Yesterday I went to the Department of Foreign Affairs – Davao Branch at SM Ecoland at 7 am to apply for a new passport. I was hoping that I could get a slot because people usually line up as early as 4 am to get a number.
When I got there, I could not find the last line because people were scattered. Some of them had taken the initiative to list down all names in the correct order so that we didn’t have to stand in line for the remaining hours. I saw it as a clever move. I was number 163, and time went very slow.
At 9 am, the DFA officers arrived and started to distribute forms. We informed them about the list initiative but they did not care at all, “who told you to do that?” was the reply. It was an insane moment because the people started to get very angry, and some even threatened to hit the officer who was commanding us to line up.
People who went there very early were not anymore first in line. They stormed forward but were told to take it easy and don’t worry because they will be able to finish the transaction that day. We argued that it is not about that; it is about so much time spent by people from faraway places waiting for their turn from 4 am, and the need for a little fairness. It was like talking to the wall.
At 10 am, the mall opened and we rushed inside to the DFA office at the third floor. The numbers were called and at the initial counter, there was an employee who treated one applicant with disdain because she didn´t know where to go after. It should be his job to direct her kindly, but he acted with a high nose. I was thinking of giving him a reminder of his duty, but I was already fed up and I just kept cool.
At least, the next step was fast and easy. The processing officer who attended to me was very friendly and courteous. In the end, he asked me to photocopy the backside of my passport. Luckily, I was able to find a photocopier on the same floor so I didn’t have to go far for a duplicate. After resubmitting the requirements, I went to the cashier and paid for an express service worth P1, 200 so that my passport will be released in 10 days. For 20 days, the payment is P950.
Then, I waited for my name to be called for the picture-taking and document verification for 45 minutes. After that, I waited again for more than 30 minutes to know if my application was approved or not. I was finished at 2 pm and felt relieved because the process didn’t take me the whole day.
I asked myself as I walked away: When will a government agency in the Philippines like DFA become super-duper efficient?