PHILIPPINE EMBASSY CONDUCTS BACK-TO-BACK CONSULAR OUTREACH MISSIONS IN THE BAHAMAS AND US VIRGIN ISLANDS 

PRESS RELEASE
WDC-42-2023
15 SEPTEMBER 2023
Embassy Press and Information Section
info@phembassy-us.org

WASHINGTON D.C. – The Philippine Embassy Washington DC conducted back-to-back consular outreach missions for the Filipino community in the Bahamas, and in the U.S. Virgin Islands. A total of 90 passport applications were processed, 3 civil registration applications received, 12 documents notarized, and 4 dual citizenship oaths administered. 194 overseas Filipino voting registrants were also processed, indicating a strong interest among the Filipinos in these Caribbean nations to participate in the succeeding national elections in 2025 and 2028.

Consul General Iric Cruz Arribas led the Embassy team, and discussed with the community leaders various issues confronting the Filipinos in the Caribbean, most especially preparedness during hurricanes. The Caribbean is prone to hurricanes with an average of 12 to 15 storms moving through the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico each year. 

The Bahamas and the US Virgin Islands are both popular international tourist destinations. There are approximately 2,000 Filipinos working in the Bahamas in various fields such as household services, medical services, tourism and hospitality services, and accounting. Meanwhile, the U.S. Virgin Islands has a Filipino population of about 500, mostly employed as teachers.

Assisted by volunteers from the Filipino community, this back-to-back consular outreach mission is the first of two missions in the Caribbean this year. A consular team will shortly proceed to the Cayman Islands and to Jamaica this month. ###

PHOTO RELEASE

WDC-138-2023

15 SEPTEMBER 2023

Embassy Press and Information Section

info@phembassy-us.org

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PHOTO RELEASE

WDC-139-2023

15 SEPTEMBER 2023

Embassy Press and Information Section

info@phembassy-us.org

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Consular Outreach team with Filipino community volunteers during the outreach mission in the Bahamas.

PHOTO RELEASE

WDC-140-2023

15 SEPTEMBER 2023

Embassy Press and Information Section

info@phembassy-us.org

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Consul General Arribas (leftmost) discuss issues facing the Filipino community in the Bahamas.