07 September 2011

OFW ERRANDS

We're in the thick of our OFW errands.

So happy to share that yesterday's first string of "To Dos" has been a breeze. I'm impressed with the efficient, fast and friendly service of SSS Diliman and Pag-Ibig Kamias. Mabuhay ang mga government employees na aming nakasalamuha!


First stop: Social Security System Diliman 

How to get there: It's along East Avenue. From EDSA Northbound, turn right at East Avenue. The SSS Membership Assistance Center (MAC) is located after V.Luna Road, before the East Avenue Hospital.

Errand: We need to change our membership from employee to voluntary.

We got there 10am. Proceeded to the SSS MAC Booth 1 for forms. We lined up for less than thirty seconds (Yes, that quick!). The lady gave us Form RS-5, the SSS Voluntary Contribution Table (see sample here), the SSS Voluntary Contribution Schedule. Your voluntary contribution will be based on your monthly income. And your deadline is based on the last digit of your SSS number.

We plan to advance our contributions until end of 2012, para wala ng aberya. The lines in SSS for payments are too long so hindi na doon, sa mall na lang. The SM Business Center in Megamall (5F), a 10-minute walk from our condo, is often empty so dun na lang. The banks are always puno so ayaw ko rin. Representatives may pay on your behalf, they should know lang your SSS number (Yey!).

The SSS MAC Booth 1 lady patiently answered our questions. We were out of there in less than twenty minutes! Wow.

We had all the time for early lunch. Yahoo!


Next stop: Pag-Ibig Kamias 

Address: 795 EDSA. Very near GMA Network. It's right beside the condo (Victoria Condo?) adjacent to the GMA-Kamuning MRT station.

We arrived 11am. Got a number for the change of membership -- again, from employee to OCW (That's Pag-Ibig's term. SSS uses OFW.).

Our number was called one hour and twenty minutes later. But we didn't mind the waiting. We were prepared for the worst. (We thought nga sa SSS lang kami makakapunta that day.) There were enough seats for every one, the office is air-conditioned and there were TVs tuned in to Eat Bulaga. There's also a Mini-Stop nearby in case you need a quick bite. I had my magazine and iPad. Hubby had his iPod games. It was a pretty comfortable wait.

When our number was finally called, they made us fill-up forms, asked for photocopies of our passports, and made us pay for our contributions. Yung pila sa cashier mahaba, we waited for another hour. Marami kasing tao. We decided to pay up to December 2011. For the next contributions, there's a Pag-Ibig Office at the Lucky Plaza, along Orchard Road, in SG. Yey!

We decided to get our Pag-Ibig IDs na rin, andun na kami eh. The guards led us to a lady officer at the 2nd Floor. She just asked for valid I.D.s and ang bilis, nahanap na niya ang files namin. The entire thing took less than five minutes.

We were out of there before 2pm. No one was masungit. No one was mabagal. Every one was very accommodating. At maayos ang pila sa lahat ng counters. There are a lot of people lang talaga. So just patiently wait for your turn.


Errand in between errands: Coop

While waiting for our turn at the Pag-Ibig cashier, we decided to drop by the Coop (a mere 5-minute walk from Pag-Ibig) to sign some documents. O diba? We were able to squeeze in errand #3 pa! Bongga!


WAITING GAME
Brought a mag and my iPad.
Devoured my Preview September issue
at the Pag-Ibig office.

Today, we tried to get our NBI Clearances at the Mandaluyong City Hall Satellite Office. We were there 9am. But we were informed the Application Forms for the day are ubos na. Nauubos pala yun?! Arg. We'll just go back next week. We'll make sure we're there 6am (6am!), that's when they start distributing forms daw kasi.

What else do we have to work on? Ah, our PhilHealth memberships. Good thing their office is located along Shaw Boulevard. Same street as our condo. Yey!

Hope we're not missing anything.

Would you know of more Bagong Bayani must-dos?

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