A sense of being a Fili-pinoys
I couldn’t believed my eyes when I learned that my passport has expired since June, last year. I only realized it while trying to find my old bank statements tracking down my horrible credit spending. The drawers was full of old sunglasses, sony mini-disc player, some old wallets & pictures of people I can no longer remember names.
The fook with expired passport is that, I am now again obliged to visit the KONSULADO NG PILIPINAS - HK to renew it. Consider yourself lining up, filling up forms, seeing Mr Security Guard turned Mr Application Form Reception, Ms Window #3, Mr Dollar Fees and Ms-pahiram-ng-ballpen (Do you have a pen?). It’s like a Wow Wow Wee game show from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao speaking to each other in their own tongue. With this in mind, I started to feeling the pressure.
The Consulate is located across the road where I work. I went there the other day to collect the form and to find out their opening hours & requirements for renewal. Mr Reception Guy was not around so the pinay waiting for the lift pointed her lip towards the table where the form can be found. The fees has gone up like hell and I have to pay $425 worth of 32 pages including 3 passport size pictures. FOTO-ME shots were disqualified at this time. Pictures should not be over three months old, meaning I need to produce a new set, say goodbye to my favourite passport picture that I’d kept (God knows I look good on that!) will no longer be valid.
Photos, except in cases of Travel Documents, must be taken during plain white background showing applicant’s face and prominent features. Photos should show applicants in decent attire, with sleeves and collar. Applicants maybe allowed to wear eyeglasses provided the eyes are distinctly shown. Women are not allowed to wear veil except in cases of Muslims and nuns. Long hair and earning are not allowed fro men. Photos taken at the MTR or Photo-Me are not acceptable.
Meanwhile, when someone think of the Consulate, I picture the people who works there, most of them women, are a bunch of bitches, one should not expect a nice treatment. They think you easily get scared at them when asked “anong trabaho mo dito sa HK” (what’s your job in HK?).
On the positive side, the Consulate has changed dramatically. Eversince the office was moved to a lot spacious floor, it turned out acceptably a decent office. I would say, about time our Kababayans should feel extra comfy while waiting for their papers to be “meron ng chopped, ok na yan, punta ka na sa Window #5 at bayaran mo na lang” (everything’s ok, just pay the fee in counter #5). Somehow, passport processing is now entirely different unlike before. To renew, passports are released after 5 working days. I mean no more extra fees to somebody else’s pocket, an expression of “Paki naman, ho” (can you do me a favor?) system without delay.
Mabuhay! (kamay sa dibdib/hand on the chest).
Tom’s Diner
by: Suzanne Vega
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[...] Originally uploaded by: wouldpkr I was clicking back few of my old posts and found one funny comments I made for Grace on A Sense Of Being Fili-Pinoys. I don’t know, it makes me laugh. Kung baga kababawan. I’m full of that, life is too corny. In short it is about lightening up a bit, enjoying life and laugh about it. [...]
WOT? now I’m worried.
Hey treat yourself a break, get a time off from blogging. Adik! But thank you for coming over. How’s the weather back there?
been told that if not renewed on time there is a penalty
mine expired last November am travelling with my other passport love from France
i managed to update
2.70euro an hr better than 5 euro near the port
Sometimes it’s pretty disappointing when your visa has been denied the very first time but I’m not quitting, it’s been 5 years when I first step foot in the US Consulate, it’s tough to deal with papers - too many requirements & such an expensive fees!
“I want my Passport with a US visa stamped soon”
plan a trip to come to Hawaii
Magkano lagay mo? hahaha.
Taga Tarlac ka nga?
lintik na conversation yan! parang pang sitcom! pag napunta ako sa HK hahanapin ko yang si Manang … at magpapakilala ako … taga Tarlac ako … baka kilala niya nanay ko … labo!
tito K, yes Del Rosario and I are close! bwhahahahah!
And I have a tiny ass, Marni haha. If I can remember it right, I asked the guy who took that ID picture to enhance a little bit from shadows, colors, etc. I have other dozen set of it without the moles on my face included, it was silly.
Looks can be very deceitful really but sometimes, when you tend to compare pictures from yesteryears, you just want to “sigh”.
good boy ka pala, knoizki…
… based on your pic. ;p
That’s why I want to keep it. I have renewed my passport 3 times. As I stare at my self there, I realized now that I have grown so fast. I look fookingly old & uglier. I want my youth BACK, at least in my passport picture.
K, on that pic you look like a student cum army recruit. Wow, you’re getting ready to leave soon huh…
Dez hahaha@kelangan matatakan ang passport. That’s exactly what my other friends who travelled outside pinas for the first time. Well I think it would look cool in a passport. Never been out to any other countries but your mom has a point, I think if you have multiple stamps, it would be much easier to pass thru an immigration check. Don’t you think?
I want my Passport with a US visa stamped soon. Ok that’s another story, uwi muna ako ng Pinas.
everytime we’d renew our passports, my mom would be pressured to travel. it NEEDS to be stamped with something from some country. she’d go to my dad and demand a trip - “kelangan matatakan passport natin!”
funny.
Consuela, I hope it doesn’t happen to me. I heard everything has changed including the Consul General herself.
Wait and see. I like making a scene. hehehe.
ahhh…memories!
I had to deal with those immigration people when I was home last to renew my passport. Had to be there before it open, enter and go to window #1 for the to see if you have all your documents, old passport and photo before giving you a number…then you wait, wait and wait for your turn! Then when it’s your turn after a long…L O N G…3 hour wait…turn in your paperwork and wait somemore to go to another counter to make payment. Then come back in 3 days…and repeat the whole process again (minus the payment) just to pick up your newly renewed passport!
Are you a friend of Ms del Rosario since you have her personal mobile phone number?
I had my new ID picture and joked at the old sales woman, a photographer herself (mag asawang pinoy may ari ng shop) I said,
Akoto: “pwede ho bang ngumiti sa camera”?
Si Manang: “hindi tingin ka lang sa dot para ok ang kuha kasi sa passport dapat ganun”.
Akoto: “ganun ho ba”?
Si Manang: “ano trabaho mo dito”?
Akoto: “ho”?
Si Manang: “$40 lang apat na piraso….”
Akoto: “ang MAHAL naman, pwedeng yung luma ko na lang kaya gamitin”?
Si Manang: “hindi, kailangan bago. Dibale, libre na lang xerox copy, yung first and last page ng lumang passport mo, baka hanapin” (PINAS STYLE to ah?)
Akoto: “Salamat ho”
Si Manang: “teka, Catanduanes, kilala mo ba si….”
Akoto: “Oho, tatay ko po”
Si Manang: “kaya naman pala.. ilang taon ka na”?
Akoto: “Ho? nasa passport ko po yung year of birth. Tanda na nga po ako…”
Si Manang: “Hindi halata”
Akoto: “Sige ho punta na ako sa Consulate, 14/F”
Si Manang: “Anak, sarado ngayun balik ka ng Sunday bukas sila Sun hanggang Thu lang”.
Akoto: “FOOK!”
Si Manang: “wag mo na akong PO PO-in”
Akoto: “ay hindi po.. OPO., salamat po”
and by the way, i super like your passport pix! you look soooooo innocent! looks truly can be deceiving!
by the way, if i may brag .. i know the mobile number of Amba Del Rosario! bwehehehehehehe!
tito k … i think that’s what’s different here in India … since konti lang ang population of Pinoys … Amba Del Rosario said around 500 for the whole of India … they give all the help they could give …
we’re quite acquainted with pinoys here in india … we know people from the embassy kaya i know that if we do need help they’d readily assist … sana nga lang tama ang assumption ko! hehehehehehe