Problem: Article: When considering a particular topic, if you have had any sort of experience with it—good or bad—there’s no doubt that those experiences help shape your current beliefs on the matter. However, it’s important to recognize that not all experiences accurately reflect the entire picture or the whole truth.  Part of forming an opinion comes from separating your feelings and emotions from the facts. For instance, if you were bit by a German Shepherd as a small child, you could hold the opinion that all German Shepherds are dangerous; or your opinion may be as extreme as believing that all dogs are dangerous. When seeking and forming your own opinion, like whether or not German Shepherds (or dogs in general) are good animals, you need to be able to set aside your personal experiences and look at the bigger picture. Having a conversation with those who are close to you may help you gain some perspective. People tend to trust those they are closest to, so you may be more likely to consider a differing perspective from your best friend rather than someone you don’t know.  For instance, if you are trying to form an opinion on healthcare laws, ask your friends and family what their experience with the healthcare system has been. Based on their experiences, you may be able to see areas where the law works and you support it; or areas where it doesn’t work and has room for improvement. Often times, though, your friend’s perspectives may align with your already-established beliefs, as we tend to surround ourselves with like-minded people. So try not to rely too heavily on the opinions of your like-minded friends and family. Doing so can limit your exposure to other valuable ideas and perspectives. If anything, these discussions may give you another way of looking at a situation and/or more reasons to support your opinion. This is particularly useful for topics that you have very little or no experience in. For instance, if you have a preconceived notion that people in a particular culture, or even town, behave a certain way, visit the place to experience their behavior for yourself. It’s possible you may be surprised. Or start small—if there is a certain type of food that “just sounds gross” to you, try it. Try to eat it in a variety of ways. Maybe the thought of eating shrimp sounds gross, or you don’t like the texture of raw shrimp, but it might actually taste good to you if it’s deep fried.
Summary: Consider your own biases toward a topic. Talk with family and friends about their experiences. Step outside of your comfort zone to experience something for yourself.

Problem: Article: You will need it to prove your identity and use it throughout the process of obtaining your passport such as filling out forms. These IDs need to be government-issued and have your photo on them. Acceptable government-issued IDs are:  Social Security System (SSS) ID/Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) Unified Multi-Purpose Identification (UMID) Card  Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Voter’s ID or Voter’s Certification from the Election Officer with Dry Seal. Land Transportation Office (LTO) Driver’s License. The student permit is also accepted provided that it’s in card format. Professional Regulations Commission (PRC) ID Senior Citizen ID School ID (for students) Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) / Integrated Department of Labor and Employment (iDOLE) card Philippine National Police (PNP) Firearms License Airman License (issued August 2016 onwards). For OFWs or Filipinos based in other countries, you can also bring your Residence Card or any other ID issued by your host government which shows your Philippine citizenship. Important: Only those listed above will be accepted as valid ID. DFA  doesn’t accept Postal ID, Philhealth ID, or TIN ID as primary valid IDs for Philippine passport application/renewal. The NBI Clearance only serves as a supporting document, not as a primary valid ID. Make sure to photocopy the data pages of your passport and bring them along.  If you have a brown passport, photocopy pages 1-3. If you have a green passport, photocopy page 1. If you have a Machine Readable Passport (MRP), photocopy the first and last page of your passport. If you have an electronic passport, photocopy the first and last page of your passport. If you are married, a few certificates are required by the DFA to change your surname. They can be easily requested through the PSA Helpline's website.  If you are a married woman or spouse of a foreign national who would like to use your married surname, you must obtain a Marriage Contract issued by the PSA or a Certified True Copy (CTC) issued by your Local Civil Registrar (LCR) and authenticated by the PSA. If you are a spouse of a foreign national, you must also present a Commission of Filipino Overseas (CFO) Guidance and Counseling Certificate of Attendance along with your Marriage Contract. If you were married abroad, you will also need to obtain your Report of Marriage authenticated by PSA. To change your surname to your birth surname, obtain a PSA issued Birth Certificate and along with any additional documents depending on your marriage status.  If you are a married woman who would like to revert back to your maiden name, you must provide a Birth Certificate issued by the PSA. If you are a widow: a Death Certificate issued by PSA of your deceased husband is required. If you are divorced: a CTC of the Divorce Decree authenticated by the Philippine Embassy or Consulate where the divorce was obtained or by the concerned foreign diplomatic or consular mission in the Philippines is required. An annotated PSA Marriage Contract with the Divorce Decree is also required. If your marriage was annulled: a CTC of the annotated NSO Marriage Contract and Court Order effecting the annulment is required. If you are a convert and would like to use your Muslim name, you must obtain an Annotated Birth Certificate from the NSO that has your Muslim name. You must also have your National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) or Office on Muslim Affairs (OMA) Certificate of Conversion. If you are a Muslim who does not need to change your name, only the general requirements of a valid ID and supporting documents, and recent expired or expiring passport is needed to renew your passport. Minors renewing their passport are treated as first time applicants and will need to submit an PSA Birth Certificate. This also includes requiring parents or guardians to make an appearance at their DFA appointment, parents' marriage contracts, a photocopy of the passport of the person whom they will be travelling with, and the minor's most recent passport. You should make at least 2 copies of each document. If you do not bring the original and photocopied documents to your DFA, the DFA will not continue with your appointment.
Summary:
Have at least 1 piece of acceptable picture ID. Bring your most recent expired or expiring passport and photocopies. Change your surname by obtaining required certificates from the PSA . Revert your married surname. Change your name to your Muslim name. Obtain your birth certificate and parents' supporting documents if you are a minor. Photocopy all IDs and original documents.