PR-35-2023
After more than a year, Filipinos in Tasmania were pleased to welcome the consular outreach mission on 17-19 November at the Office of the Philippine Honorary Consulate in Hobart. The team, led by Consul General Maria Lourdes M. Salcedo, rendered a total of 78 consular services, including applications for new and renewal of e-passports, replacement of lost e-passports, petitions for reacquisition/retention of Philippine citizenship under R.A. 9225, civil registry reports and jurat. In addition, the team also conducted Overseas Voting Registration for 36 applicants.
Most of the applicants expressed appreciation to the team for the conduct of the outreach services, which resulted in considerable savings and convenience in not having to travel to Melbourne for their consular needs and take time off their work and family obligations in the process. Many of the clients were young families who moved from Melbourne in order to obtain a better chance at permanent residency. “We like it here because it is less frantic than Melbourne and we have the same amenities and benefits,” one family said.
Based on the 2011 Census, there are almost 3,000 residents in the smallest Australian state who were born in the Philippines; more than 70% are women. Together with descendants of these Filipinos and the recently arrived migrants, there could be close to 5,000 Filipinos now calling Tasmania their home.
Post conducted oath-taking ceremonies for petitions to reacquire/retain Philippine citizenship under R.A. 9225 on 19 November 2023 (Sunday) for a total of fourteen (14) participants with eleven (11) principal applications and three (3) derivative applications.
The Philippine Honorary Consul in Hobart Mr. Richard Van Neutegem assisted the outreach team and hosted a reception at the Athenaeum Club, Hobart’s finest private social club for business, professional and academic people. It was attended by officers of the Philippines-Australia Community of Tasmania and the Filipino Students Association in Tasmania, Inc. as well as other FilCom leaders such as Florence Parker who has helped the Filipino Community in Tasmania for many decades. END
