Department of Foreign Affairs

July 30, 2020

Dear Grace Ann,

Greetings!

Thank you for your request dated Jul 21, 2020 under Executive Order No. 2 (s. 2016) on Freedom of Information in the Executive Branch.

Your request

You asked if a passport was issued under the name of Miriam Cavite Decena Lejarde

Response to your request

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the information you are requesting, even if it is your personal credentials, falls under the inventory of exceptions to the right to access to information, and is confidential in nature. 

Section 4(a) of the Memorandum from the Executive Secretary on Executive Order No. 02 s. 2016 states that the following is exempted from FOI: 

“Information of a personal nature where disclosures would constitute or clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy, personal information or records, including sensitive personal information, birth records, school records, or medical or health records…” 

The need to keep personal information inviolable is recognized in international law as well as in the Inventory of Exceptions to Executive Order No. 02. Therefore the DFA is constrained by law from looking into the subject pursuant to the above stated provisions. 

However, you may wish to contact the Office of Consular Affairs at (02) 8-836-7745 or (02) 8-836-7747 or by emailing them at passportconcerns@dfa.gov.ph / oca.concerns@dfa.gov.ph. 

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your FOI request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response by writing to oscr.div2@dfa.gov.ph Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made within 15 calendar days from the date when you received this letter. We will complete the review and tell you the result within 30 calendar days from the date when we receive your review request.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Office of the President under Administrative Order No. 22 (s. 2011).

Thank you.

Respectfully,
FOI Receiving Officer