Doing Business at Department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines - A reflection

Because my eldest son was born outside the Philippines during my six-year study stint in Europe, we need to get his original birth certificate from the country he was born in order to fill up his records here at the National Statistics office. The NSO referred us to the Consular Records Division of the DFA.

I took a half a day off from work on Thursday afternoon of October to work on the reconstruction of his birth certificate. I have a copy of the report of live birth I filed several months after the child was born at the Consular office of that country.

Taking the  jeep from Pasay rotunda MRT station, I alighted at the corner of FB Harison and walked towards DFA. The distance from the corner to DFA compound was probably 100 meters and walking through the distance, I was harassed by at least 10 men and women branding their large laminated IDs and offering assistance in the procurement of passport. The whole entrance to the passport processing was full of more ID weilding men and women. I could not imagine how DFA could allow such chaos around the area where our own countrymen are being gyped publicly by these jackals.

But my business is at the Consular Records Division, so I was referred to Gate 1. Upon entrance, a security guard asks what your business for entering, another one inspects your bag. I was carrying a camera because I need to do a photo session later that evening. I was informed rather brusquely by the guard named R. F. Sabala that cameras are not allowed. As I would not entrust  a very expensive camera to them, because they have no secure place to store it. They would simply issue a receipt and just put is on the table. These are very delicate and expensive instruments. I informed them that the camera are in separate pieces and could not be used. I inquired why they don't allow cameras but allow mobile phones with cameras. If cameras are banned for security purposes, then DFA must also prohibit all mobile phones with cameras. These mobile phones could take pictures discreetly in comparison with what I have which is a very bulky camera. I was wondering whether the issue with cameras has something todo with journalist rather than security. Knowing that these guards are just following orders hook line and sinker, arguing with them is a waste of time. I left my camera at the guard house and placed just  on top of the table.

 I was again halted in the main entrance of the building. I was informed that I was wearing a pair of sandals and it is DFA policy that sandals are not allowed. I could not believe what I heard because I was wearing a branded leather sandals that covered at least 50% of my feet. With the plan of going to Paranaque and Laguna later in the day where flooding occurs at a slight rain, sandals are, by call of the current times, the most appropriate footgear because I could remove it and put is back again once on dry land.

If indeed there is such a no-sandals policy, then this is such as STUPID and discriminatory because I could not imagine a poor Filipino who could not afford shoes going there to transact a business will not be allowed nor an Indigenous Filipino on a G-string being barred to transact business? Have we changed the definition of being a Filipino? I could not imagine someone from a flooded area to arrive there wearing shoes to transact business? Do we tell them to turn back and get a pair of shoes? Does this mean we are less a Filipinos for coming to DFA premises if we wear only sandals?

If the intention of that anti-sandal policy is INDECENCY, DFA should revisit the policy itself and also the definition of sandals. I think that the DFA policy refers to flip flops which have been been labelled synonymously with those sleek, and decent looking sandals use of sandals. And this is how the guards have selectively applied this to me because I had an earlier argument with them with my camera. While I was complaining about this ridiculous policy, I observed that more than 50% of the women visitors are wearing even slippers and these are allowed inside without a wink!!!!

If decency is the goal of that policy, then its definition based on what i experienced is exposure of 50% of my feet. Perhaps, DFA should look not just on my feet but to the half naked (but shapely women) roaming the corridors of DFA. Perhaps the indecency there is my non-pedicured nails which may be too much for our diplomats to look at?

But this is not the end of my story, I finally reached the office of the consular records division. There I waited not very long and finally, I transacted my business with a very nice person. I have requested for a reconstruction of the birth certificate of my son and explained the urgency of my need. I was informed that it will take 1- 2 months to accomplish this because this request will have to be officially transmitted with a cover letter and sent via the snail mail.

When i suggested that we could simply scan the file and send an email to the appropriate embassy, I was flatly informed that their office have no email facility and using electronic means is not an acceptable way of facilitating business. In our present flat world where everybody is connected by internet, that in a click of a mouse, one could send information halfway accross the world, i could not imagine DFA, the Foreign Affaris of the country, still depend on a very expensive and with a high carbon footprint way of delivering its mail services. If this is the kind of service that DFA delivers to its people, how could it serve efficiently  the over 10 million overseas Filipino workers?