As we grow older, our parents also do and when you're like me who's nearing the big 3-0 then your parents might be nearing their senior citizen age. If that's the case then read after the jump to find out how you can help them obtain this super useful identification card.

First off, how do you determine if your parents or relative is now eligible for a Senior Citizen  ID? It's actually super easy, just check the the requirements below.

Now, if your parents or relative fits the requirements above then that means it's time for them to get their Senior Citizen ID. As I mentioned, this is a super useful identification card as they can use this to avail certain benefits such as discounts on food, services, groceries, and even free movie entry every week!

Since we're residents of Quezon City, the steps and requirements indicated below are for Quezon City. it doesn't differ that much per city but it's best to check with your local Office of the Senior Citizens Affair (OSCA) to see if they have additional requirements or steps in applying.

First thing you'll need to do is help your parents or relatives in gathering the requirements. They are fairly easy, but if they lack ID's, it's best to process those first.

Submitting and Getting the ID

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Let's face it, everyone want convenience and unfortunately, transacting with government agencies is such a pain and time consuming. Thank goodness for our malls which turned into community places where one can enjoy shopping, dining, and transacting businesses under one roof.

I recently found myself missing a copy of my NSO certified birth certificate, I realized I gave out the last one I have when I applied for the New Postal ID even though it's clearly stated in their website that they will only take the photocopy and not the original. Moving on, I was about to go to NSO's main office in East Avenue but having trouble going out because of the rainy weather earlier this month.

After doing a little research, I found out that SM Supermalls processes NSO birth certificates as well, aside from other government transactions such as SSS, PAG-IBIG, PhilHealth, DTI, and more. Since I am in no rush to get my copies, I decided to give their service a try.

Requesting for a copy of your NSO certified birth certificate is quite simple and just takes a few minutes of your time. Just head to your nearest SM Mall and look for their SM Business Center. I'm really not sure if even the small SM centers have this, but it's best to check it out yourself. I visited the nearest one in my area - SM City North EDSA which is a short 15 minute walk from my place.

Once your arrive at the SM Business Center, you can request for a copy of the request form for you to fill out. Normally, they have separate lines for those doing government transactions and those paying for normal utility bills.

The form they use are the same as the one used in NSO offices, they just have this additional paper where you need to copy the information you put in the official request form as well as the number of copies you are requesting, this will be SM's copy. Make sure to make every information accurate!

Once you're done, you need to pay at the cashier. Payment for your birth certificate copy is 140php each, same as when you request directly at NSO, SM charges an additional 20php service fee on top of the 140php for EACH copy, not per transaction. Since I requested 3 copies, it's 420 + 60 = 480php. Also note that there's a cut-off time daily for processing government documents, I think it's 5 or 6pm.

Upon claiming, you need to present the receipt and claim stub given to you when you filed your request, you'll also need to present 1 valid ID. In case you can't claim it personally, your proxy should have a valid ID, your valid ID, and your authorization letter. They will get the authorization letter and attach it on their file for NSO.

Now that's it! An alternate way to get a copy of your NSO birth certificate copy while you enjoy dining and shopping at your nearest SM Supermall. Have you tried this service yet? Let us know in the comments below. :)

Having poor vision, it's a struggle for people like me to maintain and take care of the thing that helps me live normally - my prescription glasses. Unfortunately, it can eventually break and most of the time without any warning.

I recently experienced having TWO prescription glasses getting busted in the span of 1 week leaving me with the problem on how I can squeeze my last 1,000 pesos for a new pair of prescription glasses. 

So can someone get a decent pair of prescription glass for under 1000 pesos? This is the challenge I tried to answer. But first, here are the glasses I have that decided to give up on me just a couple of days in between.

First is the one I was using for more than a year already, I just woke up one day and saw that the frame decided to split up. I was a little sad about this because this is my favorite wide frame glasses.

I decided to get a new pair, using the same method I used for my third pair that you will be reading later on. Unfortunately (and also my fault), I left it on the coffee table and my pet dog Skippy decided to make it into her chew toy. The frame was damaged, one of the glasses popped out and broken into tiny pieces. 

Now back to the question, can your 1,000 be enough for a decent pair of prescription glasses? I first inquired in my optical shop how much would it be if I buy their cheapest frame and glasses from them, they estimated it to be around 1,500 pesos. Because I am cheap, I declined and said I would come back.

I decided that the best way to go cheap on glasses is to provide your own pair of frames rather than buying ones sold by optical shops, the downside to this is that you don't know if they can replace the lens. I checked SM Accessories and found a collection of AXN glasses priced from 400 to 650, I decided to get one and re-confirmed with their staff that the glasses is replaceable.

Now that I got my glasses, I headed back to Ideal Vision and inquired about my plan of having my frame replaced by prescription glasses from them, they said it's possible but they won't be liable if my frame gets broken during the replacement procedure. The amount I only need to pay is 300 pesos, which included them checking my eyes if my grade increased.

I underwent the normal eye check-up and strolled around the mall for an hour. When I got back, my new prescription glasses is waiting for me, ready to help see the world in a clearer way! So basically, I got a new pair of prescription glasses for only 770 pesos. Definitely way under 1000 pesos! 

Here's a breakdown on what I spent to get my new pair of glasses:

AXN Eye Glasses Frame  - 470 pesos (Originally 550 pesos, hurrah for sale!)

Prescription Glasses         - 300 pesos

Eye Check-up                    - FREE

Total                                    770 pesos

So there, it''s possible for you to have your own prescription glasses on a budget. So if you're still hesitating to get your eyes checked and getting your own prescription glasses, you don't have to worry because you can do it the way I did it. Let me know your thoughts about this in the comments below!

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Just a quick update, as of March 2019 Ideal Vision's prescription glasses without frame will now cost you 800php, they only offer multi-coated lenses and cannot install regular lenses on frames provided by customers. 

Identification cards are essential when it comes to doing official transactions in the Philippines, from banks to services - you need to have a valid identification card. Unfortunately, the Philippines still doesn't have a national ID like our neighboring countries and we have to rely on getting individual identification cards from different government offices with different requirements.

One of the most easy way to get an identification card is by getting a postal ID where you only need to present a barangay certificate to obtain one. Unfortunately, this can be faked easily because it is made only in cardboard paper and you also need to have it laminated. This is why PHLPOST recently relaunched their modernized Postal ID with added security features. Of course with this upgrade, expect higher fees as well because that's how the Philippine Government rolls.

Getting the new Postal ID can be a little tricky now as they also updated the requirements needed to obtain one. Aside from Proof of Address (which can be a barangay certificate or proof of billing), you also need to bring an NSO or Local Civil Registrar certificated Birth Certificate, and shell out P414.44.- they actually advertise it as P370 but on the fine print, it says that the 12% VAT is not yet included.

One last thing you need is a fully accomplished Postal ID application form which can be downloaded through the PHLPOST website. You can click here to download the form, print & fill up double copies. Reminder to have every requirement photocopied!

Now that you have the requirements, how to apply for one?

Head to your nearest Postal Office in your area during office hours - in my case it's the Quezon City Central Post Office in NIA Road. If you want to check out the complete list of PHLPOST offices that offers the ID capturing service, click here. I heard that they will be having ID capturing service as well on select malls soon.

Head to the Postal ID window and present the requirements mentioned above. In their website, it is indicated that they need your photocopies for their file, but unfortunately in the Quezon City Central Post Office, they got my ORIGINAL NSO birth certificate (even though I said I have photocopies for them!) which is a total bummer because that means I need pay and get a new one from NSO soon. I already got in touch with PHLPOST about this on their website and social media, but still no response from their end.

After the staff checks your requirements, you'll proceed with the data capture where they digitally get your fingerprints and signature. Once you're done with the data capture, they'll take your photo, so it's best to dress appropriately since you'll be using your ID for 3 years.

The last step is checking the encoded details. The PHLPOST staff will ask you to check your details on the ID one last time and if it looks good already, you'll have to approve it by scanning your thumb once again in their data capture device.

Luckily, getting your new Postal ID is a breeze compare before because they will have it delivered straight to the address registered in your application. PHLPost promises that they'll deliver your card within 10-15 working days. I applied March 12th and got my ID March 31st, that's exactly 13 working days, still within their promised delivery period. First time I transacted with a government office who kept their promise(!!!)

Once it arrives to your place, it should be sealed and placed in a white envelope. Inside are some details about your card including how long is the validity of your card and contact details in case you have comments or suggestions.

If you're still confused om how to get the New Postal ID, you can check out the Frequently Asked Questions that our friends from the Philippine Postal Corporation has prepared. This should cover most of the general questions about the New Postal ID.

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They also opened new hotline numbers for Postal ID and delivery concerns which is really helpful if you want further information about the New Postal ID. Aside from the new hotline numbers, they are also on social and also opened an official website where you can find details like where to apply, requirements, more information, & so much more.

Overall, getting the new Postal ID is still a breeze but the higher fee and them getting my original copy of my NSO birth certificate instead of a photocopy is definitely a thumbs down for me. Lastly, I wish they increased the validity of the card to 4 or 5 years because 3 years is really too short.

Let me know your experience getting the new Postal ID, or if you are planning to get one and have questions, please do not hesitate to comment below. I'll gladly answer your question the best that I can. :)

I have to admit, I love shopping online! The convenience it gives to people like me who doesn't have the leisure to go out and spend hours looking for stuff to buy. But this doesn't mean I'm an expert when it comes to online shopping because I usually buy from trusted websites and I shop on local sites.

But I finally took the plunge and ordered something from Ebay International even though I was hesitant because of the high customs tax implemented in the country. I opt to order something not expensive so that if it do not make it to my doorsteps, I wouldn't mind the amount wasted.