As all roads led to Rome during the last weekend of April 2014 for the canonization of Popes John XXIII and John Paul II, the Philippine Embassy in Rome dispatched on 26-27 April 2014 a Consular Mobile Team to Empoli in the Tuscan region to render services to the Filipinos based in the area, which is located 315 kilometres away from Rome.

The consular team, led by Consul Enrique V. Pingol and joined by Labor Attaché, Atty. Viveca Catalig and Welfare Officer Loreta Vergara with POLO, OWWA, PAG-IBIG and SSS representatives, processed more than 700 consular applications. There was also a constant stream of queries and problems/concerns from Filipinos dealt with by the team.

Consular services rendered include passport renewals, civil registrations, passport validity extensions, applications for NBI, Dual Citizenship, annotations/corrections in civil registry reports, PAG-IBIG-SSS-OWWA memberships and OEC issuances.

Consular team officials also had an hour-long consultation meeting with Filipino leaders and community members on the last day of the mission. The 2-day consular mission was capped with the turn-over of Dr. Jose P. Rizal’s bust to the Knights of Rizal, Florence Chapter, and in the presence of other Filipino leaders and community members. Filipinos conveyed their delight for Rizal’s bust, as handed by the Embassy. For them, the bust is a tangible reminder to continue to live up to the ideals and values of the country’s national hero.

The outreach mission was organized in cooperation with the Filipino European Association (FEA) headed by Mr. Dennis Reyes and the support of the Confederation of Filipino Community in Tuscany under the guidance of its President and Vice President, Ms. Divinia Capalad and Mr. Carlos Simbillo, respectively.

The Filipino community in Empoli expressed great appreciation to the Embassy’s consular mobile services.

TOP TO BOTTOM: (1) Consular Mobile Services Team led by Consul Enrique V. Pingol (11th from left) join the Filipino Community in Empoli and from other areas in Tuscany in a souvenir photo. (2) Filipinos await their turn for consular services. (3) SSS and PAG IBIG representatives attending to clients. (4) Consul Enrique V. Pingol (standing) addresses fellow Filipinos in a consultation meeting with (from left to right) Ms. Divina Capalad, President of the Confederation of Filipino Community in Tuscany, Ms. Loreta Vergara, OWWA Welfare Officer, Atty. Viveca Catalig, Labor Attaché, Mr. Dennis Reyes, President of the Filipino Europeans Association (FEA), Mr. Carlos Simbillo, Vice President of the Confederation of Filipino Community in Tuscany. (5) Turn Over of Rizal Bust to Mr. Carlos Simbillo, Grand Commander, Knights of Rizal, Florence Chapter