For the past weeks, I've been visiting government offices to process some papers. Here's what I've experienced recently:
Two Saturdays ago, me and my colleagues took our NCII certification -- not the FAST process. FAST is the free certification exam but you have to process your requirements asap 'coz slots are limited. When we submitted our requirements before the holidays, they said they won't be able to accomodate us (end-of-year tasks to do). Fine. When work resumed early this year, we tried to apply for FAST but they said no schedule is available. Since we are required to be NCII certified already, we PAID the assessment fee so that we can take the certification earlier. According to our seminar, once you pay you are given a schedule. But after paying, we were told that we will just be informed of our schedule. Fast track... March. We were suddenly surprised when one of our part-time staff informed us that she will be taking the assessment already -- the FAST one. We were quite baffled. How come the FREE assessment is processed first?! The following week, we were informed of our schedule -- the same venue used for FAST. Now, that's something. To top it off, we were told to pay a VENUE FEE each which is not included in the fee we previously paid. Duh! For FAST, the assessment fee and venue fee are FREE. For us who PAID, we got VERY LATE scheduling plus additional VENUE FEE. Next question is when can we get our certificates? The answer: in a month or two. Quite another LONG WAIT for us to get our certificates. *bleh!*
Getting an NBI clearance is also a pain -- although they're very systematic. It's just that there are those who wait the entire day but still can't be accomodated. I think they have to impose a limit per day so that those who can't be accomodated do not have to wait for so long for their numbers to be called only to find out that they have to go home empty handed.
Last Friday, I went to the NSO (CDO) to get some authenticated copies of my birth certificate. As usual, that small office is full of people getting copies also. I don't have many issues with this office since they are very efficient -- based on experience. One glitch, though. They mispelled my first name in the oficial receipt.
Monday. Leah and I went to the LTO Region 10 to get our Student's Driver's License. After showing our printed forms (downloaded from the LTO website) we were informed it's not valid and they gave us another form. If they're going to invalidate printed forms than they better remove those download links! After filling out and submitting the form, we were told to wait until our name is called -- for the picture and signature thingy. An hour and a half has passed and we're still waiting. The others who already had their picture and signature taken were again waiting to pay then another wait to get their licenses. They keep saying they are undermanned but they do not seem as efficient as the staff at NSO. Why is the process so long??? There are even others who were there since morning but haven't finished yet. Ending: we went back to the office since we have already wasted so much time.
Today, I'm home hoping to get the Civil Service Honors Eligibility that I applied for last December 28 here at CSC R11. To my dismay, it's STILL not AVAILABLE. They haven't even printed it yet because according to them, my prev. school hasn't given them a copy of the graduate master list for my batch. Wait... my friend Jonah got hers a few years back. Can't they check that list?! I was told my name isn't on that list. WTF! I've already given the certificates/diploma issued by the schools -- even the grad program but they insist they really have to get that MASTER LIST. Seems like I still have to wait a couple of months more before I can get it (I have to sign it myself and I dunno when I'll be able to return home again). The only good thing is that the staff in this Davao office are very polite unlike in other government offices where staff are quite ---- (you figure it out. i'm sure you have your own woes with government offices too). This is one reason I prefer processing my papers here in Davao than in other cities.
Next stop: DFA. I have to renew my passport as it's expiring end of this year. Passport processing seem even more tedious than before. Gracie told me that they went to the DFA (cdo) late in the afternoon and it was still ok. The first time I applied for a passport I went to the DFA office at 6am and I got a #54 already. This time, I went there in the afternoon (just like Gracie) hoping there would be less people. Again, I prefer the DFA here in Davao (based on experience) since the staff are really efficient and treat you well. Alas, when I got there all the numbers are taken. They only process 300 applications daily. That's from 8am-7pm. Waiting time to get your passport is at least 25 working days. So much for my passport renewal. I have no choice but to have it renewed in CDO.
I was still hoping to get one more goal accomplished -- get my voter's id. I'd probably have done this if I only knew where exactly is the COMELEC office here in Davao. I had trouble finding that particular information from their website. My bro said it's in a subdivision here (but I really can't imagine a government office in a subdivision) while my friend said it's inside Magsaysay Park. I went to the park and all I noticed is that there were many street kids. I don't think the office is still there. *Sigh* I better do some more research next time.
Bottomline, why is it so difficult to get fast service from government offices?!
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