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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _________ 
Introduced by Representative Richard I. Gomez 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Pursuant to Section 2 of Republic Act No. 8239, the government has the duty to issue 
passports or any travel document to any citizen of the Philippines or individual who complies with 
the requirement of the Act. 
The shift in passport services to online processing, such as the online appointment system, 
has increased the demand for passports applications. Naturally, this did not come without its own 
challenges, such as difficulties in setting appointments and glitches in the system. There is also a 
lack of slots due to the scarcity in consular offices where Filipinos could avail of passport services. 
In support of the Department of Foreign Affairs’ plan to open more consular offices to 
address the problems in its online appointment system, this bill is hereby presented.  
This bill proposes a DFA Consular Office to be located in Ormoc, Leyte, which will cater 
to the municipalities of the 4th District of Leyte, Southern Leyte, Biliran Province and Baybay 
City, with a total population of close to one million Filipinos. With this view, the problems 
concerning inefficient appointments system can be mitigated as passport services will be available 
to the local areas of Leyte. At present, the nearest consular office is situated in Tacloban, which is 
a two- to three-hour trip either way via land.  
In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
RICHARD I. GOMEZ 
November 9, 2022
2:43 pm
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _________________ 
______________________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by Representative Richard I. Gomez 
AN ACT ESTABLISHING A CONSULAR OFFICE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF 
FOREIGN AFFAIRS (DFA) IN ORMOC CITY, PROVINCE OF LEYTE AND 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR  
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Ormoc Consular Office Act.” 
SEC. 2. Establishment of the Ormoc Consular Office. - There shall be established a 
Consular Office under the auspices of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to be situated 
in Ormoc City, Province of Leyte. The office shall cater to the passport services of municipalities 
of the 4th District of Leyte, Southern Leyte, Biliran Province and Baybay City. 
SEC. 3. Implementing Agency. - The establishment of the Consular Office in Ormoc 
City, Leyte shall be implemented by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). 
SEC. 4. Appropriations. — The amount necessary for the construction, establishment, 
and operationalization of the office shall be charged against the current year appropriations of 
the Department of Foreign Affairs. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary in its regular and 
continued operation shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act (GAA) under 
the budget of the Department of Foreign Affairs. 
SEC. 5. Separability Clause. — If any provision of this Act is held invalid or unconstitutional, 
the other provisions not so declared shall remain in force and in effect. 
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SEC. 6. Repealing Clause. — Any other law, issuance or part thereof inconsistent with this 
Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.  
SEC. 7. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take fifteen (15) days after its publication in the 
Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.  
 
 
Approved,