Calabazilla.com – random musings from the Philippines

How to build a cheap DIY playpen

29 August 2018 Leave a Comment

When family and friends learned that my husband and I were expecting our firstborn, many gave us their old baby gear, for which we are truly grateful. One of these hand-me-downs is a standard-size playard (aka play yard, playpen, or “baby jail”) from my cousin.

The playard (which sometimes doubled as a crib) truly served us well during the first several months, but now that our baby is starting to crawl, it was beginning to feel small. We wanted a bigger play area where our child can safely move around and do solitary play, as it’s important for us that our baby learns self-distraction. We’d still be watching, but from a close distance outside our child’s own space.

Searching online for something that’s available here in the Philippines, the closest to what we had in mind is the ENO baby fence, a modular playpen made in Korea. However, it’s quite expensive at around PHP 9,000 for a ten-panel enclosure.

And so we decided to just build our own playpen using PVC pipes and fittings, which are commonly used in plumbing. Now, there are websites saying that PVC is “bad for babies”, but I figured if it truly is toxic, many in this country would be dead by now, as PVC pipes are commonly used in our water supply.

For the playpen dimensions, we settled on 6 ft x 4 ft x 2 ft, with each side divided into 2-ft sections for more stability and support. As for the pipe size, we initially planned to use the cheaper 1/2-in pipes, but eventually decided to use the heavier 1-in ones for more sturdiness.

We already had a hacksaw, so we skipped buying a plastic pipe cutter. It is quite intuitive to assemble the frame; no instructions needed. Anyone can easily do it as long as the sections are cut properly and equally.

DIY playpen constructed using PVC pipes and fittings — Connecting the pipes

What about the sides and bottom, you ask? We thought of using polyester netting and a puzzle mat made of interlocking EVA foam, but we opted for fabric as we had some old blankets and comforters lying around. We secured the fabric on the frame using nylon rope. We’re quite satisfied with our finished product:

One thing we missed to install was padding on the pipes, as our child might bang hard against them. We plan to wrap the pipes with foam from an old mattress come laundry day, when we remove all the fabric for washing.

All in all, we spent less than 2,000 pesos on the frame. All the materials we used are easily available at any hardware store.

Quantity	Item	Price	Amount
8	1-inch PVC pipes (3 meters)	105	840
8	1-inch PVC elbows (90 degrees)	18	144
28	1-inch PVC tees (equal)	19	532
1	Nylon rope (50 meters)	250	250
		Total (PHP)	1,766

It’s been a week since we installed the playpen, and our baby can now crawl from one end to the other. Later we plan to add a DIY pull-up bar inside so our child can practice pulling up to stand.

Trying out adlai, a local alternative to rice for Filipinos

12 August 2018 1 Comment

In the Philippines, no meal is complete without rice, our main source of carbohydrates. Filipinos are so addicted to rice — white rice in particular — that most of us treat dishes of other carb sources, such as pasta or ramen, as just “snacks”. Some even pair other carbs like pancit as the ulam to their rice!

I’ve long been wanting to reduce my white rice consumption, as research has shown that too much intake of white rice, with its high glycemic index, is “associated with a significantly increased risk of type 2 diabetes, especially in Asian…populations” (Hu et al, 2012). I once tried to quit rice cold turkey, but obviously that didn’t last long (lol). I tried substituting with potato, but it still felt kulang. Same with corn. One alternative I tried that felt as filling as rice was quinoa, a pseudocereal native to South America, but it’s an outrageously expensive imported product (PHP 800+ for just a 26-oz pack at Healthy Options).

So when I heard about a supposedly healthier rice substitute that is grown locally called adlai, my interest was piqued. Adlai — also known as adlay, Chinese pearl barley, coix seed, hatomugi, or Job’s Tears — is a gluten-free “heirloom” grain that belongs to the same family as rice and corn. Although it’s only just starting to become widely known in the country, apparently the Subanen tribe of Zamboanga has long been cultivating adlai as their staple food.

Last week, I bought a pack of adlai online from The Hineleban Store. So how does it stack up?

Hineleban Adlai

Cost. Adlai is more expensive than local black rice, but definitely more affordable than quinoa.
Health. Adlai has a lower glycemic index than brown rice (Lin et al, 2010).
Nutrition. According to the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR), adlai contains more carbs, fat, and protein and provides more energy (calories) than rice or corn. (There are some lifestyle blogs that claim adlai is low-carb and low-cal compared to rice, but I’m more inclined to believe BAR than them.)
Taste and Satiety. These are subjective, but I like the taste of adlai better than quinoa. Its texture also felt close to rice, unlike corn or potato. It also felt more filling than rice; I consumed only around 1/3 cup of adlai per meal.

Cooked adlai I’ve been eating adlai instead of rice for a week now, and so far haven’t experienced any rice withdrawal symptoms (lol). I can definitely see adlai as a viable alternative to rice for Pinoys; the barrier is its hefty price tag because of low supply. There was a push by the Department of Agriculture for more adlai cultivation by local farmers, but it seems to have petered out. Here’s hoping they actively promote adlai farming again so its price would go down.

Review: The Hineleban Store (hinelebanstore.com)

4 August 2018 1 Comment

I’ve been hearing a lot lately about a healthier rice alternative that is grown locally here in the Philippines called adlai (also known as adlay, Chinese pearl barley, coix seed, hatomugi, or Job’s Tears). Eager to try it out, I searched for adlai online and found only a few specialty stores that carry it.

One of these shops is The Hineleban Store, which sells adlai farmed by indigenous communities in Bukidnon. At first I was hesitant to buy from the site because it’s not even secure:

For an online store in this day and age, not using HTTPS is just plain lazy. Still, I went ahead and made an account (using an alternate email address) because among the few local online shops that carry adlai, The Hineleban Store sells it the cheapest at PHP 250 for a 1-kg pack. All the other shops are selling it at PHP 300+ per kilo. They also accept cash on delivery, which is good — there was no way I was entering sensitive credit card information on an insecure site.

So I placed an order, got a confirmation email, and logged out of the site. After a week of no order updates, I tried to log in to the site again. Lo and behold, I couldn’t. I tried to reset my password, but it didn’t work in Chrome or Firefox. Finally it worked in Safari, but upon logging in I found that the order is still “Processing”.

At this point I simply gave up. So I was surprised when the adlai arrived nearly two weeks later, as I had nearly forgotten about it.

TL;DR: The site is insecure and very buggy, but it’s legit. You will eventually receive your order. Points for improvement:

Get an SSL certificate. Seriously, plain HTTP doesn’t cut it for an e-commerce site. Even this site, which is just a blog, uses HTTPS.
Hire a better WooCommerce developer, or just switch to Shopify. Buggy password reset, no shipping confirmation, no tracking number — right now it’s just not up to par. Even after the order arrived, it’s still marked “Processing” on the site.

How to apply for a Social Security number (SSN) for an infant at the US Embassy in the Philippines

15 July 2018 4 Comments

In my previous post, I wrote about our successful application for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) and US passport at the US Embassy in Manila for our infant child. With CRBA and passport in hand, my husband and I then applied for our child’s Social Security number (SSN).

The process was quick and easy, because unlike in some other countries, the US Embassy in the Philippines has a Federal Benefits Unit (FBU) onsite that provides Social Security services. Personal appearance is also not required for children under 12 years old.

This guide is based on our infant child’s application; additional documents and personal appearance are required for children who are 12 years of age or older.

1. Prepare the requirements

Present the original documents. There is no need to photocopy them; the FBU personnel will make the copies themselves.

Child’s Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA)
Child’s unexpired US passport
Unexpired passport of the parent who will sign the application
Application for a Social Security Card. There are two forms available; fill up and sign only one. Both are fillable PDF files, so type in your answers before printing your preferred form on US Letter (8.5″ x 11″) paper. There is no need to print out the first few pages of instructions; just the last page (the actual form) will do.
- Form SS-5 (for US address) – card will be delivered to US address within two weeks
- Form SS-5-FS (for non-US address) – card will be delivered to Philippine address within five months

2. Go to the embassy

The FBU is open on weekdays (except during US and Philippine holidays) from 8 am to 3 pm. There is no need for an appointment. A few tips:

Arrive before 1 pm. The FBU staff can only access the system until 1 pm. If you arrive well before that, they can process your application immediately and have the SSN ready the next business day. If you arrive after 1 pm, they will still accept your application, but will process it the next business day.
Leave electronic devices behind. Cellphones and the like are not allowed inside the embassy.

3. Wait for the card to arrive

A week after we submitted our application, the Social Security card arrived in the mail in the US. If you choose to have it delivered to the Philippines, don’t fret — although you may have to wait for up to five months for the physical card, the actual number will be available within two business days.

If you want to know the SSN right away, provide the FBU staff with your local mobile number. They cannot divulge it over the phone for privacy and security reasons, but they will call to inform you if the SSN is already available. The parent who signed the application form can simply present his/her valid passport and the child’s valid US passport to the FBU to get the SSN.

How to apply for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) and US passport at the US Embassy in the Philippines (updated August 2020)

10 May 2018 36 Comments

Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States of America (CRBA) or Form FS-240

Update July 2018: With CRBA and US passport in hand, my husband and I then applied for our child’s Social Security number (SSN). Click here to read about our experience at the US Embassy in Manila.

Under US law, a person born outside the United States to an American parent and a foreign parent in wedlock acquires US citizenship at birth if, prior to birth, the American parent was physically present in the US or its outlying possessions for at least five years, two of which are after the age of 14.

My husband meets this physical presence requirement, and so thanks to him, our child is also a US citizen. To make it official, we applied for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States of America (CRBA) and US passport for our child at the US Embassy in Manila.

The process was surprisingly quick; we received our child’s CRBA and passport less than a month after mailing in our application. My tips for a smooth process:

Fill up all forms correctly
Ensure all documents are complete
Present a lot of evidence
Both parents are present during the interview

We did all of the above and were approved immediately. On the other hand, we saw several families who were sent home during pre-screening because of incomplete requirements or insufficient evidence. One family, who came without the US citizen parent, was even told to undergo DNA testing.

This guide is based on our infant child’s application; additional documents are required for school-age children and children born out of wedlock, or if one parent or both cannot attend the interview.

1. Prepare the requirements

Click here to download the latest checklist (updated January 2020). Prepare one (1) photocopy each of all documents and completed forms. Do not mail the original documents.

Passport photos. Submit three (3) identical pictures each of the child and parents. Click here for photo guidelines and samples.
Application for Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States of America (Form DS-2029). Click here to download. It is a fillable PDF file, so type in your answers before printing it on US Letter (8.5″ x 11″) paper. Do not sign. Ensure that you provide a working email address, as the appointment letter will be sent there. Also include a local Philippine telephone number.
Certificate of Live Birth of applicant issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). You can easily get a copy online from PSA Serbilis. Don’t bother to apply if the PSA copy is not yet available; the copy from the Local Civil Registry Office (LCRO) will not suffice.
Growing-up photos of applicant. The more pictures, the better. It is best to submit photos of the child together with both parents, spanning from birth to the present. Personally we printed 20 pictures, each labeled with the date and our child’s age on that date.
Evidence of American parent’s citizenship. The US citizen parent may present any one (1) of the following:
- US passport
- US birth certificate
- CRBA (Form FS-240)
- Certificate of Citizenship
- Certificate of Naturalization
Identification document of Filipino parent. The Filipino parent may present his/her passport. If s/he has no passport, s/he must present two (2) other digitized government-issued IDs.
Evidence of American parent’s physical presence in the US. This is important; the application will be denied if the US citizen parent cannot conclusively demonstrate that s/he fulfills the residence requirement. Present as much hard evidence as possible, including old passports, school transcripts, Form W-2s, and medical treatment records. Military members or veterans can also submit a Statement of Service or Report of Separation (DD Form 214). Time abroad counts towards residency only if it was:
- as a member of the US armed forces in honorable status
- as an employee of the US government or other qualifying organizations
- as a dependent unmarried child of any of the above
Certificate of Marriage of parents issued by the PSA. You can easily get a copy online from PSA Serbilis. The copy from the LCRO will not suffice.
Evidence of mother’s pregnancy. The more evidence, the better. Personally we presented the following:
- ultrasound reports with images (sonograms)
- 20 pictures of myself while pregnant, each labeled with the date and location
- hospital billing statements and receipts
- hospital certification of confinement for myself and our child
Evidence of parents being in the same location at the time of conception. We presented boarding passes along with our passports.
Evidence of parents’ relationship prior to conception. The more evidence, the better. Personally we submitted 20 pictures of the two of us together, spanning from the start of our relationship to just before our child was conceived, including several from our civil wedding. My husband and I like to travel, so we presented more boarding passes along with our old passports.

If you don’t have enough evidence to establish filiation of your child, fret not. There is always DNA testing, which is the last resort because it’s expensive and time-consuming. However, do not initiate DNA testing unless recommended to do so by the consular officer. Click here for more information on this option.

Application for a US Passport (Form DS-11). Click here to fill out the form online. Download and print the resulting PDF file on US Letter paper, but do not sign.
Declaration of No Social Security Number (SSN). Click here to download (embedded below). SSN is a required field in Form DS-11. Obviously our child doesn’t have one yet, so we entered all zeros in the field as instructed and submitted this signed declaration.

Declaration_of_no_SSN

2. Send the application

Arrange the photocopies of the requirements in the above order and mail, along with the signed checklist, via courier to the following address:

EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
CITIZENSHIP AND PASSPORT UNIT
AMERICAN CITIZEN SERVICES
CONSULAR SECTION
1201 ROXAS BOULEVARD
MANILA 0930

3. Wait for the appointment email

A few days after we sent the package, we received the appointment letter in the email address we indicated in Form DS-2029.

4. Prepare for the interview

A few tips:

Ensure all original forms and documents are complete. Arrange them in the same order as the checklist, then place inside a waterproof plastic zip envelope for protection.
Arrive in Manila at least a day before and check in at a nearby hotel. This is highly recommended for those coming from outside Metro Manila, in order to avoid missing the interview due to flight delays and/or traffic jams. We recommend staying at City Garden Suites, a good mid-price hotel within short walking distance from the embassy. Click here for other accommodation options near the embassy.
Leave electronic devices behind. Cellphones and the like are not allowed inside the embassy.
Bring full payment of CRBA, passport, and delivery fees. The CRBA application fee is USD $100. Click here for the latest schedule of passport fees (updated February 2018). The embassy cashier accepts either cash (US dollars or Philippine pesos) or credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, or Diners Club International). Delivery is handled by a third-party courier, AIR21, which accepts cash only.

5. Go to the embassy

Be sure to arrive at the embassy with your child 30 minutes before your appointment time. There will be a throng of US visa applicants queueing outside, but CRBA applicants do not need to fall in line; simply go straight to the entrance for US citizens.

Once inside, go to American Citizen Services (ACS) on the second floor. Pay the CRBA and passport fees at the cashier, then wait for your turn. When your child’s name is called, proceed to the correct counter window for pre-screening.

Present all your original forms and documents. If everything is in order, you will proceed to the final interview with the approving consular officer. While waiting for the interview, you can pay the delivery fees at the AIR21 booth on the same floor.

Our final interview was quick and pleasant, as most of the probing questions were already asked during pre-screening. We signed the CRBA and passport application forms in front of the consular officer, who then returned our original documents. Finally, the officer confirmed that our child is a US citizen, and has been one since birth. We said our goodbyes, left the embassy, and that’s it. Our child’s CRBA was delivered to our address two weeks later. The passport arrived shortly after.

Want to also apply for a Philippine passport for your dual citizen child? Click here to read about our experience.

How to apply for a Philippine passport for an infant at the Department of Foreign Affairs

21 April 2018 2 Comments

It is quite easy to procure a Philippine passport for your newborn baby. It was the first thing my husband and I did after the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) copy of our child’s birth certificate finally became available, because in addition to being a travel document, a passport serves as a form of identification and proof of citizenship.

Unlike regular applicants, minors seven years old and below do not need to make an online appointment. Personally, all my husband and I did was show up with our child at the nearest Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) office with the following documents:

Completed and signed application form. Click here to download the latest passport application form for minors (embedded below). It is a fillable PDF file, so you can conveniently type in your answers before printing it double-sided on A4 paper. If you don’t have a printer at home, the DFA office has blank forms that you can fill up onsite. Still, I highly suggest printing it beforehand to save time.

DFA_minor_passport_application_form

Child’s Certificate of Live Birth issued by the PSA. You can easily get a copy online from e-Census (soon to be known as PSASerbilis). There is no need to photocopy the certificate, as the DFA will need and keep the original.
Photocopies of information pages of our Philippine passports. My husband and I presented our original passports for verification.
Photocopy of our Certificate of Marriage issued by the PSA. We presented the original for verification.

And that’s it. After paying the passport fee at the cashier, we didn’t wait long for our child’s turn at picture taking and data encoding. All in all, we spent less than half an hour at the DFA office. Kudos to the DFA for making passport application for young children a quick and painless one. (Now, if only they could likewise improve the process for regular applicants…)

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