Many
of us ---Filipinos—are always complaining, some are even fed up, with how our government offices provide their services to the citizenry. In our dealings with
these offices, we often encounter the arrogance and discourtesy of many civil servants, corruption in the
government, and the very frustrating bureaucratic red tape.
But
just when we thought that the quality government service in the country is a hopeless case, we see some glimmers of hope.
I
recently accompanied a relative to a DFA satellite office to renew a passport
and was expecting a very long queue and endless waiting in a very hot cramped
place, but to my surprise the whole satellite office was comfortable
(air-conditioned, with spacious receiving area with good seats), with very courteous civil servants, and fast service.
This new DFA satellite office is located at the recently opened Ali Mall Government and Banking
Center-Araneta Center Cubao, a one-stop government service center where the
following government offices and institutions are located : Department of Foreign
Affairs; PhilHealth, PAG-IBIG; DTI; SSS; SEC; PhilPost; LTO; NBI; Quezon City City
Hall Business Permit and Licensing Branch, and Barangay Socorro Barangay Permits
Branch.(Barangay Socorro in Quezon City is the barangay where Araneta Center is
included). Government and private banks are also located at the center : Land
Bank; BPI; Union Bank; and Security Bank. All these locators are housed on the
third level of the Ali Mall, the same level where you will find the cinemas and
its sprawling fast food center. The fast food center is right outside the government
offices which is very convenient for those who are about to start or just have finished their transactions to have their meals or snacks. Despite being on the
same floor with the cinemas and the fast food center, the place is very
spacious and not cramp. Most of the government office locators, e.g. DFA, NBI, are
already open for service , but others like LTO are still to open.
There
are also other satellite government offices in other malls but they have limited government
office locators. The government center at the Ali Mall is quite exceptional, and a (more) complete one-stop center
for many different government services. I hope they
will also include a PRC satellite office as one of the locators to
service our professionals.
 |
| Ali Mall Government and Banking Center at Araneta Center |
So if you are planning of renewing your passports; getting an NBI clearance; registering or renewing your business; paying your PhilHealth insurance, SSS and PAGIBIG amortization, etc., go now to the Ali Mall Government and Banking Center.
Two
Thumbs Up for this government effort to decentralize its services, and for giving
good service and convenience to the citizenry!
