Zamboanga City-The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has established a Temporary Passport Enrolment Center (TPEC) at the One-Stop Processing Center (OSPC) for Sabah Deportees and Displaced Persons (DPs) in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi on 8 July 2013.

Hassan Gabra Jumdain, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Regional Director and Head of the OSPC Operations in Sulu & Tawi-Tawi reported this yesterday to DOLE Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz and OWWA Administrator Carmelita Dimzon.

"The undertaking was a joint effort of the DOLE, OWWA, Department of Social Welfare and Development, DFA, Crisis Management Committee and the Provincial Government of Tawi-Tawi through the former Governor, Sadikul Sahali, and his son, newly elected Governor Nurbert Sahali," Jumdain reported.

The establishment of the Temporary Passport Enrolment Center was the result of the series of meeting and consultation with the different member-agencies involved in the OSPC and of the Memorandum of Agreement signed on 30 April 2013 bearing the commitment of the different duty-bearers.

According to Jumdain, DFA Undersecretary Rafael E. Seguis assured OSPC duty-bearers of the Foreign Affairs department's continuing support and commitment to the success of the OSPC in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi towards the fulfillment of its mandate to address the needs of Filipino nationals from Sabah.

The TPEC accommodates passport applicants, especially deportees and displaced persons who plans to return to Sabah for re-employment, regular passport applicants, and Hajj applicants, including crew members of sea vessels engaged in barter trading.

The TPEC is composed of a seven members led by Director Evangeline Cayongcat. Members of the TPEC team process passport applications from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm at the Provincial Capitol, Mondays to Fridays. To date, the team has already served more than 600 passport applicants.

A passport applicant must present a birth certificate duly authenticated by the National Statistics Office; DSWD certification attesting to the status of the applicant as a Sabah deportee; and a National Commission for Muslim Filipinos certificate of tribal affiliation. The TPEC charges fee of P950 for every new passport application and a processing fee of P1,200 for passport renewal.

The OSPC is a special program of the DOLE through the OWWA. It serves as a venue for the implementation of an integrated and systematic welfare assistance program for returning overseas Filipino workers and repatriates from Malaysia.

Jumdain urges his fellow Tawi-Tawians to take advantage of the DFA's service, saying that the TPEC team will hold its special operations only for a period of one month.

Mary Jane R. Amarado, Labor Communications Officer

OWWA