Dear Kabayans, I called up the Philippine Consulate Office in Dubai and asked them why it takes too much time to apply for a passport these days. Her response was "Ate, sa Manila ka magreklamo" which was a very disappointing response but gave me a good idea. As far back as I remember it didn't use to take this much time to obtain a passport before they introduced this new computerized system. Now, to book an appointment to apply, it takes over a month for you to wait. Once you have applied the release takes eight (8) weeks. I'm certain there is a better way to expedite this process. Kind regards, C. Sunga