Why there is no available slot for passport renewal?

I was sipping my coffee while watching the clouds over Muscat through my flat window, I am fascinated by how this natural phenomenon forms over the sky then suddenly a loud sound came from the sky. I look in the direction where the sound came from, oh, it’s an airplane that just took off from the Muscat International Airport.

Sigh! When will I be able to fly back home again?

It’s been a year that there were restrictions and limitations in traveling back to the Philippines and to add salt to the wound, the high price of air ticket.

But wait, there seems to be a problem… I have checked my passport and it will expire soon!

When should I renew my passport?

A passport with at least six (6) months’ validity is a standard requirement for international travel. In view of the long turnaround for the processing of a Philippine passport (around two months), Filipinos living overseas are therefore advised to renew their passports several months before expiry. We recommend eight months, or preferably, 9 months before its expiration to account for any possible delays in the transmission of the passport to the Embassy.

While the passport is being processed, you will continue to hold on to your present passport. This will ensure that you will be able to leave Oman for any emergency. Your present passport will be canceled only when the new passport has arrived. When claiming the new passport, please bring the old passport as it will be canceled in front of you. Filipino professionals who go on frequent travels are advised to submit their applications even earlier and have their passport renewed long before all the pages have been used up.

The above info is from https://muscatpe.dfa.gov.ph/consular-services/passport/passport-faqs

So I open my web browser and went to https://muscatpe.dfa.gov.ph/ to find the Online Passport Appointment System and I was redirected to https://consular-appointments.appointlet.com/

I have selected Passport Renewal – Adult Service and bam! I am greeted with this message. No Time Available

Why?

The answer is in the Philippine Embassy in Muscat’s Advisory PR-99-2021 dated October 11, 2021.

It was stated in their advisory that the Online Passport Appointment System is transitioning to a new system. Hence, no new passport appointment lots are available until the new system will be activated.

When will the new passport appointment system will be launched?

Based on the advisory, the new passport appointment system will be launched on November 01, 2021. New appointment schedules will be made available on that day.

In my case, I will just finish my coffee and wait till the new system will be launched and will then set my appointment to renew my passport.

Mark the date, November 1, 2021

Below is the advisory posted in their official Facebook page