Will you accept walk ins?

No. As a policy, all consular applicants are required to have a confirmed appointment prior to coming to the Consulate.

Will there be considerations for ballot drop offs as another option aside from mailing them to the Consulate?

Yes, a ballot receptacle box will be provided at the Philippine Center for voters who wish to personally drop off their sealed accomplished ballots.

Will there be a courtesy lane for senior citizens, persons with disabilities, pregnant women, and others with special circumstances?

As a policy the Philippine Consulate General in New York requires all consular applicants to have a booked appointment prior to coming to the Consulate. The Consulate may give exception to meritorious cases, such as those with valid and immediate urgency to their requests. To make a request in case you are unable to book an appointment, you can send an email so we can review the merits of your particular situation to: newyorkpcg.notarials@dfa.gov.ph for Notarization, newyorkpcg.dual@dfa.gov.ph for Dual Citizenship, newyorkpcg.passport@dfa.gov.ph for Passport applications. All requests are subject to evaluation and approval is not guaranteed.

Will the Consulate be open on the weekend of May 7-8?

Yes, the Consulate is open 24 /7 for the entire voting period (including weekends and holidays) from 09 April 2022 to 08 May 2022 for registered voters who wish to personally drop off their ballots at the Consulate. The Consulate will be open on 09 May 2022, the last day for the casting of ballots until 7:00 a.m. Ballots received after 7:00am will no longer be counted.

Will my foreign spouse, who will travel with me to the Philippines, be required to secure additional travel documents from the Philippine Consulate before leaving?

The answer would depend on the intended period of stay in the Philippines and if the spouse is a visa-required national under the Philippine visa regulation. Foreign spouse (as well as children) included in the visa waiver category may avail of the Balikbayan-Program for stays of up to one (1) year. Otherwise, they would need to apply for an appropriate visa.

Philippine Delegates Participate in Harvard's Global AI Leadership Program

NEW YORK CITY, 22 July 2025 — A diverse group of professionals from the Philippines took part in the Harvard Kennedy School’s “Leading in Artificial Intelligence” (LAI) executive program, held from 13 to 18 July 2025. The program convened over 80 participants from across the world to explore the opportunities and challenges of generative AI in public policy, governance, and society.

The Philippine delegation included government representatives, civic leaders, and scholars engaged in digital governance and public communication. Among the participants were:

Nino Raymond Alvina, currently involved in digital transformation initiatives at the Department of Finance;
Cherry Mae Gonzales, leading reforms in strategic communications and behavioral public policy;
Angelica Sarmiento, Chief Information Officer of the DOF, focusing on technology modernization and cybersecurity;
Bernadette Romulo Puyat and Mamerto Tangonan, both representing the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas in areas including financial inclusion and payments systems;
Jose Querubin, member of the Monetary Board, bringing extensive experience in finance and governance; and
Caroline Jhoy Nacional, Philippine Army Officer and founder of Women’s Alliance for Security and Peace (WASP) Asia, a non-profit focused on digital safety and peacebuilding.

Over the course of the weeklong program, participants engaged with world-class faculty on AI governance, ethics, misinformation, energy use, and policy regulation. The course was led by renowned Harvard faculty, including Professors Dan Levy, Jim Waldo, Hanspeter Pfister, and Teddy Svoronos. Sessions included case studies, expert panels, and simulations that explored real-world policy dilemmas and institutional innovation.

The Philippine delegates contributed insights based on local digital initiatives, fiscal governance efforts, and public sector modernization strategies. Their engagement in LAI 2025 underscores the country’s growing interest in shaping responsible and inclusive approaches to emerging technologies.

PHILIPPINE CONSULATE GENERAL

New York, USA