Incompetent people at CFO seminar

[angela920 0]

Just wanna share my experience about my CFO seminar today 11/03/08.

My visa packet arrived today at noon delivered by delbros. As soon as I got it, I hurried my ### to go to Taft Avenue to do the CFO seminar. I got there between 3:30-4:00PM. (in front of DLSU BDO bldg.)

1. I paid P250 for registration and gave me papers

2. lady at the registration told me to go to room S3 to watch the documentary about Filipina girls being abused by their foreign husband. I sat there for like 10mins and It's all done! (i guess didn't see the entire video). So I asked the nice lady there... what to do after this? she said "ohh are you goin to USA?" i said.. "yes mam" she said.. "ok go to ____ " I forgot the room number. There, she told us where to go if being abused, what numbers to call, what to do after your marriage and what papers we need to apply for the green card.... just basic info.

Then, she told us...."we can't release your certificate today because our computer crashed coz of the virus. It crashed last friday so they are just working on it now and it will done on THURSDAY!" (mind you THURSDAY! just for a single certificate which doesn't even have a code!) "and if you are thinking to go to other counseling site, it wont work coz they'll see that you are registed here" (what a dictatorship!)

3. One-on-one interview... ask me how we met, how long we been together, how often hes been here.. etc etc... just all about my fiance. She took my divorce paper copy and told me to photocopy one picture. Then she asked me a very weird question.... "What is your fiance's middle name?" so i said... "Rowling, thats his middle name" then she said.. "no what is your fiance's moms maiden name?" I was like "huh? they dont carry it, the name that i gave you is just a name not a last name of her mom" Well its a good thing I know his moms maiden name coz we do genealogy... I didn't argue with her.. so i told her.

4. Then after the interview, she signed the receipt for the release of my certificate on thursday 1:30PM. (I really should hope this time they have it all ready coz I just paid $150 for rebooking and cancellation fee!)

I know I'm not supposed to book yet.. but my fiance didn't know that this seminar is MANDATORY. He said its a complete DICTATORSHIP, what kind of country wont allow their citizen WITH VISA to not live WITHOUT this seminar?

Tell me what you think about the CFO seminar. Thank you. Good luck to all of us!

[himher 634]

?????? is a CFO seminar?

[KimandRuss 0]

It's directly related to the Phillipines. Something the folks coming over from there must take part in before they can travel.

OP.. perhaps this belongs in the Phillipines Regional thread?

[Jasman0717 9]

Wow, guess we were lucky. Claudeth did her CFO in Cebu the day before she left. She got there at 7:00am and was there until 6:00pm but got what she needed.

Good luck in getting yoru certificate and I hope everything else is very uneventful for you.

[angela920 0]

Wow, guess we were lucky. Claudeth did her CFO in Cebu the day before she left. She got there at 7:00am and was there until 6:00pm but got what she needed.

Good luck in getting yoru certificate and I hope everything else is very uneventful for you.

thanks Im really hoping to get my cfo certificate on Thursday.. If i knew i wouldnt get it today.. I would have fled to Cebu myself! If it means faster! lol

[Jose Rizal 1]

System crashes do happen. And probably the lesson learned there is not to attend the CFO seminar immediately before your flight so as to give allowance to any glitches whether it may be a system crash or whatever. When I had my seminar, two of my fellow attendees had their flights booked during the evening of the same day. What if the the system crashed during that day? And in your case, it already cost you $150.

"I know I'm not supposed to book yet.. but my fiance didn't know that this seminar is MANDATORY. He said its a complete DICTATORSHIP, what kind of country wont allow their citizen WITH VISA to not live WITHOUT this seminar?"

The seminar is to teach and guide Filipinos leaving the country regarding basic things possible spousal abuse, cultural differences and even basic instructions on what to do when travelling. Mind you a lot of migrants haven't been inside an airplane much more travelled abroad. Admittedly, the whole seminar needs polishing though.

Lastly, the government needs to monitor every migrant so as to track migration trends in the country.

[PingLocalHostess 1]

Im sorry for what happened.

They can actually hold your certificate if they think you are not of sound mind to travel. k1 Visa or not, you cant fly to US without the certificate.

Edited November 3, 2008 by PingLocalHostess

[MJ3lasvegas 0]

i personally think the seminar is helpful for all of us. it serves as a guide to those leaving for another country to know what they can do when they are being abused. i know it's kinda boring and they sometimes tells us thing which we already know but mind you, we never know what's in store for us wherever our destination may be.

some are lucky, some just aren't..

so more or less, this seminar is enlightening to all that WE have somewhere/someone to run to when we need help..

and lastly, let me point out that jose rizal was right when he said:

..a lot of migrants haven't been inside an airplane much more travelled abroad...

this serves true to many, so again, i think the seminar is a good way to educate everyone..

there are just some people who doesn't understand its value for now..(no offense)

[Perfect Couple 4]

Ive heard CFO at PRISM is really a pain in the a$$.. I had mine at St. Mary's and everything was nice and easy.

[PingLocalHostess 1]

I had mine at PRISM. I actually had a good experience.... i went with friends so i think that helped. It just took the whole day though.

[MactanLove 0]

Ive heard CFO at PRISM is really a pain in the a$$.. I had mine at St. Mary's and everything was nice and easy.

I'm in Cebu and want to take my CFO in CEBU. Where is PRISM located and where is St. Mary's? I thought there were only two locations to take CFO...one in Manila and one in Cebu. Thanks for any help!

[MJ3lasvegas 0]

it's right across san carlos boys high (north campus), gen. maxillom avenue..you have to be there early like 8 or something coz the registration starts early and st. mary's has a daily limit for those taking the seminar which is 15 participants per day. the one-on-one counseling would be after lunch (around 1pm) since the entire morning is solely for general discussions on visas, AOS, citizenship, PI agencies abroad you can run to when you can run to when you need help and other more stuffs..

after getting your BLUE SMEF certificate, proceed to COW (DFA building near plaza independencia). this is where you'll get your sticker..

[Jose Rizal 1]

Ive heard CFO at PRISM is really a pain in the a$$.. I had mine at St. Mary's and everything was nice and easy.

I'm in Cebu and want to take my CFO in CEBU. Where is PRISM located and where is St. Mary's? I thought there were only two locations to take CFO...one in Manila and one in Cebu. Thanks for any help!

There are two cities where you can attend your CFO seminar namely in Manila and Cebu. In Manila, there are two centers which are Prism in Taft Ave., Manila and St. Mary's along Katipunan Ave., QC. The center in Cebu is also run by by St. Mary's.

Edited November 4, 2008 by Jose Rizal

[Rocky_nBullwinkle 6]

Just wanna share my experience about my CFO seminar today 11/03/08.

My visa packet arrived today at noon delivered by delbros. As soon as I got it, I hurried my ### to go to Taft Avenue to do the CFO seminar. I got there between 3:30-4:00PM. (in front of DLSU BDO bldg.)

1. I paid P250 for registration and gave me papers

2. lady at the registration told me to go to room S3 to watch the documentary about Filipina girls being abused by their foreign husband. I sat there for like 10mins and It's all done! (i guess didn't see the entire video). So I asked the nice lady there... what to do after this? she said "ohh are you goin to USA?" i said.. "yes mam" she said.. "ok go to ____ " I forgot the room number. There, she told us where to go if being abused, what numbers to call, what to do after your marriage and what papers we need to apply for the green card.... just basic info.

Then, she told us...."we can't release your certificate today because our computer crashed coz of the virus. It crashed last friday so they are just working on it now and it will done on THURSDAY!" (mind you THURSDAY! just for a single certificate which doesn't even have a code!) "and if you are thinking to go to other counseling site, it wont work coz they'll see that you are registed here" (what a dictatorship!)

3. One-on-one interview... ask me how we met, how long we been together, how often hes been here.. etc etc... just all about my fiance. She took my divorce paper copy and told me to photocopy one picture. Then she asked me a very weird question.... "What is your fiance's middle name?" so i said... "Rowling, thats his middle name" then she said.. "no what is your fiance's moms maiden name?" I was like "huh? they dont carry it, the name that i gave you is just a name not a last name of her mom" Well its a good thing I know his moms maiden name coz we do genealogy... I didn't argue with her.. so i told her.

4. Then after the interview, she signed the receipt for the release of my certificate on thursday 1:30PM. (I really should hope this time they have it all ready coz I just paid $150 for rebooking and cancellation fee!)

I know I'm not supposed to book yet.. but my fiance didn't know that this seminar is MANDATORY. He said its a complete DICTATORSHIP, what kind of country wont allow their citizen WITH VISA to not live WITHOUT this seminar?

Tell me what you think about the CFO seminar. Thank you. Good luck to all of us!

Hi Melissa/Martin! What a dictator indeed that lady at the CFO seminar where you went to. I also went to that place in front of the De La Salle University in 2007. And that woman whom I had one on one interview also asked about my mother in-law's maiden name. I gave her my husband's middle name. But she said it was his first name. So I had to call my husband in the middle of the night just to ask him what is his mom's maiden name. Crazy huh! But it's either that or I don't get a CFO certificate.

CFO is a waste of money and a waste of time. They give loads of misinformation. I guess you just do what you have to do and let what they say go in one ear and out the other.

[eros_EX_Plumber 0]

Just wanna share my experience about my CFO seminar today 11/03/08.

Then, she told us...."we can't release your certificate today because our computer crashed coz of the virus. It crashed last friday so they are just working on it now and it will done on THURSDAY!" (mind you THURSDAY! just for a single certificate which doesn't even have a code!) "and if you are thinking to go to other counseling site, it wont work coz they'll see that you are registed here" (what a dictatorship!)

I am sorry to hear about your bad experience...don't let them get to you..get your sticker and look forward to the time you will reunited with your loved one.

Just one comment....

They should have called me...i get the computer VIRUS free in less then 4 hours....

Second comment...

the Idiot CFO should not go visiting PORNO sites....he would not the virus in the first place....or open e-mail from people he/she does not know...LOL