I went to the NSO XI yesterday to process some documents. You might also have to soon, especially since these NSO marked and authenticated documents are now the most preferred in legal, business, and professional transactions. I’ve even heard that some schools actually wanted these NSO copies for enrollment. But for most of the people there, it’s more for legal (rights and benefits) and employment purposes.
The NSO office is now located along J.P. Cabaguio Ave., a sweet relief from where it used to stand at Bangoy St. You can get there northbound by via Route 4, 10, or Sasa-Cabaguio. I don’t know about any southbound routes.
1. Starting Off
There will always be a lot of people outside and inside the NSO, so it is such an easy place to spot. There are two guards on the entrance and it is from them that you will have to get the request forms. There are no ballpens on string in the NSO, so if you forgot one, you have to buy from the vendors outside. The price is usually 10 pesos, but that can be easily 400% more than the price they bought it. Don’t worry though, they won’t give you one that doesn’t work. But should you receive a ballpen that doesn’t write, I’m sure they will be considerate.
Another thing is, there are no tables alloted where you can decently fill up the forms. I filled up my forms on a shelf which was supposedly a depository for bags and stuff. It wasn’t even meant to be a table because it was on the side of the guards, and it looks like more of a divider. Nonetheless, you can always make a way out of things and I did.
There are different forms for different documents. So be sure to ask the guard which particular document you are requesting. The white one is for birth certificates and the pink one for marriage contracts and death certificates.
I entered the NSO at 2:15. I finsihed filling up my forms at around 2:20.
2. Screening
The next step is to let some authorized people check on your forms, just to see if you got everything right, or if you failed to put on some important information. You then have to give the filled-up forms to the Screening section. That is a long table beside the stairs to the left of window 1. The person in charge will do some marks on your paper, large checks, circle here and there, and then he’ll stamp it and tell you to proceed to a window in the Query section.
It only took me a minute there and I didn’t have to talk. 2:21
3. Query
The Query section is located next to the Screening section. There are four windows where you can fall in line to: Windows 1, 2, 3, and 4 (not kidding). Usually, the person on the Screening table will tell you which line to take, but for common sense’s sake, go to the shortest line.
The Query attendant will again sign something on your paper, and then stamp it.
This is perhaps the shortest line you will take, and it takes about around 4 minutes. I was 4th in line, so it was around a minute per turn. 2:25
4. Payment
I wonder why but the payment section has only 3 windows – Windows 5, 6, and 7. There should be 10!
The attendant at the query will tell you which line to take, again for common sense’s sake, take the shortest line. The shortest line, however, may be difficult to spot because the 3 lines extend to the end of the wall. You might have to ask the people where the end of the lines are.
I have to say that it was already 2:25 then so I believe people are swarming to get their documents within the day. I don’t know if the same instance goes for the morning schedule. But don’t be dismayed, the lines could be longer.
The lines may be long alright, but the worse part is, they move slower than a turtle. So if you sensed that one line is moving a wee bit faster than the rest, please help yourself and move to that line. There are no priority numbers here and no seats, so you have to stand in your place always until you get to the counter. I know, it’s such a pain.
It is just common to hear the people next to you complain and warn that they’ll be nagging at the attendants in the windows soon, but no one does what they’re saying, so don’t be so hopeful. At this point, your concern is to have someone to talk to. Talking will always be the best past time, and here it is not just an option but a need. *sigh*
When you’ve finally reached the counter, there is a paper there outlining the amount to be paid for the documents. The price would be 140 pesos. There is also a sign there that says Please prepare exact amount, so be sure to have smaller bills in your wallet. I don’t know what will happen if your bill is too big. But I think the inconvenience will be on your part.
Also try to ask the attendant if she got the number of copies right. Also check if she keyed in the total amount you expect to have paid (do your math). If it’s less than what the attendant took, it doesn’t mean you are lucky she forgot. That would mean you’ll have a copy or more less than what you have requested.
I started at 2:25 and ended 55 minutes later at 3:20. This can be shorter I think, but I happened to have landed on a line that almost didn’t move it was almost a surprise that it moved at all. But the 55 minutes is not an estimate. When you have nothing to talk to, the wall clock becomes the most popular and well-looked at thing in the world, and for a while you will become time’s stalker. Your legs will understandably be sore at this point too, and a chair or anything to sit on will be your next sole concern.
5. Receiving
This is the last step in your document request, and finally you will get what you asked for. There are around 100 seats or less in the Receiving section, so go satisfy your legs. But if you are not that lucky, you will find that the seats are actually all taken and a number of people are standing around. If that is the case, take the time out and go get some drinks (as I did) and return no more than 10 minutes after. You won’t get to receive your documents in a snap, so you might as well take advantage of it. Besides, you are not literally falling in line, just waiting for your name to be called.
The system here is batch-oriented. The people in the NSO process your request and by the time the pile is around 20 papers high, that’s when they start calling names. The first roll call is to call the attention of the people who requested the documents so they can line up. Usually, it’s in Window 10. There are supposed to be 4 windows here: Windows 8, 9, 10, and 11, but only 9 and 10 have people in them.
The second roll call follows, and you are expected to be on the line at window 10. If you missed this one, you might wait again for the next roll call. The person in charge will give you back your request forms, and at the back of it, you have to write your name, signature, and date. Then, you will have to fall in line at Window 9.
It is on window 9 that you will get your documents (finally!). Please check whether you have the right number of documents, and if they’re really your documents, and if no one else’s document got into yours accidentally (this last bit happened to me, but I was quick).
At this point I noticed that only very few people are coming in. The Payment section got only a handful of people left lining. If the the NSO office were a boat, it would have sunk. Almost 90% of the people are in the Receiving section, that is, to the rightmost part of the building.
I started waiting at 3:20, and I finished at around 4:30.
All in all, it took me 130 minutes, or 2 hours and 10 minutes to get what I requested for. This is already satisfactory knowing it used to take weeks. They sure made the processing really quick, but I do hope getting what you ask for wouldn’t be such a hardwork. Standing in line for almost an hour! If there were only more and enough seats, everything would have been way way better.
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