You'll be traveling abroad soon and you realized that your password will expire within six months of your departure, to which you cannot depart due to the six months validity rule of your foreign destination. You head over/inquire at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) for the earliest passport renewal schedule and you get at least two months

Worse, even if you get an earlier passport renewal appointment, the very efficient guys at the DFA cannot deliver your passport due to passport printer issues and huge backlogs.

Solution: apply for a passport validity extension for free, for a maximum of one year, subject to evaluation

Procedure on How to Apply for Passport Validity Extension

1. Confirm with DFA ASEANA or various DFA Regional Offices for appointment schedule for passport extension. This post is for the DFA NCR-Central, Office of Consular Affairs
in Robinsons Galleria mall in Quezon City. Other malls in NCR with DFA offices are SM Megamall in Mandaluyong and

Passport extension applications are processed in the afternoon at DFA Robinsons Galleria, after the 150 passport applicants are done, with priority given to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs)

Robinsons Galleria Lingkod Pinoy Center where the Department of Foreign Affairs, Office of Consular Affairs office accepting passport applications and extensions are processed


2. At DFA or OCA office, line up for the Passport Application Form and queue number issuance
3. Fill out passport application form and queue at the Verification Counter to submit the form
4. Proceed to cashier (passport extension fee is free/gratis but a necessary step)
5. Wait for another 30 minutes for the release of passport with extended validity stamp

Passport validity extension stamp on a new passport extension, similar to a VISA stamp


In Summary (Rant mode):

How to Apply DFA Passport Extension:

1. Visit DFA Aseana (near SM Mall of Asia) or any DFA Regional Office
2. Line up for the Form (which the bright people of DFA hasn't thought of making available online) and queue number
3. Line up again at the Verification counter to submit the form (wait for your queue number to be called)
4. After checking your verfication documents, and signing of logbook
5. Proceed to cashier, just to stamp that it's free as in gratis
6. Wait for 30 minutes for your name to be called
7. Receive your passport extended validity with a stamp

Total Time Wasted: FOUR freakin' HOURS due to government inefficiency of huge passport printing backlog

Other DFA Regional Offices:
Angeles City, Bacolod, Baguio, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro (CDO), Cebu, Cotabato, Davao, GenSan, Iloilo, San Fernando (La Union), Legazpi, Lipa City, Lucena, Pampanga Robinsons StarMill City of San Fernando, Pampanga Puerto Princesa (Palawan), Tacloban, Tuguegarao, Zamboanga

Related Posts:
OFW OEC Scam
DFA Passport Application in SM Megamall and Robinsons Galleria
Green Star Express

Labels: Philippine Passports

The DOTC and the MMDA is field-testing the Express Bus service on EDSA to lure car owners into leaving cars at home to take public transportation.
Would this be a hit with car owners?


According to the MMDA,

"The express buses will be picking up passengers from Trinoma, SM North Edsa in Quezon City and SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City and bringing them to Park Square Ayala Center, Glorietta 5 and Park Square Terminal all in Makati. The fares range from P50 to P80.

The buses can load or unload passengers along Ayala Avenue once inside the Makati City Central Business District.

The operation of the express buses starts around 6 a.m. with trips every 30 minutes. The last trip will be around 10 p.m. on both directions."

Bus fares (reduced as of December 8, 2015):


from Quezon City to Glorietta 5 route: P64.00 (previously PhP80.00)

The Trinoma-to-Park Square in Makati route: PhP60.00

SM Megamall to Park Square in Makati bus fare: PhP40.00

Are you a car owneR? Have you taken the MMDA express Connect bus and left your car at home?
What are your reviews, comments, and reactions?

Labels: Public Transportation