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! :)

ARMMC is one of the worst hospitals in the Phils. Pls do not go there!…read more My mother is turning 80 years old this December. She has osteoarthritis due to a fall, stable angina, dementia, type 2 diabetes, and her legs are swollen due to abscesses (pockets of pus producing clear fluid). She was admitted to the ER in this hospital. The doctor only obtained her blood pressure, which is 101/74 mmHg, and heart rate, which is 101 bpm, but did not assess her oxygen saturation level, respiratory rate, temperature, or pain scale. The doctor immediately asked my sister and me if they could give my mother mechanical intubation, which I know is an invasive treatment but we refused. She was given a simple mask 10L instead. The doctor suggested to send her for dialysis but we refused because of her age and health conditions and even suggested to amputate her legs due to wounds & continuous swelling. The nurse had difficulties placing the nasogastric tube (NGT) (she seems like inexperience nurse, student nurse) I could see my mom is in deep pain. This hospital doesn't give pain killer to patients all they are concern is to give the mechanical intubation as a quick treatment. They are very poor in managing patient's pain. At last she was transferred to Chronic Disease ward after staying three days in ER. I dont know if my mother will survive any longer in this hospital:-(

It's an open secret (or, at least, it's the general notion) that most government hospitals in the…read morePhilippines are not adequately equipped nor are the corridors spick and span. So when I entered ARMMC, I was pleasantly surprised. It surely did not belong to the general category of government hospitals. In fact, its main lobby, based on design, looked like a modest version of St. Lukes Medical Center - Quezon City. There's a chandelier in the middle and the main motif is green. In terms of equipment, I was again impressed that they outdid their wealthier neighboring hospitals in one important aspect - ARMMC has an MRI. Our family had been looking for a nearby hospital offering MRI services. This was the last place we thought we could find what we were looking for. But, it's a fact: ARMMC is the only hospital in Marikina with MRI service.

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

I am only give a review about the DFA branch within the government centre, not including the online…read morebooking system. Arriving at the mall, be sure to use the right entrance, this would be the one beside a 7-eleven along P. Tuazon. Lines are expected to be long, and in multiple lines, and you'd need to determine which line to be in, especially if your appointment with DFA is at 10AM. And the system is highly inefficient and also exhausting, lining up outside in the heat, and once appointment has been confirmed by the guard, another queueing inside, before being led to the third floor for another queue. We got called in at roughly 10:40 instead of 10:00, but once inside, the process is speedy and staff were friendly, from document checking (step 1) to paying for passport delivery (final step of renewal), it took me about half an hour.

My license has been expired for almost a year now and I finally had the energy and time to face…read moreLTO. I've been hearing nothing but good things about their satellite office in Ali Mall so I decided to have it renewed there. To my surprise, there was NO MORE LTO OFFICE there! While I was disappointed, I was also impressed to find that there was an (almost) complete government service center there, every office you'll need! They had a satellite for almost all departments with everyday concerns like DTI, SSS, NBI, DFA for passport renewal, even our local baranggay office! I loved how it was so accessible to the people without it having to be a headache (although you still had to wait for your turn). It's great to see private-public partnerships like these. They don't have to be huge collaborations, simple projects like these really help the people and the country progress!

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!

This is my go-to driver's license renewal center as it's five minutes from my place. It's been such…read morea blessing for this satellite extension of the LTO to have opened its doors in such a convenient location. The service here is fast and efficient. I suppose my only complaint would be that as per majority of government offices, the staff are rude as hell. My advice would be to swallow your pride and not take their BS personally. It's just the way it is. They provide chairs to wait on and you can grab a bite at Food Channel a couple feet away should hunger strike.

I hate fixing anything that is related to government offices. It's always been a horrific idea to…read moreme - the insanely long lines, the infinite waiting, the not-so-conducive ambiance - it just all sounds so stressful to me. Don't get me wrong, I do recognize that there are some government offices worth mentioning for their cleanliness and/or efficiency. But finding one is always, ALWAYS a long shot. So imagine how grateful I was when I found out about the LTO Driver's License Renewal branch located at the first floor of SM Supercenter in Pasig? I've been to this office twice in my life now as I've done my license renewal here, and both times have been quick and hassle-free. While there may be lines, the turnover from one step to another is quite fast. None of those endless hours of waiting! Plus because it's inside a mall, heat or humidity isn't a problem. All together now - *hallelujah*! This branch is also quite efficient when it comes to releasing of documents. While I did have to wait for a month for them to release my latest driver's license, I was able to pick it up exactly after a month. Pretty cool! So to anyone and everyone who is looking to renew their license, I suggest you visit this branch instead. It's fast, it's efficient and it's comfortable - the government office of my dreams!

It's been 8 years since the last time I had to renew my NBI clearance and I guess I'm speaking for…read moreeverybody when I say that it's not something people look forward to doing. I heard that they have a satellite office located at the compound of Mandaluyong City hall which is nearer to my place compared to their main office. Unfortunately, they have a new procedure in place wherein those who want to secure a clearance need to pre-register using an online form. Fortunately, one of the personnels of the city hall saw me and said that he will just assist me since I am a person with disability. He just directed me to an enterprising soul who has set up a laptop with a printer hooked up to it. For a PhP20 fee, she can register you online and print the form for you. Considering that they usually charge PhP15 per half hour of internet usage plus around PhP3 per page of printout, I gladly took up the offer and paid the fee. The same kuya then talked to the NBI personnel so that I don't have to pay the fee for the clearance in a Bayad Center. Then they took my biometrics and mugshot err picture. The whole process that usually takes an entire day to complete just took me under an hour. Kudos to the personnel of Mandaluyong City for their efficient service. And one thing I also want to mention is around a few minutes after noon, there was a commotion and it turned out that the city mayor decided to do a spot check to ensure that employees are adhering to the no noontime lunchbreak policy. He even approached some of the people waiting to get their NBI clearance to ask them how they are doing and get feedback on the service they are receiving. Talk about a rarity in Phililpine public office.

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.

open po ba ngaun ang office? For releasing po ng passport? sana po may sumagot thank uread more

I am very pleased to have had my passport renewed at DFA Megamall. It was organized and quick -…read moreless than an hour! The only thing I was a bit bummed about was that I brought too many requirements, when all they checked/asked for were copies of my valid IDs (I had 4, only 2-3 are needed), second & last pages of my expired passport, and the actual passport! Eh I also had my police & barangay clearances, as well as my NSO-certified birth certificate! Better safe than sorry, I guess. I opted to pick up the new passport instead of having it shipped; I have an excuse to go out! Hehe!