Renewing Philippine Passport

[Jollygoodfellow]

13 hours ago, OnMyWay said:

That is not really the aspect I was thinking of as illegal.  The question is, how are the agents able to snap up all the slots?  The article had some opinions on that:

Manila may have a higher number of applicants by travel agents per day but this article last year says travel agents only account for 25 to 30 applicants a day in Cebu compared to the 400 to 600 normal applicants every day.

It also said some go to smaller places where the queue is smaller such as Dumaguete etc so might be an option if one is in a hurry. 

 

DFA-Cebu to open more slots for passport applicants

 

THERE is still a chance for Cebuanos to get their passports in Cebu this year and not elsewhere after the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) decided to consider adding more appointment slots in their office here.

“Although it is not yet final, but like what we did for the month of September where we added slots, same goes to the months of October and November,” Wendel Canque, executive assistant of the DFA in Central Visayas, said in a press briefing yesterday.

Right now, the DFA-Cebu’s appointment slots for September to November are full, leaving those who want to apply for passports no choice but to get appointments in adjoining areas like Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental or Bacolod City in Negros Occidental, where there are fewer applicants.

Canque, however, said that if plans push through, an additional 90 slots per day will be open at the DFA-Cebu in October and November. There are no additional slots yet for December.

DFA-Cebu attends to at least 400 to 600 applicants per day who booked their appointments months ahead. The number does not include the allowed walk-in applicants, such as senior citizens, solo parents, below seven years old and overseas Filipino workers (OFW).

Canque said DFA no longer caters to bulk appointments for travel agencies, which are also required now to set appointments online for their clients. Travel agencies account for 25 to 30 applicants entertained each day in DFA-Cebu, said Canque.

Canque stressed DFA-Cebu has no control over appointments. It is centralized in DFA Manila.

Canque urged the public to show up for their appointments, as those who miss their schedules could only apply for a new appointment after 30 days.

http://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/148624/dfa-cebu-open-slots-passport-applicants#ixzz5AoQvuJyO
 

[Onemore52]

Update:-

Yes, no appointments available anywhere at the offices of the DFA, so went to Facebook site of the DFA and low and behold there is appointments available for the first couple of weeks FOR 2000 PHP.

Now I understand that it is against the forum rules to say negative things about the Philippines, so I will not be saying anything.

[OnMyWay]

55 minutes ago, Onemore52 said:

so went to Facebook site of the DFA

I don't think you went to the official DFA Facebook page.  There are several fixers on FB and a few have made their page to look "official".  The official DFA Facebook just has a link to the appointment system.

On one of the fixers FB page I found a post from a DFA employee (supposedly):

"For my kabalens who are being offered passport appointment slots for a fee by certain individuals and travel agencies, please do not hesitate to report them to us so we can deal with the problem. What they are doing is illegal. It has to stop."

And then a link to this article from today:

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/972767/news-dfa-passport-fixers-aseana-ricarte-abejuela-iii-spd

[virginprune]

My SIL is going through this now. Our nearest office Gensan has 300 slots daily with a waiting list of 3 months. She has got a slot in Davao now with only a 6 week wait. So it is worthwhile looking at other offices.

[GeoffH]

SWMBO just tried at CDO, she was told 'no slots anywhere in CDO' and they don't know when they will be available.

[RBM]

Currently my SO is about to renew in Bacolod. The news I get back is keep checking as slots that are filled can be empty an hour later, takes the patience of a Filipina. She goes in next week bringIing a brief case full of documents.  Will keep posting news.

[Onemore52]

Thanks RBM, my other half just spent 6 hours going to Legazpi hoping for a walk in, no deal.