DFA Passport Application: Why I Chose Traveling To Puerto Princesa For Renewal
Have you imagined the hassle it brings whenever you apply for a passport in a third world country? You can’t imagine how difficult it is to get one. If someone finally made it, that little thing is much treasured like a diamond.
That’s how it is in the Philippines. And unfortunately, it is kind of a norm to experience it. Yet, every Filipino understands that getting it will cause a lot of trouble, including the effort, money, and time you spent outside the office, sitting while waiting for your turn until the mall shuts off its premises.
DFA passport application has been an ongoing issue in the Philippines since the government office implemented an online appointment system for its applicants for both new applications and renewals.
DFA passport application has been an ongoing issue in the Philippines since the government office implemented an online appointment system for its applicants for both new applications and renewals.
As a citizen living in Cagayan de Oro City, I chose to leave my hometown and process my passport renewal to change my name after marriage in Puerto Princesa instead.
There were many reasons why I insisted on getting there to process my passport though Cagayan de Oro City has their own Department of Foreign Affairs office.
Terrible experience in DFA Cagayan de Oro
This is my very first point. It’s an unforgettable experience until now I can clearly recall how unfortunate I was to get my first Philippine passport.
For the first time in my life, I slept in the road together with the other applicants across different regions of Mindanao way back 2014 when I first applied for the passport. Some came from Bukidnon and as far as Butuan. Some have families with them as DFA needed personal appearance to apply the document.
Applicants had to sleep outside the office to make sure they finish earlier.
I went there as early as 8 in the evening the day before — that was a Sunday evening to make sure I get in the first 1,000 applicants for Monday. Because the office doesn’t issue priority number beforehand, we needed to get familiar with the person/s next to us to avoid trouble. When I arrived there, I was already in number 40. Others went earlier than me — around 5 in the afternoon after shopping.
Literally, we slept on the road. I thought, “I didn’t imagine I ended up here when all I did in my life was achieving top scores at school.” Many of them shared their extra boxes for me to sleep on and some took care of me as I was the youngest applicant that time.
Literally, we slept on the road. I thought, “I didn’t imagine I ended up here when all I did in my life was achieving top scores at school.” Many of them shared their extra boxes for me to sleep on and some took care of me as I was the youngest applicant that time.
Applicants had to suffer enough with the stampede to get inside the DFA’s premises.
At 4 in the morning, the security guard finally let us sign the log book to get the official numbering for the queueing of applicants to get in. In my mind, I was terrible hungry and too sleepy to think right. I want a whole night sleep for God’s sake! But I couldn’t get out from my place thinking others will take advantage of it. So, I held my pee as much as I can until I finally got in amid the rampage, chaos, and stampede when the office finally opened its doors at 8 am.
Applicants had to face “frowning” officials inside the processing area.
Imagine, when the evaluator, who by the way looked strict and frowning all the time, interviewed me a bit to verify the documents with such state, I remembered trying to bulge my eyes to open it and pretend I was fully awake and conscious enough to answer her questions. It was really terrible.
Applicants received the passports delayed amid Express payment.
When I got out at 9, I sighed deeply and rushed to the nearby fast food to eat my breakfast. I was too irritated, sleepy, and hungry to entertain BS. What’s worse? I paid extra for the Express payment to have the passport faster than the regular number of days it arrives, I still ended up waiting the whole month, which is equivalent to the regular payment of Php 950.
Visit Palawan at least once in my life
Second, I ever wanted to visit Palawan at least once in my life, though I wasn’t able to visit their popular tourist destinations in El Nido or Coron (this will surely be in my bucket list though) and experience how is it like to stay in the southern tail of the Philippines.
According to Holiday Suites (I will write my personal review in my next posts), the hotel where we stayed in for three days and two nights, for someone to enjoy Palawan fully, obviously referring to the famous natural tourist spots and beaches, you need to book a tour at least one month (30 days) before you arrive in the island. That’s how fully-packed the island tours are.
You need to book a tour at least one month (30 days) before you arrive in the island to ensure you can get a full package of Palawan experience.
While I didn’t have that opportunity to visit these islands yet, my sister and I enjoyed the whole stay in Puerto Princesa, which is a city but still felt like rural enough to relax and chill with people around there. By the way, they were surprisingly friendly as well.
“Very” Fast Processing Time
Third reason is that DFA Puerto Princesa is declared as the “fastest DFA application processing area of the country.” Literally, fastest! My appointment date was July 10, 11 in the morning to 12 noon. Yet, I decided to enter half an hour earlier, just in case, to finish on time. However, it turned out finishing 11 in the morning, which was my appointment time.
To give you an idea of what I went through, this was how I experienced DFA Puerto Princesa at its finest:
The security guard greeted me with a smile handing me a priority number before I entered the premises. I sat down in the benches waiting for my turn. When the information desk in-charge called my number I went to her and gave her my documents on hand including the photocopies I had.
Note: Make sure you have all the requirements stated in the DFA website. You can see the whole bunch of papers you need here. Click here. If you haven’t made an online appointment, make sure you have one and print the form in A4 size bond paper.
Tip: I discovered this website which gives you idea which DFA regional offices offer available appointment. But keep in mind this is not a booking site. So, obviously you can’t make appointment there. It functions as a guide. Nothing else. You can visit the website by clicking here. You have to check this site regularly to see which dates remain available up to this date.
She quickly skimmed the papers, segregating the others the office don’t need. Afterwards, she returned the remaining documents they don’t need and told me to keep them as well as the documents I needed to present in the processing unit. I headed there quickly and handed her the papers they need.
The evaluator asked me questions verifying the information stated in my printed appointment required by the office as well as the attached documents i.e. PSA birth certificate, PSA marriage certificate. It was very quick before I proceeded to the cashier and paid Php 1,200 for the Express delivery of the passport.
The cashier gave me an LBC package label to write the shipping details and headed to the courier section to pay additional Php 150 for the shipping fee. While doing so, the processing unit in-charge called my name for taking photo of my face to print in the passport, signature, and proofreading the information DFA will state. At this point, I make sure there are no mistakes.
After that, I was done.
Compared to my hometown, my dear CdO, it only took me half an hour to finish all the processing from getting priority number from the security guard outside the office towards the payment for the courier service to ship my passport from Palawan since I couldn’t get it personally there. In Cagayan de Oro, it took almost whole day. OMFG!
Enjoy malling after a quick passport processing.
Since the Philippine Embassy is located inside Robinson’s Place, which was in front of the hotel where we stayed, and the whole passport processing was quick, my sister and I had a lot of fun time roaming around the mall and the nearby areas.
Passport delivery on the dot!
This is the my most concern. I paid for Express delivery via LBC, a local courier, and promised they will have my new passport delivered within the month. So, I expected it will arrive around 30th of July but it arrived 21st, which I believed a very cool thing about DFA Puerto Princesa.
In general, though we spent quite more of the travel, I didn’t regret having such a wonderful experience being in Palawan and able to enjoy the friendly and fast service DFA Puerto Princesa offered to us, a tourist in the island. Thank you so much, Palawan and its people for such unforgettable moment I’ll cherish forever.
If you have similar experiences like I did, you can share them in the comments below. I’ll be very happy to read them. 🙂
Photo by Cris Tagupa on Unsplash
Originally published at mecyllgaspary.wordpress.com on July 30, 2018.
