Hello Maroon Passport...Buhbye Green One

hello maroon passport, buhbye green one!


It wasn't easy getting this new e-passport I tell you...
and to think the DFA has come a notch techie.

Go carry extra patience, patience and then some more.
Why? Here's what:

My green passport is due for renewal this July so I opted to get a new one around the early part of May.

Back in Baguio City I was used having my previous passports done by just paying a travel agency and presto--problem solved within a week.

But this 2010, my Bezzi told me to just process my renewal on my own(instead of paying an agency here in Pasig City). Well.... contemplated about it( the long lines and stuff) and okay, I gave in to the idea.

My first step:
I went to the old DFA building somewhere in Pasay City and found out that passport renewals and applications weren't done there anymore.They told me to go to the new DFA building along Macapagal Ave., in Paranaque... But first, they said, I'd better have an appointment first through phone or E-ONLINE appointment or else the guards won't let me in in the vicinity without a control number and something like that.

I was like... "What the--"
Just the same, I did exactly that---I called the DFA Passport Appointment Hotline.
My Gulay! After all the questions and stuff from the one on the other line, she gave me my control number AND told me to be on time on June6!

My gosh!
The e-passport appointment alone would take almost a month of waiting, plus the 10-day processing for rush passport( that's P1200), 20-day for the regular( P1000).

I was like mouthing--" what the @#$^*" this time...

Of course I needed to do something! I went to my reliable Bezzi AGAIN and told her my dilemma AND told her to do something--(really i had this I -can't- wait- till- June attitude in me. Hahaha!)

Stubborn me.

And my Bezzi really did something!

She called a friend: Someone from DFA main and that friend issued a referral letter for me and presto--I could go to DFA anytime and have my renewal processed anytime.

And boy I did!

Only to find out that even the courtesy lane of this agency was soooooooo full!
Duh!

Well, despite the long wait and the long line, my passport renewal was processed on that day itself that I lined in there. ( thanks to my Bezzi and her DFA friend.) Just a reminder: No need to bring passport-sized IDs and stuff... (The new passport is a notch techie now, like I said...My passport picture was taken by a DFA personnel and believe me i was like frowning or something like that in the picture, you wouldn't want to see it..hahahaha!)

So, I had my receipt with me telling me to go get my new maroon passport on June9.


My 2nd step:

June 9.
Went to DFA Macapagal Ave., to get my much-fussed about passport.
My receipt said 2-4pm... So I was there before 2.

To my horror!
The line was soooo long and the people were annoyed, vexed, irritated--(all those negative stuff)..
Why?
Brownout!
yup! DFA was having power interruption and gosh! the agency didn't have even just one generator!

The heck!
A grand building like that.... a government agency proud about its modernization (E-passport and all)
--no generator?!

Really it was a maddening day! My passport--and the others' ( like, hundreds of them) couldn't be released that disastrous day because the computers weren't working.Plus, it was dark, according to the employees!

Duh!

Anyone who's been to this new DFA building would agree with me that the first floor ( the releasing section) was far from dark on broad daylight since that floor was all-glass!

Passport releasing would be possible since what an applicant would just have to do was show an ID and the receipt and the DFA personnel would just have to go get the passport from the file.

But of course the DFA management just gave us a lame excuse...And then told us to just come back the next day.

My golly!
One complained that the receipts for June9 and June10 would simply be a veeerrryyy long line since ours would be out of sked. The DFA personnel said ours will be prioritized.

Mmmm...


My 3rd step:

As much as i didn't feel like returning, I did.( that was this morning, June10) I went to the releasing section AND stood in front of one window (without falling in line etc). I Showed the man my receipt frowning and he got my message.... Hihihihi...

A few minutes later, finally, my maroon passport!