I have changed the title of this post as there was this interconnected experiences that I have to most of the Philippines govt. offices and the article juice just went hype to my brain cells while again sorry but I have a thing of daydreaming while being a queen (hand tilted halfway to my mouth as if whispering to a person beside me;"again" as if;you know where I am).
I know that am not the only person who is being cursed on this kind of predicament everytime we try to get govt. related IDs and put ourselves as citizen in the database of our country and I know that there are some of you who even experienced the worst as to my yet to be told experiences. And so I would like to hear from you too (much appreciated to hear that I'm not the only person who is dealing with this kind of un-progressive and a not so innovative way of getting and providing their services to us;just to be clear am giving out an accurate part of my tax to the local govt.).
Before anything else or anything berserk happens after I publish this, I just want to inform everyone (if ever there are people reading this) that I'm writing this not to simply elaborate how bad things sometimes are in the govt. offices but to give you an insight on how things goes on a certain govt. offices in which you have to expect things wouldn't go the way it will but on every story there is always 2 sides. I'm not saying that its totally crappy and bad - if only our govt. will organize things that would make it easier and more productive to both institution and to the Filipino people. The thought here is that why can other countries process information and vice versa to the masses w/o wasting both of their time and our time. Why can't we adapt a system that would enhance and make use of the relevant digital resources that is available nowadays. The moral of the story everytime I have accomplished each task here is that you've work hard and lined hard for it and after getting the goal, it was hard earned one. Your patience and EQ are tested.
My fair share of unfortunate events along with my hard earned goals.
PRC (Professional Regulation Commission)
My friend and I decided to register for the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) 2 days before the deadline in which we thought that maybe there would be few people who will be lining in PRC. We met outside the office around 4:30AM and to our dismay and surprise, massive # of people are hurdling up to line plus we didn't know that there's a dress code and so my friend wasn't allowed to come inside the office as she is wearing shorts (well, that wasn't really shorts but a short capri). And so we head back to my house so that she can borrow jeans or so and we went back and the effin' line just went imaginable. The guard who is manning the office at that time, didn't open the doors yet and told us to make 2 lines, there are some people who pushed and deceived you that they were lining there and inserted suddenly. Around 6:00AM, we thought that things will go well but it was all the opposite. There are some who are shouting and some were inserting again in the line. Because we didn't picture out how bloody this office goes when its examination time is coming, we didn't take breakfast and we only brought with us are 2 pieces of crackers (darn;my stomach was growling and well I think that was why I was so thin;argh). So by the time you look forward just to check if you will be near or whatsoever in the window because the line your at is totally not moving (so it's best to talk with your besties if ever you came with them or make friends with strangers;well fellow soon to be teachers) because it will take ages and forever to be on that very window and then realize that you will go to another step wherein you also have to freakin' line again towards a window.
The funny part here is that the place is too small where the lines on a specific window can't be determined anymore so there's a possibility that you are lining for the wrong one. So if ever you won't be asking the person in front of you in the line then, better stay calm when you realize that you've got the WRONG WINDOW (#ikr; #facepalm). I know that you want to scream and shout and let it all out (darn its a Britney song) but all you have to do is go to the THAT VERY LINE because the more you prolong your agony the lesser you'll get to the finish line. We are almost done in which from 4AM we came out of the said bldg. like around 5PM. Please take note that we didn't take breakfast and lunch so were totally like vegetables and food was the GOD for us (if you are emphatic with us), its like in a desert and we saw an oasis. That's the analogy or actually our imagination that time.
Good thing by the time we came back to get our ID it wasn't that horrendous to bare but you still can't escape the "LINE" (its like am imposing twilight zone in your mind;peace). I've paid around 1,500 to almost 2K Php upon processing my first time ID and by the time I had it renewed just this year, I paid around 800Php (and the waiting and lining was another story. :( )
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| You be the judge: no ANTM here dawg |
NBI (National Bureau of Investigation)
What more can I say, I know how this office works and how things becomes a ruckus. Just like no more renewals and all your previous details by the time you get your clearance are totally vanished as they will be implementing a redo on getting the clearance because they have a new hardware or machine. But sad to say buying or using the holy grail machine as what you've mentioned haven't even solve the LONG LINES, EARLY WAKE UPS and DELAYED RESULTS. This is a disclaimer though, that I have experienced this here particularly in the Visayas area I'm not sure with the NCR in which I do have watched some news regarding the complaints of some citizens but I do think that they have this kind of scheduling yourself online.
As for me, I've tried getting mine from Robinson Cybergate as they have as well promoted a mall site. I do believe to lessen the people lining up in the HQ itself. I went there around 9AM and I was like #240 ish (if I can still remember) and I would say that the people are a bit organized in terms of processing your clearance but I've observed that there were clerical errors. There was a girl who went back to raise her concern after getting her clearance that the photo on it is not her. Imagine if you got back after 2 days or a week to claim your clearance and have noticed that they have typed a wrong name or misspelled or worst its not your clearance at all. And all hell let loose. Actually I haven't gotten my clearance at all as I was too busy with work and okay got no time to go back to line and wait and wait.
I do know, right now that here in the Visayas, they are as well promoting the scheduling system through net so you wouldn't be lining up early in the morning just to get a priority number and hopefully this system or strategy works for the betterment of all (well if you have tried and still no good then you can comment below). Just to add, I've paid around 150php (sorry if this isn't the correct amount as it was like last year).
DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs)
My first encounter with them was a bit easy breezy because my friend and I hired a travel agency to do all the nasty lining for us. So we were just summoned to go and be photographed and answer some questions and check if the names in the system they have inputted were correct and that's it. We've waited for a couple of weeks though to get our passport. We've waited like a boss but actually we were pressured by our company to get the passport done as we need to fly somewhere (if you have read my blog you'll know where).
So the 2nd attempt was the so-so experience because I need to fly somewhere again in which I was just too lax to process my nearing expired passport. As I thought that I can, you know pick up the phone and call the ever so trusting travel agency but guess what it all gave me sweaty palms and a bit of panic because I've processed my passport around May in which it will expire by June and I will fly to somewhere by September (grrr; game face on). In which DFA had a mandatory policy that travel agencies no longer can process passport on behalf of their clients. No choice but to go there and wake up early and again LINE (didn't I mention this?!). I was on the 3rd batch of the line and we've waited outside of Pacific Mall as that is the new location of their office in which opens during mall hours. So imagine some people are there earlier than me and the office will open at exactly 10AM (so who's fooling who?). My number wasn't that bad, it was 121 and I was advised to come back at around 2PM. I have decided to go back to work to be productive for the day and hitched with my friend who is also going the same way after our shift. As soon as I'm inside the office, it was kinda organize and yes, line is still there but the staff are efficient and fast on processing the passports. And they keep on playing Mr. Bean on the wall mounted LCDs in which sort of entertained the people inside the office.
I have chosen a non priority option so I've paid for the lowest amount, if I can still remember well, it was around 950-ish. You have the option to choose on how many days would you like your passport to be processed or available and you can as well have it through courier. As for me, I've opted for the normal processing which was around 25 working days and I've read some blogs as well so I've taken their advise to go there a day after or I think that was 3 days after the supposed claim date of my passport because sometimes (I just don't know why) but some of them hasn't really have processed the passport or to some sorcery your passport wouldn't be ready by the time you exactly go there to claim it (so much for the wait; it makes me wanna).
As for the photos, I don't know, I have this notion that if its for govt. related ones you should have either a neutral face (what's that even mean; for the world of selfie) or don't smile at all and my result was like I've been to prison and had myself a mug shot ( I don't know am really awkward when I know that someone is taking photo of me; I guess am not the model-ish type; GIVE ME THAT SMIZE!!!)
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| As I've said don't expect too much or this is too much (rolling of the eyes) |
P.S.
Ti'l my next LINE.
Doing this post while listening to my morning acoustic playlist.
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| La la la |
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