Feature #5:

Your Own Travel Guide to the Philippine Consulate
Discover the Wonders of its Counters

Welcome to the Windows of Exactions (a.k.a Philippine Consulate)

The Reception: This is where a man gives out forms, which comes with a request to have the form photocopied because they don't have any more forms.

The Waiting/Sitting Area that doubles as the Queue Area: which consists of just a few chairs, mainly because most of the chairs are broken. The walls are littered with glorious views and tourist spots in the Philippines, which are meant to entice pedophiles and sex-traffickers.

Pass by the reception guy and you will see a door, which says: OWWA/DOLE. This room is shrouded with mystery because it is always closed. Rumors have it that this office is supposedly used to entertain complaints by overseas Filipino workers against their recruitment agencies.

Now we start with our journey to the never ending queues leading to the WINDOWS of EXACTIONS! Fasten your seatbelts, you're on for a really pocket draining ride.

The Cashier (Window 16) - This is where you dig your pockets for hundreds and hundreds of dollars per transaction. Exact change please!!!

The OEC Cashier (Window 15) - You fumble for your loose change to produce $32 every time you go back home to the Philippines. I was born and my famli live there, why do I have to pay to visit the place?

Income Tax Assessment (Window 14) - This is where the consular personnel makes sure the Philippine government gets their share from your earnings. Talk about taxing the poor.

Travel Tax Exemption (Window 15A) - Who says counters are only for domestic helpers? Residents, musicians and professionals are regulars here.

Contracts Submission for Agencies only (Window 1) - This is definitely No. 1 which means, they give the No. 1 priority and best service to recruitment agencies.

Name Hire (Window 2) - God knows how long this thing hasn't existed. But they refuse to take off the sign.

Re-Contract (Window 3) - If you work for the same employer, you place all your important documents here and pay the following:

Authentication Fee: HK$212.50 Verification Fee: HK$85

OEC- Overseas Employment Certificate (Windows 4&5) - they need two windows to accommodate the long queues of OFWs going home each day.

Contracts Release Counters (Windows 7) - This is where you bring your receipts to get the freshly-ribboned employment contracts that do not even get a single crease on them before the contract gets terminated.

Passport Renewal and Release Counters (Windows 8&9) - This is where you bring your passport to be renewed. You have a choice of 24-pages for $510 and 64-pages for $595. Nice bargain? Or rip-off?

Notarials (Windows 10&11) - You pay $212.50 per document you want notarized.

Individual and Group Visas (Windows 12 and 14)- This will cost people visiting the Philippines $390 per person.

Social Security System (Special Window) - This is where you hand in a part of your earning, in the hopes that someday, there's some money waiting for you when you retire. We can hope, can't we?


That was a very costly tour, wasn't it? Are you still breathing? Or are you fuming mad? Are you planning to come back and visit them again some time? Let's just hope that when you do, you'll bring some placards with you.