Washington, DC-The Philippine Embassy Consular Team was in Virginia Beach on Saturday, April 21, 2012, to conduct an outreach mission for the Filipinos in the area. At least 116 Filipinos applied for passport renewals, 18 former Filipinos reacquired Philippine citizenship, and 55 applicants came for other consular services throughout the day. The team was also able to register 30 Overseas Absentee Voters and collect 56 signed letters addressed to US legislators in support of the passage of the Save our Industries Act in the US Congress. The venue of the outreach was the Travel Outlet office, which also assisted the Embassy in organizing the outreach mission.
The day before their arrival for the outreach mission, the Consular team of the Philippine Embassy visited two local prisons in the area. Consul Arlene Magno and Assistance-to-Nationals Officer Sofronio Cortel, headed the team in visiting the Hampton Roads Regional Jail in Portsmouth, where one Filipino inmate is currently detained, while awaiting court hearings. They also visited the Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office where they called on Sheriff Ken Stolle who personally gave them a tour of the facility grounds. Consul Magno pleasantly noted that at least 22 of his deputies were of Filipino descent.