The provincial government of Tarlac, through the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) and in partnership with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), will roll out another “Passport on Wheels” (POW) service next month.
In an interview on Thursday, PESO-Tarlac provincial head Mara Reyes said the DFA’s mobile passport services will be conducted on March 21-23 and are expected to cater to 1,800 applicants applying for or renewing their passports.
She said applicants need to register through a Google form with a link posted on the Facebook account of PESO-Tarlac. Then, they would have to wait for a text from PESO regarding their evaluation schedule and the submission of the required documents.
Reyes said the pre-application is on a “first-come, first-served basis” as the DFA can only process up to a maximum of 600 applicants per day.
“Bawal po ang walk-in applicant. Dapat po nakapagpa-rehistro sila (Walk-in applicant is not allowed. They must be registered),” she said.
She reminded those with schedules to bring all their requirements.
Meanwhile, Reyes expressed her appreciation to the DFA for again conducting mobile passport services in Tarlac.
The last time that the Passport on Wheels was conducted in Tarlac was on Sept. 6-9, 2022 when some 3,000 Tarlac residents were able to avail of the services.
“The Passport on Wheels is really a big help because applicants can save more on time and budget without traveling far,” Reyes said, noting that the nearest DFA Consular Office is in Pampanga.
Tarlac Governor Susan Yap likewise lauded the efforts of the DFA in bringing passport processing closer to the people.
“This program is intended for Tarlaqueños who are having difficulty in getting their passports and we are grateful that we are able to partner with the DFA in bringing passport services to the province,” Yap said. (PNA)