Hundreds of successful applicants at the 1st Kahilwayan "Passport On Wheels" in Santa Barbara, Iloilo

The municipality of Santa Barbara recently hosted "Passport On Wheels", a mobile passport processing service of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Consular Services Division last Nov. 3 to 5, 2022.

Held at the Sta. Barbara Municipal Covered Gym, the 3-day "1st Kahilwayan Passport On Wheels" had 1,520 SUCCESSFUL applicants from almost 2,000 applications received during the pre-registration period.

The D.F.A.Manila POW Team was headed by DFA Assistant Secretary Henry Bensurto Jr. and Sta. Barbara's very own Santiago "Sonny" Sucaldito, who was recently promoted as Consular Officer.

Mayor Dennis Superficial welcomes the DFA Passport On Wheels team to Santa Barbara, Iloilo

The Santa Barbara LGU Team was headed by Mayor Dennis Superficial and Municipal Tourism Officer Irene Magallon.

Mayor Dennis leads the passport applicants on Day 1 of the Passport On Wheels

The Santa Barbara POW Program was on "first-come, first-served basis” through a pre-registration wherein applicants have to be verified first then given a specific date and time for personal appearance from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

With on-line passport application often fully booked and takes months to open up available slots, Passport On Wheels was a welcome development and a big help to the Ilonggos in saving time, money and effort as some have to travel to other cities and regions just to avail of application slots.

As hundreds of Santa Barbaranhons and residents of nearby towns and cities succesfully applied or renewed their passports through Iloilo's first-ever "Passport On Wheels" Program, the Santa Barbara LGU is planning to have this mobile passport processing an annual activity as part of the Kahilwayan Festival serving as meaningful public service event to its constituents.

Sonny Sucaldito (4th from left) accepts the Plaque of Appreciation in behalf of the DFA Passport On Wheels team

Closing his speech last Monday during the LGUs flag ceremony, Consular Officer Sonny Sucaldito shared the possibility of opening a DFA office in Santa Barbara in the years to come.

As part of the government’s commitment to bring its services closer to the people, the DFA continues to partner with interested local government units including schools and other organizations to provide mobile passport services.

1st Kahilwayan Passport On Wheels team from the Dept. of Foreign Affairs and LGU Santa Barbara, Iloilo

The passport on wheels service or mobile passport program can be availed by sending a written request to the Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs of the DFA via email at oca.passport.mps@dfa.gov.ph.

Connie Carillo Diversified Farm in Bingawan: Helping Sustaining a Healthy Community Through Farm Schools

The area around the town of Bingawan, the edge of the central portion of the province is where it ends and the town of Tapaz, Capiz province begins and is very much another unsung corner of Iloilo with warm, friendly, welcoming people. Bingawan has some rich farming land and farming is at the heart of its village life. The landscapes are gorgeous here; with gentle pastures, to the high mountains. The area offers some beautiful hikes and bike trails across its lovely rolling meadows, woodland and a few working farms. The town would be less touristic than its neighboring towns but is well worth exploring. If you are concerned about how organic can contribute to benefit our shared environment, promote fair relationships and a good quality of life for all involved, then a trip to Connie Carillo Diversified Farm is for you. With the governments’ efforts to improve the knowledge and technical skills of the farmers, the Connie Carillo Diversified Fa

Travelers guide to Iloilo transport terminals (Airport, Jeepneys, Buses, RORO. etc)

Being the biggest city on Panay Island and the center of Western Visayas region, Iloilo City is a transportation hub whether by land, sea or air. These numerous transportation terminals facilitate day to day commerce, light & heavy industries, and tourism, among others. As this is a travel blog, this guide is aimed to tourists who want to experience and explore Iloilo and perhaps even beyond. Iloilo International Airport A little more than five years old, the Iloilo International Airpor t is among the most modern and beautiful in the country today. It is situated around 20 kilometers from Iloilo City , straddling the towns of Cabatuan, San Miguel and Sta. Barbara . It has direct links to Manila, Cebu, Clark, Cebu, Davao, Cagayan de Oro and Puerto Princesa plus international destinations Hong Kong and Singapore . Among the first hurdles tourists will have to contend is the distance that translates to expensive fare when traveling to and from this airport.

Park Inn by Radisson Iloilo Levels Up Sustainability Efforts by Eliminating single-use plastic water bottles in guest rooms.

Park Inn by Radisson Iloilo, a prominent player in the hospitality industry, is proud to announce a significant step forward in its commitment to sustainability. With a dedication to preserving the environment, the hotel is taking substantial measures to reduce its ecological footprint and enhance its sustainable practices. Hotels have long been contributors to plastic pollution due to the widespread use of single-use bottled water. Recognizing this environmental challenge in the tourism industry, Park Inn by Radisson Iloilo is taking a bold step forward by reducing its plastic footprint significantly by removing single-use bottled water from guest rooms. Eliminating Single-Use Bottled Water: Embracing Reusable Carafes with UV Filtration Water Stations Park Inn by Radisson Iloilo places itself at the forefront of the eco-conscious movement by eliminating single-use bottled water from its guest rooms and fully implementing reusable carafes as an amenity from July onwards. Water

ILOILO: HEART of the PHILIPPINES

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