Until the end of December 2022, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) will open an extra 1.1 million passport spaces.

According to DFA Secretary Enrique Manalo’s announcement on October 12, the agency had already opened 803,000 passport slots under the new government until last month in order to accommodate more current consular services.

According to DFA Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs Henry Bensurto Jr., beginning in the first week of October, 300,000 passport slots will be offered initially, followed by an additional 800,000 appointment slots.

According to Bensurto, “I think it was very important to stretch, streamline, and tinker the process. The system itself to allow us to open the slots all the way to December.

“So that’s how we were able to do it essentially.”

Aside from clearing the passport backlog, the DFA also opened the remodeled Aseana office on October 12, complete with new escalators and elevators.