Ela's Travel Center

I am a Kiwi staying long-term in Philippines with investments here. My asawa Angie and I want to go back to New Zealand and we applied for a passport for her through Ela’s Travel, paying 2,500p for their service. All was fine and they took Angie to Manila for her appearance, leaving at 3:30am in the morning. Angie came home that night upset and empty handed, being told she didn’t have enough I.D. Angie said 3 other girls came home in tears in the van having been sent away, and that they could all 'pay another 600p each' and go all the way back tomorrow. I had two questions …why was the sufficiency of the I.D’s not checked the day before leaving? …and also after checking her I.D against the requirements checklist myself, and believing her I.D was in fact borderline-sufficient, why was her application not argued by Zeny the Ela’s Travel representative? I phoned in and queried these things in a calm and professional but strong manner. I was phoned back by Zeny and she was pleasant on the phone. She said "please come in so I can explain". When we arrived on Saturday an angry looking scruffy Zeny was standing out the front .. as I approached her she turned her back on me and walked away dragging her feet toward her shop door… I called out "hello I am Peter", Angie confirmed “yes that is her”. I called "hello hello I am Peter” as I followed her into her shop. She slumped down in the seat and kicked out a chair and abruptly sat “sit”. I said "yes you wanted to see me?” ...and she so rudely said “you speak”. She was the rudest coldest woman I have ever met in business. After some heated words were exchanged I managed to pitch my questions. The store manager joined the conversation who was professional and polite. I first asked why Angie’s requirements were not checked before leaving for Manila. I said "where I am from we prepare, we make a checklist, tick it off… double check, triple check before going anywhere”. Ela’s Travel answer to that was "you are in the Philippines, not your country… this is how we do things here". Wow… no preparation or checking is done here.. fancy that. Angie told me they didn’t check her application until they were in Manila, outside the DFA… too late. Secondly I asked why the case was not argued, because to me the I.D requirements presented did in-fact seem sufficient enough. Ela’s Travel response was that "it really does not matter what is presented.. it all depends on the mood of the processor on the day”. Right, so my question…why was it not argued by our representative?’ I was then told “they are not allowed to argue”. Ok, so that begs a new question ..Why do we have a representative at all? Over all Ela’s Travel presents professionally, but they really must find a more approachable, presentable representative to support the clients when in Manila on the day.