March 30th, 2006

7 steps to applying a new drivers license
1) Accomplish LTO form & attach needed document. Submit to receiving area
2) Proceed to picture taking. Wait for your name to be called
3) Prepare 78.74 for exam payment. Wait for your name to be called at the cashier
4) Proceed to examination room. Wait for your name to be called
5) Proceed to practical examination. Wait for your name to be called
6) Prepare License fee. Wait for your name to be called at the cashier
7) Wait for release of License. Wait for your name to be called

7 simply steps right?! Oh men!!! 5 failed trips to the LTO office (went there & did nothing), 2 very long agonizing days (First day was 2 weeks ago & 2nd was yesterday), of sitting & waiting blindly for something to happen...Paid the examiners in hopes that I could sail through the whole thing...but still...sadness, I was pitying myself & every Filipino applying for a license...gosh! I dunno if it was just the wrong choice of LTO office (coz I heard that in other offices it only takes a day to get a license)...or I didn't paid enough (one of my batchmate in the exam paid as much as 1600) or at least 80 people a day was just unlucky all at the same time. Argh. Even after I took a bath as soon as I got home I could still smell that filty sticky smell of cigarettes reaking..it clogged my nose.. I have no plans of aquiring lung cancer through 2nd hand smoke & ironically they have big signs saying it was a no smoking place. Then again they have signs saying do not talk to fixers and they we're fixers themselves.

You might be wondering how did I get in that unfortunate circumstance anyway.  So about 7 years ago, back in 1999 I already have a drivers license but since I have no car to drive for my own use and my brother (then) was so enthusiastic driving for me, I didn't find the need to learn how to drive... then I lost the license.. fast forward to present time.. argh! 4 years expired and lost license I have to renew my license, have a duplicate and re-exam for the whole thing.Damn!  What a waste of energy but still at least I finally (thank god!) got my license yesterday.  I'm so ready to put that experience behind me and pray for the people who bear such trouble, I really do hope they fix their crappy system. It was shameful enough to have paid them to fix my exam, but what shocks me most is that people there was talking about it like it was a normal day to day thing.. one person even said to me, Ganyan talaga dito Pera ang nag sasalita para sa iyo, Mahina ang 5,000 sa kanila...Imagine paying 100 for the practical exam and there were about at least 80 people who take that exam in a day, shame shame shame...and in my previous post I even said that there was hope for the Philippines..hay sana nga...

So lesson learned.
- I will be a responsible person. I will not let my license get lost & expired ever again (have a photocopy of my license in case of lost & not let my license expire more than 2 years so I won't have to re-exam)
- Bring a book or something to read esp anticipating long waits (talk about opening the LTO office before 8am & finishing at closing time 5pm)