DFA to issue new passport to Noy

MANILA, Philippines – Being the president carries some privileges, including getting a passport hassle-free.

Which is why president-elect Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III would be provided with a diplomatic passport, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo said yesterday.

Romulo said Aquino would be provided with the electronic passport that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) launched last year.

Romulo instructed the DFA’s Office of Consular Affairs (OCA) to issue the electronic diplomatic passport to Aquino.

DFA officials though noted Aquino’s earlier pronouncements that he would rather devote his time attending to urgent matters in the country and would avoid foreign trips to save government money.

“In fact, at the present time, I don’t have a passport because I don’t really enjoy traveling outside of the country. But if it is necessary, then I will do it,” Aquino told an interview with ABC-5.

Aquino admitted that he already received some invitations, foremost from no less than US President Barack Obama.

He said a state visit to the US or any other country would be done at the appropriate time.

“I intend to travel where it is clearly beneficial to the people and as much as possible, I would rather send delegations that are smaller, more efficient for the country’s interest,” Aquino said.

Aquino though admitted that foreign travels could not be avoided, particularly if called upon by invitations from other heads of state.

“Of course, there are invitations that could not be rejected,” he said.

Aquino revealed that the last time he traveled abroad was in 1998.

Aquino though stressed that if he should travel abroad, he would not be carrying “excess baggage” - a huge delegation that would only spend taxpayers’ money.

A ranking DFA official agreed that Aquino could not avoid traveling abroad since he has to attend important summits and meetings with other heads of state.

He said Aquino, as the Philippine head of state, is under obligation to attend important summits like the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meetings, the United Nations General Assembly, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), and Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC), apart from bilateral visits.

“President (elect) Aquino, upon assumption of office, will have a full foreign policy agenda. However, we would understand if he would like to spend much needed time doing domestic housekeeping to place the Philippine house in order before he fully engages himself in diplomatic activities,” the official said. - Pia Lee-Brago, Delon Porcalla