starshadow_rivaulx (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
starshadow_rivaulx) wrote2011-07-27 09:54 am
starshadow_rivaulx) wrote2011-07-27 09:54 am
Fwd: Tuesday, 26-July-2011 :: Event/s of the Day & Twitter Log
Event of the Day: Went to the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs, specifically the Consular Section) to get my passport renewed. Woke up to pouring rain and the news that a tropical storm was on the way in. No kidding. Anyway, amid Dad's dire predictions of bad things to come, I went out to give it my best shot, with Ramon in tow. The rain wasn't so bad coming out of the village, but once we got to Roxas Boulevard, oye companyeros de mi vida! The buildings in the reclaimed area were in near-whiteout conditions, and we managed to get into the leading edge of the heavy rain. Miserable conditions.
Still, after doing a recon of the area, I did manage to get a parking space right in front of the door of McDo Aseana. Right in front of the bloody door, in the pouring rain, you can bet we were hugely grateful for that. So Ramon and I had breakfast, used the facilities, went to the Mercury Drug next door to buy a newspaper. Then I left the car keys with Ramon, who stayed behind at McDo to snack and read while I crossed the road to the DFA. By this time the rain had slowed to a gentle sort of shower, which was a good thing.
I managed to get in without any trouble; I was actually an hour early for my scheduled appointment. I had my appointment reconfirmed, was told to sit in the waiting area - actually a bunch of monobloc benches underneath several tents - tents that allowed the rain in, so that there were precious few places to sit. There was this pregnant lady, maybe six months on - people were trying to find ways and means to get her seated comfortably, such a warm and fuzzy sight. I would dearly love to know who in government thought that it would be a good thing to give this particular department a spanking new building with modern technology, and not provide a decent holding pen - ahem! - I mean, waiting area for the people the department is supposed to be serving. Maybe they couldn't afford the airconditioning bill, I don't know. But to have all the applicants stand about in the rain cannot possibly improve the country's image. I saw an expat escort his wife and her relations to the gate, and his face was all "WTF IS THIS SHITE" all over. Betcha he's going to let everyone back home know about it.
Then a DFA guy came over, asked who were scheduled for 10:30-11:00am, and herded us all into the main building, huzzah! Someone even let me get ahead of them in the line - incredible.
Then after a short waiting interval, we were herded by batches into the main processing area. The process of passport renewal is easy: you go on your scheduled appointment date; you get your appointment reconfirmed; you wait to be queued up; the marshal tells you when to fall in line and you go; you wait some more; you present your papers; you go upstairs and fall in another line to pay the passport fee; you get another queue number for the data capture; you sit and wait (can you see a theme developing here); you go to the booth that will capture your thumbprints/application form data/take your passport picture; you go to the courier service desk if you'd rather have your passport delivered instead of returning to the DFA (I doubt very many would want to come back after all the waiting); pay the fees, and then you are FREE.
Wow, was that some sort of sentence and paragraph construction there, or what?
OK, to be fair, the process itself, as I said, is easy. But the sheer volume of people going through the process is...it boggles the mind. That's actually what takes so long, the falling in line and waiting for all the others ahead of you to be processed. Another thing: the DFA website says specifically that the basic requirements are the first and last page of your passport; the pages with the most recent arrival and departure stamps from Immigration; and if you are a married woman desirous of using your husband's surname, a copy of your marriage certificate from the National Statistics Organization, printed on its special paper. You may also have ready things like your birth certificate, NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) clearance, Social Security Card, and other documents that prove your identity. Each document should have a matching photocopy. Comes my turn to present my documents, and all they really wanted was the application form and the passport pages. *facepalm*
Well, I am glad that it turned out so easy. But I did spend about 400pesos to get the NSO Marriage Certificate. And maybe another 100pesos to photocopy other documents. Am consoling myself that I can always keep everything on file, so not a waste of money.
In the meantime, Ramon was stuck in McDo by default for a while. Once he'd done with the paper and his morning snack, he decided he was going to move the car. As one does. Except that not one, but two cars were double-parked behind him. After they left, he moved the car down to the Sole Mare showroom, and then just as I was about to finish, he moved the car across the street from the S&R, and picked me up at the DFA gate when I'd done. It's probably the most driving I've let him do since driving around the block yesterday.
We had lunch at KFC at Mall of Asia. I was in the middle of a splitting headache - but then that's why I carry Advil around with me. After lunch, we went home, and I fell into The Nap of the Ages (TM), to wake up to dinner and life as usual.
Automatically shipped by LoudTwitter
01:59 Queen Tells Kate Middleton the Royal Wedding Dress Exhibition is “Horrid” : Wakey Wakey News bit.ly/ovfjAW #
01:59 How the BBC lost 60,000 Twitter followers to ITV | The Wall Blog bit.ly/oTmUIT #
11:32 @ouija_sam dear heavens, not the goat! So LJ is still down? Damn i'm glad i have my dreamwidth mirror. #
12:40 Currently at KFC Mall of Asia. Just finished renewing passport. Process flow easy, but wow, the volume of people is no joke. #
12:49 Currently at KFC Mall of As! ia. Just finished passport renewal process at DFA Aseana beside S&R. #
12:50 The process is easy enough, but the sheer volume of people is no joke. I'm going to take an Advil after lunch. #
12:51 This KFC branch is pretty. Doesn't look like a fast food outlet so much now. #
12:55 Massive FAIL on the part of the DFA not to include a comfortable transit lounge for applicants. Probably can't afford aircon bill. #
13:01 There are benches under tents, but when it rains, like today, the benches get wet and can't be sat on. #
13:01 The ten! ts allow water in through the gaps. #
15:11 The Starshadow Rivaulx Daily is out! bit.ly/j0mF5e #
22:18 My Two Bits: I love a rainy night bit.ly/nxfLVd #
22:44 I read The Lady, the Chef, and the Courtesan by Marisol bit.ly/pdOcFZ #
22:46 :( I know I ate enough for dinner. Why am I hungry now? *makes note to raid refrigerator* #
22:47 *makes secondary note to drink water* #
22:50 RT @rjled: Interesting to see how th! e Azkals bond since not all of them conversant in English. But you can really feel the brotherhood :) #
22:56 Buh! Number Coding lifted all over Metro Manila tomorrow due to inclement weather EXCEPT MAKATI and LAS PINAS. Wah! #
23:09 @newsjunkie365 re Dr. Drew...good heavens, the man should just hush his mouth (re police not encouraging speculation abt amy winehouse) #
23:16 Gross National Happiness - DEMAND AND SUPPLY By Boo Chanco - The Philippine Star » News » Business bit.ly/ogKuut #
23:16 BBC News - Film poster artists revive a dying c! raft bit.ly/pG971M #
23:16 Philippine pair charged over animal torture videos | Inquirer Global Nation bit.ly/n5Z6QU #
23:28 @dyancastillejo A bright and blessed birthday to Matthew! May good angels always be his guard! #
Still, after doing a recon of the area, I did manage to get a parking space right in front of the door of McDo Aseana. Right in front of the bloody door, in the pouring rain, you can bet we were hugely grateful for that. So Ramon and I had breakfast, used the facilities, went to the Mercury Drug next door to buy a newspaper. Then I left the car keys with Ramon, who stayed behind at McDo to snack and read while I crossed the road to the DFA. By this time the rain had slowed to a gentle sort of shower, which was a good thing.
I managed to get in without any trouble; I was actually an hour early for my scheduled appointment. I had my appointment reconfirmed, was told to sit in the waiting area - actually a bunch of monobloc benches underneath several tents - tents that allowed the rain in, so that there were precious few places to sit. There was this pregnant lady, maybe six months on - people were trying to find ways and means to get her seated comfortably, such a warm and fuzzy sight. I would dearly love to know who in government thought that it would be a good thing to give this particular department a spanking new building with modern technology, and not provide a decent holding pen - ahem! - I mean, waiting area for the people the department is supposed to be serving. Maybe they couldn't afford the airconditioning bill, I don't know. But to have all the applicants stand about in the rain cannot possibly improve the country's image. I saw an expat escort his wife and her relations to the gate, and his face was all "WTF IS THIS SHITE" all over. Betcha he's going to let everyone back home know about it.
Then a DFA guy came over, asked who were scheduled for 10:30-11:00am, and herded us all into the main building, huzzah! Someone even let me get ahead of them in the line - incredible.
Then after a short waiting interval, we were herded by batches into the main processing area. The process of passport renewal is easy: you go on your scheduled appointment date; you get your appointment reconfirmed; you wait to be queued up; the marshal tells you when to fall in line and you go; you wait some more; you present your papers; you go upstairs and fall in another line to pay the passport fee; you get another queue number for the data capture; you sit and wait (can you see a theme developing here); you go to the booth that will capture your thumbprints/application form data/take your passport picture; you go to the courier service desk if you'd rather have your passport delivered instead of returning to the DFA (I doubt very many would want to come back after all the waiting); pay the fees, and then you are FREE.
Wow, was that some sort of sentence and paragraph construction there, or what?
OK, to be fair, the process itself, as I said, is easy. But the sheer volume of people going through the process is...it boggles the mind. That's actually what takes so long, the falling in line and waiting for all the others ahead of you to be processed. Another thing: the DFA website says specifically that the basic requirements are the first and last page of your passport; the pages with the most recent arrival and departure stamps from Immigration; and if you are a married woman desirous of using your husband's surname, a copy of your marriage certificate from the National Statistics Organization, printed on its special paper. You may also have ready things like your birth certificate, NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) clearance, Social Security Card, and other documents that prove your identity. Each document should have a matching photocopy. Comes my turn to present my documents, and all they really wanted was the application form and the passport pages. *facepalm*
Well, I am glad that it turned out so easy. But I did spend about 400pesos to get the NSO Marriage Certificate. And maybe another 100pesos to photocopy other documents. Am consoling myself that I can always keep everything on file, so not a waste of money.
In the meantime, Ramon was stuck in McDo by default for a while. Once he'd done with the paper and his morning snack, he decided he was going to move the car. As one does. Except that not one, but two cars were double-parked behind him. After they left, he moved the car down to the Sole Mare showroom, and then just as I was about to finish, he moved the car across the street from the S&R, and picked me up at the DFA gate when I'd done. It's probably the most driving I've let him do since driving around the block yesterday.
We had lunch at KFC at Mall of Asia. I was in the middle of a splitting headache - but then that's why I carry Advil around with me. After lunch, we went home, and I fell into The Nap of the Ages (TM), to wake up to dinner and life as usual.
Automatically shipped by LoudTwitter
01:59 Queen Tells Kate Middleton the Royal Wedding Dress Exhibition is “Horrid” : Wakey Wakey News bit.ly/ovfjAW #
01:59 How the BBC lost 60,000 Twitter followers to ITV | The Wall Blog bit.ly/oTmUIT #
11:32 @ouija_sam dear heavens, not the goat! So LJ is still down? Damn i'm glad i have my dreamwidth mirror. #
12:40 Currently at KFC Mall of Asia. Just finished renewing passport. Process flow easy, but wow, the volume of people is no joke. #
12:49 Currently at KFC Mall of As! ia. Just finished passport renewal process at DFA Aseana beside S&R. #
12:50 The process is easy enough, but the sheer volume of people is no joke. I'm going to take an Advil after lunch. #
12:51 This KFC branch is pretty. Doesn't look like a fast food outlet so much now. #
12:55 Massive FAIL on the part of the DFA not to include a comfortable transit lounge for applicants. Probably can't afford aircon bill. #
13:01 There are benches under tents, but when it rains, like today, the benches get wet and can't be sat on. #
13:01 The ten! ts allow water in through the gaps. #
15:11 The Starshadow Rivaulx Daily is out! bit.ly/j0mF5e #
22:18 My Two Bits: I love a rainy night bit.ly/nxfLVd #
22:44 I read The Lady, the Chef, and the Courtesan by Marisol bit.ly/pdOcFZ #
22:46 :( I know I ate enough for dinner. Why am I hungry now? *makes note to raid refrigerator* #
22:47 *makes secondary note to drink water* #
22:50 RT @rjled: Interesting to see how th! e Azkals bond since not all of them conversant in English. But you can really feel the brotherhood :) #
22:56 Buh! Number Coding lifted all over Metro Manila tomorrow due to inclement weather EXCEPT MAKATI and LAS PINAS. Wah! #
23:09 @newsjunkie365 re Dr. Drew...good heavens, the man should just hush his mouth (re police not encouraging speculation abt amy winehouse) #
23:16 Gross National Happiness - DEMAND AND SUPPLY By Boo Chanco - The Philippine Star » News » Business bit.ly/ogKuut #
23:16 BBC News - Film poster artists revive a dying c! raft bit.ly/pG971M #
23:16 Philippine pair charged over animal torture videos | Inquirer Global Nation bit.ly/n5Z6QU #
23:28 @dyancastillejo A bright and blessed birthday to Matthew! May good angels always be his guard! #