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| The jumble of License to Own and Possess Firearms (LTOPF) documentary requirements that people will have to collect and go thru. |
DAY ONE
’Document Check’
The lady at the desk told me to go to the Document Checker after doing the following:
- Fill up two copies of the Application Form for the LTOPF, attach my 2” x 2” sized Identification (ID) pictures on it, and then have it notarized
- Photocopy ID documents, on separate papers
- Put all of the requirements on an envelope
Luckily there is a place nearby where the photocopy, notarization and envelopes are available, so I went there and did things as instructed. Lucky also that I bought with me my Passport aside from my Driver’s License for ID purposes. The prices of the items are as follows:
- Photocopy, Php 2 each page
- Notarization, Php 50 each document
- Envelope, Php 10 each
The Document Checker was at near the main door, and there weren’t a lot of people in line so I was able to get my turn quickly. She just checked my documents, put them in some sort of order, and then told me to go to Window Five for Encoding. By this time it was a quarter past twelve already, so I took a break to come back after lunch time.
’Window Five - Encoding’
There were only a couple of people in line on Window Five, so it didn’t take long for me to get my turn even the person there was late, coming in at 1:15 pm. They just encoded some of my details while I checked it on a screen that was shown to me, then they took my picture thru a computer and asked me to log my name on a Log Sheet. After this the person told me to go to Window 17 for Scanning of documents.
*’Window Seven – Document Scanning’
Here the line was a little longer, around half a dozen and the process took some time since what they did was double check the documents and then scan each one on a machine. When it was my turn, I handed him my envelope that was checked by the Document Checker.
After a while, though, the guy told me that my receipt for the Neuro-Psychological Exam (NPE) was missing. So I tried to look for it but couldn’t find it on my bag. I went back to the Document Checker, but she claimed it wasn’t with her also. I tried going back to the PNP-GH to get another copy, but they were already closed even though it still wasn’t 5:00 pm.
So I went back to the PNP-FEO, and just as I was about to give up, I talked to the Help Desk to explain what happened. And lo and behold, as I mentioned my missing receipt she produced it in front of me. Apparently, the receipt fell down when I took it out when I showed it to her a couple of hours ago.
So I went back to Window Seven together with all of the complete documents, the person there scanned the documents and handed me back one of the Application Forms with written instructions to go back four days later at 9:30 am and proceed to Window 17. The time on my watch at this time was already 2:50 pm.
DAY TWO
On Day Two of my LTOPF application, I arrived at the PNP-FEO Headquarters around quarter to twelve, so I ended up waiting a couple of minutes before the offices opened at 1:00 pm. I was supposed to go to Window 17 as per the previous instruction at Window 7, but it was still closed when 1:00 pm arrived so I had to ask the Help Desk what to do.
'Window 19 - First Queue'
They told me to go to Window 19 instead, so I went there and there as around half a dozen people ahead of me in line. I didn't have to wait long, though since the previous transactions were quite fast, and when it was my turn I handed to the person there the form with the instruction from Window 7. The person checked his computer, but couldn't seem to find my name there yet, so he advised me to go to Window 20.
'Window 20'
There was no line at Window 20, so I immediately told the woman there that I was instructed to go to her from Window 19, and handed her the same form I used at Window 19. She still couldn't find my name, so she told me to go to the second floor and gave me a name of a person to look for there to follow up my approval.
'Second Floor - Approval'
At the second floor, there was a Guard there and I told him my predicament. He took my name, and then told me to wait downstairs since the seats were there. I told him I will go up and check every 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, I went up and the Guard told me that the person I was looking for had just arrived, and that he had given her my name. So I went back down to wait again.
After another 15 minutes, I went up but the Guard was not there, so I just went into the offices to look for the person. I found her, and again told her my story. She said everything was okay already, and told me to go back to Window 19.
'Window 19 - Second Queue'
So I went back to Window 19, there was no queue, and submitted the form again with the instruction. This time everything seems to be okay, so he finally gave me two identical deposit slips and told me to fill them up and then bring them to the Landbank Windows to pay the fee noted on the slips, which was for Php 1k.
'Landbank Windows – Payment'
I completed the information required on the slips, and went to one of the Landbank Windows to pay the fee. There was no queue, so the transaction was quick. After that I was given the one of the slips which is now validated, and instructed to go to Window 11 to 14 to claim my printed LTOPF.
'Window 11 – LTOPF Printing'
There was a short queue on Window 11, and when it was my turn I simply handed the person there the validated slip. I was instructed to put my name and signature on a logbook, and was finally given a printed copy of the LTOPF.
This was the end of the process, and by this time it was already 2:30 pm. Note that the LTOPF is simply a COMPUTER PRINTOUT on a piece of paper. I am planning to scan it so I can have soft copy in Cloud Storage that I could reprint later if the original gets torn or wet.
’Parting Shot’
Another MADDENINGLY long and complicated process by the PNP wherein I have had to go thru the following:
- Two working days to complete;
- A total of five hours on those two working days;
- Eight different Windows/Stations
On top of that, I had a near disaster when a SINGLE document nearly went lost. If I hadn’t found it, I definitely had to add at least a day more, a couple of hours more and several more Windows/Stations.
Also note how I was supposed to come back in the morning four days later for the approval, and yet even when I went in the afternoon and it STILL wasn’t ready.
So now the LTOPF is complete, the next and last step is to renew my Firearms License.
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| The License to Own and Possess Firearms (LTOPF), which is just a computer printout on a piece of paper |
Any idea how to get the LTOPF ID Card?
ReplyDeleteSorry, I have no idea as of now.
ReplyDelete