"But Mei-mei, I don't have a passport!"

Ok, it isn't just my 5-yo daughter who's in panic mode at the moment. Both hubby and I are also anxious about the situation. See the plan had already been set in stone. Our two girls, Zci and Lyian are relocating back to Qatar in June this year. We have already advised their schools that they won't be enrolling for the incoming school year and will be finalizing their clearances when we get home either in May or June.
Jong had already applied for his annual leave in time to fetch them. We have intentionally timed it at the beginning of the school year so that they can still enjoy the probably last Philippine summer for a long time. 
Now, we all are really excited. Hence the many posts on recipes I have been trying out. Actually the efforts have been inspired by their anticipated return as I intend to feed them no end. Ooops! Yes I encourage healthy eating, but then a mom just couldn't help it. We've been separated for 3 years, discounting the 3 times a year vacations I've had in the course of time. Still, I'm so excited to again be cooking for my favorite people on earth!
Then just out of the blue, one night we were watching television and talking about travel plans, including our little Lauren's birthday celebration in the Philippines, it just hit me out of nowhere ----- Lyian is 5 YEARS OLD! Yes, Lyian is 5 Years Old! Which only means that her passport is also 5 years old, ergo! Expired!!!!!!! Ok, for a moment there, I was gasping for air. It is the 2nd week  of April and the plan is for them to travel 2nd week of June! We only have 8 weeks to process everything, but with the new passports being issued right now where it takes 30-40 days to process then I just don't know how we would be able to do this. 
Ok, inhale.... exhale.... let's all be calm.... hmmm... seems everybody looks calm to me, hehe! Looks like it's only the OC me who's currently having a heart attack. Well.. ok, I'm a bit exaggerating here. But, really, I'm in panic! So immediately my mind is already making the computations... passport renewal 5 weeks, plus delays of possibly 2 weeks so that would already be 7 weeks, then visa application only after release of the new passport, around 2 weeks, give or take a a few days delay, then visa stamping at Qatar Embassy in the Philippines, another 2 weeks including courier. So we're talking of July here. Not possible AT ALL!!!!
The next day I immediately called our ever dependable yaya to give her instructions and relay to my Tatay what the situation is. Sent her money for the fees and expenses. Now if you have a yaya like our Yaya Josie, then you know everything will be followed to the letter. The next day when she collected the money from Western Union (the fastest way of sending money, literally!), she took the initiative of dropping by one of the travel agencies in the mall to inquire about the process and how long it would take if processed through the agency. She was told 40 day for renewal and had been given a list of requirements, which includes, 1) Special Power of Attorney from myself and my husband to authorize my dad to apply for the renewal, 2) NSO certified true copy of birth certificate for my daughter, 3) Passport/ ID copies of myself and my husband, 4) Expired passport of Lyian, 5) Affidavit of support from myself and my husband for Lyian (ok this part is like duh???, she needs affidavit of support to get a passport?! and the logic being????)
Ok so nos. 1, 3, 5 would have to come from us here in Qatar. No. 4 they already have, no. 1 again thanks to our yaya she had directly went to the NSO office to request for a copy and successfully got one without our authorization and without even waiting for instruction. So what which better yaya anybody could possibly have?
So now it's our end of the deal. I have asked my husband if it would be possible for him to do it since he would be the sponsor anyway, and just in case the Embassy staff would look for him. Unfortunately he was not able to leave from work the same day and I didn't want to loose another day so I went myself. It was about 3:30PM already and the counter windows had already closed. And at that time of the day, if you are in a Philippine Government office anywhere in the world, you can't nearly expect a friendly face greeting you. The office was supposed to be closed at 4PM but they have already closed the windows 30 minutes prior so they could finish at exactly 4PM --- I would guess. But if you're thinking I'd go home defeated then you don't know me! Hahaha! 
And so I knocked... I just have a tiny question what damage could it do? I don't even know where to start so might as well have an idea of what I really need.... Oops! I forgot to mention, hours before I went to the embassy I have already Googled the process. Phrased and rephrased the question to give me to the best possible answer which directed me to the post of my DLSU-Eng batchmate Anton Diaz of Our Awesome Planet. It was like a message from from heaven! I haven't actually thought that it's remotely possible that you could still extend the validity of the green passport. Ok, so his success doesn't really mean that we'd also be successful, but it's worth the try. I still live by my and my friends' mantra "Expect the worst and hope for the best!". I decided to draft a letter addressed the the Passport Office Director (ok, I'm not sure who to address the letter to, but whatever it'll be hand delivered anyway) in Batangas City (where they will be filing the application) and for good measure, thought of having it stamped in the Consular Office here in Doha, who knows maybe a stamp from the Embassy would have some bearing. Well, it should have! I'd be paying QR100 (about $27) for the rubber stamp! I know! You don't have to say it I'd been robbed! But who cares, I need my baby here in June 18, not June 19 not July 1 nor July 4!
So there, going back to the Embassy experience, so the lady who slightly opened the counter was not so friendly but I'll give her the credit of giving me the required forms for my and Jong's signature at least she didn't ask for Jong to be present there with me. On my way out, I had just scanned the room to observe how many people are still there waiting to be served, when I saw one office door open with a smiling face on one of the desks.... hmmm... he looks inviting and I felt the urge to suddenly swerve to the right into his office. Was I so right, I explained to him our situation with matching flattery on how much they have actually worked the whole day and I could understand why the staff could sometimes be "not so accommodating" his smile for my smile (boy, that was hard... if you know me, that smile was really an effort! hahaha!). So I told him that what I really hope for is to be able to request for an extension on my daughter's passport and I had written the "appeal" in the hope that our situation could be considered "special". He told me he'd check if the cashier is still open to accept my payment. Ok, so there's no way I can go back there, surely I'd be shooed away! I was surprised when he suddenly stood up and went there himself. When he got back he already has the OR pad with him and he'd be accepting my payment himself! Wow! that was surprisingly "accommodating"! 
Then he asked me if I also have the standard requirements such as Special Power of Attorney and the Parental Travel Permit, which I had received from the lady. So I told him I'm ok but needs to bring it home for my hubby's signature. Surprisingly he also agreed that I can just take the signature and bring it back myself. He also told me that when I go back the next day (which is today) I should come before 3:30PM to make sure the cashier is still open, but don't really have to queue myself, just go directly to his office and he will assist me. :)
Yay! So I'd finish this in 2 days and be able to courier the documents to the Philippines by tomorrow! And if our luck stays, then maybe, God willing (Inshallah!) the officer in Batangas would grant our request for the extension and Lyian could have her passport stamped in a day or two. Then by next week we could start their visa application. And hopefully, the girls' visa would be ready by the 2nd week of May! Yaay! 
Then, Lyian wouldn't anymore open our converstion with "But mei-mei, I don't have a passport! I will be left alone here!"
Fingers and toes remain crossed :)