It’s Christmas season once again, with summer following briskly after. You know what that means? It’s the peak time for international travel and vacations. Some may love being immersed in the local culture wherever they go by commuting and walking, but some would still love the convenience of a private car while abroad. For those who want to drive when they’re overseas, we applied for a Philippines International Driving Permit (PIDP) to tell you all about the process went. Keep in mind that we intentionally did not prepare anything besides the requirements just to show you how hassle-free the entire process was.

This is where we start. It’s the AAP Tower on Aurora Boulevard, the main processing facility for the Automobile Association of the Philippines. They have other branches as well in locations all over the country. There are ways to prepare for your visit such as signing up on the AAP Online Portal, but we didn’t do any of that. We simply brought our requirements with us: a valid Philippine Driver’s License (whether in card or paper form) with a year of validity remaining, a photocopy of this, two pieces of 2×2 ID pictures on a white background, and PHP 4,144 in processing fees.

Immediately greeting you near the building’s entrance is an AAP booth. Here, you are asked to present a valid ID which can just be the Driver’s License you’re carrying with you.

Once everything checks out, you’ll be asked to climb the escalator twice to reach the second floor. Yes, the first floor is ABOVE the ground floor. It’ll be obvious anyway, since the floor below the AAP main office just contains a small pop-up cafeteria for food and other items. It’s a decent place to grab some grub on days with long lines.

Upon reaching your desired floor, you’ll notice an “AAP Travel and Tours” signage on the right side. That’s not where you want to go. Instead, head to this frosted-glass-covered room as it is the main processing area for all Philippines International Driving Permit applications, renewals, and other concerns.

For those who haven’t filled out the forms online, you have two options: scan the QR code and fill out the forms on your personal device, or make use of the standing PC found within the room. We opted for the latter as the line wasn’t horrendous at all. It’ll ask for details like Personal Information, Contact Information, License Details, and Vehicle Details (Optional). The final window will be summarizing all your inputted details for your confirmation.

Things to note: be sure to specify which countries you’ll be using the Permit for. Certain locations like Japan have special rules surrounding their permit formats. As long as you indicate it there though, you should be fine. An option is also readily available if you’re visiting multiple countries and using your PH International Driving Permit in all of these.

Why does it ask for vehicle details? You can enroll up to two vehicles on the computer as part of the membership benefits program under AAP. Yes, applying for a permit also grants you access to the Association’s perks, which include but are not limited to: 24/7 Emergency Roadside Service, 24/7 Ambulance Services, 24/7 Home Service Car Care, Personal Accident Insurance, LTO Renewal Assistance, and a bevy of others. It’s honestly a big thing to have especially for emergency situations that necessitate it.

Anyway, we were designated a number and just sat down waiting to be called. For some reason though, the staff were calling out first names instead which was definitely more convenient for the more forgetful folks around. It wasn’t a hassle despite the time because the area was well-maintained, the air conditioning was in tip-top shape, and it wasn’t too crowded. That’s a shocker considering a lot of people cram their PH International Driving Permit applications in the timespan right before Christmas.

After a bit, we were called up and asked to hand over our driver’s license and payment. Everything was confirmed and we just went back to our seats in wait.

It didn’t take too long until our change was handed over, alongside the completed Philippines International Driving Permit, an AAP official membership card, stickers for my personal vehicles, informative pamphlets for the insurance coverages, and others. Those curious would be glad to know that the AAP card also serves as a discount ticket at participating Caltex stations – with PHP 2 per liter removed from gasoline and PHP 1 per liter removed from diesel purchases.

The entire process took give-or-take an hour and 30 minutes, which is admirable given it was a relatively heavy season for the Association. On normal days not encroaching on the holidays, the lines are virtually nonexistent. Big kudos to AAP and the staff for being so efficient and refining a system into something that’s perfect for everyone to understand.

After that, it was time to head home, happy to have achieved everything that was needed to be done. We’ll be crafting content on our drive on international soil, so definitely look forward to that.