week 9: DFA...we meet again
most of week 9 was spent grouching over (again) the work situation. although there was a bit of good news towards the end...can't complain much about that but still, so many things to factor in. let's just hope that i will make the correct decision(s) when the right time comes.
the highlight of the entire week, however, was my trip to the DFA office for the releasing of my authenticated school documents. you know how much i hate government offices. but this one i had to do because it plays a big part in my 2011 goals.
i applied for the CHED and DFA authentication of my Transcript of Records and Diploma at my alma mater last jan 28. i went back there 10 days later to get the claim stub. this claim stub has the release date of my documents from the DFA office. so i filed for a leave (more of offset really, half day nga lang) to get the whole thing over and done with (plus, i had to go to my derma that day anyway).
DFA authenticated documents are released at the old DFA building in Roxas Blvd. i think the new building in macapagal ave only caters to applying/renewing of e-passports (this officially opened in 2010). i remember when i went there (old bldg) last 2009 to get my passport renewed. swindlers were all over the place conning people to get their picture taken in one of their booths. as mentioned, best friend was duped a few years back. so i kind of had a heads up of how these con artists trick potential victims.
anyway, i was confident that the swindlers have left their posts since all passports are now processed at the new building. but i was wrong. dead wrong.
i got off the jeepney and was on my way to the building when this guy suddenly came out of nowhere and asked for directions to DFA. almost immediately, some old guy came up to me and asked the same thing. so there were 2 people walking with me to the building. at first, i wasn't so sure if i was in for a scam or not but i had my guard up just in case. true enough, i was subjected to the most ridiculous conversation ever.
the highlight of the entire week, however, was my trip to the DFA office for the releasing of my authenticated school documents. you know how much i hate government offices. but this one i had to do because it plays a big part in my 2011 goals.
i applied for the CHED and DFA authentication of my Transcript of Records and Diploma at my alma mater last jan 28. i went back there 10 days later to get the claim stub. this claim stub has the release date of my documents from the DFA office. so i filed for a leave (more of offset really, half day nga lang) to get the whole thing over and done with (plus, i had to go to my derma that day anyway).
DFA authenticated documents are released at the old DFA building in Roxas Blvd. i think the new building in macapagal ave only caters to applying/renewing of e-passports (this officially opened in 2010). i remember when i went there (old bldg) last 2009 to get my passport renewed. swindlers were all over the place conning people to get their picture taken in one of their booths. as mentioned, best friend was duped a few years back. so i kind of had a heads up of how these con artists trick potential victims.
anyway, i was confident that the swindlers have left their posts since all passports are now processed at the new building. but i was wrong. dead wrong.
i got off the jeepney and was on my way to the building when this guy suddenly came out of nowhere and asked for directions to DFA. almost immediately, some old guy came up to me and asked the same thing. so there were 2 people walking with me to the building. at first, i wasn't so sure if i was in for a scam or not but i had my guard up just in case. true enough, i was subjected to the most ridiculous conversation ever.
old guy: papunta ka rin ng DFA?
me: opo
old guy: for renewal rin ka rin? galing ako sa bagong building pero kailangan pala ng appointment dun. kayadito ako dumerecho.
(sapul! wala nang passport processing sa old building. scammer alert!)
me: ay hindi po ako for renewal.
young guy: ako rin galing ako sa new building, pero wala pala dun yung releasing ng school documents. baket ka nga pala pupunta sa DFA?
me: um for releasing ng TOR and diploma
young guy: ako rin eh. yan ba yung sa CHED?
(sapul! fishing si kuya!)
me: opo
young guy: dala mo documents mo? diba school dapat yung nagpapadala?
me: school yung nagpadala rito, meron lang akong claim stub
(you might be wondering why i was answering their questions. the walk from the jeepney stop to the building is a good 2-3 minutes. i was alone and i weigh less than 100lbs. in other words, i don't want to create a scene and cause trouble which might lead to other things)
young guy: ah. may picture ka na?
(WTF moment. picture? seriously? scammer alert!)
me: meron na po (actually meron naman talaga, I always carry i.d. pics sa aking wallet)
young guy: ako rin meron na pero white eh
me: sa akin rin white.
young guy: diba dapat blue?
nawala na si old guy. Hahahaha hindi ko alam kung san na sya napunta>
me: blue ba dapat?
young guy: oo
me: eh white yung sa akin
young guy: o tara na <sabay pasok dun sa isang photo booth store or place or whatever>
(i looked at him briefly then continued walking towards the building)
young guy: hindi ka ba papa-picture?
me: hindi na magtatanong muna ako
young guy: hindi ka papapasukin dyan pag wala kang picture.
me: um OK lang.
really? picture? documents ang pinaguusapan kailangan ng picture? at may panakot pa! sos!
it's insane. and the sad part is, i believe they have a success rate of 60%. there are still people who go to the old DFA building and are unaware of the new process for passports (you don't need to bring pictures anymore, you get your picture taken inside the building with a webcam). nakakaloka lang na kahit pala hindi passport ang pakay mo sa old DFA eh bobolahin ka pa rin para lang magpa-picture ka, with matching dula-dulaan! dyuskupo!
me: opo
old guy: for renewal rin ka rin? galing ako sa bagong building pero kailangan pala ng appointment dun. kayadito ako dumerecho.
(sapul! wala nang passport processing sa old building. scammer alert!)
me: ay hindi po ako for renewal.
young guy: ako rin galing ako sa new building, pero wala pala dun yung releasing ng school documents. baket ka nga pala pupunta sa DFA?
me: um for releasing ng TOR and diploma
young guy: ako rin eh. yan ba yung sa CHED?
(sapul! fishing si kuya!)
me: opo
young guy: dala mo documents mo? diba school dapat yung nagpapadala?
me: school yung nagpadala rito, meron lang akong claim stub
(you might be wondering why i was answering their questions. the walk from the jeepney stop to the building is a good 2-3 minutes. i was alone and i weigh less than 100lbs. in other words, i don't want to create a scene and cause trouble which might lead to other things)
young guy: ah. may picture ka na?
(WTF moment. picture? seriously? scammer alert!)
me: meron na po (actually meron naman talaga, I always carry i.d. pics sa aking wallet)
young guy: ako rin meron na pero white eh
me: sa akin rin white.
young guy: diba dapat blue?
me: blue ba dapat?
young guy: oo
me: eh white yung sa akin
young guy: o tara na <sabay pasok dun sa isang photo booth store or place or whatever>
(i looked at him briefly then continued walking towards the building)
young guy: hindi ka ba papa-picture?
me: hindi na magtatanong muna ako
young guy: hindi ka papapasukin dyan pag wala kang picture.
me: um OK lang.
really? picture? documents ang pinaguusapan kailangan ng picture? at may panakot pa! sos!
it's insane. and the sad part is, i believe they have a success rate of 60%. there are still people who go to the old DFA building and are unaware of the new process for passports (you don't need to bring pictures anymore, you get your picture taken inside the building with a webcam). nakakaloka lang na kahit pala hindi passport ang pakay mo sa old DFA eh bobolahin ka pa rin para lang magpa-picture ka, with matching dula-dulaan! dyuskupo!
anyway, for anyone who will go through this ordeal, here are the steps to take:
- upon entering the gate, walk towards the right side. you will see the entrance to documents releasing or something like that. there will be a guard there who will frisk you (again) and check your bags and stuff.
- look for a table with several small cardboard boxes. place your claim stub in the appropriate box (there were boxes for CHED, NBI clearances and stuff and others). there's usually a security guard to help you out but sometimes they leave their posts for unknown reasons.
- wait for your name to be called.
- when they call your name, line up to the window (the announcer will tell you which window, they get frustrated when you line up to the wrong window. doble raw ang babayaran mong tax pag nagkamali ka. haha joke.) and get your documents. you will be given a receipt.
- check your documents. make sure the information is correct. if not, go back to the window and tell them (in an ideal world, we should be allowed to curse and give them the finger)
- if you are satisfied, go to the cashier and pay the releasing fee (corruption!). i think this is 100Php per set. the cashier will give you 2 copies of the receipt back. one white, the other blue.
- keep the blue receipt. proceed to the window where there are staplers. again, usually there will be a security guard to help you out. you have to staple the white receipt to your document. make sure you staple it on the upper right corner of the paper (yung walang bilog na gold). they will judge you if you don't do it properly (govt employees can be so impatient, yet they don't really provide these information upfront, bakit nga kasi walang written instructions anywhere?). give your documents back to the person in that windw. again, make sure you have the blue receipt with you.
- wait for your name to be called (again).
- when they call your name (again), line up (again) to the appropriate window and get your documents. this time, there should be a red ribbon and a gold seal in front. give the person in the window your blue receipt.
- breathe a sigh of relief then leave as fast as you can. haha!
you have to exit through gate 2. i was able to ride a bus to ayala via roxas blvd.
aside from a stupid boo-boo with the stapler, i think i did OK.
i was super duper happy that it's finally over! hehehe! ang tagal ko na yun plano. best friend will be proud!
i had to go to work after that but only for like 4 hours. then, i went straight to megamall for my spanish peel appointment . i actually got there pretty early so i window shopped a bit. and then i saw this.
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| para nga naman malinaw |
kaloka.
the procedure took about an hour (i had a facial first then the peeling thing). it was fun hehe. but because of this very visible peeling effect on my face, i was on house arrest the entire weekend (except when i had to go to church and family lunch). it was gooood. i really liked it. although i did get bored around saturday afternoon. i passed time by dancing around on a Ke$ha song and fixing my mp3 playlist and cleaning my make-up brushes haha!
walang pics sa post na ito kahit na i had greenwich dinner nung friday and mr choi + le cour de france cinnamon sticks (hindi masarap!) and dunkin donuts coffee nung sunday. di naman kasi ganun ka-special so walang pics (at nakalimutan ko rin haha).
the procedure took about an hour (i had a facial first then the peeling thing). it was fun hehe. but because of this very visible peeling effect on my face, i was on house arrest the entire weekend (except when i had to go to church and family lunch). it was gooood. i really liked it. although i did get bored around saturday afternoon. i passed time by dancing around on a Ke$ha song and fixing my mp3 playlist and cleaning my make-up brushes haha!
walang pics sa post na ito kahit na i had greenwich dinner nung friday and mr choi + le cour de france cinnamon sticks (hindi masarap!) and dunkin donuts coffee nung sunday. di naman kasi ganun ka-special so walang pics (at nakalimutan ko rin haha).
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