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PeterB
9th September 2008, 12:16
The following information has just come to my attention:


As from October 1 2008, ALL previous personal details registered by British ex pats with The British Embassy in Manila will be scrapped. This is because of LOCATE the new Foreign & Commonwealth Office system for recording British subjects' overseas destinations and dates of travel. The new system was brought in after the F&CO debacle in Thailand at the time of the Tsunami there.

The new registration scheme has been primarily designed to accommodate tourists (holidaymakers) and business travelers. The registration lasts for ONLY 10 months and for for it to be effective, travel details must be renewed before any overseas visit is made,

LOCATE is not designed for ex pats, nor can the registration form accommodate them without having to include fictitious data. Despite many objections from various consulates around the World, The F&CO went ahead. I have sent a paper to William Hague, the shadow Foreign Secretary asking for his intervention

Destroying personal details is a negative step. The British Consul in Manila claims her staff contacted all whose details were being held as at January 1 2008. That does not seem to be so. She also claims newspaper advertisements have been taken out to advise British subjects living in The Philippines of this. Again I have failed to find one who has seen them.

The person who sent me this is creating a register of ex-pats in the Davao area, and is attempting to improve the consular interest in this region.

If anyone in the Davao area is reading this, I can put you in contact with the person compiling the list. If you are outside the Davao area, you should consider what you can do in order to ensure that your presence in Phils continues to be noted by the Embassy.