CRBA - A Nice Surprise Today!

[OnMyWay]

Today I found out that the U.S. Embassy will have an outreach in Olongapo on December 7th!  Yay!  Angeles will be on the 8th.  This was very unexpected because they have not done them quarterly in a few years, and the last one here was in September.

https://ph.usembassy.gov/message-u-s-citizens-olongapo-city-angeles-city-outreach/

I had given up hope for an outreach here anytime soon so yesterday I mailed my baby's CRBA paperwork to the embassy via LBC, and I requested an appointment date in Manila for December 7th or 8th, because my oldest daughter does not have school those days.  What a break!  No trip to the embassy and right on the date I requested!  I e-mailed the embassy in the late afternoon about the situation, and I will call tomorrow if needed.  I'm hoping that they can handover the paperwork to outreach team for an early review and then I will just meet with them at the outreach.  If not it does not really matter because I have to bring all the originals to the interview.

What makes this even stranger is how I found out about the outreach.  I probably would not have been checking the embassy website because I already mailed the documents.  A few weeks back I had contacted the guy who drove us to NAIA last December (and picked us up upon return), to get a price for a day trip to the U.S. Embassy in Manila, for no specific date. He charges p4500 all in tolls and fuel for Subic / Manila or vice versa.  His price may vary dependent on special circumstances, etc., but that is the general price, and he has a couple of almost new Innovas that are in top condition.  Today he contacted me to tell me about the outreach.  It was very nice of him to do that because he knows that he lost business in doing that.  I promised him a dinner soon.

If anyone every needs a driver from / to this area, I highly recommend him.  I'll post his information in the transport forum later, but if you need info now, pm me.  He lived in the U.S. for a few years, speaks excellent English, knows all the short cuts to avoid traffic in Manila, and has newer nice vehicles.  I think he has a contract and some level of security clearance with the U.S. Navy, because when ships are in port he is allowed to drive out on the dock and park next to the ships.  I think he serves the officers, because he often post pictures with them.

He is a good photographer and often posts great pics of his travels around.  Here is one from this week:

USS Comstock LSD45 with the Combat Logistics Battalion 11 of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit USMC