Yesterday, a Wednesday, I decided to go half day from my office work to finally dedicate a time to go back to the Department of Foreign Affairs and to find out for myself what was the reason why my new passport was not released on the promised date.
As I mentioned earlier, my new passport was supposed to be released on March 27, and subsequently the Pilipinas Teleserve Inc. was suppose to deliver it to me next day. I decided to avail the services of Pilipinas Teleserve Inc. so as not to go through another nightmare again in claiming my new passport. However, last Friday, Pilipinas Teleserve Inc. texted me to call them abut the status of my new passport only to learn that they were unable to claim it from DFA because the DFA told them that there was a problem with the photo that I submitted to the DFA evaluators/encoders when I personally went through my three-hour Extra Challenge episode of passport renewal.
I parked my car in front of the HK Sun Plaza across Roxas Boulevard. I find it convenient and safe since it is impossible to find a space to park in all the streets around the Department of Foreign Affairs. On the contrary, there are ample spaces to park in HK Sun Plaza. I came to know about this because I regularly visit HK Sun Plaza since it is leasing on a Social Security System lot which I am in charge as Project Manager of the SSS Asset Management Department.
I simply walked across Roxas Boulevard using the pedestrian overpass. I proceeded to the DFA Basketball where the Pilipinas Teleserve Inc. holds office and returned the receipt they issued to me. In return, I was refunded with my P180.00 for the passport delivery and they gave me back the Official Receipt for my passport renewal.
Then texted my friend who is working with the DFA and told her that I was already inside the DFA compound. After that nightmare that I went through for the renewal, I decided that this time I will “call a friend” just like in that game show “Who Wants to be A Millionaire” for assistance.
When we finally met, she related to me that last Monday, after I gave her the OR number for the delivery service of my passport with Pilipinas Teleserve Inc. she had asked the people inside the DFA on the status of my passport. She told me that the passport processor had marked “CP” for Change Photo meaning that the photo that I submitted has some defects. I showed her copy of my photo and she said probably my face was larger than what is allowed.
My DFA friend told me that I should have not asked for the refund of passport delivery fee with the Pilipinas Teleserve Inc since after I will have a new picture taking session inside the DFA, my passport will already be processed and I will have to transact again with the Pilipinas Teleserve Inc for the passport delivery.
Anyway, since I had refunded it already, she then led me to the room where the pending passports applications as located. This time, I did not fall in a long line! When my friend told the guy over the counter about our purpose, the guy told him that my passport was already “FOR RELEASE”! We were told to proceed to the next room. I was already excited while going inside the next room. When my DFA friend asked the guy over the counter about my passport, he stood up and went the table at his back looked from among the passports, picked up one, read it. He went back to his counter and confirmed to us that indeed my passport was ready for release! I signed a piece of paper and received my new passport!
What happened? Today, 2000 years after Jesus Christ, indeed Miracles still happen, this time inside DFA! I would like to ask some questions that may help in making a guess to explain that Christ did not make a miracle inside the DFA like when He converted water to wine in a wedding: Would it not be possible that some enterprising guys inside the passport processing of DFA have realized that passport ID picture taking could be a good side line? Those passport applicants that had their photos taken from other photo service as in my case would run the danger of their photos rejected. When my DFA friend made a follow up, would it be possible that the processor must have thought that my DFA friend would question them why they rejected my photo? So as not to run in trouble, is it not that they immediately proceeded with processing of my new passport? The OR of my passport aside from the marking “CP” has another marking which said “RESOLVED”! Himala?
12 Responses to “DFA’s Inefficiency:People’s Agony, the Conclusion”
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got to your post after searching for SSS’s HK Sun Plaza number. I have been calling SSS HK Sun Plaza because my husband wanted to apply for SSS Id. for the past couple of months, their excuse was always: “sira yun machine”. now, when I called, the machine has been pulled out! and i was attempting to ask further questions but the person who answered the phone was curt and insisted that i call 9206401. haaay! hopefully, being an SSS employee, you can let this reach the proper authorities.
Hello, there i need advise. I’m in that situation and i need help to calm down. Buti na lang nabasa ko ito.
My passport wa supposed to arrive today, but then, my sister said 2GO wasn’t able to pick it up. So i asked here? What could be the problem.. She said, : hindi raw na claim ng 2go noong thurs kasi kelangan mo raw mag appearance at dala ka bago picture… hindi siguro pumasa yung picture mo… baka dapat light colored yung polo mo kasi dark na yung background… di kaya…”.. sabi ko bakit>? For all i know my photo was ok, kasi noong andun ako sa DFA last time, doon sa last stage ng pila , yung part na magabbayad na and encode na lang details mo sa computer, i had this chat with a girl, tapos she asked me kung oka na ba yung picture namin.. Sabi ko “di ba hindi tayomakakabaot sa process na ito kung hindi pumasa?..So to ease curiousity, she asked one of the DFA personell standing , tapos tinignan photo ko tapos sabi, ” Ma’am kung hindi iyan pumasa , sana may CP – change Photo”.. At okay naman po yung picture ninyo.
About how frustrating the DFA passport processing is, I just hope that the guy who dropped by and had written a comment about it had only a CP (change photo) thing. Although I hope that just like me, his/her photo would have been approved.
naputol pala yung last post ko. Sorry, anyway, dahil doon sa sinabi ng 2go na i should go there and bring a new photo, Yun na nga siguro yung reason kung bakit pending passport. Just wondering though, bakit kung kelan natapos na lahat, yung idedeliver na , tsaka pa lang nila sasabihin na pending. was it because of my photo that they aprroved earlier?… Contradicting right?.. Naiinis na ako eh. Hindi pa kasi ako pede magleave from work t go there, siguro ngayon napatungan nanaman paper ko.. hays,… sige kwento ko na lang ulit ano mangyayari later.. Sana hindi ako maloko pag dating ko doon. Kung mangyayari man yon, i’ll make sure, they’ll regret the consequence.. Thanks Egay!
@FedUpWithAlready
Tama yan! You should think ahead before getting there. As the saying goes, “Walang maloloko kung walang magpapaloko”…
btw, are you a he or she?…Can’t wait to hear the next story…
Maybe i can help!! (Kung mangyayari man yon, i’ll make sure, they’ll regret the consequence…. )
@ Egay
Artista ka pala? wala lang
PART 1
ayun, I’m back. Nakuha ko na po Passport ko. As i said before ,i’ll go on with this story .
So i went there.I went there as early as 6:30 in the morning. Una pumunta muna ako sa 2GO sa may basketball court, and asked them about the pending situation. The girl i talked to said, “huwag ka muna mag pa
picture.. baka hindi naman yan “Change Photo”.. so i agreed, kinuha ko sa kanya iyong paper na ibibgay ko sa Releasing. ( Sa room 100 ito, sa pending). Pagpunta ko doon, binigay ko sa guard na nandoon yung
binigay sa akin sa 2GO. Then i waited.. after 20 minutes, tinawag name ko, tapos pinapasok ako sa room kung saan kinakausap yung mga “pending” ang passport.
( Conversations)
DFA STAFF: First time mo ba pumunta dito?
APPLICANT: Opo.
DFA STAFF: Ano sinabi sa yo bakit ka andito?
APPLICANT: Sabi sa kin ng 2GO, DI Daw ninyo nirelease passport ko kasi may pending. I think that was supposedly delivered last week , pero hindi dumating sa akin.
DFA STAFF: ok, sige sandali lang tanungin ko sa loob.
( after 5 10 minutes..)
DFA STAFF: (bumalik sa pagkakaupo niya ..)
DFA STAFF: ( Giving me a paper to be given to 2GO) while saying, ibigay mo ito sa 2GO tapos balik ka dito, pero sa releasing..
APPLICANT: (confused state ) … ano po ba nangyari sa Passport ko bakit po pendning?… Ano po ba nagyari bakit pinapadala ako ng bagong photo?..
DFA STAFF: ah,… “DAMAGE”.. nadamage yung photo , pero naayoos na. ( He mentioned a date when the photo was restored afterwards.. but i think the date was two weeks earlied than the said said of release).
APPLICANT: ah, so okay na?.. ano po ba damage?..
DFA STAFF: basta yung photo mo, nagkadamage, pero naayos din kasi di ba may extra naman na copy?…
APPLICANT.. .. silent lang.. okay sige salamat.
…..
PART 2
afterwards, i went back to the asketball court to claim my receipt, tapos, i stapled the paper given to me by the DFA Staff at the pending section. (this will be given to the releasing area)
I reviewed the receipt , and there was indeed a “CP” marked on it, naksulat naman sa binigay sa akin ng DFA STAFF sa pending, “RESOLVED last june… 2008″(date was two weeks earlier than the release date) .
Then i went back to the releasing section. Here’s an interesting part..
On my way there, i wanted to be sure if i am supposed to go to the releasing area right away or to go back to the pending section… so I asked the guard.. ( guard na nakatayo doon sa releasing .. sa labas msimo.
yung inabutan ko ng paper noong una)
(Conversations)
APPLICANT: Sir, (pinapabasa ko yung 2 papers na nakastaple sa kaya while talking to him), doon na po ba ako sa releasing dederetso or balik po ako sa pending?..
GUARD: (binabasa niya yung papers while talking). O, Bakit may CP ito… may change photo ka pa ah, (i didn’t know if he read the paper stapled on top of the paper he was talking about.)
APPLICANT: sir, na resolved na daw po.. andyan po nakapatong yung paper na nagsasabi na resloved na. Galing na po ako sa pending kanina.
GUARD: nanggaling ka na sa pending?.. kinausap ka na?…
APPLICANT: opo.. okay na daw po eh..
GUARD: ah, okay na pala eh.. eh di tanggaling mo na itong papel, itago mo na ito( tinaggal niya yung paper stapled on top, tapos inaabot sa kamay ko ng patago).. tapos punta ka na sa loob.
APPLICANT: (confused again).. ok po.
……….
So, i went to the releasing section, tapos pagpasok ko doon, naghanap ako ng stapler, humiram ako. PInaalam ko yung stapler sa guy, (isang DFA Staff) .. sabni niya”sige ok lang”.. Tapos noong tinary ko, walang
bala… So kumuha ako ng iba sa tabi niya,, tapos nagalit pa yung baabe doon, ( ang sungit.. sabi sa akin, “Si mam nag oover the bakod”).. grabe, ang sungit talaga, ngumiti na lang ako. (para lalo pa siyang mainis
heheh).
So , ininstapler ko ulit yung paper, tska ko pinatong doon sa lalagyanan ng papers ng mga nagaantay ng passport. ( this was an instruction . Ilagay daw kasi sa box ung mga claim slips etc.. tapos tatawagin na lang)
…
Isip ko, kung nakinig ako sa guard, malamang mas lalo ako ng nasungitan ng DFA GIrl na yun. Anyways, good thing, nag isip ako. Pero loko yung guard na yun.. Grabe, ano tingin niya sa akin, aanga anga?.. Siguro
akala niya hindi ko siya napansin..
So there, around 10 in the morning, i got my passport. Sa wakas!
PART 3
I hope those people out there , nababsa ninyo ito. At around 10 in the morning i went out of the DFA facility. Someone very special fetch me, Naglakad kamisa labas, kung saan ang daming tao, makikitanyo doon na
maraming maiinit ang ulo, yung iba naman nakaupo,( parang nakapila or something).. tapos sa tapat ng gate entrance ng DFA, may kumpol kumpol ng tao kaming nakita, then passing by i heard, A guy was
negotiatiing with three people na siya na daw maglalakad ng passport, etc etc.. In short, ang daming nanloloko at naloloko. I wanted to take a picture.. para remembrance sana..
Kaso wala ko camera 
For those of you planning to renew or apply for a new passport, i have my lesson , And i want to share them with you.
1. Kayo ang maglakad. Don’t trust anyone. If you’re working, mag leave kayo.
2. Be prepared. Prepare niyo lahat ng kailangan before going there. The following are valid supporing papers na pwede hanapin sa inyo : old passport (kung meron), photocopies and original copies of Birth Ceritifacte(
From NSO).. Valid ID’s.. ( Company ID’s , Studend ID’s( kung graduate na Alumni ID or membership ID na may birthdate ka at picture), SSS ID, w2 Form, Driver’s license (kung meron), Marriage Certificate(if married),
Passport Photos, ( polo shirt. Dark shirt , in royal blue background,no shadow, no make up serious but not too serious, no smile, no glasses, no poses, and ears must be visible). To be sure, mag research muna kayo
sa mga forumns). TOR( yung iba kasi hinahanapan),baranggay clearance, tapos, bring a lot of memories from our past, kunwari you’re student before. May mga iba nagtatanong anong section noong second year
highschool etc.
. Bring money. 500 or 700 ang payment.
ito yung nasa : http://www.passport.com.ph/app/requirements/
Marriage Contract
PRC / IBP ID
Land Title
Driver’s License
Government Service Record
Old SSS-E1 form or digitized SSS-ID
School Form 137 or Transcript of Records
Other documents that show full name and birth details of applicant and/or citizenship
Voter’s Registration Record
Baptismal Certificate
Seaman’s Book
Income Tax Return (Old)
3. Go there early. As early as 3 in the morning. Mas okay yung sa first 500 ka maprocess. Do not trust the “Online application”.. I met someone noong nagprocess ako , nakailang balik na daw siya, and nagpa
appointment pa siya ha..
4. Pagdating doon,”DERETSO” lang sa guard. Ilabas mo yung mga papers mo para makta niya agad purpose mo. Don’t look to your right or left, maraming “Fixers” sa tabi. MInsan naka disguise as applicant. bsta
deretso. Yung papers for application, nandoon sa loob binibigay. Pagpasok mo sa basketball court, ask the guard where to get it.
5. Magdala kayo ng food. Baka sa kakintay, magutom. Iwasang umalis sa pila , kasi pag nag head count na at pinapatayo, may sumusingit. PAg nasa pila na , observe silently. Kung kaya niyo makipagkuwentuhan sa
katabi just to get info, it’s okay. Pero don’t trust anyone.
6. Makinig sa instructions. Iaanounce naman yun eh. may mga nakapost sa tabi kung anong gagawin, pero mas maganda makinig. Ex. paano mo ididikit yung photos sa application form.
7. Be calm.
8. Know your rights. Specifically, about sa mga Public officers. Minsan they tend to intimidate you. So if they did, stay calm and remind them of their responsibilities.
ARTICLE XI
ACCOUNTABILITY OF PUBLIC OFFICERS
“Section 1. Public office is a public trust. Public officers and employees must, at all times, be accountable to the people, serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency; act with patriotism and
justice, and lead modest lives. ”
tapos , pag nagkaloko loko na… tandaan niyo lang ito..
ARTICLE III
BILL OF RIGHTS
(under investigation.. kung hindi sa DFA, sa ibang situations hehehe. nakita ko ito sa net)
“(2) No torture, force, violence, threat, intimidation, or any other means which vitiate the free will shall be used against him. Secret detention places, solitary, incommunicado, or other similar forms of detention are
prohibited. ”
—————————————————————————-
ayan.. hope every info here is helpful..
Thanks for your time reading.
God Bless!
Dear FedUpWithAlready:
Mabuhay Ka! Thank you very much for a very vivid documentation about your DFA experience. I am sure that it will go along way to help millions of our kababayans who would be DFA-bound either to apply new passports or renew their expired passpports. Thanks for dropping by. Make it more often.
egay sandalo
Pano nga po ilagay/idikit yung photo sa application form?
Kelan hinihingi TOR at bakit?
hello pwede po ba humingi ng help sa friend nyo sa dfa? i applied for a passport last september paand up to now wala pa rin i really need it next week na. help nmn po….
Dear Jenny:
I am very sorry to what happened to you. Truth is: the SSS ID Making Machine had been out of order since August 2007. It is already getting too expensive to repair and the Management is studying if buying a new one which is also expensive will be a better option. At present, we are simply capturing photos, but the making of the ID has not yet resumed. My apopogies.