Report of Marriage

Why take so long to get a reply? This is always what I've experienced every time I make transactions with Philippine Government agencies. Not only in the Philippines itself but even if they are based in another country. I will just share my experience in regards to it. A couple of months ago I submitted papers on reporting our marriage to Philippine Embassy in Australia, well the requirements is a lot. You need to submit in quadruplets on all the requirements needed such as all pages of the passport, certificate of marriage, birth certificate and etc. In addition to it you need to have it certified all of the pages you've photocopied. It takes me ages to get those papers certified and done, I have to divide those papers to be certified by different authorized people that will certify because I don't think they are happy handling about 30 or more  pages all up. Well, that's not the only things they do, they still have customers to deal with just like having papers certify in a chemist or doctor.

At last all requirements are certified, now is the time to send it to Philippine Embassy. After days, weeks of waiting there is still no presence of  Philippine Embassy mail in my mailbox. Since I really need it done, I gave them a ring and followed it up. A woman answered the phone and said it has just been processed. What? After all those times, still haven't processed yet? A couple of weeks passed by I received a registered mail and I was hoping it was it because I really need it so badly to have my appointment in passport renewal, for it is one of the requirements in changing my surname to.

 We went to the post office, I was excited and at the same time expecting a nice printed Report of Marriage certificate. The post man handed me the enveloped, when I opened it, I saw the same papers I sent last time with just a stamped that is as big as a button at the bottom part. I said to myself, how long does it take for them to put the stamped in that paper and why it takes 6 weeks to send it back to me? I cant help but compare, if you send something important here in Australia it only takes days the longest is probably 5 days and the most awaited mail will be in your mailbox straight away.

I am not degrading Filipinos and my country but I think it needs to be changed because it such a shame.