I have only been to the LTO on two separate occasions - to buy a student's permit, and to apply for…read moremy driver's license. I honestly hope that I never have to go this particular branch again though, because it was absolutely unbearable. Going to any government office to procure documents is an unpleasant task as it is...blah. I woke up at 6AM (I know some of you are already thinking, "Not early enough!") to get there by 7AM, an hour before opening. The line was already insanely long, making its way outside the government office. For my student's permit, I ended up staying from 8AM - 1PM, which isn't as bad as most of the horror stories I hear from my friends, but for my driver's license, I ended up staying there from 6:30AM - 4PM, and I was part of the 2nd out of only 3 batches of people they were issuing licenses to that day (talk about lucky!). The only things good I have to say are that the staff are very patient with rude patrons, and they try to make things easier for you. There are a bunch of places outside where you can have documents photocopied, and a restaurant across the street too.

We all know that there are necessary evils in this world. There are some things that can't be…read moreescaped, and we have no choice but to be part of the sinister plot. It is beyond our control, and we all have to renew our driver's licenses eventually. Yes, that card that says "I'm allowed to drive" as opposed to "I know how to drive". In a country where the minimum requirement in order to get a license is having a stub to press the gas with, we're still hassled into lining up every three years as a formality. That's why everyone has their favorite LTO office with the belief that their chosen location somehow processes the whole thing faster. My personal choice is the LTO along Aurora Blvd. It's a large one, and this particular office is well manned. Unfortunately, no matter how early you arrive, there's still a lot of lining up to do. Sure, you get to be first in line, but there's still a lot of waiting to do. At the very least there are enough chairs and fans, and you only have to bear through this every 3 years.

Who enjoys going to the LTO, really? Is there someone, somewhere out there in this tiny country…read morethat DOESN'T find it a ginormous chore? Well, however unpleasant waiting might be, it can't be helped. The LTO is something we all have to go through, which probably accounts for why the lines are so darned long. The LTO in Aurora Boulevard is pretty wide and accommodating, and as far as staff go none of them are rude or slow to work, which is something commendable. For shorter lines, the branch in FTI is a little out of the way, but worth it, since most of the time it's a little on the empty side. Also the staff is just downright friendly, which I really appreciate. The man at one of the desks makes conversation with you if you sit near enough to his station, and the lady behind the webcam that takes pictures for your student permit is always quick to hand out a compliment. I find that nice staff makes it all worth the wait, after all, who wants to sit around for four hours with nothing but grumpy faces for company?

The first time I visited this office was in 2013. And I remember that it took me one hour to get my…read morestudent permit. A few days ago, my cousin and I decided that we wanted to learn how to drive. (Yes, my first student permit expired in 2014 and I forgot all about it.) But first, we'd need to get a student permit. First of all, it's a bit of a hassle to go to LTO Makati if you don't have a car or if no one can bring you. The easiest way to commute to this place is to take a jeep from Landmark and get off at Makati City Hall. From there, you take a tricycle to LTO Makati. If you're going there by car, just get a map and you'll be fine. As soon as you get to LTO Makati, there are huge signs that tell you to say no to fixers. Aww. Shucks. But really, this is good to ensure that only those who know how to drive are given a drivers license. When you step inside, there are two information desks and the people manning them will ask you why you're there and then will tell you where to go next. My cousin and I started filling out forms at 2PM and we done by 2:45PM. That was fast! That just goes to show that whatever system LTO Makati is implementing, it works. The people in all the windows you visit to submit forms, sign documents are courteous and friendly. If you've got some free time, get your student permit already and if you have a license, don't forget to renew it.

Every couple of years, I dread having to renew my license mostly because the renewal centers are…read moreusually hot, have long lines and are in the most random places. So when a colleague of mine told me how fast it took her to renew her license, I made sure I headed there when it was time for me to renew mine. Parking: big check. Because it's located along the row of auto shops with several parking areas in front of it, it was so easy to get secure parking. No need to suck-up to the watch-your-car boys and worry if they'll still be there watching out for your car when you go back two hours after. Ventilation: double check. The renewal center is in an enclosed area, so I was hoping there would at least be wall fans inside. Lucky me, there was air-conditioning and it was actually working (not like in other government offices, sad to say). Absence of a line: bold check. Uh, when I entered, it was just me and two more guys in there at 2:30 in the afternoon. Service: golden check. The flow was so efficient, with the windows and steps actually one after the other. The staff were pleasant and courteous. I was out of there in 20 minutes tops. If this is how I'll renew my license every time, well, I wouldn't be dreading it at all.

I am only give a review about the DFA branch within the government centre, not including the online…read morebooking system. Arriving at the mall, be sure to use the right entrance, this would be the one beside a 7-eleven along P. Tuazon. Lines are expected to be long, and in multiple lines, and you'd need to determine which line to be in, especially if your appointment with DFA is at 10AM. And the system is highly inefficient and also exhausting, lining up outside in the heat, and once appointment has been confirmed by the guard, another queueing inside, before being led to the third floor for another queue. We got called in at roughly 10:40 instead of 10:00, but once inside, the process is speedy and staff were friendly, from document checking (step 1) to paying for passport delivery (final step of renewal), it took me about half an hour.

My license has been expired for almost a year now and I finally had the energy and time to face…read moreLTO. I've been hearing nothing but good things about their satellite office in Ali Mall so I decided to have it renewed there. To my surprise, there was NO MORE LTO OFFICE there! While I was disappointed, I was also impressed to find that there was an (almost) complete government service center there, every office you'll need! They had a satellite for almost all departments with everyday concerns like DTI, SSS, NBI, DFA for passport renewal, even our local baranggay office! I loved how it was so accessible to the people without it having to be a headache (although you still had to wait for your turn). It's great to see private-public partnerships like these. They don't have to be huge collaborations, simple projects like these really help the people and the country progress!

Gone are the days when people would hear the name Las Pinas and they would think Bamboo Organ or…read moreclean and green. Instead now all they could say to describe our city was that there's heavy traffic. It's true; even I complain about it sometimes. But why are we Las Pineros still so chill despite the situation in our main roads? Our little secret: the Friendship Route. This enables Las Pinas residents to pass through over 50 private villages and establishments in the city as an alternative to the Alabang-Zapote road. It also serves grants us quicker access to neighboring cities like Paranaque and Muntinlupa. It's not that easy to get a Friendship Route Sticker though, because the city government doesn't issue stickers to non-residents, and they don't release stickers every year. Some people replicate the stickers and sell them, but you have to be cautious when you resort to that. You can still pass by some routes without the sticker, but you need to pay a fee (ranging from 5 to 20 pesos) to the village guards to let you in. Some people don't mind paying, as long as they can avoid the very congested Alabang-Zapote road. It cuts down at least 20 minutes of travel time. I've lived in Las Pinas almost my entire life and I cannot imagine traveling to this place without the Friendship Route.

Everyone knows how much of a hassle, how stressful and tiring lining up at government…read moreestablishments can be. Guys, I did not experience this at the DFA branch in Megamall! I've gone here to renew my passport and to pick up my passport and the process was basically a breeze. I would have never thought I'd be happy stepping in and out of a government office but there I was with a smile on my face. Take note to pick the earliest possible appointment so you don't have to fall in line or wait too long. The process is very organized and attendants are attentive and diligent, guiding people and helping anyone who has inquiries. The staff and guards are also either pleasant or friendly. Do be alert when your photo gets taken or else it'll look like a mug shot. XD You can always ask nicely for a 2nd shot but make sure that's the winning photo. If you decide to pick up your passport instead of having it delivered to your house (because there's an extra fee), go there early. If not, you'll have to sit at the waiting area but it's clean, air conditioned and not stuffy. You can run out of chairs though but standing is fine as there's also a television. Also make sure to follow directions and listen attentively for your name or you'll have to wait more. The comfort rooms are also clean and the best part is that the office is in SM Megamall so after renewing your passport, you can head to the mall to relax or eat.

Honestly, there will always be a line at any government office. But, SSS always has a looong line…read morebecause of the number of people who need their services everyday. That being said, please remember that the officers in charge are also humans and can only do so much. For them to move fast, they have specific guidelines and operating procedures which YOU should follow too. Now, this branch just opened this year and, so far, this has been the fastest processing for my SSS card! I mean, back in the day, there were so many steps to go through and, well, you had to pay people to get things done. Today, the whole experience is way way different! I actually didn't even register online when I went here. I just wanted to apply for my UMID (YES! We now have a Unified Multi-purpose Identification card! Woohoo~). Before I arrived though, I did have my TIN, SSS, Philheath, and other documents ready. Plus, I wore a collared shirt just in case I was going to get my photo taken that day. The staff who meet you at the door are very nice and really informative. They already have a spiel for the whole process. Basically, fill up the form, line up, get your biometrics, and have your photo taken. Straight to the point, love it! So, I followed everything and they did find that I had registered for a UMID like a year ago and they had to cross check the information. I was led to another window, the lady helped me get all the information in order very quickly, and I was back on the biometrics line. After my prints were taken, I finished with my photo taken. The lady who assisted me then told me to expect my UMID within 2 months time and that I could call them if it didn't arrive. Would you like to know how long this whole process took? 1.5 HOURS! That was seriously not bad! Everything was done efficiently and I am very grateful that the officers made it a point to "move quickly." Best part to this whole experience? I received my UMID in the mail 3 weeks later! UH-MAZING!!! :D