Forwarding Address

I had some real estate concerns that needed some consultations and I thought that the best way to seek a neutral advise and the most economical way to do so is to go to the Public Attorney's Office or more commonly known as PAO.

I have always known where the office was located so I left our house confident that I knew where I was going.

But when I got to the street where the office was supposed to be, doubt immediately set in. There was a sign with a private attorney's name on it on the office's front. I concluded right away that the office is not there anymore, and that surely, they just moved into another place. I looked in front of the office for some signs that might indicate a forwarding address but I saw none. So, the next best thing to do is what most people doesn't. Ask around.

There was a Barangay Traffic officer just around the corner. I approached him and politely asked if he happen to know where the PAO office is (yeah, office was redundant, but it sounded right… right?), and, expectedly, he scratched his head and looked up. I waited, praying that he might have known and just forgotten. I guess I was lucky that my prayer worked because his face suddenly looked like a bulb that lit after a brownout and told me where to go.

I had nothing else to do but trust the guy.

And he was right.

The office was at the second floor. As I was going up, I was a little apprehensive because the rungs look like it won't be able to stand my weight. So, I took the steps slowly like testing the water if it was cold. I finally made it to the landing and was surprised with what I saw. The floor looked very dilapidated and the walls do not even have paint. There was a man sitting on a bench. I asked if the PAO office is on that floor and he pointed to the door painted green.

I guess my apprehensions vanished when I entered the room. The office was air conditioned and very simply furnished. It was big with maybe about more than ten office tables and a shelf filled with what I presume to be law books. A lady whom I presumed as the secretary greeted me politely and asked how can she help and if I was looking for a particular lawyer. I told her my concern and I was immediately asked to sit on a table. The lawyer-on-duty was already behind me and immediately sat on the other side of the table and we right away started our conversation.

My concerns were finished in less than ten minutes, with all my questions answered very clearly. Thanks to the attorney for being so accommodating.

This is probably the second time that I needed to go to a government office for certain concerns. Will you be surprise if I tell you that I haven't experienced any single negative reception on these two events? I feel thankful for these people to have given me this kind of service as opposed to what I am seeing in the news. I feel that this kind of service is what we should see on tv instead of those irritable people who are featured more often than those that do good deeds.

The only thing I didn't like about the whole thing is that there were no forwarding address in the old office. It would have completed the good service that they give. But, let us give them the benefit of the doubt on this: may be they have moved a few years back that the sign that I expected to see was long gone.

If you live here in my place, the PAO office is located in front of the MWSS office, at least for now. When you reach the MWSS office, just look up at the opposite side of the street and you'll see the sign (which was what I did).