Cut Travel Expenses by 50% - 7 Practical Ways you Shouldn't Miss

 

Paying for unnecessary stuff is not cool. Additional service fees and charges add up in your travel expenses if you settle on what is already laid on the table. Here are easy tweaks that will help you cut your travel expenses by up to 50%.

1. Be alert on seat sales (save 30-50%)

Simple. You'll be one of the first few people who gets notified for any promotions, seat sales and discounts.

Social media is not even enough. You have to subscribe via email so that you will receive all updates straight to your inbox. And yes, check your emails frequently and book in advance.

Here's the membership page for Philippine Airlines, (aka Mabuhay Miles), CebuPacific (aka GetGo) and AirAsia. On top of the newsletters, you can also earn points/miles for every flight that you can redeem later on.

But take note, in some occasions discounted round-trip tickets doesn't even save you since they are just playing the numbers.

Here's the scenario: destination trip is 70% off but the return trip is 170% more expensive which makes it a break even. Crazy but true. You are not saving a dime.

In this case, you can search other return flights from other airline to avoid the sale scam. I have done this many times already and it saved me reasonable amount of money.

I don't normally buy tickets at regular prices. Why would I when I can have it 30-50% off?

2. Be flexible on your travel dates (save 30-50%)

Most of the time you are not really particular on your travel dates unless it is intended for honeymoon, birthday or spur-of-the-moment trips. I do not personally recommend the latter, by the way.

Major airlines are targeting promotions during off-peak season to major destinations. Hence you are leaving money on the table if you really wish to go to Boracay on Labor Day to catch the #LaBoracay party.

April and May is when ticket prices skyrocket caused by excessive desire of wanderlusts to go out during summer.

3. Skip all the travel package deals (save 20%)

Travel agencies sprout like mushrooms in social media nowadays. Countless travel deals are thrown away every single day and man, they are enticing.

If you want to save on your travel expenses, by all means, avoid them.

Travel packages are unreasonably expensive and less customized. You pay more for less and the service is at par with normal.

Since they also exist for business, they are charging stellar prices for added service of organizing air and land transfer, food and accommodation. Why pay when you can do it anyway?

But don’t get me wrong. Travel packages are still great if you want a hassle-free travel.

4. Call the hostel directly (save 20%)

Another item often overlooked is the accommodation. In the past year I was solely using travel apps like AirBnb and Expedia for booking hostels. It saved me a lot rather than staying on expensive hotels.

But lately I just found out I could even save more by calling the hostel directly via landline or cellular number and it saved me even more.

Here’s how:

1. Search for cheap accommodations through Expedia app.
2. Once you find the name of the hostel, Google it and get the contact number.
3. Most of the hostels have cellular numbers so call them directly and boom, you're booked instantly!

I have tried this already when I went to Davao. I found out that Expedia is charging 20% more on the room rates! That is how much I saved times the number of days I stayed. Big savings.

5. Ditch the taxi (save 80%)

Transportation is one of the challenges while traveling. Sometimes when you are lost there is no other way but to ride a cab and tell the driver to go to the nearest SM. I know, I tried this already. Emergency is an exception.

In normal conditions, avoid riding a taxi for not only it is expensive but most drivers exploit the opportunity of overcharging you - either through scammy taxi meters or stellar flat rates.

Ride the public transportation (used by locals) instead - jeepney, tricycle or pedicab. Don't act like a tourist but a local.

And for any questions you have in mind, ask a local. 90% of the time they will help you.

It also pays to be bargaining all the time. Few bucks saved when accumulated is worth a hundred.

6. Eat where the locals go (save 40-60%)

You can stretch your travel budget by simply choosing where to eat. If you want to go to a famous resto you've been dying to go to, do it just once for the sake of experience but not on your entire 3 days 2 nights stay.

Take note that travel isn't food alone and not all delicious foods are expensive.

When I went to El Nido it was really one of my itinerary to go to Altrove Restaurant - an Italian restaurant famous for its brick oven pizza.

It was a bit expensive but it was really worth it. Just one dinner (for experience sake) and I never went there again.

7. Be safe (priceless)

Accidents are more expensive than being safe. Should have put this on top of the list but I didn’t because you would think this is very obvious.

It is but not really when you're high and stoked. Think again.

Although accidents are inevitable, we can decrease (or even eliminate) the likelihood to happen. One of the best ways to do this is to be mindful on your surroundings.

You can't expect to be safe if you go alone 1 AM in the morning in the outskirts with lots of drunk locals. Not a good idea.

Likewise, it doesn't make sense if you wear jewelries and show it off publicly. You might not be wearing it again.

Mindfulness is being aware in the present with yourself and with other people. Of course this shouldn't interfere with your activities. You should know it yourself if it is not safe (then you need to avoid) so it won't cause you any harm.

Bonus: Do you have a Life Insurance? (priceless)

This is not to exaggerate. We will never know when a serious incident hits us - maybe not at this time (who wants to?) but eventually it will.

Life insurance should be one of your priorities. Yes, on top of your future business and travel plans. Here's why.

Life insurance will save you and your children from any unlikely incidents that will affect your family financially.

Think about being laid off from work, health conditions or accidents (from travel or by other means) that may affect your income. Life insurance can help you on that.

If you want to know more, hit me an email and I can give you a free quote.

Conclusion

Travel is part of life. We go into places and immerse onto experiences to rejuvenate us from the daily grind. Travel, however, is expensive and requires ample budget and preparation.

If we all just go travel right away without proper planning (and saving), we might be spending on unnecessary things that will blow up the travel budget and will affect our nest egg.

Proper planning and saving is a "must" for a worry-free travel.

Do you have any other tips not mentioned in this post? Please leave a comment below.

Amazing Camping Experience at Borawan, Quezon

If you are looking for a complete disconnection from urban life or a breakout from social media addictions, pack your bags and head immediately to Quezon province.

One Thursday afternoon in Dec 2015, my friend and I were planning a getaway as our first meetup.

We met thru Tinder and we believed it was time for us to see each other.

Our impulsive crave of the waves brought our imagination to the islands of Quezon province. I knew nothing about the place.

She told me about one of the islands there but that was only her information. She'd never been there too!

A Lot of First Times

An overnight on Saturday would be fine so that we could go home on Sunday evening, we decided.

Only two days left before our trip and I felt very excited.

Three reasons:

1. It was our first meetup (kilig)

2. First trip together (woah...)

3. First time in Quezon province (exciting!)

Truth be told, I felt a bit indecisive about the trip.

I didn't know about the island and the girl.

We might be stranded there for weeks or the girl might be a transgender and rape me. (insert your reaction here)

Took a quick search about the island and it assured safety.

For my travel buddy, I didn't mind. I've seen her Facebook profile and she looked feminine enough.

I also haven't found a bio of herself saying "proud transgender" in any of her social media accounts.

First Impression on the Islands

There are three must-go islands in Quezon province: Dampalitan, Puting Buhangin and Borawan.

It was a 2-days-1-night stay so obviously we didn't have the luxury of time.

We were searching for the best option possible to hop around the 3 islands and where to spend most of our time.

Our boatman suggested to have an overnight at Dampalitan. We would proceed to Puting Buhangin early in the morning and Borawan in the afternoon the following day. We agreed.

Dampalitan Island

We arrived at Dampalitan island on a sunset. To say it was perfect is an understatement.

The island is so chaste and tranquil.

There was no electricity. No hotels, houses or apartments. You could only hear the waves, breeze and the birds.

I had only seen three tents set up including ours. You could bring your own tent or rent one for Php 300. We opted the latter.

Dampalitan Rating

1. Beach and sand quality, I would rate it 5 out of 10. The shore is a bit rocky and the sand is not so white & fine if you compare to Boracay. 

2. Tranquility, 9/10. When I was there I felt like I was lost somewhere in time. My iPhone had no connection. We had dinner on the shore under a million stars. We were only playing reggaeton with my JBL Bluetooth speaker. We sang and we danced while sipping Tanduay Ice.

3. Convenience, 5/10. There were no stores or sandbars there so you have to bring your own food, cook it if you must. I was a bit prepared. I bought few chips and canned goods before we went to Quezon so that we were ready for our dinner that time. It was heavy but worth it.

4. Aesthetics, 6/10. My benchmark for aesthetics is El Nido- the lush green trees, limestone rock formations and turquoise blue waters is really stunning that you would want to stay there all your life. But the main takeaway for this island is the sunrise and the sunset. It is absolutely picture-perfect!

5. Other activities, 4/10. The best that you can do there is to hug your partner sitting on a huge timber while watching a bonfire. You can stroll around and take pictures. You can also go swimming although the water is really far from the shore especially during low tide.

Here's a reggaeton playlist I created featuring my favorite songs. Dance on!

Puting Buhangin

After a night of stories, singing and dancing we went to our next destination called Puting Buhangin.

My first impression was it is better than Dampalitan. And I wasn't wrong.

😌

A photo posted by P A U L D A B U C O (@pauldabuco) on Dec 21, 2015 at 6:54pm PST

Puting Buhangin Rating

1. Beach and sand quality, 8/10. The white sand is finer and the beach is perfect for swimming and snorkeling. Unlike Dampalitan, you can run few steps and dive in the water.

2. Tranquility, 6/10. There were a lot more people in the area. You can hear someone shouting or a loud music. It is not child-friendly too for there were beach-goers smoking other stuff aside from cigarette. It is getting more like a mini-beach party place.

3. Convenience, 7/10. There was a little store for food and other necessities. Quite a relief for us. There were bathrooms and you can also find roofless huts for people to change clothes. The campsite is also nice since it is under the coconut trees with a bermuda grass. No wonder more people are staying in Puting Buhangin than Dampalitan.

4. Aesthetics, 7/10. Aside from the beach and sand quality, you can also find small caves to explore. The coconut trees looked perfect too. In fact there were campers setting on their hammocks. Cool!

5. Other activities, 7/10. There are watersport activities in the island like jetski and banana boat. Or you can go spelunking to the caves. It has a lot more things to do than the former island.

Borawan Island

In the past months I've been hearing a lot of buzz about Borawan. Some have exaggerated the beauty of the place while others have cited the dark side.

Our last stop had come to an end in a wonderful island being associated with Boracay and Palawan, hence the word BoraWan.

I couldn't wait to take off from the boat when we were approaching the island.

There were people but not too crowded, the beach and the sand are also comparable to Puting Buhangin. I fell in love with the beach.

At first I was a disappointed for the shore looked too small. When we dropped off the boat I thought that was the entire Borawan. But when we went around the other side I was stunned.

The long curvature strip of the shore is surprising.

My high expectations were finally met when we took a walk on the shore. Felt like heaven. It was the best of the three islands!

Borawan Rating

1. Beach and sand quality, 8/10. The beach is really good and the sand is perfect for a barefoot walk. The breeze was also frequent that complements the waves. We also stayed under the cave as a to protect us from the sun. Awesome.

2. Tranquility, 8/10. My friend and I were sitting on a 15 foot limestone rock formation. We took the ukulele and there we sang Jason Mraz's Lucky together. Imagine the sound of the waves, breeze and humming birds PLUS the ukulele. My eyes felt heavy and I fell asleep. Truly relaxing.

3. Convenience, 8/10. Obviously, this island has more amenities than the previous two. You can buy food and other necessities on the small store, it has concrete comfort rooms and there we took a shower, finally. Oh and you can find small huts for rent too for an overnight stay! I love the place.

4. Aesthetics, 8/10. I love the long strip of the island. You can see a lush green of trees and limestone formations. I felt nostalgic on Boracay and El Nido.

5. Other activities, 6/10. I haven't seen any watersports but you shouldn't miss climbing the skyscraper rock. You can also bring your own tent if you want. The shore is perfect for camping.

Conclusions

Invest for experiences for it will last a lifetime. This is the best lesson I've learned in life.

Prior to our trip, I was thinking of buying shoes but on a second thought I realized I didn't need it for my shoes are still in good condition.

New shoes was not a necessity.

If you haven't tried camping and backpacking, you should try it once. Two reasons: simplicity and mind refreshment.

Simplicity in a sense that you don't need to stay on luxury hotels or dine on lavish restaurants. You only bring what is essential on your trip.

Travel also refreshes your mind from your job/occupation.

Mind-pressing jobs affect your well-being. Stress desensitizes and kills your mind as this study shows. You need to go out and forget your job for a moment to free up your mind.

P.S. It was my first time also to see a falling star around 4AM at Dampalitan. Magical!

PPS. You can check out my photos in Instagram. Don't forget to leave a comment!

Adventure at Cebu Zipline Doce Pares

To conquer my fear is one of the best feelings I had. Knowing your own limits and overcoming them is worthwhile. True courage is when you don't allow fear cripple your capacity to do extraordinary things. Clearly, the fear of the unknown is the greatest fear of all. But there is really one solution to fear - mind conditioning.


On the 25th of January 2014, I experienced one of my scariest adventure of all. With the help of cable wires and karabiners, I was able to fly and glide over the hills to have a majestic view of the mountains and trees.

Priceless. Fearsome but worth it. In fact that was the first time I felt the true feeling of triumph - awesome and enthusiasm. Having able to overcome the fear is uncommon as I was used to live within my comfort zone. In reality, we only have two choices - do or do not.

At first I was skeptical. I knew I could back out anytime I wanted but I didn't. My reasons of pursuing the challenge was greater enough than my fears.

The excitement that rushed through my veins and bones were dragging me to the platform. What else could I reason out not to take the challenge? Our venomous mind should be controlled.

If only braincuffs were available, I could have leashed my negative mind. I tell you, the real buffer to fear is mind conditioning - convince your mind it's not scary; that the result will always be reversible.

Easier said than done. But here's my actual example on the verge of ziplining.

I learned in the past about karabiners, cables and harness since I was able to try wall climbing, pamper pole and other outdoor sports when I was in high school.

I knew how strong the gears are. It's strength is almost invincible that failure is near to impossible. For karabiners, it has a capacity to withstand a ton (10,000 kg) of weight! I only weigh 64 kg.

The cable wire is a strong material and it is capable MORE than 100 times of your weight! Moreover, not a single zipline accident ever happened in that park. With strong conviction, my negativity gave in and thought, "Of course I wouldn't allow to be the 1st failure here!" So I flied and enjoyed the gust.

F

For P250, I flew out in thin air and spread my arms like Superman for 400 meters. The price was worth it. Of course, I never forgot to bring with me my smartphone to capture the breathtaking  eagle's view.

Cebu Zipline claimed to be the longest zipline in Cebu. Too bad other amenities were not available that time. Cebu Zipline is located in Malubog, Cebu City near the Baguio-like weather in Busay.

It is 30 minutes away from Apas, Lahug and you can ride a motorcycle going there at Php50 head. You can also contact them to avail their car service good for 10 pax at P500. Here's their contact details.

Facebook Page     : Cebu Zipline
Address              :  Malubog, Busay, Cebu City
Contact Number   :  (032) 344 3028

7 Lessons On A Trip to The Party Island - Boracay

Three weeks ago, I went to Boracay to experience the luxury of resort living and to escape the cubicle space for a while.

The travel was spontaneous and unplanned. Due to desperateness of not having a plunge on salty clear waters for months, we booked a flight straight to the lovely island without even thinking for the accommodations, itinerary and budget.

Well the stupid notion turned out to be terrific and I didn't regret either. There are several reasons why I chose to go to Boracay instead of other beautiful places in the Philippines.

(1) Boracay is said to be the World's Best Island in 2012, Best Beach in Asia for 2013 based on TripAdvisor's survey, defeating other destinations across the continent. Worth trying, I thought.

(2) I don't want to be a foreign citizen in our own country. When my friend (an American) told me his experience in Boracay, I was just nodding stupidly. At the end of the conversation I laughed and said, "Yeah, I should go to that beach soon."

(3) I want to experience partying at the beach. While having a disco on the city lights may sound nice, I find it great to dance with a soft ocean breeze on a native hut.

(4) Travel enlightens your ideas and imagination. A wider perspective enables us to visualize and prototype our thoughts clearly.

(5) A prequel to my desire of living a nomadic lifestyle. 

There are two ways going to Boracay from Manila, Philippines: (1) A direct flight from Manila (MNL) to Caticlan (MPH) or (2) Manila (MNL) to Kalibo (KLO). Convenience-wise, the first option is preferable. You can save 2 hours of travel, if you want to.

But we challenge discomfort and embrace adventure so we opted for the second option - Manila to Kalibo. Our flight was scheduled to be at 3 pm on a Friday afternoon.

Lo and behold, there was a notification to cancel all flights of ZestAir. So we ended up waiting there for seven (7) hours in the airport until we were transferred to another carrier.

Couldn't blame them either. The reason of cancellation of all flights was due to safety issues being detected on the airline. Way better than being landed on the sea if it weren't detected beforehand, I thought.

We arrived at Kalibo Airport at 11:30 pm. We searched for any means to travel going to the Jetty Port (the port where boats are stationed going to Boracay island).

Before heading to the exit, there was a banner posted "Php 250 going to Boracay thru a shuttle van." I wasn't paying attention instead, I asked the security guard if there is anything else we can ride going to Boracay. The answer is negative.

Considering the time, there was no other vehicles available except for the van. No choice so we hopped on the van and traveled for 2 hours.

While in the course of travel, we were laughing out loud and making fun of our travel experience and was so excited to see the island.

Both of us were first-timers in Boracay. When we arrived at the Jetty Port around 1:30 am, we felt hopeless. But the feeling was gone when we saw a boat still accepting passengers going to Boracay!

However, the fare was almost 7 times higher - Php 100 instead of Php 15 regular rate! The reason why it's more expensive is because it was beyond their regular travel time which is from 6 am - 10 pm.

First myth that we busted - you can go to Boracay at ANYTIME, no time limits!

We arrived at 1:40 am in the coast. I could still remember the amazement on my face when my feet were subsiding while stepping on the "floury" sand. 

After the boat ride, we rode a trike going to Boracay and paid Php 50 each. At exactly 2:00 am, I had my first step in Boracay.

But there was a problem: where would we stay? We haven't booked hotels or anything. We thought that we could just find cheap accommodations by wandering around the place.



We went to places nearby for accommodations but all were closed! It's already 2:00 am.

So what we did was still brilliant - drunk beer in the shoreline while watching the tides. It's not until 6:30 am that we finally found a decent place to stay for just Php 1,500 a night.

While we were walking around looking for rooms to stay, a certain guy approached us and offered a room. He guided us to the place and we liked it at first sight.

It was great! Not to mention that it's in Station 1 - the center part of Boracay. There are five (5) stations in Boracay. And I would say, if you want the party-crowd, go to Station 1 or 2. Else, go to Station 3 if you want a private moment. It is silent, less-crowded and serene. I've never been to Station 5.

We had our room in Casa Santa Fe. The room has two beds good for 3 people: 1 queen-size bed for two and a single bed. It already has an aircon unit, Wi-Fi, TV, and a hot & cold shower (no free breakfast).

So if you're in three's, you're gonna spend Php 500 a night. The landlady suggested that we could buy something from the market and have it cooked for free, courtesy of her. That was part of their service. But we opted to eat outside and look for something new!

Second myth busted - you can book a room anywhere in Boracay, on-the-spot!

The man who helped us find a room happened to be our tour guide. He showed us the spectacular activities to do in Boracay at a LOW price. I was cynical at first but when I found out that he's trustworthy enough, I was confident.

As a first-timer, our original plan was to go around and explore all the establishments, take pictures and discover all places there that are worth visiting the next time around. But we never failed to swim and experience the buzz about the soft white sands in the shore.

I fell in love with the beach and I couldn't compare anything better than that. I already went to Bohol and Cebu. But for me, Boracay is the best.

When the dark gobbled the sun, the excitement rolled in. Party time! We dressed our best outfits and headed to the funkiest bar in Boracay - Club Paraw. According to our tour guide, Club Paraw has the largest crowd among all and the variety of people is great - Filipinos, Korean, Chinese, American etc.

For Php 150 entrance fee, you have a free 1 glass of vodka and you can dance all the way you want. I shouldn't have danced, considering that I only dance with the rhythm of electronic dance music, but I gave in when after a while the DJ played Steve Aoki's Boneless. Couldn't help myself when my feet dragged me to the dance floor. And the party started until we went home at 3:00 am.

The last day was a blast. We had a dinner buffet for Php 280 and we ate like there's no tomorrow. The roasted fish was so intense and I loved the pork and the chicken. We bought few souvenir items and then packed up, headed home.

For just a night and two days stay, I really enjoyed the short vacation (should have been longer if it wasn't because of the delayed flight) and I hope to visit once again after some time, of course in groups.

7 Lessons I Learned in Boracay

1. If you're in vacation mode, you can opt for a cheap flight. But never book on a budget airline during business trips. You'll surely be in trouble!

2. Time is more important than money. We could have chosen a flight from Manila to Caticlan and save 2 hours of travel instead of Manila to Kalibo.

3. Make sure you arrive in Boracay in the morning. This is the check-out time of people in hotels. Perhaps you could take place on the rooms.

4. As a first-timer, you need to have a tour guide. They can take you anywhere and might give you discounts.

5. Travel light. Don't carry anything that you won't need. Save your space for souvenirs and goodies.

6. It is more fun & cheaper to travel in groups. Laughing out loud will never be the same if you're in a group. Likewise, it is cheaper because expenses can be divided.

7. As an investor, book promo tickets in advance and save for the trip. Imagine how this trip could inspire you to work hard and think of the future. This could make you excited and enthusiastic of what's going to happen ahead. Invest in something that money cannot buy.

How about you? How was your experience in Boracay? Any places that you plan to go? :)

Update: Check out my 2nd post about Boracay - 5 Unusual and Offbeat Things to do in Boracay 2016

Philippine Passport Now Getting Easy!

Acquiring a Philippine passport is one of your investments when you consider going abroad to look for a better career. Although it may also be of necessity when you want to go on vacations outside the country.

Traveling is part of our lives and we should never deprive ourselves for it is the greatest gift God has endowed us. To explore is to be open to possibilities. To be imaginative.


Here at JuanInvestor, we cater all the facets of being an investor. That is why our topic now is about getting your passport. Passports are necessary when you are planning to go on a business or a leisure trip.

Aspire to have these two. But at different time, of course. While my officemate and I were scanning travel pages on the net, we stumbled upon several cheap travel tours and accommodations.

Until we hit on a site where it has a package to China for two for only Php 3,999!!! For 3 days, 2 nights stay, we could experience the GreatWall of China, the Chinese cuisine, the busy streets at Shanghai and anything else. Wow, is this true?

Shocked, I thought if that was a real deal or a scam. So I did some research. I found out that it was a legitimate site recommended by several travelers.

Doubts faded, I got so excited and planned to purchase. But I broke into silence when my friend suddenly said, “Bro, we don’t have a passport yet.” My smile faded. And I hated myself for not having a passport.

I imagined how tiring it would be to get a passport. Long lines, hours of waiting and silly fixers will be there for you. Good luck! There should be a better way. And I should have a passport.

The Answer to Dilemma

Since then we planned to get a passport for mini-vacations and trips outside the archipelago. I scanned through Google for a couple of minutes. I found a website www.passport.com.phwhich is the official website of DFA for passport processing. I immediately accessed the site and there I found the answer to my dilemma.

I went through the side tab of the page and there I saw “Set an appointment”. I went through it and then I filled out the information sheet. I typed in my name, address, occupation and all the other personal details.

What amazed me with this platform is that you get to choose your appointment date and time!

Isn’t that good? Instead of going 4 AM at DFA office, falling in line, stumping other applicants’ foot, sweating ‘til you gone out of sweat, you now have the freedom to choose your own date and time at your convenience? What a breakthrough! I commend DFA for this great improvement.

Going back to my application. I chose my own appointment date and set it at 3:30 PM. I clicked the submit button. A message appeared that prompted me to verify the email sent to my email address. I checked my email address and there I received a link that needs to be verified within 24 hours. Else, it would  expire.

So I clicked the link and there I was able to see a pdf file in 3 pages. The file contains important reminders on the first page, my application form on the second page and the application requirements on the third.

On the first page, it says there that I must print the file and be brought at the scheduled appointment. So I did. And that was all. I filed for a vacation leave on my appointment date and waited.

What To Do When You Are at DFA Aseana

1. When you arrive at DFA Aseana, prepare the appointment file that you’ve printed since it will be asked by the guard before you can enter.

    2. Go to the table just in front where you entered. There is a desktop computer there with two staff. You need to present your appointment documents for validation of the bar code. They will remove the first page of that document and then tell you to wait at the waiting area.

  3. If you’re appointment is set at 3:30 PM, look on the waiting areas there where you can see a signage with your appointment time. You may find a waiting area that has 3:00, 3:30, 4:00 or 4:30. Go to where your appointment time is. You will then wait for a couple of minutes before you are instructed to come inside the building.

      4. You will go inside by batch. A staff will tell you that you can go inside. Prepare your appointment document.

      5. You will then be seated and move like a trip-to-Jerusalem game. When one is done, you will move to the next seat and so forth until you reach your turn.

       6. If you are a new applicant, you will be instructed to go to the 2^ndFloor directly (I don’t know if this applies to passport renewal, lost passports, etc.)

    7. Prepare your original and photocopied documents: Application form, Acceptable ID’s and supporting documents. You will be interviewed for 2-3 minutes. Then you have to present your original 2 valid ID’s. I presented my TIN, driver’s license and company ID.

I was surprised when the interviewer only got my Application form, original NSO and company ID! He returned the rest of my documents. I wondered why. I even prepared my TOR and E1 for this. But they didn’t get it. Never mind. Better anyway that the processing was kinda swift. Smooth transaction.

      8. You will then pay at the cashier for the passport fee of Php 950.00 (regular – 15 days) or Php 1,200 (express – 7 days).

      9. Next is to secure for a priority number. There was a signage there that says “Get your Priority number here”. Else, ask the guard where it is.

     10. The last part was the lazy part. I sit there for around 3:45 PM and was able to complete the process at 5:30 PM. The last part was the encoding and registration process. They will take a picture of you and your signature, and that’s it! You’re done!

    11. If you want to have your passport delivered at your doorsteps, there is a delivery service located at the exit. You can see people in line there. For Php 120.00, you can have your passport delivered so you don’t have to go back at DFA for claiming it. So I paid P120 and I went home.

All in all I was impressed at the improvement they have. Kudos to DFA! And may you take advantage of this service that they have instead of the conventional early-fall-in-line method. Here’s the site again www.passport.com.ph

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