Centralizing communications

IT is that time of the year once again when our family had no choice but to access this government service that is considerably a beast on its own: passport application and renewal. One would think that mastering the art of going through all the necessary information available on the government website would be enough to give you the confidence to come out of the process alive — lo and behold, surprises come along the way just when you least expect it. Of course.

Case in point: after downloading and filling up what seemed to be the official passport application form provided by the Department of Foreign Affairs on its website, we were surprised to see the officer from one of the satellite offices giving out a physical copy of the same application form. "I have already filled out that form online and have printed two copies and signed them accordingly," I said. "Oh, we use this form," the man said, and noting that there were no remarkable differences, I clarified, "But you have the same information you are asking in that form, and I have filled up the same from the website. Can I not use this?" to which the man helplessly said, "I'm sorry, but we do not have a memo allowing us to use the same form online." I gasped in disbelief.