I Renewed My Passport In Tacloban!
Hey, good news to all you Pinoy Travelers. There's an easier way to renew your passport!
Do it at the DFA offices in the provinces. It doesn't matter where you are from or where you reside now. I renewed my passport at DFA Tacloban! It was quick and easy! It took me probably just 45mins!
Here's my story...
My passport had been more than a year expired and I could not find the time (and courage) to go for a renewal. I know all about those stories - the online scheduling (always no slots available), the choices of which mall you prefer etc., I have also frequently seen the long lines at DFA in Mandaue where I live.
Since last year, I have been frequenting Tacloban due to some work assignment. I keep passing by that little building beside the Leyte Provincial Capitol which was previously a prison (yes kulungan) now occupied by field offices of some government agencies like DSWD, DTI and the passport office. Every time I pass this area, I would always remember my urgent need for a passport renewal.
So, to appease my itchy feet, I asked around if it was possible for me to do my renewal in Tacloban, and all indicators pointed to a resounding "YES"! Eto pa... I was apprehensive this would also take long since I learned from the DFA website that their Tacloban office is not yet 'automated'. But I still went ahead anyway - on the premise and frame of mind na kahit saan naman matagal di ba?!
With all requirements in hand, I went to the passport office on a Wednesday afternoon. It was not a tactic on my part. It just so happened that I had available time that Wednesday afternoon.
What happened...
When I entered the building, I saw something like a store of some farm products. I asked the guard where is the DFA passport office and he pointed with his lips to a door on the left side. Nguso lang!
When I entered that "small" office, I saw that there were some 10 or so people doing their respective transactions. The guard with a desk by the door asked me to write my name on her logbook, and she gave me an application form. I said I already have (downloaded from DFA website, printed at home). She said "diri puyde" dahil daw short bond paper ginamit ko (ang arte ha). So, I filled out the form she gave me - they have a designated writing area for this purpose, by the way.
When done, I gave it back to her as instructed (ang gwardya pala clerk na rin?). She checked it (clerk nga!) and asked me to join the line. That line is the "rows of seats" (about three rows lang) where you keep moving from chair to chair na parang Trip to Jerusalem! Mabilis lang. In no time, it was my turn to pay and wait again. Mabilis lang din, then I was already called for the "photo op" hehe. That's it!
Fast forward, I was back there kanina to already get my new passport!
Do it at the DFA offices in the provinces. It doesn't matter where you are from or where you reside now. I renewed my passport at DFA Tacloban! It was quick and easy! It took me probably just 45mins!
Here's my story...
My passport had been more than a year expired and I could not find the time (and courage) to go for a renewal. I know all about those stories - the online scheduling (always no slots available), the choices of which mall you prefer etc., I have also frequently seen the long lines at DFA in Mandaue where I live.
Since last year, I have been frequenting Tacloban due to some work assignment. I keep passing by that little building beside the Leyte Provincial Capitol which was previously a prison (yes kulungan) now occupied by field offices of some government agencies like DSWD, DTI and the passport office. Every time I pass this area, I would always remember my urgent need for a passport renewal.
So, to appease my itchy feet, I asked around if it was possible for me to do my renewal in Tacloban, and all indicators pointed to a resounding "YES"! Eto pa... I was apprehensive this would also take long since I learned from the DFA website that their Tacloban office is not yet 'automated'. But I still went ahead anyway - on the premise and frame of mind na kahit saan naman matagal di ba?!
With all requirements in hand, I went to the passport office on a Wednesday afternoon. It was not a tactic on my part. It just so happened that I had available time that Wednesday afternoon.
What happened...
When I entered the building, I saw something like a store of some farm products. I asked the guard where is the DFA passport office and he pointed with his lips to a door on the left side. Nguso lang!
When I entered that "small" office, I saw that there were some 10 or so people doing their respective transactions. The guard with a desk by the door asked me to write my name on her logbook, and she gave me an application form. I said I already have (downloaded from DFA website, printed at home). She said "diri puyde" dahil daw short bond paper ginamit ko (ang arte ha). So, I filled out the form she gave me - they have a designated writing area for this purpose, by the way.
When done, I gave it back to her as instructed (ang gwardya pala clerk na rin?). She checked it (clerk nga!) and asked me to join the line. That line is the "rows of seats" (about three rows lang) where you keep moving from chair to chair na parang Trip to Jerusalem! Mabilis lang. In no time, it was my turn to pay and wait again. Mabilis lang din, then I was already called for the "photo op" hehe. That's it!
Fast forward, I was back there kanina to already get my new passport!
this article was excerpted in full from my Air Travel stories
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