In order to avoid any rush, I decided to renew my passport beforehand. The actual cost for renewal is PhP 650 ( P500 for ordinary passport renewal and P150 for ID picture taken in the premise of DFA- Libertad St, Pasay City). An additional P250 will be charged if you opt to have it released in half the time, some call it express.

Avoid the fixers outside the DFA compound, they’ll elude you and you’ll end up paying for everything including a “not for sale” application form for P19/form,...