Secret to Pass Any Major Tests in Life

It's November and I remember that my beloved daughter Vian who just graduate as a Doctor of Medicine last March will be taking her Board Exam as a Physician. 

This reminds me of all the preparations , including sleepless nights of study I myself made before I took my Electronics Engineering Board Exam in 1987. I reminisce the time when I had to ride the jeepney several times just to get to Review Center in Manila about two hours drive from my hometown. I had to eat street foods just to fill my hungry tummy during meals because of meager money that I have in my pocket.

 

The second major exam that I took was the Professional Government Service Exam and the third was the Microsoft Visual Basic Programmer Certification Exam. I don't consider myself as smart but just an ordinary hardworking one because I didn't graduate with honors in High School nor College but I consider it a miracle that I, an ordinary student pass all of them with flying colors while I saw my batch mates with honors failing the same exam. 

I remember I was so nervous every time before the actual exam took place because I always feel inadequate with my knowledge and not enough time to review. Now I have to spill the beans and tell you my secret which is found in the Bible .

Proverbs 3 Verses 5 to 6 [5] Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean not unto your own understanding. [6] In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. ( God bless the Humble of Heart )

Right before the exam I pray " Dear Lord Jesus if it's your will , let me pass this exam so that I can glorify your name but let your will be done and not mine." I also believe that God has the best plan for us when I failed my job exam and interview at my dream job as an Electronics Engineer at PLDT but I pass a lucrative job abroad which help me provide for my family.

For unknown reason, I felt very sick and sleepy during the exam as if I can't even lift my finger but lo and behold God's miracle -the results of my passing all the exams with flying colors proves that God hears our prayers.

So for all future and current test takers academics or non, including my children and grandchildren this is the knowledge I would like to impart to you and I wish you all the success in life would be yours as well.

Free GrooveFunnels -Honest Review

In this day and age, any business that wants to thrive must go online.Not only to maintain their success, but even just to survive.

With so many things going on around the world, and global challenges that will forever impact the way people live and do business, going online is no longer just an option.

Sure, there are tools that are already available that any business can use to run their entire company and processes their digital data using artificial intelligence.

However, any minimum amount of research will tell you that most of these products are expensive, complicated and limited in customization.

In other words, not very user-friendly, and definitely not suitable for all business owners, especially those who are less tech-savvy and might even be on a budget.

I mean, who can afford to invest thousands of dollars a month into a bunch of complicated tools, and on top of that, hire employees to manage the systems, right?

Well, if this sounds familiar in any way, I have some good news for you.

As an online marketer and blogger myself, I am always looking for new solutions for these everyday challenges we face as business owners. Today, I am very excited to introduce you to my latest discovery.

GrooveFunnels is, by far, the best way I have found to be able to build websites, sales funnels and sell digital products online effectively. Compare to other Funnel Builder like BuilderAll and Click Funnels. The best part? It's FREE. But the free value does not end there.

You see, GrooveFunnels is not just a website and sales funnel builder.

The co-founder of GrooveFunnels, Mike Filsaime, is actually a veteran in the Internet marketing space, and has put all his experience and expertise into one of the best suite of marketing tools I have ever seen.

I've also signed myself up for an account (it's free), and for the past few days, I've had the chance to play around with it. And you know what?

I can definitely tell you that this 100% free tool is perfectly capable of running your entire business, maybe even better than some of the expensive complicated tools out there.

I'm not exaggerating by any means. From what I've seen so far, GrooveFunnels includes everything that I need to run my online business, all for absolutely free.

Here's just a quick list of what I've gathered so far:

• FREE sales page and funnel building platform
• Possible to build my own branded websites with full navigation
• Can integrate with my own custom domain name
• Able to sell my products with what they call a 1-click upsell
• Capability to integrate upsells, downsells, and order bumps
• Even has a way to create my own powerful affiliate program for my products!

And that's just for starters, because there is so much more for me to explore! I'm not even joking when I say that I am planning to change my ENTIRE online business over to GrooveFunnels! I mean, why wouldn't I?

It's FREE, and it's probably the BEST suite of marketing tools I have ever seen in my life. By the way, there's more.

I didn't even mention some of my favorite benefits of GrooveFunnels. As a member, I've also received a TON of community benefits. Even the FREE version allows you to earn 20% from Affiliate Marketing. Awesome !!!

I've been able to join their private Facebook group, connect with marketing experts inside, get help with all my problems, access private training within their own academy, ask questions through their helpdesk, and meet other like-minded entrepreneurs just like me to make the best use of these tools.

So, if you're like me… Striving to grow your business, looking to learn more about marketing and getting to know some of the best in the industry at a more personal level, then you won't want to miss out on this opportunity.

Sounds great, right? But you might be asking… what's the catch?

The catch is that GrooveFunnels is free, but for a limited time only. GrooveFunnels is in its pre-launch phase, which means that many of the products have still yet to fully launch. When they do, and as the products continue to get upgraded, GrooveFunnels may no longer be free anymore.

This means that now is the time to sign up for your free account, which would also qualify you for the additional software upgrades that they make as time goes on.

Awesome deal, right? It's called being at the right place, at the right time.

And that's where we are right now :)

Don't wait any longer, because I'm honestly not sure when this free offer is going to go away. Do yourself a favor and sign up for your FREE GrooveFunnels account and EARN right now, and I will see you inside of the Facebook group. If you want to know the difference between the FREE and Paid Groove Funnels you can view from this link Free vs Paid

DISCLAIMER: It is important to know that everything you do and its results will depend on how much effort that you put in. Some of the links in this story are affiliate links, meaning any purchase you made will give me a small commission without any additional costs to you.

How to Connect your Laptop to your LED TV with HDMI.

"LED HDMI to Laptop HDMI ":


Connect the HDMI connection of the laptop/notebook to the HDMI connection of the TV with an HDMI-HDMI cable.

"DVI to HDMI, with an added audio connection:" If you don't  have this cable adapter you can purchase it using this link 

Connect the DVI connection of the Laptop/Notebook to the HDMI connection of the TV with a DVI-HDMI cable. Alternatively, use a DVI-DVI cable and a DVI-HDMI adaptor. Connect the audio cable from the 'AUDIO OUT' connection of the Laptop/Notebook to the 'AUDIO IN' connection of the TV.
Note: Make sure the PC graphics card has the latest drivers and the TV has the latest software installed.

Follow these steps to connect the devices:

Switch the Laptop/Notebook and the TV off.
Connect the Laptop/Notebook using one of the above connections.
Switch the TV on.
Select the HDMI connection on the TV to which the Laptop/Notebook is connected.
Switch the Laptop/Notebook on.
Depending on the graphics card, Laptop/Notebook operating system and configuration, the TV will show the Laptop/Notebook screen.

In some cases, you will need to toggle the Laptop/Notebook to display the video image on the TV screen.
Note: Please refer to your Laptop/Notebook manual to determine which keys are used for the transfer function.

Example of the common function keys used by Laptop/Notebook manufacturers, such as 'Fn'+'F8' keys.

Hold down the 'Fn' key and toggle the 'F8' key (or key determined by the manufacturer) once or twice.


This will switch the video image to the Laptop/Notebook display only, the TV only, or the Laptop/Notebook display and the TV simultaneously.

I hope this guide helps you .

Fastest Way to Renew your US Visa

If your US Visa expired within 1 year of  its validity then you may be eligible for an Interview Waiver where there's no need for an interview by a US Consul and that will save you time and effort going to the US Embassy. Instead you will need to answer all the questions online , print the waiver , and send it together with a 2"x2" passport photo via Dropbox  to your nearest 2GO Courier Center..

Here are the requirements if you can answer all these questions with a YES then you're eligible:

1. I have a previous B1/B2 Visa that I wish to renew
2. My Visa was issued after July 1, 2007
3. My prior Visa was valid for at least 5 years
4. My prior Visa is still valid or expired within the last 12 months
5. I'm a citizen of the Philippines
6. My prior visa doesn't say " Clearance Received" or "Travel with Employer"
7. I have my passport with my Visa in my posession
8. My Visa was issued on or after my 14th birthday.
9. The last time I applied for a Visa it was approved.

NOTE: The 2Go Courier Service was already paid when you apply for the B1/B2 Visa for $160 so when you are asked where to deliver your Visa  the best answer will be your current address instead of  a 2Go Center to save on time and effort.


Hope this helps . God bless !!!

Jun

How I Use Silva Method to connect with God

The Bible said that we are all created in God's image (Spirit) and Jesus said that "If we only have Faith as small as a mustard seed , we can move mountains";  He also mentioned "Whatever I did , you can do also " ( if we adhere to God's Law of Love ). Can we really influence our daily life , be
a positive creator of our destiny (or do you prefer to be a victim of what's happening to you.).

If you have similar experiences about how you use meditation, prayers or the Silva method to have what you want in life, please share it on the Comment below.

I 've been studying the Silva Method for the past three months. It's an active meditation technique to help me in my daily life . And these are my true-to-life experiences of its effectiveness. Is this a Fact-or-Fiction - you'll be the judge.


THE MISSING KEY

The other day our helper accidentally locked the door to my son's room after cleaning it. Then I was initially upset searching for the lost key for more than one hour , opening different rooms, cabinets , drawers and trying about 30 different keys with no success. But then I remember what I learned from Silva Mind training on how to find the missing item.

Gold Key

I meditated using the 3 to 1 method. Relaxing my body from my scalp to my feet. Remember a mind relaxing beach scenery to go deeper and counting down further (10-to-1) to get to Alpha level. Then I imagine a huge LED screen showing the problem of the lost key and the locked room . I then ask my guardian angels for guidance. Clearing the old screen and replacing that with a new one showing the location of the key hanging at the back of the storage room door. At first it looks like a key with something black as attachment, when I finally saw it was actually a black key chain adorning three keys. I was reluctant at first since the keys were not mark at all. But when I finally use it my son's room was finally opened right there and then. Now I have proven for many times that Silva Method really works.

THE BROKEN UMBRELLA

My Umbrella

Last week , it was raining hard and I checked my umbrella and found out it was broken. Since I needed to go to the supermarket , I tried to find an umbrella store before I leave using the Silva method . I saw in my mind the location where to get the best umbrella for a bargain price . When I went there by the sidewalk at MRT Boni Avenue station I found a man peddling the green umbrella with automatic opening and closing features by the handle for only P175 , a bargain compare to the malls P450 price tag. This is the 1st time that I saw this man peddling umbrella in that area of the sidewalk eventhough I frequently pass by that area whenever I need to go the nearest Robinson's
mall.

HURRYING TO BIR MANILA

BIR Form

Yesterday , on the way to BIR Manila RDO # 33 behind Letran College to get Form 1905 for the transfer to Taguig RDO # 44  I started praying and using the Silva Method . I had to do this  because of my new job as a Call Center agent with Sutherland , the tax papers need to be transferred to RDO # 44 in Taguig City.  Since I just came from a training in Cubao  I will only have one hour of travel until I reach BIR before it closes at 5 pm.   While at MRT train , I visualize myself arriving  at BIR by 3:50 pm  gladly serve by BIR personnel  and getting my goal, the  Form 1905 stamp swiftly before I set to go home.  To my surprise , everything happened as described , I even met a young man who was there more than four hours ahead of me while I was being served . This is another proof that Silva Method works.

To Learn more how you can practice the Silva Method  click this link http://bit.ly/PrayerToLifeSuccess

OFW & Gen Y: Best Long Term Investment - Healthcare

For more than 20 years I've worked as an OFW  and most of my money were manage by my wife.  Fast forward  today ,  I got sick  with flu  only to find out that I don't have a long term care insurance .  At my age of 47,  I  realize that I needed this type of insurance if  I want my family to have a worry free life later on with my 2 children taking up medicine .  And while I'm still  strong and capable and while the costs of such insurance is still affordable  I opted to buy Long-Term Care  from Kaiser  , a leading Healthcare provider in our country today .

Kaiser's  Long-Term HealthCare is a 3-in-1  Investment ,  Insurance and Long Term HealthCare . When your company's health benefits  are  gone  together with your retirement , this investment is a great relief . Now I don't need to worry  about my hospitalization when I reach the age of 70  as the maturity of this insurance . I'm entitled to more than 1.5 million pesos , more than 3 times what I paid for. The long-term care benefit at age 75 will have a bonus for a total of 2.5 million pesos if not utilize and will continue growing until redemption and use.

I would like to thank my friend Rex Duenas for the information and all my mentors from International Marketing Group  (IMG)  for  providing the free seminar about "Personal Financial   Planning" where I learned the importance of a long term health care before any other investments . Seeing the negative effect - wiping out the family savings and resources when hospitalization ensued at a later age with my Lolo and Lola  ,  I can now sleep well knowing that my family will have a more secure and comfortable life when my time comes to an end.

If you would like to know more about  our "Free Seminars on Improving your Finances" - getting out of debt or knowing where to invests your hard-earned money,  pls visit  IMG office at
9/F King's Court I Building, 2129 Don Chino Roces Avenue (formerly Pasong Tamo), Makati City, Philippines 1200   Tel. No.: (632) 812-2551 | (632) 586-5471 | +63917-500-8388 | Fax No.: (632) 811-2327 and look for Ms Sheryl Sperling  or Mr. Rex Duenas. (Pls inform them about this blog by Jun dela Cruz..)

For your Financial Freedom ,

Remigio "Jun dela Cruz"

Fastest Way of Getting your Birth Certificate in NSO Makati

 Birth Certificate in NSO Makati:

This is the experience of a call center agent  in getting his/her birth certificate  from NSO Makati located at JP Rizal St.      (Ground floor of old City Hall Bldg). Let's thank and acknowledge him/ her for such a very useful blog.

"Since I came from the office in Eastwood and parked my car there (I don’t want to wrestle with Makati traffic), I took a jeep going to MRT. Cost – 10 pesos. Fare from MRT Cubao to MRT Guadalupe is 12 pesos. On both sides of Guadalupe are jeepney terminals, both will pass by JP Rizal street. JP Rizal used to house the old city hall. Fare – eight pesos. NSO Makati is in the first floor of the old building. I arrived at exactly 8 am and there’s a lot of people, more than 40, I think.There are 11 windows in the NSO but you only have to deal with Windows 1/2, 4/5, 7/8, and 10/11. Please take note of the four steps here."

1. Fill up the application form which are color coded. White for Birth Certificate, green for Marriage Certificate, red for Certificate of No Marriage Record and yellow for Death Certificate. You can get the form in Window 1 and fill it up in the available tables. Write legibly and in block letters. Line up in Window 2 for the assessment. Since mine has the complete details, no questions were asked. The assessor will put a note in the application form the amount you will pay. The lady asked me to go to Window 4 or 5. Waiting time: 20 minutes.

2. Windows 4 or 5 collect the Miscellaneous Fee for the city government worth 40 pesos per copy. Being the OC that I am and for future use, I requested for two copies of my birth certificate. I paid the exact amount of 80 pesos to contribute to the money making scheme of the city government. A receipt will be given to you. Waiting time: two minutes.

3. Expect a long line of people in Windows 7/8. This is where you pay the 140 per copy of the NSO document. There are seats available so it’s not that tiring. After paying, there was a note in the receipt that the document will be released by 9:45 am (it’s already 9 when I paid). Waiting time: 38 minutes.

4. Wait for your name to be called in Windows 10/11 for the release of your document. I have to say the the lady announcer here is pleasant. She goes, “Sa mga tatawaging pangalan, mangyaring pumila lamang sa Window 10 (or 11). Magdala ng ID o letter of authorization. No ID o authorization, no release.” She said this in a very monotone voice and since I heard it at least five times while waiting, her voice is the same as her other announcements. When my name was called, I brought out my drivers license and presented it with the receipts. Waiting time: 30 minutes. (Does this mean I saved 15 minutes?)

At the end he got his birth certificate after one and  half hour .  He did this because he had an appointment for his medical and visa the next day.

I hope this helps to save you time (same day release  ) & money (P140 excluding fares etc.).   :-)
 ( I read that the East Avenue NSO Center is jam packed most of the time and I won't recommend it to you  if you want convenience .)

Obviously an advantage for those living near Makati area with less time  but if you have more money and more time at hand then the next procedure will serve you best : Online application .

e-Census Application

If you don't mind the hassle of queing in -line , this the next cheaper alternative in getting your Birth  or marriage certificate:  the eCensus  Online  application

 Visit https://www.ecensus.com.ph/Secure/PaymentInstructions.aspx

It costs P315 in return for convenience and not going to Serbilis Centers .disadvantages are you may only get your birth certificate within  3-5 days in Metro Manila ; only your parents / guardian or spouse may receive your birth certificate if your not available to personally receive it at your
designated address.

NSOTeleserve

In comparison,  Teleserve Services costs  P350 per birth certificate but faster (2-5 days release within Metro Manila ) You may visit them at  https://nso.citizenservices.com.ph

If you have any wholesome experience getting your birth or marriage certificate pls share it by giving your comments below.

I hope this helps. Enjoy & share if you like it   :-)

OFW: How to Earn Money using FB

Laging Handa  - yan ang motto ng Boy scouts . Are you an OFW like me?  I used to be a Seismic Observer (Technician) working onboard survey ships searching for Oil/ Gas worldwide.  One day I woke up and found out that there's no more job offers and for seven long months of waiting  I felt hopeless .  Thank God ! I still have my wife working in a bank and we have invested in some apartments that they are able to support our children's college education.

But  my body aches for the normal routine work and  I miss the opportunity to help my family financially . Thank God I found another opportunity  that I want to share with you - an easy to use system to earn money online.  This is Ignition Marketing - an educational system founded by three Pinoy savvy online marketers by  the name of Edward Reformina , Binsoy  and Mau.  

From their website you will learn how to be an effective  business owner , growing your business using the power of  Facebook , email and websites . Similar products by foreign counterparts would costs thousands of dollars but Edward and company made it easy for us Pinoys to afford this wonderful product , for only P2,999 you can  access not only the Online Training products , Facebook Sikat, and the powerful visualization training "Shortcut to 100K per Month" but also the opportunity to earn P10,000 or more  while you learn Internet Marketing at its best. We also have a Facebook group exclusive for like minded individuals whose goal is to have Financial and Time Freedom. To those who bought the Elite Level , additional weekly video trainings are provided for more effective business results.

Here are the 3 Simple Steps to earn from Ignition Marketing : Tell others, Learn from Video Tutorials, Chaching earn money. To know more click on the photo below:

How to Get Rid of Rice or Grain Beetles

Do You Have Grain Beetles Hiding in Your Pantry? | The Kitchn:

Two weeks ago, I spent almost two hours and  a lower back pain trying to manually remove all rice weevils from our plastic rice box container by exposing them to daylight and pick them up using paper towels and spaying them separately with insecticide.  I thought I had exterminated them  all  until I found them today multiplied once more in my newly bought rice and in the same plastic rice box. Then I searched Mr. Google and found this very helpful article on their breathing ground and how to avoid them .


These are their suggestions:



1. Avoid open containers for rice , flour , or any food .


2. Get rid of old flour  and or cornstarch box where they normally hide and multiply.


3. Use glass, metal or hard plastic sealed containers for storing grains.


4. Regularly clean your pantry to avoid the insects.


5. Don't buy large amount of grains for storage (buy only what you need for a week or two)


6. Use white vinegar to clean the place where they usually hide.

If you find your rice infested with this insect , are you going to throw everything away ? Do you have similar experience? Please share with us what you did to get rid of the rice weevils.

Easiest way to Invest in Stock Market with BDO EIP

On her twenty-first birthday I want my daughter to start investing in stock market and save for her future. I asked her to personally open an account at BDO Manila (near the place where she stays) because as her father I was told that I can't open one for her because the age limit is 19 .

Why did I choose BDO Easy Investment Program on UITF Equity Fund? It's because the ROI year-to-date interest for this mutual fund is up to 16.04% as of 8th Aug 2014 which is much higher than the 1.5% interest rate you get for money market or time deposit. This is also one of the best mutual funds for the past two years according to research. This UITF invests in blue chip Philippine stocks such as PLDT, BDO, Ayala Land, DMCI, SM, ICT, AGI, PX and SMC. For a small Trust Fee of 1.25% per annum professional BDO fund managers invest for you and free you from the time consuming market analysis. The disadvantage of this is limiting your gains from personal investing in the stock market.

For those of you who have more time ,thirst for risk appetite and want higher gain which depends on your personal skills , you may open an account at www.citiseconline.com (pls see my other blogs about this)

What are the requirements for opening BDO Easy Investment Fund on UITF Equity Fund for students(age 20 and above)?

1. Two valid ID's such as school id , passport or driver's license
2. Two pcs 1x2 photo
3. School Registration Form and Original receipt of Driver's License (If you're not a student, just present any valid IDs)

Hints when filling up the BDO UITF Application Form:

1. Open BDO Peso Equity Fund
2. Choose long term investment with risk appetite(at least 5 years ,the average period when stock market reach maximum gain)
3. Select period of deduction such as monthly
4. Choose minimum deduction such as P1,000 / month (this is the minimum allowed)

When automatic deductions reach P10,000 (in this example ten months) you may go to your branch of account to get your UITF receipt . For those of you who have P10,000 or more investable funds ready, you may widraw this fund and apply for UITF directly at any designated BDO counter. You may claim the UITF certificate after another three (3) more banking days . Keep this UITF certicate in a safe place for fund widrawal later at end of term.

You may also register for online access at www.bdo.com.ph , choose personal banking to do almost all bank transactions online such as view your UITF gains , your fund balance , credit card statements, transfer funds and more.

You also need to register your mobile phone number with them so that they can send the random pin or OTP which you need to use within 5 minutes for online transactions or you may also use personal questions when mobile phone is not available. This made the system secure aside from the username/ password combination.

Lessons to the Younger Generation

Since February 14 ,2014 when I went home from my overseas job as a Seismic Helper  I was formally out of job  but I'm not at all affected or am I? .  I was informed by the agency that my previous employer dissolved my position and the rest of them who have been with the company for at least 5 years are now officially absorbed within the company. Unfortunately I was less than a year with the company and my good appraisal didn't help my application.

Fourteen years back, January 2000 when I formally received a separation letter from my very first Seismic company Geco-Prakla due to business downturn I was made redundant after eleven years with them .Initially, it was hard to accept the fact that this job as Chief Seismic Observer has made me more mature as an individual who can take more responsibilities at work and at home with my growing family. But God has been good to us , I accepted His will and had move on by studying more and developing more IT skills and taking various jobs as Instructor and lastly as an IT officer at a gov't agency. Fast forward to 2004 , a close friend invited me and I was rehired as freelance Chief Seismic Observer at a better rate than before. This time I also gained financial wisdom by following Robert Kiyosaki's book "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" and Bro. Bo Sanchez teachings in "8 Secrets of the Truely Rich" , we started building money machines - apartments for rent in various places; investments in stocks , bonds etc. Although I know I still have not accomplish my dreams , I can't believe that we can still send our kids to school even without my regular work abroad but with my wife's work of course. Right now, I'm developing my skills in web programming because I'm planning to venture into online business, this time earning at home while having more time with my family is my main goal.

Nowadays, a lot of graduates and undergraduates alike are asking me for advice. What is the best job and where to find them? I would say follow your heart and your passion and the rest will follow. If I will start over again, I will apply for a job at Call centers to develop my communication and people skills being some of the most important skills an individual should develop . Why?Because in any type of business, marketing is the core money machine. Learning this very important skill should be one of my goals and the salary as secondary. It would also be a bonus if their office is stone throw away saving more time , money and effort. The best would be to know the entire BPO business how they're run and manage so that you can setup your own BPO after several years of working for them. I wonder if they have the same "Awesome" culture as Mindvalley in Malaysia where every employee are encourage to grow as an entrepreneur. If you happen to work at a BPO could you please share your experience with us.

One more thing, if it's your first time to apply for a job it's better to get ready for the job interview and written exams. There are lots of helpful tips from job sites like www.jobstreet.com, www.jobsdb.com , and the latest one is www.alison.com. Also you can develop your existing skills or learn new ones like web design, photo editing , animation , Social media advertising which are the in demand skills today and the future to come. Free learning with Certificates are also available at HP's https://e-learning.life-global.org/ mostly for entrepreneurs or those who dream to be the next Bill Gates or Steve Jobs. Remember to dream big and follow your passion with big action for a sure formula to Success.

Fastest Way to Renew NBI Clearance

Have you ever tried to get an NBI certificate at your nearest Municipal Office ? I did once in Mandaluyong City , after waking up at 5 am and I arrive at the city hall I found myself at the third floor alleyway while the NBI office is at the Ground Floor. The waiting time and the very long queu made me finish one book , eat street food and skipped lunch before I get my claim stub at 1 pm . Only to find out that I can only claim my NBI clearance after 7 more working days because I have a criminal namesake. Although our fingerprints, middlename , parents and birthplace are different , I have to suffer the consequence of having the most common Surname in the Philippines- the land of Juan dela Cruz.

My recent experience was last 21-Sep-2015  renewing my NBI Clearance was the worst so far. After being asked to return to NBI Manila after 7 days as everybody who has the same first and last name of an offender and not necessarily a criminal . I together with hundreds of others who have similar names as offenders queued outside the Quality Control office of NBI Manila. Some of them came from satellite offices like Cavite, Alabang, Meycauyan. This is the first time this happened to me that we have to wait for almost 4 hours just to submit an oath to the lawyer to prove that I'm not the one who committed attempted murder in Plaridel, Bualacan in 1988. It doesn't help that you get your annual NBI every year , hopefully with the computerization of  our database this will be the last time they will ask me of the same question.

If you live in Manila or nearby areas ,this is the easiest method I discovered without the need to fall in very long line and wait for several hours as many do. This procedure takes only 10-20 minutes to finish at 2nd flr NBI Manila office at UN Avenue. Take note that those who have similar names as offenders need to go back after 5-10 working days to claim their NBI Certificate. In case you can't claim it yourself , your representative needs a Special Power of Attorney or Authorization Letter and his own ID. Here are the steps:

1. Get the code from NBI website at www.nbi.gov.ph/ clearance . Fill out the form with your personal information. Lastly ,select any bank where you intend to pay (paying in banks costs P25 - 50 more but save you from qeue at NBI office later, But you can skip this if  you're tight on budget just make sure to go to your designated NBI office as early as possible) . Print the filled bank Form or write the code on a piece of paper or take a photo of the code using your smartphone.
2. Go to your designated NBI office to pay for the Clearance P115.00 for Travel abroad or local employment (Only if you haven't paid in bank .Take note : No slippers and sandoz allowed)
3. Go to 2rd Flr "NBI UN Registration Counter" for photo and fingerprint capture.

Note: Before, only NBI Taft- U.N. Avenue has an eClearance Lane . Pls. share with us any updated info that you may have. As a reminder, NBI Certificate is valid for one year whether its for local employment or abroad. Today , you may also go to any NBI satellite offices and present a printout of the Online Registration Form or copy or photo of the code to get your NBI Certificate faster.

Passport Application and Renewal 2014

The Department of Foreign Affairs has issued the following tips to facilitate applications for passports:

1. Applicants should contact the DFA for the latest passport information. They could visit the DFA website (www.dfa.gov.ph) or call their hotline 834-3222, 834-4000 or for any passport questions call 737-1000.
2. They should apply for passports way ahead of their scheduled trip. Applicants should check the validity of their passports and update their documents accordingly. A passport is valid for five years, but airlines and countries require passports with validity of six months prior to the expiry date.
3. Applicants should prepare their requirements before their appointment date. These include the completely filled-out application form given at front desk, the old passport and photocopies of its front and back pages, including latest date of departure and arrival , and valid Visa photocopy if applicable for renewals. Seamen need to have the 1st page of Seaman's book , SRB ID and latest departure & arrival copied; the National Statistics Office-certified birth certificate for new applicants, and valid IDs such as SSS, Driver's License and their photocopies for both type of applicants. Once you get your number, it's better to have the List of required photocopies from the DFA guard and have your xerox done at JRS Express for only P1.25 each, located at basement of Rob Galleria . This way can save you much time in queuing again for photocopies for P2.00 each inside the DFA office.
4. They do not need to bring ID photos, as their photographs and thumbprints will be taken on the site. A formal wear is advice if not your best semiformal wear with collars. One strange thing which I personally don't like is they would like to take your photo with your teeth hiding then you won't have your best smile.
5. Non-OFW and Metro Manila-based applicants should secure an appointment when applying for a passport. They can log on to www.passports.com.ph or call 737-1000, free of charge. I have personally tried their online appointment system and it didn't work for me even if I tried it four times. Applicants are also advised to come on time for their appointments.
6. Those in the provinces can apply at the nearest Regional Consular Office or check if there is a scheduled Mobile Passport Service (MPS) in their areas. The DFA RCOs are located in 19 cities and municipalities around the country, and MPS are being arranged in Metro Manila and in the provinces on a weekly basis. One caveat, I heard one applicant came from Davao and he prefer to do it here in Manila because if he do it in Davao , he can get the passport in three months. I think it depends on how far it is from Manila and if I were you ask before you apply.
7. For Prospective Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). They used to have the Passport Extension Office located at the ground floor of the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA) in Ortigas which is exclusive for OFWs. I have tried it and it's not available anymore , the nearest one is located at Robinson's Galleria mall and the queu starts as early as possible but they only open during mall hours starting at 10:00 am. Shortened passport processing and releasing time for emergency cases is also being implemented. One needs an expiring passport, a Contract of employment, visa , Ticket and you can have your passport validity extended for another year if you have enough blank pages . It costs only P200 and you may get your passport the next day .
8. The DFA advises applicants against dealing with fixers. They are also urged to report any passport fixing activities to the Passport Director's office at 836-7759 or 834-2222.
9. The Philippine ePassport costs P950 for regular processing (15-20 working days) and P1,200 for expedited processing (7-10 working days). Applicants may have their passports delivered to their preferred address. This is to avoid the hassle of coming back to the DFA. Passport delivery charges a nominal fee of P120 within the country. One caveat, there will be another 3 days delay from the date of passport release
10. Take good care of your passports. You should avoid getting it wet and torn. This is to protect the electronic chip and the other security features of the passport and to save you time, effort and money . I personally spent 7 hours from waking up at 5 am to the time I get my photo taken at DFA around 12:15 am and would like to complain about their opening time of 10:00 am when most of us arrive there before 7 am.

Source: DFA , website and my personal experience