It is apparently taking longer and longer Steve.

They send each and every (Phils) document back to Manila for checking locally. After one is ok'd, the next one is sent... and so on.

I read somewhere that the 'helpline' is not even part of a government department , and they have no access to any case notes.

I will email the passport office today, come to think of it... if only to ask for the return of my wife's passport, which has now expired, they've had it so long !