DFA to open 10,000 more passport appointment slots daily

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 15) — The Department of Foreign Affairs has more good news: It is opening 10,000 more passport appointment slots daily.

DFA on Friday said it will open 10,000 online slots from Monday to Saturday, except holidays. 5,000 passport appointment slots will be opened at 12 p.m., then another 5,000 slots will be available at 9 p.m. Assistant Secretary Elmer Cato said it will be rolled out daily "indefinitely."

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Cayetano said there are more people applying for passports than what DFA is capable of accommodating, but that will soon change.

"When I became secretary, we were doing 10,500 a day. We're now doing 19,000 a day. In a few months, when we open our 6 new offices — We've already opened two this year in Ilocos and Isabela — we'll be doing 30,000 a day," he told CNN Philippines' The Source on Friday.

DFA surprised the public when it opened 100,000 slots for passport appointment on Thursday.

This is in line with DFA's earlier pronouncement  that it would add new slots every day at different times to accommodate the volume of applicants.

The passport appointment system came under fire in January because the slots were fully booked until March.