Urbanista Manila Living in Style

Posts Tagged ‘DFA’

I went to DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) in Manila to claim my passport. As I just alit off the jeep, a man asked me where the DFA was. I just pointed it using my lips then went on walking. He said, he thought he’s lost. I was thinking of warning him against fixers but I just kept my silence.

I got my passport in less than five minutes so I headed back to the jeep loading station. While waiting for my ride, I noticed that the man who asked me about the DFA was also there and I just observed that he (along with other guys) were positiniong themselves next to the people getting off the jeeps and asking them things. There I concluded that it is their modus operandi to play “lost” or “confused” to talk them into getting to their agencies for fixing. Then it occured to me that incident that I had when I first had my passport renewed a couple of years ago. I ran into some random guys telling me that they were sent away by the DFA guard informing them that the quota for passport renewal for the day was met already and they were asked to just go to certain agencies.

Admittedly, I fell into the bait and paid extra then that is why I promised myself that next time, I must get through the entire renewal procedure “unharmed”.

Glad I was able to get through it.

I went to DFA this afternoon taking the long way (FX, MRT, LRT and trike) so as to avoid the flock of people gathered in Quiapo for the feast of the Black Nazarene.
It was lunch time when I left home and I arrived at the DFA just before 1:00 p.m. I had my lunch at a nearby food shop and went straight into the DFA office only to find out that what I will be getting is just an appointment ticket. Well, the officer has checked the completeness of my documents but I think it was a waste of time and money to go there personally when I could make an appointment online.
I was asked to go back on January 13th.
In short, I am done there in less than 20 minutes. Thinking of maximizing my errands day, I decided to head for the NBI in Quiapo. “The celebration must be finished already” I told myself.
So I took a jeep to Quiapo and there was no traffic at all. I went to NBI and I was really pleased to see these:

There are no people in the house! Maybe they are out there celebrating or they have just skipped this day going to NBI for the fear of being trapped in the sea of devotees.
This is great. In less than five minutes I was able to finish my transaction. But my elation was short lived, first by the old woman who takes the picture who seemed to be in a hurry. I looked at my back and I am the only person there, so I voiced out in a very grumpy manner (I reciprocated her attitude): what’s the rush all about? She did not respond. So I just went away to the stamping where I was told that I need to be back on the 14th to claim my clearance. WTF!
Why can’t they do it now?
Feeling frustrated I went out of the building. As I walked down to Quiapo church, people were starting to pile up.
Oh no, the parade has started or has come back.
And the rest was history. How I managed to get home, do not bother to ask.