Tag Archives: Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi

Another Philippine Embassy Story

21 Monday Jan 2013

Posted by in Abu Dhabi and the UAE, Patriotism and the Philippines

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The Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi is such a drama house.

I cannot recall one time when I went there without feeling frustrated or disappointed. Whether it be a rude staff, a complicated process, an unreasonable fee, an unclear document requirement where I needed to come back again, I leave that place with much grief.

Today I cut work 2 hours early, took a taxi (paid over 70 AED) and went to the Embassy to get an Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC), an exit-certificate mandatory for Filipinos travelling home. The necessity of such paper is greatly disputed by many.

When I got there, they refused to give me one because my visa is under my husband’s sponsorship. It shows I have no occupation in this country. I told them they issued me an OEC for my trip home last year under the same visa and did not raise any issue in that.

The lady in the counter asked me to present my labor card. I told her I had no labor card. She smirked and in a not-so-nice tone told me that was impossible. How can it be impossible when the flag-carrier of Abu Dhabi do not give their thousand employees labor cards?

Lady, look at all these people. FYI, they and a thousand more from my company do not have labor cards.

They asked me to present my contract. I told them I do not have my (10-paged contract) copy with me because the last time I applied for an OEC they did not ask for it. I told them they shouldn’t have given me an OEC the first time so I know my standing.

The lady told me that technically I am not an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) because of my visa and if something bad happens to me in this country, I get no help. Oh please. I know people who abide by rules, complete all documents and in the end still do not get their proper benefits from the government.

This is so confusing because I have an Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) membership certificate issued by the same embassy.

I had to go upstairs to higher authority to clarify my situation. The lady assistant labour attache was kind enough to explain to me that it would be better that I pay the travel tax and terminal fee back home rather than showing my non-working visa in contrast with an Overseas Employment Certificate.

I had an OEC with the same husband-sponsored visa during my last trip home and I was able to exit the Philippines in a breeze – no questions from immigration. Why the inconsistency?

It saddens me that I am not considered an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) simply because my good company allows its employees to work under a spouse visa.

All my remittances that helped the economy of my country goes unrecognized. And if I die here, my body may not be transported back home just because of people’s incompetence and confusing legalities.

It is one of those days when I wish I wasn’t born in a country with government services that consistently crush the Filipino pride in me.

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The Philippine Embassy and the Photocopy in Me (Part 1)

17 Monday Oct 2011

Posted by in Reviews and Retrospect

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A friend and I went to the Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi this morning.

With due respect to all the hardworking people in there, I raise these questions which I sincerely need answers to.

1. Why don’t we have a photocopy machine inside our embassy?

Isn’t it a basic need for any government institution – food, shelter, clothing, photocopy machine? I understand that a major goal of the government is to give Filipinos a hard time especially those who have deadlines to meet. But is directing them to the nearest photocopier inside a shopping center, 10 minutes away from the embassy, hard enough?

No, that’s sisiw. I suggest we ask the people to manually carbon copy their documents. It has been proven that tracing fonts is harder than walking under the scorching sun.

We could sell the carbon paper 1 Dirham each, no credits please. Besides, the Indian guy working the Xerox machine in Kodak, where everybody goes to, is earning from us… bigtime!

2. Why is our cashier manned by one person only?

I am pleased we have that computerized machine that generates numbers for queues and that each service division has its own counter. But after each transaction from these organized lines, one is required to pay in a separate counter. Everybody then flocks to this cashier where only one guy patiently serves all and the line gets longer and longer.

I understand we want to teach our government workers to multi-task, but again, this is sisiw. If we really want to train this cashier to endure hardship, I suggest we take away his chair. People stand in line while he work standing too. Everybody will be happy.

3. Why do I have to re-aunthenticate my marriage certificate that has already been red-ribboned by the DFA?

I asked the woman from Authentication Services and I did not get a coherent answer. My friend asked the guy from Civil Registry Services and she got more confused than enlightened.

I paid and waited a week for my marriage license to be red-ribboned by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in the Philippines. Why do I have to re-authenticate, paying another fee and waiting another week for this document that has been legalized by the highest authenticating-institution in the Philippines?

Yes, I want to understand legal services I am paying for, no matter how illogical it may seem.

Continued here.

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*sisiw – street term for ‘easy’ . Photo taken from this site.

The Philippine Embassy and the Photocopy in Me (Part 2)

17 Monday Oct 2011

Posted by in Patriotism and the Philippines

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It was my first time to visit the building that represented my home country. A surge of pride rushed through me, upon walking through the gates. Wow, it looks sosyal!

But as soon as I opened the brown doors that led me inside, my dignity shrunk like a prune. It was like walking into a marketplace. How can I complain when an embassy is clearly defined as the ”presence” of a home country abroad. I guess we’re just following protocol.

My husband went to this same building 4 months ago to apply for a visa to the Philippines. He got a taste of our system. He had to go back twice because of lack of requirements that could have been easily advised and explained the first time he called for inquiry.

I imagine him standing in that never-ending line. I imagine him looking at all those signs, taped to the walls like a kindergarten classroom. I imagine him walking up the counter to a very stern-looking worker who just finished a loud argument with a frustrated cursing OFW.

”Your embassy is so dirty. Yucky!”

That’s what he reported of his experience. I didn’t talk to him for a day as I protested such strong statement. But after today, seeing it with my own eyes, I am embarrassed and humiliated.

I want to be proud of us. I really do. But where do I get my self-esteem when the institution handling my diplomatic issues and preserving my rights does not give me the glorious confidence and dignified backbone to walk in this Arab world with head held high.

I am shamed because I can see further than the physical dirt my husband pointed out. Our embassy is a reflection of our country and sadly, Filipinos in the UAE are becoming walking-photocopies of our embassy.

THE END.

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*photo taken from this site.