Where's My Philippine Passport?!

Okay, so, the other day, I thought of calling the Philippine Consulate in Washington D.C. to inquire what has been happening since it's already 7 weeks after I renewed my passport. I dialled the number posted on their website, and after pressing the number designated for passport, I heard a 10-15 minute recorded message of a lady reading the requirements of applying for a passport and it's like taking forever for her to finish all reading those. After which I was rerouted to a voice that says Mr./Miss "somebody" will now answer your call...and at the end part..."IS NOT AVAILABLE" at the moment. Please leave your message after the tone...Beeep!!! Well, I tried 3 times, and I got earaches listening to those recorded messages to no avail.

I tried dialling the customer service by pressing the 0, and Ola! a lady finally said hello?... So, I asked her how long further should I wait for my renewed passport because I was already waiting for 7 weeks. She said there has been a delay in the processing and most January applicants haven't even been turned in yet. I applied in February 2010. So, I asked her again how long will I still wait? She replied, "wait a little bit more"....My goodness gracious! Nobody could even check it if the actual passport has already arrived.

I emailed them and told them my concerns...until now, no response yet. Sounds familiar? NAH! This is just the first few steps on how to handle the Philippine immigration service. Only in the Philippines!