Philippine Embassy in SG: Assistance to Filipinos

Working and living overseas are two things that are inseparable. Many Filipinos dream of working overseas, especially in nearby countries such as in Singapore for many good reasons. If it’s your first time to be living here in Singapore or away from home in general, then you will need to equip yourself first with important information that you will need to keep at the back of your head, just in case things don’t go as smoothly as you would expect them to.

The Philippine Embassy in Singapore offers a number of consular services which include Assistance to Nationals (ATN) in order to help our kababayan in situations involving immigration, the police, and local authorities, where they may need of legal assistance. Here are some of the services the Consular Section of the Philippine Embassy may provide on a case-to-case basis:

1. Monitoring of court trial cases
2. Visitation in prison;
3. Representations with Singapore authorities
4. Assistance with repatriation; and
5. Facilitating communication with family or relatives where police and immigration cases are involved.

The Assistance to Nationals (ATN) Services by the PHL Embassy

While it’s a no-brainer that laws and social regulations vary from one country to another, the Philippine Embassy would like to advise all Filipino nationals to observe proper behaviour and social edicts in their country of residence by adhering to the following guidelines:

1. Be informed of the general laws of the country you reside in. The best way to avoid any conflicts with the law is to know what is acceptable and what is not. You don’t need to know everything about Singaporean law, but only those which you will have to deal with on a daily or regular basis.
2. Respect and accept each other’s differences. Remember that despite the regional proximity and similarities, there are still main differences in terms of cultural and social practices in the Philippines and here in Singapore.
3. Do not meddle with partisan politics. The topic in itself is a sensitive matter, and any foreign involvement in the matter may cause misrepresentation and uncalled-for situations.
4. Filipinos in general, including permanent residents (PRs), should not join political campaigns, as they do not hold the right to vote during Singapore elections. As per Singapore laws, any foreigner who engages in partisan political acts within the city may be indicted under the Societies Act, the Immigration Act, the Public Entertainment and Meetings Act, and/or the Penal Code when proven guilty.
5. Filipino nationals should not participate in chats, blogs, or online discussions which are political in nature. Avoid making derogatory comments or responses especially with religious or racial connotations. Nothing good ever comes out of these situations, worse even, you may find yourself butting heads with the law which could cost you your job or your right to reside here in Singapore.

The Philippine Embassy in Singapore

20 Nassim Road, Singapore 258395

Office Hours:     Mondays to Fridays

9:00 am – 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Tel. No: 6737- 3977 (also available on weekends from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm)

If you can’t get through the ATN section by phone, you may reach them through email: atn.sgpe@philembassysg.org.