The much awaited full consular office of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)
is set to open in Tagbilaran City in 2024.
Cong. Edgar Chatto bared this development following the signing into law by
President Bongbong Marcos of the General Appropriations Act of 2024.
Next year’s national budget includes the allocation of P16.2 million for the
operationalization of the DFA consular office in Tagbilaran City.
It can be recalled that Chatto filed in February 2021 House Bill 8767 for the
creation of a regular DFA Consular Office (DFA CO) in the City of Tagbilaran. This
House Bill was then adopted through House Resolution 25 approved on January
1, 2022.
The DFA then endorsed in September 2022 the prioritization of the DFA Consular
Office in Tagbilaran City, which Chatto persistently followed through in
manifestations during subsequent committee and budget hearings.
Last July, Chatto sought the support of Congress through House Speaker Martin
Romualdez for the inclusion of the funding in the 2024 budget.
The P16.2M budget allocation will cover P5.4M for personnel services, P9.1M for
maintenance and other operating expenses, and P1.6M for capital outlay.
The DFA reported projections of 269,400 clients in the Central Visayas with
estimated 242,460 passports to be issued based on 10% of total population of the
region divided by 3, considering the two existing consular offices and the
forthcoming consular office in Tagbilaran City.
Chatto had pushed for the opening of a DFA office in the province to address the
need for easy access to consular services.