Being an International Relations student both in my undergraduate and graduate programs, the…read moreDepartment of Foreign Affairs is like a second home to me. A whole bunch of my classmates work here, and I may work here too, in the future. It's like a beacon for those in my field, calling those who would like to serve the Philippines by fomenting relationships with the international community and assisting nationals abroad. As such, I'm in the DFA building all the time. You can feel the grandeur and the importance of this place, its history, how it became one of the premier departments in government and has helped shape what the country has become. If you get to visit the DFA, do not pass up the chance to go by their library. It's one of the best ones in the country, and you'll find a lot of students writing their thesis here, rooting through old books and periodicals to find the data they need.

I was really, really dreading going to a BIR because of the long queues and how stuffy the place…read morecan be. But, I found out that I needed to transfer my TIN number to a new district for my new job. Apparently, all my previous employers never told me that I needed to do this like... 10 years ago! At least this was going to be a learning experience and, even though I had to travel all the way to Makati, I had no choice but to do it. Surprisingly, the whole experience lasted for about 45 minutes with me. It would have been shorter had I not made a mistake filling out the wrong form. But, seriously. The whole process was done so efficiently without anybody giving me a hard time. Also, the representatives at the entrance will explain EVERYTHING you need to know before you even get in line. That way you and the processor know which officer you need to go to. Being the OC person that I am, this was an amazing experience! I hope that all BIR offices are this efficient now! :)

This is funny. When I first moved to Merville, I got caught by the guard climbing the fence into my…read morehouse. See, I left me key at home and no one was home to open the gate for me. So I decided to climb the fence and just hang out in my garage. Well, I was on the fence and ready to jump into the garage, when the guard stopped me and asks what I'm doing. I had no idea that the guards roam around the streets of Merville 24/7. They do this to stop crime, help the residents out, make sure no one is starting a riot and to stop and laugh at a resident climbing the fence to enter their house. I guess I'm just trying to say that the guards here really do their jobs. You can call them up to ask for a taxi, to tell them to let your friend through the gate and to call a tricycle. Oh, and sometimes, if you went over to a friend's house in the village, got a bit tipsy (or drunk), the guards will walk you home.

The Pag-ibig office in SM Aura's Office Tower is strategically located at the same floor as with…read morethe satellite offices of SSS, GSIS and Philhealth. When I went here to fix my papers for the new job I was entering just a few months back, I really appreciated how smooth the process was and how convenient the office is. Admittedly, I was initially scared to process anything with any government office because I knew how much of a hassle it could be. Luckily though, SM Aura's office tower housed the best government offices and I saved myself the hassle of being in uncomfortable places. As predicted, I got done in less than a couple of hours. I was able to finish all my errands without breaking a sweat! Hahaha. I don't dread filing government papers anymore, thank God!

I always lose my TIN. I lose it so often that every time I need to present it, I just go to the…read morebarangay hall to get another one. Heh. The people in the barangay hall kind of know me already. Every time they see me, they don't ask me what I need. They tell me what I need. Almost all my friends have their own horror story about visiting their barangay hall for TINs and clearance and other stuff the barangay does. Let me start of by saying that Merville's barangay hall is air conditioned. You don't have to suffer in the heat while waiting for your name to be called or your form to be signed. Those who are helping you at the barangay hall do their job fast and well. Maybe that's why there are no long lines in this place. Oh, and those who work here always show up. Each time I visit this place, those who have to sign my forms are always here and ready to get to work. On those rare times when the people aren't in, they have called me at home to inform me when they'll be back or who else can help me. Such a great place.

The place that's still called Pasay Rotonda doesn't really have a rotonda of any kind. It used to…read moremany decades ago. In fact, growing up in Pasay City, I still recall a rotonda where vehicles could traverse and go from one direction to another, not unlike the Quezon Memorial rotonda in Quezon City. So what happened? The place simply got too busy such that the rotonda had to be dismantled. This was even before the coming of both the LRT and the MRT. Today's Pasay Rotonda is one of the busiest intersections in all of Metro Manila. It is literally alive 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There are hotels and a couple of malls in the general area. Traffic can be a nightmare here, but then it's to be expected. This is, after all, the gateway to Roxas Boulevard, Taft Avenue and Edsa. Further down the avenue is the Mall of Asia. There are plenty of ambulant as well as sidewalk vendors here, selling anything and everything from socks to hankies to electronic gadgets to shoes and slippers. There are also countless eating places, from the usual fastfood joints to street food vendors. A word of warning though. Although Pasay Rotonda is much safer now than a decade or so ago, there are still pickpockets everywhere.

Honestly, there will always be a line at any government office. But, SSS always has a looong line…read morebecause of the number of people who need their services everyday. That being said, please remember that the officers in charge are also humans and can only do so much. For them to move fast, they have specific guidelines and operating procedures which YOU should follow too. Now, this branch just opened this year and, so far, this has been the fastest processing for my SSS card! I mean, back in the day, there were so many steps to go through and, well, you had to pay people to get things done. Today, the whole experience is way way different! I actually didn't even register online when I went here. I just wanted to apply for my UMID (YES! We now have a Unified Multi-purpose Identification card! Woohoo~). Before I arrived though, I did have my TIN, SSS, Philheath, and other documents ready. Plus, I wore a collared shirt just in case I was going to get my photo taken that day. The staff who meet you at the door are very nice and really informative. They already have a spiel for the whole process. Basically, fill up the form, line up, get your biometrics, and have your photo taken. Straight to the point, love it! So, I followed everything and they did find that I had registered for a UMID like a year ago and they had to cross check the information. I was led to another window, the lady helped me get all the information in order very quickly, and I was back on the biometrics line. After my prints were taken, I finished with my photo taken. The lady who assisted me then told me to expect my UMID within 2 months time and that I could call them if it didn't arrive. Would you like to know how long this whole process took? 1.5 HOURS! That was seriously not bad! Everything was done efficiently and I am very grateful that the officers made it a point to "move quickly." Best part to this whole experience? I received my UMID in the mail 3 weeks later! UH-MAZING!!! :D

Conducting business in any government building is always a trying ordeal here. What makes the…read moreprocess bearable at BOI is getting a cup of coffee at Starbucks or Figaro; having lunch at one of the many nearby restaurants; then going for a walking tour of Intramuros or "The Walled City" There are people that direct traffic and guide you into parking spaces who'll charge P100. They'll ask for a little extra for "coffee".They'll also ask if you want your car washed. Bring a Filipino friend who knows the procedure and things will run much smoother for you. Luckily hubby's office sent a person to walk his papers through, so we only had to stay long enough to sign the papers.

Welcome to the Bureau of Immigration sir, mam! Why are you here?…read more 5 min - 1. Please stand in line to take your number and your first form. Ok visa extentions, here you go. Please go outside and make a photocopy of your passport. 10 min - 2. Photocopying outside is 5 php. 15 min - 3. Your documents are checked and you can proceed to payment counter 15 min - 4. Wait in line till you can make payment 45 min - 5. After payment is being made (around 3000 php per month for visa extension) wait 45 minutes till you can pick up your visa. During this time I usually visit Starbucks across the street and wait it out there. 5 min - 6. Ask the USA Boys (United Squatter Area) to flag down a cab for you. Don't need to give them that much, they make 500 php per day. So make sure you have at least 1,5 hours available. Never come on Mondays or Fridays, either go really early, like 10 min before opening or after lunch.