More than 500 Filipinos Served in Philippine Embassy – Tokyo Outreach

(Photo caption): The Embassy Team was composed of (seated L-R) Amelia Clarissa Basilio, Consul General Robespierre Bolivar, Frances Komesu, (standing L-R) Richard Roldan, Orlando Manalo, Nicole Louie Ansalado and Jahrell Emman Ephraim Balaoro

The Philippine Embassy in Tokyo served 516 Filipinos during a two-day consular outreach in Shizuoka Prefecture on April 13 to 14. The Embassy outreach team assisted 413 passport applicants, 103 applicants for other consular services, and 15 overseas voting inquiries.

The weekend outreach coincided with the 3rd Pistang Pinoy sa Shizuoka, an annual cultural festival held at Aobi Park in Shizuoka City organized by the Association of Pinoy Volunteers for Assistance (APIVA).

“With almost 300,000 Filipinos spread over several Prefectures in Japan, it is important that we are proactive in ensuring that the Embassy’s quality service is within their reach,” Philippine Ambassador to Japan Jose C. Laurel V noted in a press interview on the sidelines of Pistang Pinoy.

The seven-person team led by Consul General Robespierre Bolivar provided passport, notary, and civil registry, as well as processing of applications for National Bureau of Intelligence (NBI) clearances and consultations on other consular services and overseas voting. The team was composed of Frances Komesu, Amelia Clarissa Basilio, Orlando Manalo, Nicole Louie Ansalado, Jahrell Balaoro and Richard Roldan.

“For the second half of 2019, we are scheduling outreach activities in Miyagi, Gunma, Hokkaido, Nagano and Okinawa Prefectures. These areas host, in total, 18,000 Filipinos and we want to assist as many of our kababayan as possible,” confirmed Consul Bolivar.

There are more than 16,000 Filipinos living and working in Shizuoka Prefecture. The Prefecture hosts one of the largest Filipino communities in Eastern Japan.