Consul Loritan Prespa, a.h. (center, to the left of the flag) joins the Filipino community in Albania and members of the consular outreach team for a photo opportunity at the Philippine Consulate in Albania during the consular outreach mission in Tirana, Albania held from 07 to 08 September 2019 where 29 overseas Filipinos were served.

ROME 09 September 2019 – As part of the Embassy’s commitment to bring its services closer to constituents in areas within its jurisdiction, the Philippine Embassy in Rome held a Consular Outreach Mission on 07-08 September at the Philippine Consulate General in Tirana, Albania.

The consular team rendered a total of sixteen (16) services, which included the processing of thirteen (13) passport applications, one (1) report of birth, one (1) report of marriage, and one (1) dual citizenship application.

The Embassy’s partner agencies, the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), were also present and served a total of thirteen (13) clients. The consular team also took the opportunity to brief the Filipinos in Albania about the services and programs offered by the Embassy, POLO, and OWWA on 07 September 2019.

On the same day, Third Secretary and Vice Consul Ma. Claribel M. Ochoa held two seminars on gender and development to raise awareness on the efforts of the Philippines in advancing Gender and Development (GAD) and the rights of women enshrined in various Philippine laws. She talked about relevant laws protecting women and migrants such as the Magna Carta of Women (Republic Act No. 9710), Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012 (Republic Act No. 10364), and Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004 (Republic Act No. 9262). The seminars were held in two (2) batches: one in the morning and one in the afternoon. A total of twenty-eight (28) overseas Filipinos participated in the seminar.

The consular outreach mission was held in cooperation with the Philippine Consulate in Albania headed by Consul Loritan Prespa, a.h. (center in photo).

Around sixty (60) Filipinos are estimated to be working in the food, wellness, and construction sectors in Tirana, the capital of Albania.

END

Ms. Edel Mae Patugan a member of the consular outreach mission team facilitates the application for renewal of passport of a Filipina residing and working in Albania during the consular outreach mission held at the Philippine Consulate in Albania from 07 to 08 September 2019.

Third Secretary and Vice Consul Ma. Claribel Ochoa talks about Philippine laws advancing women’s rights as well as migrant workers’ rights and the Philippine government’s commitment to uphold these rights in a seminar held at the Philippine Consulate in Albania on 07 September 2019 during a consular outreach mission held there from 07 to 08 September 2019.

Ms. Edel Mae Patugan assists a Filipina as she reports the birth of her child during the consular outreach mission held in Albania from 07 to 08 September 2019.