Passport Renewal

Today I finally decided to renew my passport. It actually expired December of last year. My first time to go to the so called DFA here in Bacolod City. You see for the longest time, there is no DFA here in Negros Occidental but only mobile passporting which happens only during Masskara Festival, town or city fiesta, and other big events but aside from that if you want to apply or renew your pasport you need to go to the other island, Iloilo.

And so I have been waiting for a chance to have a mobile passporting here only to know very recently that there is a DFA right here in Bacolod. :_) I asked my friend to check it out and asked for the form as well.

So with a bit of drizzling and armed with my umbrella off I go. It's located in East Block very near Lopue's East, the same street that will lead you to the new Bacolod City Hall (best jeepney to ride is Homesite because it goes all the way to City Hall). Had to take my passport picture first and they do it inside LBC office (just on the ground); it's a tie up project for passport delivery and at the same time a cooperative. For 4 pieces of picture on which I didn't even have a single copy I paid P150. OMG! I'm just amazed though with the technology now that for 3 minutes it was done and ready. :_)

DFA office is located on the 2nd floor and I've to say I'm impressed with the employees. A 'good afternoon, ma'am/sir' for each client they serve is not only proper but nice. :_) Process on how to go about your application and/or renewal is all clearly written and visible for everyone to see and since I think it's not yet known for everyone that they now exist, only a few of us were there and it hasten things. Regular processing which takes 20 working days costs P500 and an extra P250 for express processing (14 working days). So in only about 15 minutes I was out of DFA and also my P900 disappeared. (lol)

One More Time of Bohol

2008 was my first time to be in Bohol. it was during the annual cataract mission of rotary club of canterbury in the philippines. for a weeklong screening, i was able to visit different towns of the bohol republic and get to see their tourist attractions.

last july 1, i had a chance to visit Bohol again. had a nice time going around almost half of the island looking for a place to stay come this October. we stayed in MetroCentre Hotel in the heart of Tagbilaran. July 1 is a holiday in the island; charter day so most hotel rooms were a bit expensive. I got to book their suite room which was not at all impressive. it comes with a free continental breakfast. i thought when you get a higher room you get to have a better breakfast. ;-) i was wrong. :_( so i ordered extra egg omelette with mushroom and it was yummy and a bit too much for a serving; quite heavy for my stomach :_))

and yes! i was able to have a photo taken with 'Manny Pacquiao' ;_) and the late 'FPJ'. They were in Dao Diamond Hotel when we came for a meeting. Here are the proofs. :_)

doesn't he really looks like the late FPJ? :_)
with the pambansang kamao (lol)