How to a apply for a passport

My very first passport was when I was still 3 years old when my mom planned to move us to Australia. I remember, it was blue colored, the pictures were still in black in white and the passport holders profile includes details such as eye color, prominent marks and has print that says “Not valid to travel to South Africa”. 

My experience before was unpleasant just like when I applied at NBI, you really have to wake up early just to get a passport since only first 150 applicants are catered in the morning and another 150 in the afternoon. Applicants are not only from Davao but also from Davao Del Sur and Cotabato Province. Some of them are even lining as early as 5:30am to get a priority number. After enduring long lines outside comes again another ordeal inside the office which lack ventilation, they need more airconditioners. I understand that there are really lots of applicants or clients, just like me at SPMC where hundreds of patients also are in-line, service might come delay but we see to it that everyone is served. Personal appearance is required. Fortunately, I heard that DFA now has an online appointment application for new and renewing applicants and this becomes so timely for DFA to go techy, you may log on to www.passport.com.ph for more info however Im not sure if DFA Online appointments are nationwide. If not, prepare your feet for a long and bumpy road ahead. 

DFA Davao can be reached at Ebro-Pelayo Building , E. Jacinto Street, Davao City Tels. (082) 227-3900 | 224-4885. Whether online or not, I’m sure your gonna need this important reminders. Its a must to have documents to avoid hypertension, varicose vein rupture, dehydration and boredome. 

New Applications

 NSO Birth Certificate

Birth Certificate (BC) in Security Paper (SECPA) issued by the National Statistics Office (NSO) or Certified True Copy (CTC) of BC issued by the Local Civil Registrar duly authenticated by NSO depending on the NSO signatory; for born 1950 & below, Negative Birth Record from NSO & Joint Birth Affidavit from Two Disinterested Persons if no record from NSO.

Original Valid ID

Original ID i.e. Senior Citizen’s ID, Voter’s ID, digitized government-issued IDs like SSS, PRC, BIR, Driver’s License, original school ID (for students only) AND original supporting documents indicating full name, date and place of birth and citizenship.

 
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Watch for the Manhole

It was truly a walk to rememember when last week, I had a terrible yet funny experience happened to me when I accidentally stepped into an open manhole near Davao Doctors Hospital (DDH). Supposedly I was enroute to work for my night shift at Southern Philippines Medical Center. It was around 10:30pm when me and my church buddies came from Toril, hoping to catch a taxi, I told the jeepney driver to stop in the corner near DDH. Unfortunately, as I stepped down the jeep and walk a little steps towards alley, my right foot was totally submerged into a stinky, bacterial mud pool of water. It was the most smelliest pond of water like a patient with a diabetic foot, I felt that billions of bacteria are engulfing my whole right foot, waiting for an open wound that eagerly rushing to get into my skin. I’m so blessed that there was no sharp object in the manhole or else I end up into sepsis. After the incident, we were just so laughing about the incident. We could not stop our giggles and laughter, it was unexpected, ridiculous but we had a laugh on it until we went apart and I got to work. Yes, I went to my workplace after, I have to punch-in the bondi clock, I dont want to absent.

After, I went back home to clean my self, wash thoroughly my skin with water. Thinking about the incident, I became more conscious about walking around Davao, there could be open- undistinguisable manholes in the city, I have noticed that there are manholes that are not covered or the covers are quite damaged and can be dangerous to some people. I’m just blessed nothing happened seriously to me, some people might be unlucky and could result into fracture or cuts or worse death. Seriously, I think that we should also look into the safety of our streets, there could be children to pass into them. 

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Reach your generations

Next week, I will be in Singapore for the G12 ASIA Conference to be held at the Maxwell Convention Hall at Singapore Expo. I hope I will meet Ptrs Cesar and Claudia Castellanos in person. This is time for our generation to witness more miracles in the name of Jesus. 

Brownout

As I walk along some newstands near my apartment in Davao, I noticed some headlines pertaining about energy crisis in the Philippines, I have never thought about it because the 1-2 hours brownout in Davao is just fine with me, usually the power last from 10-12nn and mostly I work during the day last week and the hospital never run out of power. However, when I came here in Kidapawan City, North Cotabato, the power crisis makes me crazy, the power cuts from 10am - 3pm daily and according to my mom, this is better now than in last week of February coz the power shutoff about 8 hours per day, sometimes it runs as intermittent power off and on.

I now realize that there is really a need to find another source of energy for the country. I was also wondering that Kidapawan has a geothermal powerplant in Brgy. Ilomavis, upper Kidapawan but its not enough to supply power in the city. Where did the electricity go anyway? Perhaps the electrical engineers can answer this one. Also, what about creation of the more renewable energy such as solar or wind energy and perhaps nuclear energy can also be studied. These power shortage is totally unacceptable, but I have no choice, only God now can make this change. 

Just like in the book of Joel, the Israel had several years of famine, but the people prayed and repented to God and the Lord restored the land. Rains filled and pasteur returned, not only the humans were happy but also the animals who also prayed for waters to come. God created the things unseen and seen today, with his hands and mighty words, he can create rains for us. Now, lets pray to God for rain so that dams are filled up and energy will be back. 

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