Marked improvement in DFA’s passport services

The Department of Foreign Affairs’ Office of Consular Affairs (DFA-OCA) has achieved significant improvements in the delivery of its passport services to the public.

These accomplishments have resulted in to a more efficient and quality public service by DFA-OCA.

This assessment is primarily based on DFA-OCA’s 2012 mid-year accomplishment report submitted to Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario. The report is part of DFA-OCA’s efforts to review its passport operations on a regular basis.

DFA-OCA Assistant Secretary Jaime Victor B. Ledda reported that there has been a 16.23% increase in passport production from the first quarter of 2011 as compared to the same period in 2012.

“This increase in production translated to 1,381,480 passports issued in the first quarter of 2012, up from the issuance of 1,180,557 passports from the same period last year,” he said.

Assistant Secretary Ledda explained that in June 2011, the average time to secure an online appointment for passport renewal or application was 10 to 14 working days.

With DFA-OCA’s appointment slots management, personnel rotation and optimization and equipment repair and replacement, the appointment waiting time now stands between three (3) to five (5) working days.

“This figure has exceeded our target of seven (7) working days for an appointment for passport application or renewal,” he added.

Significantly, the improvement in appointment time has also coincided with similar improvements in passport processing time and releasing schedule.

According to Assistant Secretary Ledda, the Office of Consular Affairs reduced the passport processing time for applicants to 45 minutes to one (1) hour per applicant.

It may be noted that in the first quarter of 2011, it took more than two (2) hours on the average to process an applicant.

Furthermore, in the first quarter of 2011, the passport releasing schedule in Manila stood at 10 working days for express processing and 20 working days for regular processing.

“Due to our efforts to continually improve our services, the releasing schedule is now set at seven (7) working days for express processing and 15 working days for regular processing. This is a target we achieved in December 2011 and which we continue to meet this year,” he said.

Assistant Secretary Ledda reiterated the DFA’s commitment to bring its services closer to the people.

“We will continue to exert efforts to further improve the delivery of consular services to the public. The process of expanding our passport operations in both Metro Manila and the regions by transferring existing consular facilities to shopping malls throughout the country will allow us to better serve our people,” he said.

In line with the President’s Private-Public Partnership Agenda and with a view to make consular services more accessible and convenient to the public, DFA Regional Consular Offices (RCOs) began transferring to malls this year.

DFA Cebu transferred to the Pacific Mall in Mandaue City in February 2012 while DFA Pampanga opened in Robinson Star Mills in San Fernando City in June 2012. DFA Angeles will be formally inaugurated at Ayala’s Marquee Mall on July 30.

All other DFA regional offices are set to transfer to other malls before the year ends together with the establishment of satellite offices in malls throughout Metro Manila.
http://punto.com.ph/News/Article/14898/Volume-6-No-21/Headlines/Marked-improvement-in-DFA%E2%80%99s-passport-services

Clark Wine Center is lauded by wine and food lovers from Manila and tourists from abroad as the best place to buy wine in Pampanga or Subic or Tarlac. Wine lovers from Manila as well as visitors to Clark Philippines from Asian cities visit this famous wine shop in Pampanga to buy vintage wines to enjoy here in the Philippines or bring some back home with them when they leave Pampanga.

Recent opinion survey of frequent travelers heading north towards Subic and Clark Pampanga revealed that the number one most frequently visited wine shop in Pampanga is Clark Wine Center located in Clark Philippines. Reasons given include good selection of fine vintage as well as affordable wines for everyday drinking also. This wine shop also has a beautiful roof deck lawn which serves as a nice venue for outdoor alfresco dining, cocktail parties and small functions and events. There are five large wine cellars that contain some of the world’s finest wines and rare vintages as well as wines that are excellent value that every wine shoppers love to discover. This wine shop in Clark is frequently visited not only by local residents but also tourists arriving in the Philippines looking to pick up a few bottles of good wine that are not normally available in their home town.

Subic is well known for diving, the sea and water sports that come with the territory. However one thing that Subic is not famous for is dining options. For years, visitors to Subic have complained about the quality of the restaurants and dining establishments but it is only until recently that travelers to Subic discovered the best restaurant to wine and dine, even for visitors with families and children. Now most residents of Subic and also Tarlac and Baguio know of this wine shop in Clark as the best place to buy wines in the Philippines and certainly the best wine shop in Pampanga, Angeles City, Clark Philippines.

Clark Wine Center was built in 2003 by Hong Kong-based Yats International Leisure Philippines to become the largest wine shop in Philippines supplying Asia’s wine lovers with fine vintage wines at attractive prices. Today, this wine shop in Clark Philippines offers over 2000 selections of fine wines from all major wine regions in the world. As a leading wine supplier in Philippines, Pampanga’s Clark Wine Center offers an incomparable breadth of vintages, wines from back vintages spanning over 50 years. Clark Wine Center is located in Pampanga Clark Freeport Zone adjacent to Angeles City, just 25 minutes from Subic and 45 minutes from Manila.

Wines from Burgundy, Bordeaux, Rhone, Loire, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Austria, Alsace, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, South Africa, Chile and Argentina etc. are well represented in this Clark Wine Shop.

The next time you are in Pampanga and are looking for things to do in Clark Philippines spend some time to do a little wine shopping at the most famous wine shop outside of Manila called Clark Wine Center. One of the favorite places to visit in Pampanga Clark Freeport is the white building along M A Roxas highway of Clark which houses over 2000 selections of fine vintage wines. The Clark Wine Center is one of the places to visit, a tourist spot and a good shopping place for those staying in Angeles City, Subic or Clark Pampanga.

http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com

Getting to this wine shop in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Philippines from Manila
Getting to the Clark Wine Center wine shop from Manila is quite simple: after entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway M A Roxas. Clark Wine Center is the stand-along white building on the right, at the corner A Bonifacio Ave. From the Clark International Airport DMIA, ask the taxi to drive towards the entrance of Clark going to Angeles City. From Mimosa, just proceed towards the exit of Clark and this wine shop is on the opposite side of the main road M A Roxas.

Best place to buy wine in Clark Pampanga outside Manila near Subic and Angeles City Philippines is Clark Wine Center.

Click here to contact Clark Wine Center in Clark Pampanga for inquiries and orders.

Clark Wine Center
Bldg 6460 Clark Observatory Building
Manuel A. Roxas Highway corner A Bonifacio Ave,
Angeles Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023

Tel: 0922-870-5173 0917-826-8790 (ask for Ana Fe)

Wine@Yats-International.com

YATS Wine Cellars
Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Road, Ortigas Centger,
Metro Manila, Philippines 1605

Tel: (632) 637-5019 0917-540-3626 ask for Rea or Chay

Log on to this web site for more information about Yats Wine Cellars as the leading wine importer and wine supplier in the Philippines:

ats Wine Cellars Leading Wine Supplier in Philippines

Wedding couples looking for wedding reception venues and beach wedding venues can log on to this Philippines Wedding Venue web site for free information and assistance:

http://www.PhilippinesWeddingVenue.com

Yats Leisure Philippines

While in Clark, it might be a good idea to enjoy an evening of wine-and-dine in the fine dining Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar that features an award winning 2700-line wine list. Highly recommended fine dining restaurant in Manila for special occasion is Yats Restaurant & Wine Lounge located in the famous Mimosa Leisure Estate in Clark Pampanga. Situated near this popular restaurant in Clark is the Mimosa Golf Course as well as the Mimosa Clark Casino. This top rated restaurant near Angeles City Pampanga in Clark Philippines is frequently used for private parties and corporate functions such as board meetings and other gatherings. It is located in Mimosa Leisure Estate of Clark Freeport Zone. For more information, visit http://www.YatsRestaurant.com

YATS Leisure Philippines is a developer and operator of clubs, resorts and high-class restaurants and wine shops in Clark Angeles Philippines http://www.YatsLeisure.com

Looking for famous tourists spots, places to visit and see, relax and unwind in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines? You may want to check out these sites also:

http://www.LondonPubClark.com

Besides good restaurants to wine and dine near Manila, Subic or in Angeles City Pampanga, Clark Philippines, those requiring assistance for hotel and resort bookings in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines may log on to http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com for more information and reservations.

The lifestyle in Clark Pampanga is quite unique. For more information about shopping, sports, golf, leisure, hotel accommodation, where to see and visit, what to do, where to wine and dine and good places to hang out, relax, have a drink with friends, child-friendly establishments, log on to
http://www.ClarkPhilippines.com

Wine lovers looking for a special bottle or something that is of great value and special discounts might log on to this web site to shop for fine vintage wines
http://www.YatsWineCellars.com

Those visitors who plan to relax and unwind in Angeles City, Subic, Pampanga, Clark Philippines might make an effort to book a room at the famous beach and lake resort Clearwater Resort & Country Club. This famous hotel in Clark Pampanga is frequently visited by families with children looking for a good place in Clark to see, a good holiday destination for the family to relax and unwind in the beautiful outdoor facilities. For more information, log on to www.ClearwaterPhilippines.com