When in Cebu, how do you get a passport?

For two years I have turned down invitations for me to travel abroad for free due to the fact that I didn't have a passport back then. Okay, I'm this type of guy who really doesn't want to fall in long lines and browse elbows with different types of people. I mean, the sight of people lining up at the National Statistics Office (NSO) in MJ Cuenco Avenue and the long and winding line of human beings at the National Bureau of Investigation near the Capitol are really too much to bear for me.

But when I got invited again to travel to Korea for FREE, it finally hit me. It was about time to finally take on the challenge of lining up so I can get a passport.    

Good thing, this line of job that I have (I belong to the fourth state)  made it easier for me to go around and get my legal documents. I just realized that I actually didn't have to fall in line and wake up early dawn to go to NBI and all. What I did was browse my phonebook and look for people to ask for help. :) Well, I wasn't frustrated. Got my connections at the NSO and NBI that I was able to get both my authenticated NSO birth certificate and my NBI clearance all in one day. :)

And it was not the end of it. Getting your birth certificate and NBI clearance does not mean you are good to go. See those people lining up outside the office of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)? I just thought I won't be able to get through those people but a friend of mine referred me to the Assistant Regional Direct of the DFA.

And yes, I was able to have my passport processed within the day at the comfort of the air-conditioned room of the director. Today, I am just waiting for my passport to arrive, finally.

Hambuga pud nako oi, you might say. I'm just sharing my experience here and I can also say that it is not as hard as years back to get your NBI clearance or NSO birth certificate. Usually, you can process your NSO within the day and the NBI the following day. So you need two days to get both and another two days for your passport processing at the DFA.

If you are planning to get a Philippine passport, make sure you have the following documents (these were the documents I submitted to DFA):

• NSO authenticated birth certificate
• NBI clearance
• Government issued IDs
• Baptismal certificate 
• Voter's affidavit (optional)

It's really better to get your passport now even if you still don't have plans of travelling abroad. A Philippine Passport is renewable every 5 years, which means you have a ready passport just in case someone invites you for a trip to Hong Kong or Singapore.