Press Release No. 63-2018
Jeddah PCG reports its accomplishments to the Filipino Community in “State of Post Address”
Jeddah, 10 December 2018 – The Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia reported its accomplishments for 2018 to the Filipino Community (FilCom) in the Western Region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in a meeting it dubbed “State of Post Address” or SOPA.
In keeping with the government’s goal to observe transparency in its programs, projects, and activities, the SOPA 2018 presented the Consulate’s 2018 accomplishments in consular, assistance to nationals (ANS), infrastructure, political, economic, and cultural areas. The accomplishments of attached agencies (Philippine Overseas Labor Office, Social Welfare Office, SSS, Pag-IBIG, and the Philippine Trade and Investment Center) were also presented.
For consular matters, the SOPA 2018 highlighted the conduct of eleven (11) consular mobile services (CMS) in the different areas in Saudi Arabia’s Western Region which allowed many Filipinos living in far-flung areas to process their consular needs and raise their other work-related or personal concerns, without traveling to the Philippine Consulate based in Jeddah. For 2019, the Consulate committed to increase the number of CMS to 16. From April to December 2018, the Consulate was also able to process 24,000 passport applications, and 1,600 visas to foreign nationals who want to visit the country.
The provision of courtesy lane for household service workers (HSWs), and the use of auto e-mail notification for passport pickup were also introduced in 2018.
For assistance to nationals, the Consulate highlighted the opening of the first-ever 24/7 contact center in a Philippine embassy or consulate which provides kababayans a venue to easily reach out to the Consulate on ANS concerns and general inquiries. Since its opening in August 2018, the said contact center was able to process a total of 14,297 transactions.
The SOPA 2018 gave a run through of the assistance the Consulate has given to distressed OFWs, including, among others, medical assistance, welfare assistance, blood money claims, and end-of-service benefits on behalf of the surviving heirs of deceased OFWs.
The SOPA 2018 also reported the various improvements made at the Consulate, including a canopy over the grounds being used for FilCom activities, a new FilCom Multi-purpose Hall, and a new Sentro Rizal.
The Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah intends to make SOPA a regular year-end activity with Filipinos under its jurisdiction, in the interest of providing transparency in governance. END
Photos taken during the First State of Post Address
Jeddah PCG Consul General Edgar Badajos (on stage) delivers the first “State of Post Address (SOPA) to some 300 members of the Filipino community in the Western Region of Saudi Arabia
FilCom members listen intently as Consul General Edgar Badajos delivers the State of Post Address (SOPA) for 2018
