Camsdcute’s Lair

We’re scheduled to go on a trip to Hong Kong this May 31, 2008. I just hope that the weather will cooperate. Too bad Tobbie can’t make it because she hasn’t completed all the requirements for her passport application. The list of requirements for minors can be found at http://www.dfa.gov.ph/consular/passport-eng.htm

As usual, my Mr. Marlon Dawas, requested me to get him his DOST clearance so he can go with us to Hong Kong. (Oh my!) He said, I should go to the DOST office in Bicutan and afterwards go to the Bureau of Immigration in Manila. (Really huh?) I have no choice. I had to do that because a week ago, I had forced him to take two days of leave and had him attend a two-day training/seminar on my behalf. Now he’s really taking a big chunk of his share. I asked him, “How did you get your clearance last time you went to Canada? Of course, I realized, HP did work on that, and with the help of kuya Jags who was the one who traveled back and forth to DOST and the Immigration office, he was able to submit all the requirements and get his clearance.

This time, I had to do the dirty work. So now, where do I start? Oh yes, I googled DOST’s page, then dialed the no. I saw in the ‘Regional Offices’ page NCR region: +63 (02) 837-2017 to 82 Loc. 2017; 2018. You should take note of the contact no. of the DOST office in your region. Link is here. When the representative answered, he told me that he would transfer me to the Scholarship Department. My call was then routed to that department. When someone answered, I asked her how one can get a travel clearance. She advised me to call another number, (02) 837-1333. The rep who answered clearly gave me the instructions on how to get the clearance.

So here it is:

Step 1: Create a letter of request for a travel clearance, address it to:

• Ester B. Ogena
  Director
  DOST-SEI
  2/F Imelda Bldg. DOST Compound
  Gen. Santos Avenue, Bicutan, Taguig City
  Philippines

Your letter should contain the details on how many years you’ve served the country.

Step 2: Fax your Certificate of Employment and the letter of request (step 1) to DOST. This will serve as the proof of your tenure in the company here in the Philippines.

• Fax No.: (02) 837-3162 or (02) 839-0086

Step 3: Call DOST and verify if they had received the documents you faxed.

After 2 working days, go to their office at 3F PTRI Bldg, Bicutan and get your travel clearance. This will also be the step when a scholar who hasn’t finished the 4-year contract pays the cash bond required. (This will be given back once you return to the country). Make sure to bring the original documents you faxed. After paying the bond, the director will sign your travel clearance.

***There is no need to go to the Bureau of Immigration.

Marlon said that once I go to DOST, it will take me a day to wait for all the processing especially that the DOST office is in Bicutan. I’m thinking about that, I’m just hoping it wouldn’t take that long. If you’d want to avoid the hassle of going to Bicutan, you can also request them to mail the clearance to your address but we wouldn’t want the risk of waiting for that mail because our flight is scheduled at the end of May. You should also go there as early as you can to avoid long queues when requesting your clearance.

Whew! I’m relieved that I do not have to get a clearance for myself. I am not a DOST scholar because during high school, I was not really aware that this type of scholarship exists…. poor me for being ignorant…

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