[3] After a massive expansion of the Philippines' diplomatic presence abroad during the presidency of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, in 2010 Senator Franklin Drilon questioned the need for embassies in countries with small Filipino communities, including a number of countries in Europe, and called for a review of the Philippines' diplomatic presence worldwide.

[6] Led by local resident Victoria "Vickie" Villar, protesters called on President Aquino to reconsider his position and downsize rather than close the mission entirely, especially as it would be too inconvenient for the Filipinos living in the Consulate's service area to go to Berlin, some 800 kilometers (500 mi) away, and with Villar herself instead demanding the closure of the Philippine Embassy in Lisbon.

[7] Villar also wrote to the Philippine Daily Inquirer to ask for the Consulate to remain open,[8] and a petition was also organized alongside similar movements in other affected countries, with more than 2,000 signatures being collected from both Filipinos and Germans.

[10] However, both were closed indefinitely on December 19, 2016 owing to Ziedler's retirement,[11] with those needing consular services being advised to proceed directly to the Embassy.

[15] Initially operating from another building within the Westend Carree complex on Gervinusstraße,[15] it moved to its permanent location – an 800-square-meter (8,600 sq ft) space – on May 16, 2019.