Spain OFWs join calls to stop closure of diplomatic offices

Filipino workers in Spain have joined calls to stop the closure of Philippine diplomatic missions this year as they decried the government’s plan to cease the operation of the country’s three-year-old consulate in Barcelona.

The protests came amid the government’s decision to scale down its diplomatic operations abroad and start the gradual shut down of 12 embassies and consulates as part of its restructuring plan and austerity measures.

Apart from Barcelona, the 11 other posts to be closed down, according to the Tribune sources are the Philippine consulate in Frankfurt, Germany and the Philippine embassies in Sweden, Norway, Finland, Romania, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Ireland, Venezuela and Palau.

Early this month, Filipinos in Palau opposed the termination of the embassy there and appealed to the government to reconsider its decision. There are 5,000 Filipinos in the pacific state. Palau President Johnson Toribiong likewise joined the clamor to keep the Philippine embassy open.

The closure, which has already been approved by President Aquino, will take effect in two phases in July and October. A memorandum, sources added, had already been circulated to the affected posts informing the heads of mission and staff of the schedule of the closedown.

In Spain, over 4,000 Filipinos have signed an online manifesto objecting the closure of the consulate, which caters to the needs of around 20,000 Philippine nationals, said Blas Ople Policy Center, a non-profit group specializing on Philippine migration.

A separate resolution by Filipino group, United Bicolanos of Barcelona, also expressed a unified stand against it.

Victoria Madarieta, president of UBB, said although the diplomatic post started its operations only in March 2008, she said “it has been a big help to communities in Barcelona, Andorra and the Balearic islands.”

Even if honorary consuls are to be designated by the Philippine government once a post ceases to operate, “the number of Filipino families in these areas would be greatly deprived of consular assistance and services,” she said.

“The general sentiment is that while financial realignments may be called for within the DFA, it shouldn’t be at the expense of Filipinos overseas who are in dire need of consular services,” said labor advocate and Ople Center head Susan Ople. –Michaela P. del Callar, Daily Tribune