I Lost My Passport

Here’s what happened.

My sister arrived around 2AM last Sturday. I fetched her from the airport then the plan is to catch the earliest bus to Melaka where the earliest bus should be around 6AM. I knew we could not catch it so I did not book it online. Instead, we tried to wake up early and buy the first bus out. We got the 8:30 bus which left at around 9. We arrived in Melaka at around 3.

Coming back to Singapore, we had some problems. First was the availability of any bus. I went to all the booths selling tickets to Singapore and all tickets are sold out except for this booth with a sign next bus 5PM but there was no one manning the booth. Another booth sells ticket with the latest or maybe last bus leaving at 9PM. Thinking we have no other choice, I bought three tickets at 25 RMB each. It was just four in the afternoon. How could we kill that much time? My sister and I went around Melaka Sentral just so maybe, buy something: food or whatever. When we passed by the empty booth earlier, there’s the lady inside and the latest bus is now 7PM - that was around 6PM at that moment. We decided to buy another set of tickets even though we cannot refund the old one. We just couldn’t three more hours doing nothing.

We arrived in the Woodlands Checkpoint at maybe half past 11. This is where I will lost my passport. Chast went ahead of us going through the immigration smoothly. There were no long queues. I accompanied my sister fill up the immigration forms then this Filipino lady with a bsaby on a stroller lady asked me if she could borrow a pen. So I gave her my pen. She is not in a hurry. She was browsing her phone to look for whatever details she has to write on her card. When my sister was done filling up hers, I asked the lady if I can get my pen back. She was like, If I am on a hurry she will just pay for the pen. I said no thanks, I got that pen from Vegas. So we waited for like a decade for her to finish. This got me stressed that I had acid reflux attack. I have to take in my antacid for it. My body kinda knew something bad is going down.

When we queued for the immigration, I let my sister go first so in case there would be a problem, she could point to me, her brother but then the lady immigration officer told me to go to other queue. I went to the automated one but before I could go in, I saw that they were like holding my sister, so I kinda stand there looking. An ICA guy saw me standing there then approached me asking which kind of passport am I holding, I said Filipino passport, then I walk to the stand where you insert your passport then this guy is trying to stop me like “sir…sir…SIR!!” I told the guy I am a PR. Then the door opened, he shut the hell up. That take like a few seconds so when I reached the customs security check, I still saw them taking my sister to the holding room. When I cross the security check, I was a little disoriented. I still have my stuff on my pockets: phone etc.. The security told me to put the stuff in the tray then go thru it again.

When I got outside, Chast called me that the bus has already left. We waited for a long time for my sister. I got stressed more, and the heartburn is getting worse. When she got out, we learned that the lady who borrowed my pen got held too, so my sister’s thinking that maybe, due to the fact that we took a long time writing, it might raise suspicion. They only asked her for a return ticket, how much money does she have and who is she with.

When we got home, I noticed that I don’t have my passport with me. It took me a while tracing back on which part of me still having it with me then finally losing it somewhere. I figure that part of putting my stuff on the tray might be it. Googling on what to do, I need to file a police report on the nearest police station or neighborhood police. We have that near our block so at around 1AM, I went out only to find out that I would be filing a police report through a computer. The computer’s browser does not work because of a pop-up window on the police website so after a couple of tries, I gave up. I went outside then file the police report on my phone instead. After that I waited that maybe, the police would contact me.

They didn’t. I was also looking at the Philippine Embassy’s website on how I could secure a replacement. What sucks about this is I have to spend a replacement fee of 255 SGD and 42.50 notary fee. That is like 10,000 pesos! I actually completed all the requirements and on Wednesday, January 18th, I went to the embassy. I left the office at 4PM so I an get there before it closes at 5PM. It took a while before I get a taxi. I even get a premier one because time is running out for me. The embassy was already closed when i got there. 

The next day, I was gonna come back but before that, I called the Woodlands checkpoint to ask if they found my passport. The lady on the other end of the phone told me to go to my embassy and secure a replacement if I lost my passport. I was feeling down when she told me this but then I told her that I lost my passport there, in Woodlands checkpoint. She asked me for my name and passport number, then she said they have it. I told her I will be there at 4pm, like I have an hour to be there. Can!
 

I asked my officemate Rauf which is the fastest way to go to the Woodlands checkpoint. He suggested to take the CW2 bus in Bugis and have exact change of SGD 3.30. I was thinking of walking to get there, but I have an hour, so I took the subway.
 

It was raining in Bugis when I got there. The bus station is still far from my Exit so I have buy an umbrella. I got the long umbrella from Gurdian for SGD 8.90. the foldable one is like $25, I just need the cheapest. I got to the 4:20 bus and arrived at the checkpoint at around 5PM. I did what the lady told me to do: after alighting the bus, look for a Police booth then ask to where the Police station is, so I can talk to ICA. The ICA guy told me, I lost my passport on Sunday, it is now Thursday. I said I filed a police report immediately. He asked to see the police report then asked me again how sure was I that I lost it there. I said I was 100% sure. It was the only way I could have lost it. He took my thumb print, thrice then took me upstairs to his supervisor where he showed my IC, my police report then they pulled out this purse where they have maybe other passports with mine. They verified my name, and birthday because, my picture on that passport does not look like me anymore. His last question was, "Is this your passport?" I said, "Yes it is, thank you very much". He told me next time, try not to lose my passport.

After that he took me outside then point me to where I could take a cab back to the city. It was rush hour, so I just told the cab driver to take me to Bishan MRT, where I could take the train back to Suntec without transferring to another line. I got back before 6. I still caught my manager leaving the office. I showed him my passport and thanked him for allowing me to leave the office.

I am now a proud owner of this orange umbrella