In line with the Philippine Government’s policy to promote the welfare and protect the rights of overseas Filipinos, the Philippine Consulate General in Calgary provides assistance to distressed Filipinos (e.g. detained/arrested, victims/accused of a crime, missing/dead) under its jurisdiction within the parameters allowed by the Canadian Government.
The Assistance to Nationals (ATN) Section of the Philippine Consulate General in Calgary attends to cases involving Filipinos in distress in Alberta and Saskatchewan. The forms of assistance provided by the ATN Section include, but are not limited to the following:
- Repatriation to the Philippines
- Shipment of human remains to the Philippines
- Welfare assistance
- Medical assistance, including hospital visits
- Prison visits and monitoring of cases in court
- Locating whereabouts of missing Filipino nationals
- Assistance in combatting human trafficking cases
- Facilitating the issuance of travel documents (for those facing deportation by the Canada Border Services Agency and similar entities)
- Coordinating with government and non-government organizations in promoting the well-being of Filipino nationals
In view of Republic Act No. 11641, or the Department of Migrant Workers Act, ATN functions for Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) have been turned over by the Department of Foreign Affairs to the Department of Migrant Workers effective 01 July 2023. Accordingly, the function of providing assistance to distressed OFWs are now being handled by the Migrant Workers Office – Vancouver (MWO-Vancouver), while the Consulate General’s ATN Section will continue providing ATN services to other Filipino nationals that are not OFWs or temporary foreign workers, such as students, tourists, dual citizens and permanent residents who are still holders of Philippine passports/proof of Philippine identity.
The ATN Section is also in charge of taking note of consular notifications sent by Canadian authorities involving detained or arrested Filipino nationals who expressly consent to have the Consulate General informed. The Consulate General may also communicate with the police or detention facility to check on the Filipino national and determine the case involved, subject to domestic laws on privacy.
The ATN Section of the Philippine Consulate General is available from Mondays to Fridays, 9:00am to 4:00pm, at Suite 100, 1001 1st St., SE, Calgary, AB, T2G 5G3. For urgent concerns, Filipinos in distress may call the ATN Hotline at +1(587) 5771524 or send an email to calgary.pcg@dfa.gov.ph with the accomplished ATN Request Form and identification documents showing current Philippine citizenship and residency status in Canada.
The ATN Request Form can be downloaded here: CalgaryPCG-ATN FORM 2025
