Some Filipinos complained as they avail the regular Embassy Services in Montreal

Philippine Embassy Team of Ottawa headed by Ambassador Petronila Garcia continued the frequent services to the Filipino constituents of Montreal and neighboring Cities and municipalities of the province Quebec. This activities, (passport renewal and application, registration for absentee voting, affidavits and police clearance to name a few) is conducted at the Filipino Community Center located at Van Horne. The borough where the community population is centered. To make the process quick and easy, the embassy advice to call to arranged appointment in order to be less time consuming and avoid stress of waiting while doing the actual application in person. The latest clinical service done in Montreal was found to be more of complain to some rather than satisfaction, not from the Ottawa Team public service reaching out but to the host who were requiring each applicant to fill-in forms for registration and pay membership fee to the Organization before one can avail and/or pursue his/her purpose of coming to the community center for the said appointment with the Embassy. Some express their disappointment since they came to the center just to make themselves registered for the absentee voting yet, they were imposed to pay membership fee before they continue the registration. In Canada, any person is free to be a member or not in any organization they like or dislike. Yet, prohibition to avail a public service given voluntarily by the government isn’t fair and suppression of freedom of rights.

This act of requiring each person specially those who are into budget to save time and money trying to save amount just enough to pay the processing fee feel irritated  not only due to compulsory collection and forcing to be a member but also it consume time for somebody who came to the place with the appointment. The embassy had tried to make the process to be more simplified to cater all yet, when unexpected instructions occur and delays the applicant of the expected time and effort will for sure create feeling of dissatisfaction. Did the hosting organization foresee the effect of this additional steps to the quarterly limited days spend by the Ottawa Team in attending to the needs of the Filipinos in Montreal? Campaigning for the membership of the organization is not a bad idea at all but imposing it during this limited time for individual to solve his/her problems and needs sounds stressful for somebody who never expect to be imposed for whatever group or organization she/he wants to belong, especially when his/her needs and wants are questionably meet.