Yes, it took me the whole of Monday to renew my passport. Grrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Let me tell you the long story...
(And I'm warning you, this is a loooooooooong!)
(And I'm warning you, this is a loooooooooong!)
I got news last Friday that I might need to fly somewhere, sometime soon. For this trip, someone will arrange the visa and flight tickets for me and I just need to send them my passport details. Only then did I realize that my passport will be expiring in approximately 6 months and little bit less than 2 weeks. That ofcourse is a dilemma, since international travel requires the traveller to possess a passport of at least 6 months validity.
But then, I remembered that the last time I applied for a new passport here at the Embassy of The Philippines was quite fast and breezy and it took only a couple of days for them to issue my new passport! So, I thought to myself, "OK, no problem. I will apply for a new passport." I was so cool about it. Hehehe. I went on to check the website to find out the requirements for passport renewal, the Embassy operating hours, etc. Unfortunately, they are open only on Sundays - Thursdays, 9:00 am - 12:20 pm and 1:30 - 5:00 pm. Oh, also, now they only issue the so-called "e-Passport" and ofcourse that is more expensive. Oh (again), they also serve only a 100 applicants per day "in order to prevent overcrowding and in compliance with Singapore safety and welfare regulations".
Since that was a Friday and the next day is Saturday, I really cannot do anything about it, isn't it? So I decided to wake up early on Sunday to drop by the Embassy around 9 am and settle this before church at 10 am. Just nice, isnt it???
So, fastforward to Sunday... I dragged myself out of bed as early as I could for my planned visit to the Embassy and I was quite proud of myself when I reached there at 9:15 am. As I was about to log in my details as required by the embassy guards, I have to inform them my purpose of visit, which is passport renewal. The guard said, "Oh, sorry, lady... no more lah. 100 finish already. You have to come back tomorrow lah." I was dumbstruck and speechless and I was thinking, "How the heck did they reach the 100-applicant quota so early??? In 15 minutes??? Wow!!!" So, ok I kept my cool, I did not raise an eyebrow. I decided I could come back tomorrow and I have all day to settle that and I don't need to worry about getting late for church. I just took a copy of the application form so I can fill it up at home and everything will be ready the next day. Then, off I went to church. It was a great day, by the way. :)
Then came Monday, I woke up at 6:45 am (holy cow!). I immediately showered, got ready and off I went to the Embassy without any breakfast. I even brought a book and my point-and-shoot camera thinking that I would drop by the Botanic Gardens which is not too far from the Embassy and spend some time to realas and read, take some new photos after I settle my passport issue. As I left the house I was thinking, "This is gonna be a great day!"
So, I reached the Embassy at 8:35 am and "Whoaaaa!!!" What I saw when I got out of the taxi explained why the 100-applicant quota was reached so fast. There was a long queue (line) of applicants outside the Embassy gates (which by then are still closed). I had no idea how many there were but I'm quite sure there are not a 100 yet and I'm also very sure that not all of them went there for passport issues. So with this optimism in mind, I followed the queue and waited with the rest for the opening of the golden gates, I mean, Embassy gates. Just before they opened the gates, one guard approached the line, asking for the purpose of visit and distributed numbered cards to passport applicants, including me. I was a bit disappointed to see my number was 63, but I brightened up with the thought that at least I am still inside the quota. That's a whole lot better than yesterdays. ;)
When they let us all in, we were asked to form several lines facing the guard house and the flag pole... then I realized we would be part of the flag raising ceremony and would get to sing the national anthem! Wow, that was cool! It even gave me goosebumps because I felt so nationalistic and it's been a long, long time since I did that. After the ceremony, we had to log in at the guard house... sign our names, passport numbers, etc. In doing this, we have to line up according to the number given us by the guard. I am 63, so 62 is in front of me. Then the some new comers behind us asked the guards for queue (Q) number for passport services and imagine our (mine and 62's) surprise when he gave her a number 60! We both reacted at the same time. (Hahaha) I asked, "How come I was here first and I got 63 and she gets 60???" The "friendly" guard said, "Oh, some guy returned his number so I give her lah. Don't worry, you are all one big happy family here." Hahaha, I almost laughed at what he said, thought it was funny, but ok, since it's just one more girl who got ahead of us and I am not too far from her I decided to let it slip. Anyway, it was going to be a great day right? I wouldn't want it to be ruined just because of that small incident.
So, while we "patiently" waited for our turn to log in, one lady who works at the Embassy went in front of the guard house and started mumbling. Yes, I wrote it right and you read it right, mumbling. I supposed she was trying to make an announcement, like reminding everyone to fill up the form properly as she waves the form in front, but we who were a couple of feet away from her honestly could not hear antyhing she said. One lady even shouted for her to speak louder as they cannot hear at the back! Well, I can imagine that because I am in front of them and I also cannot hear her. Anyway, it seems she was also a bit deaf because she kept mumbling all througout until she was done and left. It took me about 10 mins. to log in. While I was waiting I familiarized myself with the procedure on how to go about the application:
1. Go to Window 1 to get a Q number.
2. Go to Window 6 to submit application form, passport, IC and other requirements.
3. Go to the "e-Passport Enrollment Room", beside Window 1. This is where they actually take your photo, thumb prints and signature.
4. Go to Window 9 (Cashier) for payment and claim stub.
Only 4 steps! This should be a breeze like before, maybe even better. I was already thinking of calling up a friend to meet for brunch or lunch and a movie afterwards. :P
When I reached Window 1, it was still closed. :( But it was opened maybe 5-10 minutes later. And, boy, was I the Flash when I saw the window open! I was the very first one there! I was so excited to get this over with that I had no recollection whatsoever how I managed to reach there first before everyone else. Maybe it's what they call adrenaline rush, just so I can explain it "scientifically." But Ms. W1 (Window 1) burst my bubble when she said that the Q number will follow the number given us by the guard... so it doesn't matter that I was the Flash, I was still 63. :(
So, next is Window 6... That is the only window which serves passport services and only one lady (Ms. W6) attending to all this. And since I am 63, I decided to bring out my book and read while I wait for my number to be called. But I could not really concentrate reading as it was too noisy, too many people, plus the Embassy people calling out names and numbers and I could hear so many interesting remarks all around me (I'm gonna write another blog about that). Ofcourse a lot of those remarks are complaints, about how slow the process is going, how some of them had to take a leave of absence from work because it was so slow, how bad the system is, how it could have been done better. And by 11 am, I was one among those complaining, though silently, as I do not want to contribute to the noise pollution in the area. I was thinking, if I want the Embassy people to do the job faster, I might as well let them work in peace by shutting my lovely mouth. Hehehe.
But really, what were they thinking??? Surely, this is not the first time, or first day they served e-Passport services. Shouldn't they have improved the process by now, or at least try to make it faster? Ok, just use simple mathematics. 100 applicants. Let's say, each applicant is entertained 5 mins. each, that would be 500 mins. in total, which is already 8.333333333 hours!!! And that excludes, lunch time and Ms. W6 would not even have time for coffee or toilet breaks. But for some reason, which may be valid by the way (though I cannot really vouch for that), she has to leave the window and out of the room every 3 or 5 applicants.
And I don't think it's very professional of Ms. W6 to interview the applicants about their job and then ask those applicants to help some people she know to get a job in that company. And all these while manning her post in the Passport Service window, I don't think that can be classified as multi-tasking. And all these is happening right where everyone could hear, everyone who is waiting their turn to finish their business with her. Ok, so maybe she was joking with the applicant... but hey, don't waste too much time, you have a 100 applicants to serve.
Anyways, I was able to go through my Window 6 ordeal by 11:30 am, by this time though my empty tummy is starting to make some noise. But I'm not done yet and from the looks of it I don't think I will be done anytime soon, so off to the "e-Passport Enrollment Room", current number was 42. I said a quick prayer for more patience, which I'm glad I did, for an hour later they announced that the last number they will serve before the cut-off time (12:30 pm, lunch time) is..... 60! Grrrrrrr! I should have fought tooth and nail for that number! :(
So, ok... I'm stuck there. I didn't really want to go out to get some lunch because it was such a hot day and I don't want to have to rush back again to the Embassy to make sure I don't miss my number because it's so close (and yet so far) already! And I was not the only one thinking that either, because a lot of us stayed and waited it out 'til the Embassy finish their lunch.
And so, I waited... and guess what? I finished the book I was reading! Yay! At least I accomplished something for the half day I wasted waiting for 63 to be called. Ok, so they they were back in business at 1:30 pm, or at least some of them were. We had to wait for e-Passport room for a few more minutes, or more than that maybe... it doesn't really matter by then, half the day was already gone. Hahaha. And it wasn't that bad, it took about 10-15 mins. more before my number was called. The lady there was quite nice, very friendly, chit-chat a bit... asked if I'd had my lunch too. She was very accomodating with my questions, which fortunately I asked because I found out I needed to extend my passport validity to make my next trip! She was really helpful. That took about 5-10 mins., I guess. Then off I went to the Cashier and "WOW!" that was the breeze I was looking for! They're really fast when it comes to money, eh? Hahahaha. And then, at about 2:30 pm, finally I could say "It is finished." :P
But I stayed a while longer to settle the extension that the friendly, accomodating and helpful lady advised. I had to fill up several forms again, queue up to Window 6 and Window 1 again and wait for an interview with the Consul. That took round about an hour but I was jut too hungry and tired to complain so I just went through all the process like a robot until that too is done.
Oh, I got to chit chat with one lady while I was waiting for my interview with the Consul. Her name is Mae. She was also applying for passport renewal and she was complaining that it's taking so long, that she was very hungry since she too did not take lunch. She said she was there since 11 am. So I said, I didn't take mine either and I was there from 8:30! Then I don't really know what prompted me, but I asked what was hew Q number. Can you make a guess??? 150! And they were only serving 112 at that time! And they told me that Sunday that they serve only a 100 applicants?? And wasn't that stated in the website too?? Well, lucky for them I'm done with my passport renewal. I don't think I would let it go if I was still in the queue. :P
So, with everything settled, off I went to get myself a late lunch and find my way back home, to the bed I've spent so terribly little time for the past couple of days. :P
Well, there were really some nice people working in the Embassy. But with this experience and the complaints I heard from almost all the applicants there, to say that this is disappointing is trully an understatement. I really wish they'd do something about the quality and efficiency of service. It was so much faster adn easier last time with the old passport, though I'm sure they have their reasons to justify why this processing is different from that. But nevertheless, something should be done. At least try to be better, not worse than before.... I hope this would serve as a constructive criticism. Would it help if I say, "Please"??? Maybe not, but I guess it wouldn't hurt to try... so, "Please..." :)
Oh, it did turn out to be a great day. I got myself some Dunkin' Donuts as a treat for enduring the ordeal at the Embassy. Yipeee! ;)
Well, congratulations if you reached this far! I did warn you it's a looooooooong story. :P
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