Philippine Asian News Today | Page 7

February 1 - 15, 2016 PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY LOCAL NEWS New consular office to open in Alberta Filipinos in Alberta will have a new Philippine Consulate open in the province. By end of February, the Department of Foreign Affairs will open the new consular office in Calgary to serve the more than 120,000 Filipinos in Alberta. DFA Assistant Secretary Julius Torres, who was appointed consul general, will arrive in Calgary on February 23. The new consular office will serve Filipinos in the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan, easing up workload in consulates in Vancouver and Toronto, respectively, said Torres. The new consular office will be the fourth Philippine post in Canada. Until recently, government services were being rendered by the Philippine Embassy in Ottawa and the two consulates in Vancouver and Toronto. fully operational by March offering services including passport application and renewals, notarials, document authentication, among others. Torres said Calgary is home to more than 40,000 Filipinos and chosen to bolster relations with commercial establishments, major industries and other diplomatic offices. Torres has 35 years in foreign service experience starting in 1981. He is currently serving as the DFA assistant secretary for Middle East and African Affairs. In December, a team from DFA led by Torres visited Calgary to find a location for the new consul office. Centre 10 building on 10th avenue and 4th Street in southwest Calgary is being eyed for office location. The increase in the Filipino population following an economic boost in