Yesterday i went to 4 govt offices in all: BIR, NSO, Pag-ibig and SSS. I know this is not what you would call travel, but i'd rather call it an adventure or more appropriately a challenge. :) Transacting with the govt is one of those errands that you would rather not do but you still have to do for your own sake.
I was quite early at the BIR (around 7:45) and as it is around the tax filing time of the year, a lot of people were already lined up outside. Although i was also going to file Rene's tax return that day, i wasn't planning on doing it at the RDO39 office. My purpose was to just claim the printed OR's from a BIR employee. Good thing i was the 1st to approach his table and he was always accommodating. I was just surprised that the ORs he printed for me were 10 booklets of 50 pcs each! That's 500 ORs! Kaya pala medyo mahal ang binayaran ko. I paid Php800 for that. I just followed the BIR employee's suggestions coz i wasn't familiar with the BIR registration requirements for professionals. I don't even anticipate Rene will use it as he receives salary just like any other employee except he is considered a consultant. I wonder if the BIR requirements are actually applicable to everyone. Even after attending the taxpayer's briefing prior to release of Rene's BIR registration, I am still confused. Andyan pa yung mga books of accounts that i do not know how to fill out.
About paying at the RDO39, the reason why i would prefer paying Rene's ITR at an authorized agent bank instead is because the line at the cashier is too long. The day i registered him as a professional i was around #200 from the last person being serviced, and i got to the counter 4hrs later! My estimate is 50 people being serviced per hr since i think only one counter is open.
After the BIR, i proceeded to NSO in east ave to claim the marriage cert copy. Since it was still early morning, again a lot of people were lined up at the releasing area. I was glad to see there's no line at the window where my doc is released. I noticed though that the last time i went there around 3pm in the afternoon, there's not a lot of people around in the releasing area anymore. I've been here a couple of times because the 1st time i applied for the marriage cert was in March. Since we got married in Dec 2007, i was expecting it to be available already since i was told that the MC has been forwarded to NSO in Jan. However to my surprise i got a negative certification. I went back to QC city hall, which is just a jeep-ride away, got a copy of the transmittal sheet (showing that it was received by NSO) and got back to NSO to prove that they already have the copy, after which i got another claim stub on when it will be released. (If the municipal hall where you got married has not forwarded it to NSO, you have to do an endorsement process which is a lot more hassle and expensive - for this case i would suggest you wait it out and do what i did once they have forwarded it, for the meantime just get a certified true copy of your MC from the municipal hall).
From QC, I went to Pasig. I did my transactions with Pag-ibig and SSS after lunch. The good thing about their branches in Shaw Blvd, is that they're walking distance away. Pag-ibig is just across SSS while Philhealth is also a few meters away. This is my 2nd visit. The 1st time i was only able to finish Philhealth. My objective was to change my status from single to married as well as to change from employed to voluntary member (as i am now unemployed and wanted to continue my membership). For Philhealth, it was easy and convenient. Their office is aircon-ed plus it is not too crowded. I got to do both updates in one transaction just by submitting a form, a photocopy of the marriage cert and paying the quarterly premium (P300 for 3 months). Most of the employees at the different counters were accommodating except for the lady at the information desk (how ironic!). Kakabwisit nga e, magtatanong na nga lang ng answerable by yes or no, ang isasagot pa sayo syempre! Kaya nga nagtatanong e. I was merely asking if I should put my married name on the form as i will be updating my status or still the maiden name. Syempre maiden name ko yung nasa records nila e. I wanted to make sure i am filling it out correctly. Kung ganun ba naman sya sumagot sa lahat ng magtatanong ewan ko na lang kung me magtatanong pa sa kanya. I should have taken her name, now that i thought about it. Pero never mind, baka bitter lang sya sa trabaho nya.
In Pag-ibig, my observation is it is quite organized and that they employ a numbering system for different transactions. Once you get a number you just sit back, relax, read something or watch TV. It is nice that they have an aircon-ed office and TV's for the members waiting for their number to be called. Although the office is still not big enough to hold everyone. There are not enough seats, as there are still people standing at the back. Although i always manage to get a seat. In my case they had to refer me to another office at the 2nd floor to accomplish change from employed to voluntary. This is my 2nd visit because i needed to bring my COE from my last employer as a reqt. After my docs were checked, i went to the 1st flr office and queued for payment/cashier. The premium is fixed at P100/month. In fairness, my number got called in an hr after around 100 more. I wonder why the forms i filled up and my COE are still with me. Not sure if i have to submit them i guess i better check again. The lady at the 2nd flr did not ask me to go back after telling me to pay at the cashier. When my voluntary status is already updated, i still have to request for merging of premiums from other branches so as to consolidate their records and at the same time be able to request update of civil status. This will be for another day.
As it was around 4:15 already i tried to go to SSS and see if i may still be able to update my status. For this case, i plan to update my civil status 1st before changing to voluntary. I was told it would take around a month for it to reflect my new name.
The 1st time i went to SSS i lined up for about an hr with my update form and photocopy of the marriage cert only to find out that they only accept certified true photocopy of the MC. I even have the original with me and showed it to her but the lady said it is still not acceptable. I looked back at the list of requirements at the back of the form and it only says marriage cert. It does not specify certified true photocopy. I was really pissed. Even after checking the requirements over the internet, it still did not prepare me for this. Kung specific yung hinihingi nila they should have specified it in all their listings of requirements on the forms and on the net so as not to waste people's time. Since my NSO copy was not yet available, I went back to QC city hall to request for certified true copies.
Now my 2nd visit, since i got there around past 4 already, i was happy to see that the line was not that long for the membership info counter. Before when i went there in the morning all the counters have long queues except for the cashier but now in the afternoon it's the opposite, all the other counters have a short queue except for the cashier. At least now i have an idea when to pay my voluntary premiums. I can always pay in the morning or pwede rin naman i think sa banks. I inquired if i can still apply for loan or the new ID, but i was told to do that only at least after a month so that my new name is reflected.
Some must haves when transacting with govt offices:
1. fan - not all transactions are done in an office (w/ aircon/fan)
2. pen/s - almost always need to fill out forms
3. reading materials - to pass the time during long queues
4. doc reqts - very important to call beforehand to inquire about requirements or check online website (usually birth/marriage cert, pictures)
5. forms - if you have internet access and a printer, might as well bring filled-out forms already to speed up your transactions, sometimes lining up for forms also take considerable time (such as in SSS)
I was quite early at the BIR (around 7:45) and as it is around the tax filing time of the year, a lot of people were already lined up outside. Although i was also going to file Rene's tax return that day, i wasn't planning on doing it at the RDO39 office. My purpose was to just claim the printed OR's from a BIR employee. Good thing i was the 1st to approach his table and he was always accommodating. I was just surprised that the ORs he printed for me were 10 booklets of 50 pcs each! That's 500 ORs! Kaya pala medyo mahal ang binayaran ko. I paid Php800 for that. I just followed the BIR employee's suggestions coz i wasn't familiar with the BIR registration requirements for professionals. I don't even anticipate Rene will use it as he receives salary just like any other employee except he is considered a consultant. I wonder if the BIR requirements are actually applicable to everyone. Even after attending the taxpayer's briefing prior to release of Rene's BIR registration, I am still confused. Andyan pa yung mga books of accounts that i do not know how to fill out.
About paying at the RDO39, the reason why i would prefer paying Rene's ITR at an authorized agent bank instead is because the line at the cashier is too long. The day i registered him as a professional i was around #200 from the last person being serviced, and i got to the counter 4hrs later! My estimate is 50 people being serviced per hr since i think only one counter is open.
After the BIR, i proceeded to NSO in east ave to claim the marriage cert copy. Since it was still early morning, again a lot of people were lined up at the releasing area. I was glad to see there's no line at the window where my doc is released. I noticed though that the last time i went there around 3pm in the afternoon, there's not a lot of people around in the releasing area anymore. I've been here a couple of times because the 1st time i applied for the marriage cert was in March. Since we got married in Dec 2007, i was expecting it to be available already since i was told that the MC has been forwarded to NSO in Jan. However to my surprise i got a negative certification. I went back to QC city hall, which is just a jeep-ride away, got a copy of the transmittal sheet (showing that it was received by NSO) and got back to NSO to prove that they already have the copy, after which i got another claim stub on when it will be released. (If the municipal hall where you got married has not forwarded it to NSO, you have to do an endorsement process which is a lot more hassle and expensive - for this case i would suggest you wait it out and do what i did once they have forwarded it, for the meantime just get a certified true copy of your MC from the municipal hall).
From QC, I went to Pasig. I did my transactions with Pag-ibig and SSS after lunch. The good thing about their branches in Shaw Blvd, is that they're walking distance away. Pag-ibig is just across SSS while Philhealth is also a few meters away. This is my 2nd visit. The 1st time i was only able to finish Philhealth. My objective was to change my status from single to married as well as to change from employed to voluntary member (as i am now unemployed and wanted to continue my membership). For Philhealth, it was easy and convenient. Their office is aircon-ed plus it is not too crowded. I got to do both updates in one transaction just by submitting a form, a photocopy of the marriage cert and paying the quarterly premium (P300 for 3 months). Most of the employees at the different counters were accommodating except for the lady at the information desk (how ironic!). Kakabwisit nga e, magtatanong na nga lang ng answerable by yes or no, ang isasagot pa sayo syempre! Kaya nga nagtatanong e. I was merely asking if I should put my married name on the form as i will be updating my status or still the maiden name. Syempre maiden name ko yung nasa records nila e. I wanted to make sure i am filling it out correctly. Kung ganun ba naman sya sumagot sa lahat ng magtatanong ewan ko na lang kung me magtatanong pa sa kanya. I should have taken her name, now that i thought about it. Pero never mind, baka bitter lang sya sa trabaho nya.
In Pag-ibig, my observation is it is quite organized and that they employ a numbering system for different transactions. Once you get a number you just sit back, relax, read something or watch TV. It is nice that they have an aircon-ed office and TV's for the members waiting for their number to be called. Although the office is still not big enough to hold everyone. There are not enough seats, as there are still people standing at the back. Although i always manage to get a seat. In my case they had to refer me to another office at the 2nd floor to accomplish change from employed to voluntary. This is my 2nd visit because i needed to bring my COE from my last employer as a reqt. After my docs were checked, i went to the 1st flr office and queued for payment/cashier. The premium is fixed at P100/month. In fairness, my number got called in an hr after around 100 more. I wonder why the forms i filled up and my COE are still with me. Not sure if i have to submit them i guess i better check again. The lady at the 2nd flr did not ask me to go back after telling me to pay at the cashier. When my voluntary status is already updated, i still have to request for merging of premiums from other branches so as to consolidate their records and at the same time be able to request update of civil status. This will be for another day.
As it was around 4:15 already i tried to go to SSS and see if i may still be able to update my status. For this case, i plan to update my civil status 1st before changing to voluntary. I was told it would take around a month for it to reflect my new name.
The 1st time i went to SSS i lined up for about an hr with my update form and photocopy of the marriage cert only to find out that they only accept certified true photocopy of the MC. I even have the original with me and showed it to her but the lady said it is still not acceptable. I looked back at the list of requirements at the back of the form and it only says marriage cert. It does not specify certified true photocopy. I was really pissed. Even after checking the requirements over the internet, it still did not prepare me for this. Kung specific yung hinihingi nila they should have specified it in all their listings of requirements on the forms and on the net so as not to waste people's time. Since my NSO copy was not yet available, I went back to QC city hall to request for certified true copies.
Now my 2nd visit, since i got there around past 4 already, i was happy to see that the line was not that long for the membership info counter. Before when i went there in the morning all the counters have long queues except for the cashier but now in the afternoon it's the opposite, all the other counters have a short queue except for the cashier. At least now i have an idea when to pay my voluntary premiums. I can always pay in the morning or pwede rin naman i think sa banks. I inquired if i can still apply for loan or the new ID, but i was told to do that only at least after a month so that my new name is reflected.
Some must haves when transacting with govt offices:
1. fan - not all transactions are done in an office (w/ aircon/fan)
2. pen/s - almost always need to fill out forms
3. reading materials - to pass the time during long queues
4. doc reqts - very important to call beforehand to inquire about requirements or check online website (usually birth/marriage cert, pictures)
5. forms - if you have internet access and a printer, might as well bring filled-out forms already to speed up your transactions, sometimes lining up for forms also take considerable time (such as in SSS)
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