Disclaimer
This is based solely on my personal experience. Those who read this or went through the same process may have a similar or different account as mine.
A bit of an intro….
After a few weeks of arguing with myself I finally decided to come today to the Philippine Consulate in Dubai. The last time I was there was when I filed for Affidavit of Support for my mother and sister for their Visit Visa to the UAE. This process is commonly called “pa red-ribbon”, where the visit visa released by the concerned government department of the UAE needs to be re-approved by our good consulate.
Meaning, the UAE government has already cleared my mom and sis to go to the UAE, but the Philippine Consulate needed me to go to their office and testify that I can provide for my mom and sis and then they will stamp their approval on it. Otherwise my mom and sis cannot leave the airport in Cebu. Strange isn’t it?
They said that this is to clamp down on illegal entry of Filipinos in the UAE. They need to make sure that everyone coming in (UAE) has a legitimate (relative) sponsor so that they will not be left stranded here and ultimately change their lives for the worst.
I appreciate their effort and concern for our fellow Filipinos, however the system failed when I know of a friend who was able to process everything through an agency without her having to personally go to the consulate. Aha, aren’t we all too familiar of the blurred lines when it comes to rules? Anyway that is for another blog i think 
D-day
So here comes Tuesday, 17th of May 6am. I asked permission from my supervisor to be off this day – at least in the morning to come to work once I am finished, which I assumed I will be done with everything by 1pm.
I left at around 6:30am, and rode a taxi to the consulate. The fare is approximately 35AED that is P385 pesos already. The consulate, for those who do not know yet is occupying a not-so large 2-storey villa. Where they have a small space that is the same size as a 2 car garage, and that is where the 300+ people joust their way into.
I got there at around 7:00am. The sun was not yet as hot as I thought it would be. And there were only less than 30 of us there. Take note that the gates of the villa at this time is still closed, so we are all left to fall-in-line aka hang around the outside of the villa. Others are standing right in front of the big gate, some went to hide under whatever shade they can find, and some were sitting on the pavement. I was standing in line in what I asked was the last person in the “make-believe” queue. At some point I was the only one under the direct heat of the sun. I did not mind it though. I was amazed at myself when all the while I was struggling to get myself to go here yet it seems I was quite happy standing under the heat of the sun.
40minutes later
My girlfriend by 7:40am has already left the house to ride the bus to her office in Media City. We were sending messages to each other. I was still standing there. People started to come and I believe by 8:00am we were already 4 times the number of when I arrived. I obliged myself to listen to the different conversations around me. At this time the 100 or more people mostly Filipinos and a handful of other nationalities were standing outside the gate. Keyword “outside”. At one point a large vehicle came, I am not sure if it was a Mitsubishi Pajero or a Fortuner but of that same size. It was obviously of someone working inside the consulate – maybe even the consul himself. So the people who were sitting on the pavement needed to move. By that time the “line” was broken.
The gates are opened
By 8:20am, the gate was opened and a guy (working their) said that those who came for Affidavit of Support, and for Passport releasing can enter and go to the right. Pointing to the right side of the villa. A few people rushed in, and the guy was not checking their papers anyway. In that split second I realized that any one of us can go in. I was not alone with that thought, because as quickly as the guy turned his back everyone was rushing in. He pointed that the people who already have an appointment to renew their passports should go to the “garage” office. Those who needed to secure an appointment to renew their passport should go to the right (near the people who came earlier).
I went to the queue for appointments. But I was looking at the line for the passport renewal as well. The same guy from the gate came to us, made a speech that they were backlogged, and that the new passports can be made only in Manila using ONE machine that is why it is taking them so long to process all the passports. He mentioned that yesterday there were 115 people asking for an appointment, then there were 50 email appointments, and 30 others – not sure what the 30 others are or how they got into his list.
I think he mentioned July. And from that speech alone I figured this is not working. I went to queue with the people who were schedule to renew their passports today.
Trying out my luck
The queue going inside the “garage” was long but I figured it is alright. I am just happy to look around and see other people and overhear different conversations. The guy infront of me looks and speaks like Manny Pacquiao. The sun was starting to shine fiercely upon us, so the others started to bring out their umbrella. People are now starting to exchange information on what they think are the requirements and what they think should be done.
Fast forward to 10:00am. I am now inside the “garage”. I can see 4 lines. I goes to the cashier, the other for Affidavit and Marriage, the two others for passport renewal and extension. My guess is that 70-80% of the people went there for passport renewal or extension of validity.
A quarter past 10. One person who was processing the documents for passport renewal went at the back and left her post. Some say because the child that was walking around the area (presumably her brother or child) wanted to pee. The old lady behind me said “Well they should get a maid, not leave her desk to attend to the child”. People started to get jittery as the processing will stop at lunchtime 12:00 noon and will resume at 1:00pm.
Some people crashed inside our line. A minor debate ensued. You know how people look when they are trying to outsmart other people in a long line, and when they get confronted they respond with a variety of reasons, yet you know in their eyes they know they are wrong. They act tough but you know they know they have to do this or else they’re – fucked – that look. And they were two older ladies. Dark skinned fuckload of makeup on their faces. See? by my language you would know that around this time things are getting a little bit nasty. A couple, the cliche’- clean looking big guy with a feeling pretty chic – the typical, he wears Lacoste shoes, she carries LV bag couple (as if there are no other high fashion brands out there?). Anyway, they were trying to talk to the two people who crashed earlier. They started out asking about what to do blah blah that fucked up strategy people use to get infront of the line.
A big guy from behind the line warned with his loud but restrained voice.
# I’m too tired to write more details #
Denied
Anyway it was now my turn, and the person asked me for my appointment locator number. I told them I emailed for an appointment. She asked me if I got a reply with a date and locator number, I said I didn’t but asked if they can process my passport anyway.
She said NO. She told me to go back to the consulate at 1pm and ask for an appointment.
The schedule they are giving to people who just asked for appointment to renew today is July 3 the earliest. I think I will just stick with the date which they emailed to me which is 24th of June. And try my luck again 
All in all it was such a learning experience. I wasn’t at any point mad. For the most part because I was already expecting less of the events that will happen. I know that some people will come early (5am), some people will come at 8:30. And it is just by luck, will, guts and/or shamelessness that you accomplish what you came there for.
Remembering the time when my girlfriend and I claimed the approved Visit Visa for my mom and sister, we were in the wrong queue. We were on the line for releasing of the new passport. And on that same window a large sign said “releasing of visit visa red ribbon is only at 3pm”. We were there at 10am, we were on the wrong line on the wrong time, but we got our documents – the visit visa with red ribbon. We were on the lucky side of the Grey area that time.
Unfortunately for me today, I was not that lucky.
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If in case this gets read by people who can actually pass the message to the consul or the Philippine President, or someone who can help change the system there for the better, here are my simple recommendations.
1.) Provide a bigger area for people who are waiting in line. Benches maybe. Shade.
2.) Make sure there is a line. I think Filipinos are smart and patient enough to fall in line when they know there is indeed A LINE.
3.) Add more people. In my experience this morning there were only 2 lines, that’s 2 lines for the roughly 300 people. By 10:15am on more person came and there were 3 of them.
4.) Get a goddamn bigger area. Imagine this -> the space they have now, by my quick estimate, is approximately the same size as my room which is a master’s br and the living area. Cut 1/4 of that area for the people behind the desk. And from the other end a small area is taken by the person taking the photo, and on other small area for the photocopying machine. <– Hell, we don’t even invite more than 10 people in our house without feeling it being too crowded, and the consulate thinks they can just fit a 100 people in there. Again get a BIGGER AREA please.
That’s what I can think of now. They also need to provide better signs, segregate people.
I know my blog won’t get anywhere other than a few of my friends reading it. ) SO unfortunately for us Filipinos in Dubai, who needed to go back to the Consulate and get any kind of paper done there, we have to just be more patient. )
UPDATED: 13 Feb 2012
Latest procedure in renewing your Philippine passport – http://www.pcgdubai.net/services/philippine-passports/passport-application-direction/
