Fast Charger for Android Smartphones

I have noticed that not all chargers are made the same. Some charge phones quickly; some do not. There was even one time when my friend's battery drained while charging (funny, huh). So I was wondering, what makes a charger good and reliable? I asked around and have learned that there are two parts to this matter.

First is the adapter. I was told that an adapter with an output of 2A charges faster than one with 1A (or 1000mA). I have found this to be true, based on experience. Here are some photos of adapters with 2A output:

Second is the cable, cord or connector. A thicker cord charges faster due to bigger gauge/size of the wire inside. Typical size is 28 gauge, but a better choice would be 24 gauge (the smaller the gauge, the bigger the size). A lot of cords do not usually indicate the size, but there are some that do, like this:

The combination of 2A adapter and 24 gauge cable for me charges a gadget at the rate of 1% per minute.

You can also just buy a ready-made fast charger set if you don't have the time/energy to create your own. Samsung is the brand that I commonly see being sold. You can get this online from OLX or Lazada at around P600-P800.

On a side note, take care of your battery by avoiding overcharging/overdraining. I have read that it is better to keep your battery at the 20%-80% range. Charge once it reaches 20%; stop charging once it reaches 80%. This would prolong battery life (unless you plan to change phones every two years, in which case, go ahead and do whatever you want with your battery).

Hope this info helps. Feel free to share your experience.

What to Check When Buying a Laptop

Since the laptop that I am using has been performing poorly (laggy processes and poor battery life), I have been dying to get a new one. I had to some research as to what type of computer I wanted to buy since there are too many models available out in the market. I would like to share what I have learned.

These are the things that I would consider:

1) Budget
This is probably the most significant consideration of them all. After all, if the sky's the limit, then why don't you just buy the model with the latest specs, right? Ha. I was honestly surprised to learn that there are actually laptops that cost more than P100,000! So, set your budget range. Then, from there, consider what specs are truly important to you, and what specs you are willing to compromise. Obviously, the better the specs, the higher the price.

2) Purpose
What do you need the laptop for? Is it for basic web browsing and document creation? Or do you plan to do use it for gaming? How about some heavy video editing?

2A) Processor
For me, this determines the kind of processor that your computer would need. For just basic computer functions, then perhaps AMD or Celeron would be sufficient. Though I honestly think that Core i3 should be the minimum standard for this. For gaming or heavy usage, perhaps Core i5 or i7 would be the processor of choice. I imagine that the more advanced the processor, the faster it can complete tasks.

2B) RAM
The higher the RAM, the better a computer's multitasking functions can be (alongside the processor). 2-4 GB is pretty decent already.

2C) Mobility
If you need to be able to bring the computer anywhere you go, then a laptop would be more suitable than a desktop. If you don't, then try considering a desktop instead. (But most of what I would be referring to in this post would be about a laptop.)

3) Screen size and weight
A bigger screen size usually equates to a heavier weight, but a more pleasant/readable visual. Look for the perfect balance for your needs. For me, a laptop weighing more than 2.1 kg is already too heavy since I have a small upper body. 13"-14" is the perfect screen size that is not too straining to the eyes, but with an equivalent weight that is not too heavy for the body to carry. On a side note, it seems like anything smaller than 14" contains AMD or Celeron processor. Core i3 typically begins at 14".

4) Graphics card
Intel's integrated graphics would usually suffice for the typical user. But for gamers, a dedicated graphics card (like NVIDIA GeForce and AMD Radeon) would make for smoother gameplay.

5) Battery life
The higher the mAh, the longer the battery life. You may also want to consider if you want a battery that can be removed (easily replaceable) or one that is internal (less bulky).

6) Others

6A) Hard disk memory
Typically ranging from 500 GB - 1 TB, this is honestly not as a big deal as the other specs. You can easily buy an external hard disk for additional memory. A bigger factor might be if you want to get an solid-state drive (SSD) type, which costs more but functions faster than the typical hard disk drive (HDD).

6B) Optical disk drive (ODD)
Similar to the hard disk, this is not that big of a deal. If you get a laptop without an ODD, you can easily buy an external one. Besides, I honestly think that CDs are no longer a necessity in today's technology. Usually, flash disks are more convenient to use.

6C) Extras
If the laptop is just for the average Joe's use, then I would consider things like a good camera, USB 3.0 ports and multi-card reader as mere bonuses.

So far, that makes up most of my list to consider when buying a laptop. Of course, there's no such thing as the ultimate perfect laptop for all. Each person has a unique need, which is probably why there's a gazillion models out there, just waiting to be bought and used.

As to where to buy, there are plenty of sellers (both legit and not-so-legit) everywhere. The safest bet would be to buy in stores (like Silicon Valley, Octagon, Asianic, Electroworld, etc.) at the malls. (Sadly, I've noticed that these shops only display the laptops, but they do not allow customers to turn on and get a feel of how fast the laptop would run.) Most of these stores offer installment plans for credit card payments, or a P1,000-P2,000 discount for outright cash payments.

There are also shops in Gilmore that offer the same models for a slightly cheaper price. Just make sure that the shop is not too shady. Otherwise, you might be getting a refurbished/reconditioned laptop (without knowing it) instead of a brand new one. Perhaps, a clue would be the warranty included in the deal. Make sure that it is manufacturer's warranty, not just the shop's.

Or if the prices are still too high for your budget, you might want to consider getting a second-hand laptop on sites like OLX. But make sure to transact in a safe place and test the unit before paying for it.

Disclaimer: I am no computer expert. Just wanted to share what I have researched.

Hope my info helps. Feel free to share you experience.

Renewing Driver's License (5-year Validity) at SM Manila

I would like to share my experience about renewing driver's license at SM Manila's DLRC (Driver's License Renewal Center), which is located at the 5th floor, last October 17, 2016. Sorry, no photos, though.

I arrived at SM Manila at around 9:45am since I wanted to get ahead of the long line and finish early. Unfortunately, the mall opens at exactly 10am and by the time I got to the entrance, there was already a long line outside the building. There is a separate line for males and females, while there is a special line for senior citizens.

After the mall opened, I immediately went to the DLRC. Since it was still early, the number of other applicants was tolerable (there were probably around 10-20 people already ahead of me). The office is not so big and the number of chairs were limited, so a lot of the applicants had to remain standing. Make sure to bring a pen since you will be filling out some forms. These are the steps that I undertook in order to renew my non-professional license: (Note that these steps may vary, depending on the branch.)

1) Surrender the old license to the front/receiving desk and get a copy of the ADL (Application for Driver's License) form.
2) Fill out the ADL form or you can also download and print from LTO's website) and submit to Evaluator Window.
3) Wait for your name to be called for the medical exam (vision test) in one corner of the office. You would just be required to read a bunch of letters from a certain distance. This cost P200.
4) Wait for your name to be called again for your photo and signature to be taken.
5) Wait for your name to be called again to pay at the Cashier. Since the day of my renewal was the start of the 5-year validity period, the cost was P652 (P585 license fee + P67 computer fee) instead of the usual P417 (3-year validity). I didn't mind the additional payment in exchange for the extra two years.
6) Wait for your name to be called again. Since there were no available ID cards, I only got my official receipt, which would serve as my proof of license. It would also be what I would present to claim my ID card when they become available.

In total, I spent around an hour to finish the process. The later you arrive, the longer the line ahead of you, and the more time it would take to complete your renewal, so my advice would be to go there early (unless you're a senior citizen, in which case you might get special treatment, hehe).

For inquiries, you may contact SM Manila's DLRC at (02) 525-2646.

Hope my info helps. Feel free to share your experience.

Using the new LRT/MRT Card System

I'm writing this to amend my previous post about maximizing LRT's Stored Value card since the system has been totally revamped, making the contents of that post pretty much useless *sigh*.

Note (for clarity's sake):
Stored Value - SV
Single Journey - SJ

The new card system was finally implemented in 2016 after months of painful waiting (SV cards could not be used during the waiting period, so everybody HAD to wait in line to get a ticket). The change also brought about replacement of the old turnstiles. The new ones can read cards in two ways: 1) by tapping (for SV cards), and 2) by inserting (for SJ cards).

Cards can be bought from the staff inside the ticket booth or a self-service machine. Take note that self-service machines are located in selected stations only, which means that not all stations have them. On a side note, I personally feel that these are NOT user-friendly because they lack instructions on how to be used. There was one time when I had merely wanted to reload my SV card but had ended up paying for a new SV card (which costs an extra P20). Yup, so now I have two SV cards. What the heck am I supposed to do with two cards? (-__-)

Anyway, there are three types of cards that can be bought:
1) SV card - This costs an initial P20, on top of the amount you want to load in it, but is valid for around 4 years.

 This is what the front of the new SV card looks like.

This is what the back of the new SV card looks like. Notice the validity date at the top right corner.

2) Senior citizen's SV card - This discounted card is for the use of senior citizens only. All contents can be bought with 20% discount. This looks similar to the SV card, except it is color white (instead of blue).

3) SJ card - This costs the amount of the journey and is valid for 1 day. Please note that, unlike the old system, where you can buy round-trip tickets in one station, you can only use the ticket at the station from where you bought it. Confused? Example: Going from Pedro Gil to Bambang station costs P15. The trip back from Bambang to Pedro Gil also costs P15. In the past, you could just buy two tickets at Pedro Gil station (to save time) and use the second ticket on the way home. In the new system, this is not allowed. If you buy the ticket at Pedro Gil, you can only use it in this station (entry point). This card has a white body and a colored top part (green for LRT1, blue for LRT2, and yellow for MRT).

Just like before, using the SV card gives the rider more value for their money compared to the SJ card. Here are the adjusted fare matrices for the train lines (taken from LRT/MRT websites):

LRT1 SJ Fare Matrix.

LRT1 SV Fare Matrix.

LRT2 SJ Fare Matrix.

 LRT2 SV Fare Matrix.

 MRT Fare Matrix. (I'm not sure if SJ and SV have the same cost since I don't ride this line often.)

The best thing about the new SV card system is that you only need one card to ride any of the three trains (as long as you have adequate load). The bad thing is that they no longer allow you to skip the long entry line during rush hour, even if you already have a card (-__-).

So far, I have been satisfied with the new card system.

Hope my info helps. Feel free to share you experience.

I'm back!

I'm back!

I can't believe it's been more than a year since my last post here. It's probably because I've been too busy with my newly-acquired hobby of reading fiction. I know, typical procrastinator, right?

Anyway, while ironing clothes (very random, huh) earlier this afternoon, I was suddenly struck by the urge to continue this blog. I was thinking, "Well, I have learned a few new things during the past months, so why not share?" And so, here I go once again!

At the moment, my goals are the following:

1. The new LRT/MRT card system
2. Driver's license renewal (5-year validity)
3. Tips when buying a laptop
4. My dream smartphone
5. My favorite books

I can't wait to finish these write-ups.

The Writer in Me: Learning from Experience

It has been a long time since I have tried writing something decent down. This is a 3-page essay that has been boggling my mind for the past few days. Finally, I found the time to put this into writing. I hope you guys can manage to read through it and relate if you can. Will upload more soon.

Learning from Experience

These feelings and thoughts that I are brewing inside me right now, I have only felt once before. And that was also because of you, my dear friends. The person that I was before could never have imagined that it was possible to feel both betrayed by and grateful to the same set of people simultaneously. My head is in disarray because of you guys. However, I am powerless to confront you, because you have not done anything wrong, technically speaking. Hence, I take all of the blame on this matter.

It was only last year when our “closer” circle of friends started coming together, and I cannot even begin to express how happy I was in your company. As time went by, we hung out more and more until I suddenly discovered a feeling that I had never felt before in my entire life. Spending time with you guys made me realize why some people really value people who are unrelated to them (to the point of sacrificing some family time just to be with friends). I could never understand these feelings before --- wanting to hang out and talk about nonsensical things for hours, laughing about the lightest jokes, embarking on adventures, living life to the fullest, and so on. But with you guys, the excitement and happiness that accompanied these experiences came so naturally. I honestly felt that you were like siblings from another lifetime. I could tell you anything without fear of rejection or judgement. I could seek your counsel, knowing that whatever advice or opinion you say would be for my best interest. In short, I felt that I could trust you guys with my life. I have always been open with you, so I thought that you reciprocated the feelings. Apparently not.

The first time that this happened was when we were chilling at the beach. The triumphant feeling that I had when one of my friends finally admitted something very personal about himself was overwhelming. My interrogation was a success. Unfortunately, that feeling was overpowered by another friend telling me that I had been the only one left in the dark all along, and that they had already known that “admission” for quite some time. I came home from that vacation feeling frustrated and betrayed. I was even thinking that I would have preferred it if they had not told me that I was the odd one out. For days, numerous thoughts passed through my head until I ultimately forced myself to move on, dismissing that weird feeling of getting left behind. I thought that I was being petty. It was a one-time thing and I was willing to overlook it.

And now, it happened again. One more time, I am  shaken awake to the fact that I am the odd one out, left in the dark for so long. What should I think? How do I react? I am so confused by the ramblings in my head. Questions and confusion arise, muddled by speculations and conclusions from the previous incident. (On a side note, they are probably not aware of my feelings, because the “revealer” in both incidents are different people. But both incidents boil down to one conclusion for me.)

From these two episodes, I thus learned a few important lessons:

1. Never put too much trust in people. Inasmuch as people can be good, they can also lie and hide things. And as sad as it sounds, I now realize that I have been too trusting of people. The words of a friend echo in my mind when she said that I should be careful with who I trust because people naturally only look out for their own interests. Perhaps the only people whom you can put your faith on are family. But even with family, not everyone is blessed.
2. Feel free to hang out and have a good time with friends. The laughter and happiness shared is real, a definite stress reliever. But do not equate having fun together as a life-changing moment of bonding. It is not.
3. People’s actions should reflect their faith. But in the instance that a person does something wrong, it does not necessarily mean that the Bible or the teachings are wrong. It only goes to show that humans err and go astray sometimes. What is important is that they find their way back to the path of light. 

Nevertheless, I am and will be forever grateful to these friends for showing me that there is a life beyond family. There are things you simply cannot divulge so easily to family members, but you can share with friends without even batting an eyelash. I am not sure if I would have been able to discover this facet of life had I not met and mingled with them. 

Better still, there are specks of logical reasoning in my mind despite the huge emotional segments. A part of me wants to believe that the reason that they are holding out is because they want to protect me from the harsh truth, like a parent trying to protect his/her child. Perhaps they think I am too innocent (ehem!) for something quite divergent from society. Or maybe they think that I am not yet ready to handle the reality. But, my point is, no matter what they think, I am a grown-up as well. Isn’t it only fair that they let me decide whether or not I can handle these truths? (And now, yes, we are at the point where you have revealed these truths to me. And I do believe that I am handling it well, considering that I did not turn my back on you or rejected your friendship. However, that you have not willingly opened up to is the matter that I am questioning. I start doubting myself, wondering why you guys did not choose to confide in me. Am I not worth your trust?)

I do not think that I can ever look at you guys the same way again. The show is over and the magic has died. All I am left with is reality and the lessons that I have learned. The hurt will heal eventually, but the pain will be a memory forever ingrained in my heart and mind.

I simply cannot believe (I refuse to believe!) that friendships are like that. One moment, you have so much fun together. The next, you hide things from one another. I thought being close friends meant that you could bare it all to them. Have faith and trust in them - and that I did. But there should be reciprocation, right? They should also trust you back in return. 

This is such a long narrative of my perspective that I have no idea how to express this in spoken words. So I will just keep quiet and keep this secret in writing. Just interact with them like how I did before. Though, to be honest, I have no idea how to do it. The good vibes came so naturally in the past, but it is now gone. How do I go about it? They are surely bound to notice. But what am I to do?

How to Maximize the Value in Your Stored Value Card

Edit (2/27/2017): Since the LRT/MRT card system has been totally revamped, some of the contents of this post might not be valid anymore. I will be creating a new post regarding the new card system.

Due to the recent fare hike from LRT1 and LRT2, the cost of the Stored Value card has also been increased from P100 to P150. If you are a regular commuter, then buying a Stored Value card is a must. Not only do you not have to fall in the long line of people buying cards, you also get a discount for each ride you make (see fare matrix below).

LRT1 New Stored Value Fare Matrix (from LRT website).

LRT2 New Stored Value Fare Matrix (from LRT website).

Here is a neat little trick (well, it's not really a trick) for people to be able to make the most of what they pay for. Always check the amount of money left in your card. As much as possible, try to leave only P1-P5 so that your last ride will be as good as free.

If you are a regular LRT commuter, doing this feat will depend on your route. For example, I usually ride the LRT1 spanning 5 stations, which would cost me P15 per ride. In a typical P150 card, I only get 10 rides. But, I can get 11 rides out of the card if I leave the last P15 in the card and wait for a chance to ride the LRT wherein I will be charged only P12-P14 (spanning 1-4 stations); thus, leaving me with P1-P3 so that I can use the card one last time for my 11th ride. Imagine riding the LRT from end to end with just P1 in your card --- such a happy feeling~!

Take note that a Stored Value card is valid for 6 months from the time it is bought.

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Hope this helped somehow. Feel free to share your LRT experience. :)

OneTouch Ultra VS Accu-chek Active VS FreeStyle Optium

So, the doctor has advised you (or a loved one) to start monitoring your blood sugar levels at home because your FBS (fasting blood sugar) was pretty high during your last check-up?

Or, perhaps you (or a loved one) is about to be discharged from the hospital and the doctor has (yet again) advised you that it would be better to keep a close watch on your blood sugar levels?

The doctor or nurse simply tells you to buy a blood sugar machine, also known as a glucometer. You go to the leading drugstore just to find out that there are numerous brands available in the market. You want to buy the one that will give you your money's worth. But the machines look different; the prices are different. So really, what's the difference?

I would like to share about my experience with three of the leading brands of glucometers available in the Philippine market today. (Prices indicated below are based on Mercury Drugstore's.)

1) OneTouch Ultra

OneTouch Ultra

This is a product of Johnson & Johnson. The starter kit costs around P2,200.

Pros:

-It is one of the most commonly used and trusted brands in the US.

-It takes only 5 seconds to read your blood sugar levels.

-The strips are widely available in most drugstores.

-OneTouch UltraSoft lancets have thinner needles, which make pricking less painful.

Cons:

-A bit costly. 25 strips cost P1,090 while 50 strips cost P2,020. Lancets cost about P125 for 25 pieces.

-Strips are packed in tubes. 25 strips are usually contained in one tube. Once a tube is opened, strips must be used within 3 months.

2) Accu-check Active

Accu-chek Active

This is a product of Roche. The starter kit costs around P1,850.

Pros:

-It takes only 5 seconds to read blood sugar levels.

-The strips are widely available in most drugstores.

-The strips are less expensive compared to OneTouch Ultra. 25 strips cost P800.

Cons:

-Strips are packed in tubes. 25 strips are usually contained in one tube. Once a tube is opened, strips must be used within 3 months.

-The strips, once exposed to air, can be difficult to read for the machine. I've often encountered E-5 error using this machine (but I've discovered a solution for this so that your strip does not go to waste).

-The default lancing device requires flat type lancets, which can be more difficult to find.

-Blood drop needs to be placed on top of the strip instead of sideways (which can be a challenge at times).

3) Optium Freestyle

FreeStyle Optium

This is a product of Abbott. The starter kit costs around P1800.

Pros:

-Strips are individually packaged, which means that you don't have to worry about needing to consume all of the strips within 3 months.

-The strips are widely available in most drugstores.

-The strips are less expensive compared to OneTouch Ultra. 25 strips cost P1,010 while 50 strips cost P1,670.

-The default lancing device uses cross-type lancets, which are easy to find.

Cons:

-It takes 20 seconds to read blood sugar levels. (This is probably the longest waiting time that I have encountered.)

-It needs more drops of blood compared to the other two glucometers above.

WHICH IS THE BEST?

Well, it all depends on what factor you would deem to be most important. You need to consider not only the machine, but the strips as well. The strips are what you will be buying continuously in the long run.

All three glucometers read blood sugar levels with more or less the same accuracy. All come from reputable companies. All are well-supported and well-supplied by leading drugstores nationwide.

Here's my recommendation: 

If money is not a big issue, go with OneTouch Ultra brand. It's definitely user-friendly and the strips are less prone to errors. It can also read high blood sugar levels, which you can record and report to your doctor.

But if you are considering blood sugar level monitoring at home to be a long-term deal, then small savings can go a long way. You can try either Accu-chek Active or FreeStyle Optium.

OTHER WAYS TO SAVE MONEY

Once you have chosen a brand, you can also try looking for other sources to buy the machine and strips from, aside from leading drugstores. There are online sellers that sell legit items at big discounts (maybe 60-75% the price at Mercury Drugstore). You can buy strips in bulk if you will use them regularly. There are also sellers that have near-expiry strips that you can buy at a cheaper price. Don't buy expired strips.

As for the lancets, you don't necessarily need to buy branded lancets. There are generic lancets that sell for as cheap as P1 per piece. However, they are thicker and slightly more painful to use.

You can save money by buying lesser known brands of glucometers (they are way less expensive) BUT ONLY IF you are a diligent person who wouldn't mind making the extra effort to look for the strips. Because there is a chance that the strips might be difficult to find and you would end up having to go from store to store just looking for this particular brand of strips.

EXTRA NOTES:

There are plenty of other brands available out there. Some people receive glucometers as gifts from relatives abroad. This is fine, as long as the strips are available and affordable here in the Philippines (because there are some strip brands/models that are so expensive or difficult to find that it would be wiser just to buy a new glucometer instead). Or you could just ask your relatives to keep supplying you with the strips. (^__^)

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Hope this helped somehow. Feel free to share your experience. :)

How to Renew Your Driver's License (Philippines)

I would like to share my experience with driver's license renewal at LTO Manila South District Office. It's a very simple process and, depending on the number of people at LTO during your visit, you can finish in as short as one hour. If you want to know about how to renew your car registration, you can check my other post: How to Renew Your Car Registration.

LTO Manila South District Office

WHAT YOU NEED

-expiring driver's license
-application form (can be taken from LTO)
-money (P518 total)

THE PROCESS

First, get an application form from the Public Assistance and Complaints Desk. After filling out the form, you will be instructed to get a medical exam. This service is available inside the LTO compound for P100. Weight, height and blood pressure will be measured. Eye test will also be done. This can be completed in just 5-10 minutes.

Area for medical exam within LTO compound.

Afterwards, submit the forms along with your expiring driver's license to the Public Assistance and Complaints Desk and wait for your name to be called. At around 11am on a Monday morning, I was #44. Waiting took about 15 minutes.

Once your name is called, proceed to Window 1 for your photo and signature to be taken. Then, wait another 15 minutes for your name to be called. Once your name is called, proceed to Window 9 to pay for the renewal fee which costs P418. (If you had changed your address, you would be called by the evaluator to Window 2 for clarifications, which could prolong the process by a few more minutes.)

Wait another 15-20 minutes and your name will be called again. This time, proceed to Window 4 for the release of your new driver's license, which is valid for another three years. Yehey! The entire process took less than one hour, which was good enough for me considering that there were a lot of people at LTO.

EXTRA NOTES

Pay attention to the names being called because they only repeat the names once or twice. Also, pay attention to the window number that you're being called to go to.

No noon break.

LTO follows the No Noon Break policy, which was fortunate for us since we arrived a bit past 11am.

LTO Manila South District Office also offers other services aside from driver's license renewal, including:

-student permit issuance (for Filipino citizens only)

-duplicate license / student permit

-MV registration (renewal), excluding tax-exempt, imported, diplomatic and for-hire

-transfer of ownership

-mortgage annotation

-duplicate plate / certificate of registration

For more information, you can contact their office at (02)528-4682.

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Hope my post helped somehow. Feel free to share your LTO experience. :)

How to Renew Your Car Registration at LTO (Philippines)

I just wanted to share my experience on our car registration renewal. If you're interested to know about driver's license renewal, you can check out this post: How to Renew Your Driver's License.

Earlier today, my brother had his car registration renewed at LTO. I tagged along since this is the first time that we were having the renewal. Typically, a brand new car is registered for the first three years (so you don't have to worry about registration renewal during this period), after which renewal is due every year.

THE SCHEDULE

The most important thing to find out if you're due for renewal is the schedule. I asked the staff at LTO and they said that your plate's last digit is the basis for the month of your renewal:

1 January

2 February

3 March

4 April

5 May

6 June

7 July

8 August

9 September

0 October

As for the week that you're due to renew, it would depend on the plate's middle digit:

1-3 1st week

4-6 2nd week

7,8 3rd week

9,0 4th week

For example, your car plate is ABC 123. The last digit is 3, which means that the month is March. The second digit is 2, which means the week is 1st. Hence, the deadline for renewal is 1st week of March.

Take note that if your renewal is late, you need to pay P200 extra for each week that you are late. If you are late by a month, then you will have to pay 50% extra of the total amount.

WHAT YOU NEED

-photocopy of OR-CR (wouldn't hurt if you can also bring the original)

-your car

-money

-smoke emission test result (can be taken at LTO)

-CTPL insurance (can be taken at LTO)

-stencil (will be taken at LTO)

THE PROCESS

We went to LTO Manila South District Office near PureGold San Andres since that is where we originally had the car registered.

LTO Manila South District Office

First off is the car's smoke emission test. There are two privately-owned emission test centers available inside the LTO compound. One is Pearl Orient Private Emission Testing. The other is Protection Emission Testing Center. We went with the latter just because it was nearer the entrance. We were asked to present a copy of the OR-CR (original or photocopy is fine). We were charged P400 for their service. We had to wait around 10-15 minutes for this.

Smoke Emission Test receipt

Afterwards, we went to get Compulsory Third-Party Liability (CTPL) insurance, also available within the LTO compound. We were also asked to show a photocopy of the OR-CR. We had to wait around 30 minutes (because there were a lot of people in LTO earlier today). We paid P1,060 for this.

CTPL Insurance from LTO

Next, we took a stencil application form from the Public Assistance and Complaints Desk. An LTO staff assisted us with the filling out of this form (for free). This took about 5-10 minutes.

There were really lots of people at LTO today.

No noon break.

Finally, we submitted everything to Window 8 for processing. Since there were lots of people today at LTO, we had to wait almost an hour just to be called to Window 9 to pay. The total amount was P2980 (inclusive of P450 for the new plates which were out of stock at the time). I think the amount would also depend on the car type. Ours was an SUV. By the way, if you transferred to a different LTO branch than the one where you initially registered, you would have to pay extra P100.

We had to wait about 10 minutes, then our new OR was released at Window 10. The new plates were still out of stock and we were given a landline number to call after 45 days to check for plate availability.

So, after paying P4,440 and spending almost two hours at LTO, we were able to renew our car registration at last. It wasn't really too difficult.

EXTRA NOTES

I have also heard about what they call "three-fourth" or "3/4", wherein you don't have to renew your car's registration. Instead, you can have your 3-year car registration extended. Kind of weird, but yes, it is possible, because I personally know someone who has had this done. Of course, this is only applicable to cars in their THIRD year of registration, but have not yet reached their 36th month.

For example, your car (with plate ABC 123) was bought and registered on July 2012. Since you are due to renew on the 1st week of March, but have not yet reached your 36th month (you are currently on the 33rd month), you can have registration extended, and you only have to pay 3/4 of the total amount. Plus, you don't have to undergo the smoke emission test.

Instantly, you save around P1,000! Your next renewal would be due the following year (just as if you had your car's registration renewed). I'm not sure if this is applicable to those who are transferring to a different LTO branch though, because the staff have to manually locate your files.

For more information, you can contact LTO Manila South District Office at (02)528-4682.

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Hope my post helped somehow. Feel free to share your LTO experience. :)