Ateneo de Davao Enrollment Attempt (Part 3)

Jun 21, 2010 by Jawz

This is PART THREE of my three blog posts on enrolling into Ateneo de Davao University. PART ONE dealt with me organizing my application stuff before I came to the Philippines (to read, CLICK HERE). PART TWO dealt with the first half of my enrollment experience here in Davao City (to read, CLICK HERE). This, PART THREE, deals with the second half of my enrollment experience here.

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April 12^th, 2010 – Davao Doctor’s Hospital

Late in the morning, towards noon, I rode a taxi to the Davao Doctor’s Hospital. I had been there before for sinus problems, so I went there since I was familiar with it. I walked into one side and asked a man at the desk where I could all my requirements done. I showed him the list of medical things that Ateneo asked for. He told me to go up to see Dr. Manalaysay in the Medical Tower. I went up and the lady at the desk, in his office, told me to come back at 12:30. I went out to eat afterwards, to waste some time.

When I came back, I was able to talk to Dr. Manalaysay. He told me he could give me the required shot, but I needed all the other requirements done elsewhere. I also wasn’t sure if I needed the shot, because I wasn’t sure if I had had it already. So, he wrote on little papers what I needed, including a Hepatitis Profile to check if I needed the shot. He also told me to try to get all the requirements done at Davao Medical Clinic.

April 13^th, 2010 – The Medical Examinations

In the morning, I asked a taxi to take me to the Davao Medical Clinic. He had no clue where that was, so instead, he took me to the Davao Medical School Foundation Hospital. When I arrived, I walked in and asked the lady at the desk where to go. She pointed to a nearby counter where payment had to be made. I stood in line at the counter, and the lady there signed pieces of paper for the stuff to be done. I had to go back to the ATM, outside, to get money to pay. After I paid, I walked to the main room where all the stuff is done.

First, I had my blood drawn. A few minutes later, I was called into a small room for a drug test. Due to my bladder shyness, and probably lack of having-to-go, I couldn’t pee into the cup. So, she told me to come back about an hour later. With this time, I used it to go eat. I also drank around three cups to hopefully have to go. After eating, I went back. I still couldn’t pee! They said they’d give me 30 minutes more, so, I went out again.

When I went out again, I drank a bottle of juice, and a bottle of tea. Within that time, I had almost gulped down a whole liter. Since I still had about 15 minutes left, I walked down the road on one side. I noticed at the end of the road, was JP Laurel Avenue, and I could see the Victoria Plaza Mall nearby. I kept that in mind as I walked back to the hospital.

When I came back, I had to wait about 5 minutes. I really had to go, and just when I finally could, I had to wait. When they called me up, I was able to pee into the cup. After that, I went to the nearby counter and laid my papers down for a chest X-Ray. They called me in a few minutes later, and I got the X-Ray done. Afterwards, I was told to wait on all of my results. In that time, I walked to the Victoria Plaza Mall to kill time.

After I had walked around a good bit in Victoria Plaza, I walked back to the hospital. They gave me my results, and I felt all was finished. I then asked the lady at the counter if this was all, just to make sure I had everything. She then noticed I needed a urinalysis. She said I had to pee in a cup again, since the drug test had to be done separately. So, I went to the comfort room (restroom) and pee’d in a cup, again. The lady then told me to come back in 3 hours to get the results.

I wasted my three hours by walking back to Victoria Plaza again, and walking around inside. I just ate food and read books set out in the middle of the mall. It was already dark when I walked back to the hospital. Just as I walked up to the steps, the guard closed and locked the front door. Crap. That meant I had to come back the next day for my urinalysis results.  Since I was in a walking mood, I walked from there, all the way to C5 Dormitel (where I stay) on Roxas Avenue. I enjoyed the walk, although I was tired.

April 14^th, 2010 – Got All Results

My Medical Result Papers

I went back to the Davao Medical School Foundation, sometime in the morning, to get my urinalysis results. Afterwards, I rode a taxi to the Davao Doctor’s Hospital. The lady at the desk told me to come back a little later since Dr. Manalaysay wasn’t there yet. So, I went out and ate lunch at a nearby place.

When I came back, Dr. Manalaysay looked over my results and then gave me a hepatitis B shot, since I hadn’t had one yet. After that, he gave me a Medical Certificate to take to Ateneo. He said it’d be all I need, and he kept all of my result papers.

April 15^th, 2010 – Ateneo Medical Certificate

I went to Ateneo de Davao University with the Medical Certificate that Dr. Manalaysay gave me. The people in the medical office told me they needed copies of the medical results, rather than just the Medical Certificate from the hospital. So, I rode back to the Davao Doctor’s Hospital and went back to the office. The lady at the desk, in Dr. Manalaysay’s office, gave me the original copies. I went to a copying room downstairs in the other building to get them copied. As I walked out, the lady from Dr. Manalaysay’s office was standing outside. I handed her the copies and kept the originals.

I rode back to Ateneo de Davao University, walked into the medical office and handed them the records. They looked over them and asked me to get copies done for them. So, I copied them at a nearby copying place and came back. They pointed me to the school physician’s office and, there, I got my Medical Clearance Slip.

Later that day, I went back to Ateneo to ask someone in the registration room about my application. I was asked to get a few copies of things, and fill out a few papers. I also was handed a new paper of different requirements.

April 16^th, 2010 – Turning in the Application

Ateneo de Davao University

In the morning, I filled out the final things on my application, and got copies that I needed to be done. I also copied some papers that I later figured out that I didn’t need copies of. I went to Ateneo de Davao University to the room where registration was taking place. I went back to the man at the desk (that I saw the day before) and handed him my application stuff. He requested a few more copies of things, so I got the copied again at the nearby copying place.

When I returned with the copies, I was told to have a sheet signed by the guy next to his desk, and a lady in an office somewhere on the campus. I got the first signature, and had to wait for the next. So, I went out and wasted time, and then came back. She wasn’t there yet, so I went out again. On my 2^nd return, she was there finally and I got the paper signed. Afterwards, I went to another office to get my NOA (Notice of Acceptance). I was told earlier, by the guy at the desk in the registration room, that this was to be given to immigration. I was also told to hurry up, for it takes awhile for student visas to process.

After waiting in line for my NOA at the office’s counter, I was called to come inside of the office. I sat down and handed the lady my papers for the NOA. I sat there for a few minutes, and she finally spoke. I was hoping for it to all be done that day, but sadly, she told me to come back Monday (since this was on a Friday) for my NOA. So, I left my paper there and left the campus.

April 19^th, 2010 – Getting the Student Visa

In the morning, I went back to Ateneo de Davao University, to the office. I sat down for awhile and then they handed me my NOA. It had the university seal, and was ready to be taken to immigration.

After leaving the university, I rode to the Bureau of Immigration. When I came inside, I got an application to update my current visa (tourist). I went through the process as required for it, as I’ve done in past visa extensions (fill it out, get papers copied, and pay the fees).

For my student visa, I was called to come inside of the office. There, I talked to a lady at a desk. She handed me a paper of requirements I needed to get done for them to give me a student visa. According to the requirements, I needed: to feel out the visa applications, medical testing done by the Bureau of Quarantine, a letter requesting for a student visa, and the letter to be notarized. I left feeling weighed down with a new set of things needing to be done, but, I was eager to finish them because my eagerness to get into Ateneo de Davao University.

April 20^th, 2010 – Getting Visa Requirements

First, that day, I went to the Davao Doctor’s Hospital. I was confused about the Bureau of Quarantine thing, and wondered if I had already done all the medical requirements needed. When I went to Dr. Manalaysay’s office, the door was locked and nobody was there. I decided just to go ahead to the Bureau of Quarantine and find out there.

I took a taxi to the Bureau of Quarantine, since I didn’t know the jeepney route to it. I did know it was on Magsaysay Avenue though. At first the taxi driver got lost, and took me to some other Bureau, in confusion of where I wanted. I then told him it is located somewhere on Magsaysay. I was somewhat frustrated, because I could’ve taken a taxi to my dorm, on Roxas Avenue, and just walked to the Bureau of Quarantine. Getting lost wasted many pesos.

Finally I arrived to the Bureau of Quarantine and went inside. When I went to the office, they requested my medical records and passport. Well, I didn’t have them with me, so I walked from there to my dorm. I stopped to get a drink before heading back though, since it was hot. When I got back, they told me I’ll just need a fecalysis , and a blood examination. I told them that I probably am not able to do the fecalysis at the moment, but I’ll go ahead with the blood examination. So, I got my blood drawn, and was told to come back the next day for the fecalysis.

After walking back to my dorm, I sat down and typed up a request letter for my Student Visa. I then copied it on to a USB flash drive, and took it to a place beside Ateneo to get it printed. After I had gotten it printed, I walked back to my dorm and was wondering where I was going to get it notarized. The guard outside of my dorm pointed out a law firm right in front of us. I never noticed the law firm hooked to the dorm!

I took my letter inside of the law firm and sat down. I talked to the ladies at the desk about me getting a Student Visa, and needing a notarization of the letter as a requirement. One of the ladies looked at the letter and told me she’d retype it, to make it more presentable. After it was typed, 4 copies were printed, I signed them, and the other lady notarized them.

Late April, 2010 – Student Visa Requested

My Passport Stamped by the Bureau of Quarantine

On April the 21^st, I walked back to the Bureau of Quarantine and gotten my fecalysis done. They also requested copies of my medical documents, which I got copied across the street. I was later given my results, and my passport was stamped.

After having all of the requirements, I was ready to go see the Bureau of Immigration. When I came there, I was called back into the office. I sat and waited awhile as the woman spoke to a foreign girl (who I think was Indian). When she finished, I sat down and gave her all of the things. She gave me a price I needed to pay, for the fees. She also told me I needed an envelope for her to mail the things off. So, I walked to Victoria Plaza mall (across from the Bureau of Immigration), withdrew from the ATM, and bought a large envelope. When I got back, I paid the fee and she put it all in the envelope. She told me it takes up to 3-6 months for it to be processed, and since it takes a few days to get to the immigration office in Manila. For a request of it to be fasted, I did mention in my letter request if I could have it processed before June, for 1^st semester.

NOW – Still waiting

As of now, later June 2010, I am still awaiting my Student Visa. 1^st semester classes have already started, and I was hoping to be a part of them. Oh well, too bad. I’ll still be waiting, and I hope me getting it later won’t cause anymore complications. It already has taken a lot of time, and A LOT of money.