access sa portal na ito. Unlike the portal for those who are not provided by law to have a special lane nakalagay lang kung anong araw ang available, sa inyo kahit anong araw okay siya," he said.

First time OFW Ansari Bantilan, who is traveling to the United Arab Emirates to work as a driver, said he was able to finish the process of applying for a passport in 30 minutes.

LONGER WORK HOURS

Meantime, to address the huge demand for passport appointments and decongest DFA offices, Cayetano said the agency will study the possibility of implementing longer work hours of 12 to 16 hours for DFA personnel to process more passports daily.

Cayetano added that 140 machines are expected to be delivered soon and will be deployed to satellite offices across the country and abroad to increase capacity. Each machine can process 80 to 100 passports in an 8-hour period.

He said the DFA is declining the request of travel agencies to restore their allotment of 1,000 passport appointment slots, as the DFA is currently prioritizing sectors authorized by law to be given priority such as OFWs, PWDs, the pregnant, single parents, and senior citizens.

He said that the waiting time for passport appointment slots is still long even without the daily allotment for the travel agencies and that it will not be feasible to give them back the slots at this time.

The DFA is instead offering to bring its passport on wheels or mobile passport processing system to travel agencies' travel fairs.

Cayetano said this will address the agencies' concern over revenue loss.

"Ang gagawin namin mag travel fair kayo or kahit yung opisina niyo, maghahatid kami ng passport on wheels. So we can try it anytime, anywhere so hindi na nila ngayon masasabi na hindi sila makabenta ng tour packages kasi walang passport because we will do it. But hindi talaga feasible at this time na may slots ang kahit sino except for the OFWs,” he said.

Cayetano asked for the public's patience when they are unable to avail of limited walk-in slots where the DFA's passport on wheels is visiting. He explained that local government units look for passport applicants in advance and can allow for limited walk in applicants.

He said the DFA will coordinate with the Manila City Hall for a possible return of its passport on wheels.