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Embassy closures 'won't hit migrants'

Govt denies expatriate services will be hurt by diplomatic downgrade
Embassy closures 'won't hit migrants'
Members of the Migrante Sectoral Party march in Manila to demand
Published: March 06, 2012 10:22 AM GMT
Updated: March 06, 2012 10:22 AM GMT

The government today has denied accusations from a migrant workers group that planned closures of 10 foreign missions will diminish services provided for expatriates. The Migrante Sectoral Party earlier today denounced plans by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to close the diplomatic posts, which they say will disenfranchise overseas voters. The DFA plans to close seven embassies and three consulates. According to the group’s president, Connie Bragas-Regalado, overseas Filipinos need to register for 2013 midterm elections this year. She said expatriates already have a hard time registering as voters because of the inaccessibility of Philippine embassies and consulates. “Our posts serve as [electoral offices] abroad, in charge of facilitating registration and voting. As it is, we only have 66 embassies, 23 consulates and four diplomatic offices around the world, while our citizens are scattered in at least 239 countries worldwide,” Bragas-Regalado said. In response, the presidential palace reiterated a DFA statement that said consular services would not be diminished despite the closures, which are part of a plan to streamline services. “The DFA has set up mobile consular officials" to meet the needs of overseas workers, presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said in a news briefing. “There will be no effect on [host countries] as long as we have a presence there…. Diplomatic relations and services will not be diminished by cutting back on consular offices,” he said. DFA Undersecretary Rafael Seguis earlier said services for overseas Filipinos will still be available through designated government representatives.

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