The Department of Foreign Affairs announced closure of 12 embassies and consulates of the Philippines by the end of 2012.

According to Gerry Martinez, the plan is part of President Noynoy Aquino’s administration plan and the Filipino community is not happy about it.

"The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) had announced plans to close down at least 12 Philippine embassies and consulates last year, during budget deliberations, as part of the Aquino administration's so-called austerity measures. The plan is to complete the closures by end of 2012. They, however, refused to disclose which embassies or consulates were in danger of closing down," Martinez said.

He added that Filipino communities from Palau, Barcelona, Frankfurt, Stockholm, Romania and Caracas have expressed alarm over the impending closure of Philippine embassies and consulates in their respective areas.

Filipino communities in Palau and Barcelona have already circulated petition campaigns, while overseas Filipinos elsewhere are gearing for protest actions.

There are some 5,000 Filipinos in Palau, while Barcelona hosts some 30,000 Filipinos in Spain.

"We have a shortage of Philippine posts abroad as it is. It is unfortunate that the Aquino administration is assailing embassies and consulates, the very support system of our OFWs abroad, for its austerity measures and at the expense of welfare services for OFWs," Martinez said`