I first attempted to have a student's driving permit when I was 16 years old. My Tito had a friend then who works in LTO, so we sort of have connections.

The office looked strict; many things were required to be passed. I thought, hey it's supposed to be easy with this guy right? So maybe they were really strict and all and everybody must comply with the rules, with no exceptions. To cut the long story short, I didn't get my permit. I went through a lot of trouble just to be able to get the damn permit so I thought, "Next time nalang."

Two years later, I came back to LTO (in Sucat) hoping to finally get a permit. The process is now easy, just 30 mins, and tatah! The permit's there! You just have to control yourself not to laugh in front of the LTO people because their colored ink is running out and even so they would still print your picture. I could barely identify myself, I could only see my hair. But who cares? It's still a permit.

I used the permit until it expired. I never had the chance to get a license because I had no time to go to the main office. So I got another one, since I need to keep one for at least two months in order to apply for a non-professional license.

Last Thursday, I met up with Raffy early in the morning (7 am) to finally get a license. His permit was about to expire soon so he needs to get a non-pro license already. As for me, I was just taking advantage of the no classes day. I literally had to crawl out of bed, drag myself to take a bath, and try my hardest to keep my eyes open. In short, it got me exerting some real effort.

As soon as we got off the foot bridge along Roxas Boulevard, a guy greeted us with, "LTO kayo boss?" We just ignored him. We promised to ourselves that we will not deal with any fixers because that will make us spend double.

It was a long walk to reach the office. From time to time people would come to us asking if we are going to LTO. We just shook our heads and told them we're good, we don't need help. Charing!

As first timers, we really don't know the process when applying for a license. It was sort of different from applying for a student's permit. We didn't want to ask just anybody, we might fall for the fixers' baits so we decided to ask the guys sitting around the table with a banner "Customer Service." The guys were in uniforms with real IDs and they are really from LTO, but we later on found out that they are also fixers themselves.

We approached this guy we called Hepe for reasons you shall know later on. I asked him where could we get the forms for application of a NP license. He asked for our student's permit plus the receipt. He stapled them together and told us, "Sige sumama na kayo dyan kay Jenny (not her real name) para mapa-drug test na kayo." I was still hoping Hepe was not a fixer. I asked Jenny if we can choose which drug testing center to go to. She said all centers there were accredited by LTO, so she's just assigning us to one already. I didn't think she understood my question.

We first went to a small room with letters and colors posted on the wall, like those you see when having your eyes checked or when buying eye glasses. The woman asked me to cover one eye and read the written letters. I read all the small letters then she wrote something on my record. It was supposed to mean I passed the medical test. That was a medical test? Since when? Says who?

We then went to this drug testing center, filled up a form, and we were given vials where to place our "sample." Raffy said he doesn't feel like peeing yet so he waited a while. It was my turn to take my sample. At first I didn't feel like peeing but when I saw the toilet bowl, I felt like peeing already! Wow, the magic of a toilet bowl!

While filling up the rest of our forms Jenny whispered something to my ear, "Ate, 1200 lang para sa exam. Kasi pag bumagsak ka dun isang buwan ulit bago makaulit. Bale 1500 kasama tong drug test at medical." Uh-oh. We really have fallen for the bait. The worst part is, we can't turn back. So I talked to Raffy, I told him at least we'll get the card on the same day and we don't have to go back to pick it up. Jenny won't stop following us, she won't leave us. And it's just money. We'll earn it someday. So we agreed to deal with Jenny, the fixer.

Jenny is actually connected to Hepe. On our way back to Hepe's table Jenny said, "Yung lalaki, pamangkin ni hepe yun eh." Ah. Ganun ba? Haha..

Our names were then called for the picture-taking. Jenny said we'll be called in a while to pay for some fee but she paid for that already so we'll just tell the cashier, "Jenny paid for us." The cashier called Raffy's name after 2000 years of waiting. My name was supposed to be called after Raffy's but it wasn't. After 2 hours, I still didn't hear my name. I told Jenny with the bitchiness in me, "Bakit ang tagal? Eh di parang pumila din kami nyan." That got her moving.

It was lunch already and the office will be closed for one hour. We ate at McDonalds. In the middle of my meal I saw Jenny heading our table. She came to tell me that my name wasn't called because my application was forwarded already to the testing room. She left, then we laughed hard. There were at least 20 fast food chains in Coastal Mall and Jenny found us. Coolness.

The first batch of examinees (after lunch break) were called and our names were included. A part of our deal with Jenny and Hepe was that we won't get zero in the exam. Not that we can't answer it, it was just part of the payment. My goal was really to get the card so I don't have to go back for it.

While inside the testing room, we were asked to review some old test booklets that have answers. Instructions were given; we had to shade circles for our answers. We were called one by one to get our test questions and answer sheets. While waiting for our turns, which by the way took another 2000 years, Raffy and I observed the examinees. There were some who answered seriously, took their time to read each question carefully. There were those who scratched their heads as if they have head lice. There was one who looked calm.

The one guy who caught my attention was the one sitting next to me. He looked 40-50 yrs old. He was looking at the test paper of the one behind him. Then he took a pen and began writing the guy's answers on his palm. Raffy and I were laughing our heads off. One LTO official had to literally ssshhh us.

I was called to take the test and found out the reason why it takes the LTO guy so long to call the names. It was because he was placing small marks on the circles of the correct answers on the answer sheet. It appears that our application forms have marks indicating that we paid a fixer. Anyway, the LTo guy was sort of explaining, "O eto, may sagot na yan hanggang 26 lang. 30 ang kailangan para pumasa. Ikaw na bahala sa apat." I took the test, answered it on my own and checked whether my answer was the marked answer.

After the exam I asked Raffy about his exam and found out that we have different set of questions that's why it took the LTO guy a while to mark the correct answers. It's because the answers weren't the same for all sets. Then we thought of the guy who wrote the answers on his palm like a kid. Poor guy, what if he didn't get the same set as the guy he copied answers from? Tsk tsk.

Raffy and I waited outside for our names to be called. We then paid Jenny the remaining 1200 pesos. She gave back some 400+ saying we'll be paying in the cashier because she had to leave. And we again waited for 2000+++ years. The cashier finally called us and told us to wait some more for our license's release.

It was around 6:00 pm when our names were finally called. We got our licenses all right, but Raffy's kinda disappointed because he found out that he didn't fix his hair too well. I also found out that I look haggard in the pic so that got me pretty disappointed too. But who cares? It's just the police who will look at it.


Before going out of the office I saw this big sign that says "Do not deal with Fixers." Oh yeah? Dude, your own officials are fixers! Greedy people who wants money money money. Yeah, we had a fixer but it took us 12 hours to finish everything. Great help from the fixer eh?

Haaay naku. Ang sistema nga naman sa Pilipinas.

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11 days before Christmas!! Woohoo! Here's a part of my Xmas wishlist:

1) Havaianas
2) Havaianas
3) Havaianas
4) Bulgari perfume
5) DVDs
6) good book
7) nice pair of jeans
8) bags
9) fluffy pillows
10) iPod leather case

Just in case you plan on giving me Havaianas for Christmas, my size is 39 - 40. Brazilian size.

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It's been really cold lately. I was doing homework the other day at 2:00 am and it was damn cold. I needed to put a jacket on.


I needed a break from all the Quantum Mechanics stuff so I had another shot.


And another.


And another one that looks just like the one before it.



Who says I'm vain?

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Congratulations to all Filipino athletes for being the over-all SEA Games champs! Hats off to all of you! Go Philippines!