PHL to lift borders for vaxxed foreign tourists from 'green' countries

Passengers arriving at Naia-3 (Image courtesy Roy Kabanlit /Creative Commons)

VACCINATED tourists from many of the Philippines’ top 12 markets will be the first to take in the sunsets on Manila Bay and frolic in the country’s beaches, as government takes the initial steps in lifting its borders to foreign nationals. These include China, Japan, and India, as borders are being eyed for reopening by December 2021.

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat announced on Friday that the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has approved in principle the entry of fully vaccinated tourists from Green List countries/territories/jurisdictions.” Guidelines on their arrival are still being finalized by the Special Technical Working Group (TWG) on Travel. She told the BusinessMirror, “I hope these will be approved by next week.”

Aside from these countries, others on the Green List include: Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, American Samoa, Bhutan, Chad, Comoros, Ivory Coast, Falkland Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, China, Japan, Indonesia, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Mali, Marshall, Islands, Montserrat, Morocco, Namibia, Niger, Northern Mariana Islands, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Paraguay, Rwanda, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sint Eustatius in the Lesser Antilles, South Africa, Sudan, Taiwan, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. 

In a news statement, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said, allowed to enter are individuals inoculated with “vaccines recognized by the country’s Food and Drug Administration under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) or those authorized by the World Health Organization.”

Romulo Puyat said, “Allowing tourists from green countries or territories that have the majority of its population vaccinated and with low infection rate, will greatly help in our recovery efforts--increasing tourist arrivals and receipts among others. This move will likewise aid in bolstering consumer confidence, which is a large contributor to our gross domestic product or GDP (gross domestic product) growth.” 

She noted other countries have already reopened their borders to international leisure travelers. “Our Asean neighbors like Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia also did the same. We believe that it is also time for us to reopen our borders for inbound tourism as a way towards full recovery.” 

For his part, Tourism Congress of the Philippines president Jose C. Clemente III said, "After almost two years, we are very pleased to know that foreign visitors from the Green List countries will soon be allowed to enter the Philippines without need for a quarantine period. We hope that this is the start of the revivial of the tourism industry moving forward.”

He added: "We also continue to remind our stakeholders to not let their guard down despite of the eased conditions. The pandemic is still around and we reiterate our call to continue observing health and safety protocols to ensure that we can remain open." 

The DOT is also currently working with the Small TWG on Travel on a separate proposal for vaccinated travel lanes or travel bubbles for vaccinated tourists coming from yellow list countries. There are still ongoing talks on travel bubbles with the governments of Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam, with possible partner destinations such as Metro Manila, Bohol, or Cebu, which host international airports.

Prior to the pandemic, the Philippines welcomed 8.26 million tourist arrivals in 2019, up 15 percent from the previous year. Of the total arrivals in 2019, tourists from China accounted for 21.1 percent, Japan (8.3 percent), and India (1.63 percent). 

Confused by announcements of June 1 flights? Here's what really went down

Image from My Boracay Guide

THE CIVIL Aeronautics Board (CAB) on Saturday stopped Philippine carriers from selling tickets for flights, which were supposed to commence on Monday, June 1, as the National Capital Region shifts to general community quarantine (GCQ) status. 

This developed as reports reached the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) about complaints from local government units (LGUs) saying they were not ready for commercial flights. Pioneering flag carrier Philippine Airlines had announced late Friday it would commence domestic and international flights on June 1.

An advisory signed on May 30, 2020 by CAB Executive Director Carmelo L. Arcilla, a copy of which was obtained by BusinessMirror, said, “Please be informed that the IATF has yet to approve the routes for domestic operations in the first week of June 2020. Consequently, airlines are hereby advised to cancel their flights on June 1, 2020 and to stop selling tickets for the said date.” 

The advisory was released at around 7 p.m., and sent to the CEOs and other executives of the Air Carriers Association of the Philippines, Air Juan Aviation Inc., Air Philippines Corp., Airswift Transport Inc., Cebu Pacific, Cebgo, Isla Aviation Inc., PAL, Philippines Air Asia, and SkyJet Airlines. 

Following the CAB advisory, PAL revised its plans, and announced on Saturday evening that its domestic flights would resume on June 8. Aviation sources intimated CAB had actually approved the flights for June 1, but failed to inform the IATF. CAB officials did not respond to text messages from this paper.

Meanwhile, Undersecretary for Tourism Regulation, Coordination, and Resource Generation Arturo P. Boncato Jr. said several provinces in the south requested for a postponement of commercial flights to prepare their airports and resorts for hosting of tourists. Among these are Siargao and Boracay. 

“The provincial government of Surigao del Norte would like to prepare for the reopening of Siargao especially dealing with incoming flights and reopening of resorts, etc. They are working on their protocols,” he said. The province has requested the IATF for a “suspension of regular airport operations up to August 31,” and discourages the entry of tourists, as per the LGU’s Executive Order 20-018 issued on May 30.

Boncato added, “The province of Aklan and LGU of Malay are also doing simulations and dry runs for reopening and have yOn et to announce a reopening date.” Malay hosts Boracay Island, dubbed one of the best beaches in the world. The island is building a Covid-19 laboratory, in anticipation of the tourist influx, said the DOT official. 

Other provinces which have also declined to reopen for tourism were Bohol and Baguio. These provinces have been placed under MECQ and as per IATF regulations, are allowed to resume tourism activities.

On Saturday, the CAB also reminded airlines that they are not allowed to accept passengers going for leisure activities in areas under GCQ.

In an advisory signed on May 29, 2020 by Arcilla, the agency said, “Under the Omnibus Guidelines on Community Quarantine, movement in areas under GCQ for leisure purposes shall not be allowed.”

It also prohibited the travel of “persons below 21 years old,” as well as senior citizens, along with which have “immunodeficiency, comorbidities, or other health risks, and pregnant [women].… For purposes of compliance, airlines shall vet or screen departing passengers to confirm that the travel is for non-leisure purposes.”

The advisory, released Saturday morning, also reminded carriers on health and safety protocols to be followed in airports and onboard their aircraft, to protect crew and passengers from the novel coronavirus.

On Friday, the DOT clarified on Friday that under GCQ, tourism and leisure-related activities were still prohibited. (See, “No hotel operations, leisure travel allowed under GCQ,” in the BusinessMirror, May 30, 2020.) 

*This was my original story submitted to the desk, before it got wrapped with another reporter's copy. 

Gov't to remove people, not hotels in Boracay (UPDATED)

THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will be adopting a "low-density" plan for Boracay Island, as part of its efforts to rehabilitate the area and reduce the  latter's environment stress.

A high-ranking DENR official said, however, a low-density plan did not mean the number of hotels and resorts would be reduced, even as the agency finalizes the study on the island's carrying capacity.

In an interview with this writer, DENR Undersecretary for Attached Agencies Sherwin S. Rigor said the agency will be releasing the carrying capacity study “within this month, because we are finetuning [it]. We’re including the weight of the facility also, not just of human beings. The first question there was the carrying capacity of people. But we discovered also the degradation of the environmental areas there, including the use of land. So we included that as well.”

The inter-agency Task Force Boracay estimates that the carrying capacity of the island, hailed by travel publications as one of the best islands in the world for its long, powdery, white-sand beach, was breached in 2009, when visitor arrivals then reached some 650,000. Last year, visitor arrivals on the island reached 2 million, more than half of who were foreign tourists. 

(UPDATE Aug. 26: The Task Force already discussed the carrying capacity study commissioned by the DENR, and drawn up by scientists from UP Los Baños in their meeting last August 22, Wednesday. Members of the task force, however, have declined to release said study.)

The Environmental Literacy Council defines "carrying capacity" as an ecosystem's ability to support people and other living things without having any negative effects. "It also includes a limit of resources and pollution levels that can be maintained without experiencing high levels of change. If carrying capacity is exceeded, living organisms must adapt to new levels of consumption or find alternative resources. Carrying capacity can be affected by the size of the human population, consumption of resources, and the level of pollution and environmental degradation that results. Carrying capacity, however, need not be fixed and can be expanded through good management and the development of new resource-saving technologies."

Rigor said the DENR is “moving forward [toward making Boracay a] low density development” because right now, it is now “high density. It’s a matter of [the island’s] land use.” But he clarified that in moving towards a low-density development plan for Boracay, this would not mean a significant reduction of the number of hotels and resorts on the island. “Definitely there is decongestion. So you must decongest what part you want to decongest. Right now, [there are] the hotels, the tourists, the workers coming from the other islands who are not residents of Boracay. So we're willing to make a balance; the workers are the ones who will be transferred, just to make the [island focused] on tourism development.”

Task Force Boracay wants to use the masterplan designed by Architect Jun Palafox, which featureslow-rise accommodations, expansive green spaces, a rail system or environmentally-friendly transport vehicles, among others. But it was not clear if the Task Force would pay for the masterplan or the local government of Malay, which commissioned it.

Rigor also disabused the public’s perception that Boracay Island is overbuilt. “It's not overbuilt. It's overused and overpopulated. We will be making a full plan of it…. At present, we're planning to remove the workers living on Boracay. There are about 20,000-30,000 who occupy forestlands, wetlands, [and] lands owned by the government. So when we transfer them to the mainland, that will substantially decrease the population.” He said the 20,000 workers are in just one shift. In contrast, there were about 18,000 tourists who visited Boracay daily. 

He stressed that the DENR will likely not move to reduce the number of hotels and resorts on the island, “because there is still area you can build upon.” During the last hearing of the Senate Committee on Tourism, Senator Nancy S. Binay pointed out the need to determine the carrying capacity of the island before it is reopened, and found out that hotels and resorts were already selling their rooms in anticipation of said reopening. (See, “To open or not to open Boracay Island, that is the question for Binay,” in the BusinessMirror, July 17, 2018.)

But Rigor stressed that accommodation establishments on Boracay “cannot sell yet their rooms until they are compliant. Without the compliance, we will not open them. But we will open Boracay.”

The DOT has estimated that there are 430 hotels on Boracay, with rooms at some 15,000 as of March 2018. It also said it was targetting only 30 percent of the rooms to be available for tourist bookings by October 26, the announced date or Boracay's reopening. (See, "Only 30% of Boracay hotels seen opening by October 26," in the BusinessMirror, August 13, 2018.)

He expressed confidence that the rehabilitation of the island was still on track to reopen on October 26. “We still have 90 days. We're confident [we will reopen on schedule],” adding that the widening of the main road need not be 100-percent completed. “You just need to start where are the congestion of hotels,” he averred.

President Duterte ordered the closure of Boracay Island, once dubbed the “best beach in the world” by travel magazines, for six months beginning April 26. It was to make way for the government rehabilitation program, which entails the restoration of environmentally-stressed areas, completion of the sewerage system, removal of easement obstructions, widening of the main road, construction of a diversion road, and decongestion of the island of transport vehicles. 

In 2017, the island generated some P56 billion in tourism receipts.

New air pact, stronger DOT marketing to increase Singapore visitors to PHL

SINGAPORE continues to be the top source of tourists for the Philippines in the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), encouraging the Department of Tourism (DOT) to continue its strong marketing push in the city-state.

In 2013 there were 175,304 visitors from Singapore, up 18.09 percent from the arrivals in 2012. For the first month of 2014, the Singaporean market contributed 13,399 visitors to the Philippines, an increase of 10.46 percent from the January 2013 level.

There is optimism at the DOT that those numbers for Singapore would rise significantly over the next few months, with increased flights between the city-state and the Philippines, and a more strategic marketing initiative by government tourism bodies.

In an interview, Tourism Spokesman and Assistant Secretary for Market Development Benito Bengzon Jr. said one of the aims of the recently concluded air talks between the Philippines and Singapore was to grant additional traffic rights to the designated carriers of both countries. “The increase in frequencies and the opening of new routes would provide more opportunities to increase two-way traffic between the Philippines and Singapore,” Bengzon told the BusinessMirror.

He added that the agreement “also paves the way for promoting both countries, particularly to long-haul markets.” The designated Philippine carriers that would benefit from the new air pact are Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and Tiger Airways Philippines.

The Philippines and Singapore finalized a new air-service agreement in February, increasing the number of seats from Manila to Singapore to 17,600 per week, from 13,800 for each country.

Also, the new memorandum of understanding between both countries expands their fifth-freedom traffic rights, allowing Singapore carriers to pick up passengers from the Philippines, and bring them directly to China, on top of Osaka and Seoul. Philippine carriers, on the other hand, are now allowed to pick up passengers from Singapore to India, on top of Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok.

As such, the DOT will now “step up our market-development efforts in Singapore, targeting young couples, divers and expats,” Bengzon said.

For his part, Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Chief Operating Officer Domingo Ramon Enerio III said: “Singaporeans look for eco adventure and nature tour options because they’re surrounded by urban infrastructure with limited opportunities for outdoor activities. They look for the relaxing space to escape from their fast-paced work style.” The Philippines, he pointed out, offers Singaporeans that kind of escape from their urban jungle.

He added that “they’re our No. 1 market from Asean and have potential to grow even more.” TPB is an attached agency of the DOT tasked with marketing the Philippines to local and foreign tourists.

Meanwhile, in the first month of 2014, total visitors to the Philippines rose 5.8 percent to 461,383.

South Korea again emerged as the top market for the Philippines, with 118,308 visitors, accounting for 25.64 percent of the total. However, South Korean visitors dropped by 12.36 percent from 134,994 in January 2013.

In the second spot was the United States at 71,042, which accounted for 15.4 percent of market share; followed by China at 49,538 (10.74-percent market share); Japan at 35,160 (7.62 percent); Australia at 20,747 (4.5 percent); Canada at 16,413 (3.56 percent); Singapore at 13,399 (2.9 percent); Taiwan at 12,448 (2.7 percent); Hong Kong at 11,587 (2.51 percent); the United Kingdom at 11,098 (2.41 percent); Malaysia at 8,697 (1.88 percent); and Germany at 7,616 (1.65 percent).

Diplomatic issues aside, the mainland China market grew substantially by 98.53 percent from the January 2013 level of 24,952, as well as the Hong Kong market, which rose by 39.43 percent from 8,310. The Taiwanese market, however, slipped by 23.02 percent from 16,170 in January 2013.

(This piece was published in the BusinessMirror on March 27, 2014.)

Travel Bites: The 'Galapagos of Asia'

THE first time I heard about Sibuyan Island was from my father. During World War II, as the Japanese military forces spread to the Visayan region, my father’s family left home in Capiz and took refuge on the island, in the province of Romblon.

If you look at the map, it’s easy to see why. Sibuyan’s relative isolation it is one of the three major islands that make up Romblon—made it an ideal sanctuary from the vagaries of war. And while there has been intermittent commercial air service between Manila and Tablas (the larger of the province’s islands), travel to Sibuyan has mainly been via ferry or pumpboat.

On the upside, the island’s relative seclusion has kept its environment pristine. It’s been dubbed as the “Galapagos of Asia” because of its rich biodiversity, with over 50 tree species found unique only to Sibuyan, as well as a number of endangered mammals and birds that are endemic to the island. According to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) web site, “the forest density in Sibuyan is 1,551 trees per hectare, making it the densest forest ever recorded in the Philippines.”

Mount Guiting-Guiting is a favorite of mountain climbers. It's name is taken from the vernacular describing its jagged edges, or "guiting-guiting". (Photo from http://www.wowromblon.com/)

Many of these flora and fauna can be found deep in the forests of Sibuyan and are now endangered because of previous DENR policies that allowed the cutting of trees as well as commercial mining operations. Despite the fervent opposition of the local government, the Catholic Church, and Sibuyan residents to mining, the island was not included in President Aquino’s Executive Order on mining, which listed 78 protected zones (only Romblon island was categorized a “no-go” zone).

Every December, the main municipality of San Fernando celebrates the Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception (December 8) through the Pag-alad Festival, with costume and float parades, and street dancing. It’s best to visit Sibuyan during the dry months, although sea transports still operate during the monsoon season. Just be prepared for a rough and tumble ride.

Must-see's

After setting down your bags in your local inn or resort, you can hire a tricycle or Jeepney to take you around the island. Here are a few spots of interest:

Mount Guiting-Guiting is a favorite of mountaineers because of the tremendous challenges in climbing it. It is a series of jagged peaks—hence, the name guiting-guiting in the vernacular—so expect terrain pitches up to angles of 90 degrees. It was declared a national park in 1996; but the unfettered encroachment of upland settlers who live off the mountain has resulted in some areas of balding due to slash-and-burn farming. Still, it makes for a great hike in the lower regions of the mountain. Those who intend to climb to the summit need to secure a permit and a local guide at the DENR Substation in Barangay  Tampayan, in the town of Magdiwang. (For inquiries, contact: Hurley Salig, provincial environment officer of Odiongan, Romblon at (042)567-5030; or  0917-8831125).

Swim with the fish and shrimps in the Cantingas River, declared as the “cleanest inland body of water in the Philippines,” and the second-cleanest river in the world. The river has carved its own path amid a lush, fertile valley, which visitors can view in its entirety by climbing a viewing platform, or taking a zip-line ride hosted by the Cantingas River Resort in San Fernando. Thrillseekers can also jump off specific ledges and dive into the cool waters of the river. (Contact: Aniceto Aganan, 0906-1617708).

Firefly watching at the Magdiwang River (Photo from www.romblon.com)

Take a cruise at dusk along the Magdiwang River to watch fireflies! These winged beetles try to attract their mates or prey with their luminous bellies and are seen usually flitting about mangrove trees making the latter look like lit-up Christmas trees! After the one-hour cruise, you can have dinner at the river’s Floating Restaurant. There is also a fish sanctuary nearby which can be visited earlier, if you’re into snorkeling. (Contact: Teroy Rivero at 0919-802907).

Frolic in the cool waters of several waterfalls on the island. Busay Falls and Dagubdub Falls are in San Fernando, while Lambingan Falls is in Magdiwang. Be warned, however, that there is some amount of rock climbing and trekking involved so wear comfortable hiking shoes and bring a change of clothes. Aside from the rocks where these waterfalls flow over and around, there are a myriad of local flora that might be easily missed. On closer inspection, for instance, the carnivorous pitcher plants abound in Dagubdub Falls. Because of its height, Busay Falls is the most picturesque of the three. (Tricycles can take you to the various waterfalls but at some point, you have to hike the rest of the way.)

One shouldn’t miss the Cresta de Gallo Island, a relatively uninhabited islet 45 minutes away by outrigger pumpboat from Barangay Azagra in San Fernando. Although there are no resorts and other tourist facilities on the islet, it is getting popular because of its powdery white-sand beach, and an incredible swimming/snorkeling experience in its clear turquoise waters. Aside from multicolored fish, there are reported sightings of stingrays, turtles, even dolphins! A family that takes care of the islet is a useful source of information and can be approached to catch fresh fish for meals. An overnight stay is recommended just to max out your visit, but you have to bring all your camping essentials, as well as food and water.

An old 17th-centrury chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary of Candeleria can also be found in Azagra. Its stone façade and exteriors have been preserved but its interiors are modern. You can also visit Lamao Lake, a 7-hectare natural lake in the barangay and walk to its hills where a solar-powered lighthouse looks out to the sea. Wait for the sun to set and be amazed.

Needless to say, fresh seafood abound on Sibuyan Island so you can have a veritable array of choices from among the small carinderias, local resort restaurants and in the stalls in the public market. Due to the rising number of tourists on the island, a few restaurants serving pizzas and pastas have also cropped up in San Fernando.  Popular local delicacies include kinilaw, dried fish like the bulad, as well as spicy ginamos, the local version of the bagoong.

Where to stay

If you want to wake up amid lush surroundings with a view of the mighty Mount Guiting-Guiting, you may want to check out Sanctuary Garden Resort (http://sanctuarygardenresort.com/index.html) in Barangay Tampayan, Magdiwang. The accommodations are patterned after native huts and built of wood materials, with air-conditioned rooms for couples and groups. It offers local guided tours, free maps to nearby points of interest, as well as transportation for rent to go around the island (bikes, motorbikes, Jeepneys).

For clean and safe budget accommodations, go to Seabreeze Inn in San Fernando. The place is fairly well known among the locals so any tricycle can take you there. Its bamboo huts have verandas, which face the sea.

Getting there

Travelers with a reasonable amount of an adventurous streak will probably forget the slight amount of pain in getting to Sibuyan Island as soon as they sink into the breathtaking scenery.

From Manila, take a flight to Roxas City via PAL Express or Cebu Pacific, and then go to Culasi Port for a four- to six-hour pumpboat ride to Sibuyan Island.

You can also travel by sea from the Batangas Port to Sibuyan via Romblon. Shipping lines that travel to Romblon and Sibuyan Island are Montenegro Ferry (T# 043-723-6980/723-8294); Super Shuttle Ferry; Romblon Shipping Lines Inc.; Rapal Inter-island Shipping  (T# 872-5725); and the CSGA Ferry Corp.  (Check the Philippine Ports Authority Batangas Office for accurate departure schedules.)

For more on Sibuyan tourism, check out the Sibuyan Island Sentinels League for the Environment Inc. (http://www.sibuyan.com/tourism.html), which runs independent tours around the island.

(This piece was originally published in the BusinessMirror, June 24, 2013.)

Travel Bites: The Queen of the North

NAMED after Queen Isabela II of Spain, the province of Isabela is known as the largest corn producer in the country. Most of the corn is harvested and sold to feed millers who, in turn, sell the feeds to poultry and livestock growers. Isabela is also a major rice-production area, and known as the Rice Granary of the North.

Aside from being known for its agricultural commodities, Isabela is also trying to style itself as a tourism destination, recently highlighting a scarecrow festival called “Bambanti,” in gratitude of good harvests; and  promoting its historic churches, beaches, and extreme adventure activities.

Isabela is also home to the delicious Pancit Cabagan, made of miki, with hardboiled quail eggs, mixed vegetables, and topped with lechon carajay (Lechon kawali) and sliced red onions providing the crunch and spice. One taste and you will wonder where it’s been all your life.

Isabela has a number of historic churches—(top, left) is the Parish Church of Saint Matthias in Tumauini, with its belfry designed like a white wedding cake; and (top, right) is the San Pablo Church in San Pablo, said to be the oldest in the province. (Bottom, right) is teacher Jocelyn Taron, owner of the famous Josie Panciteria, which makes the best Pancit Cabagan in the province. She also sells pure cacao balls for chocolate drinks and dessert. (Photos are blogger's own/Created by Picstitch)

Must-see’s

One of the most popular tourist destinations in the province is the Saint Matthias Parish Church in the town of Tumauini, built in 1783. Made of red brick, its façade features headless statues of saints. To its right, its bell tower stands out like a white four-layered wedding cake, with piped red frosting. The church was closed when I visited it with friends last week but it was a truly impressive structure with its red bricks used as ornamental decoration, not just to build the structure itself.

Another church not to be missed is the San Pablo Church in the town of San Pablo. Work appears to be ongoing to restore the church, which was originally made of adobe and soft stone. Built in 1624, it is said to be the oldest in Isabela, and its belfry reputed to be the tallest in the entire Cagayan Valley.

For more history, take a trip to Palanan where Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo surrendered to the American forces in March 1901, thus ending the Philippine Revolution. On the supposed site where the first Philippines President was captured now stands the Aguinaldo Shrine.

Palanan also has a number of white-sand beaches with crystal-clear waters (Culasi Beach, Kanaipang Beach and Dicotcotan Beach), as well as waterfalls ideal for swimming and picnics (Dicarangayan Falls, Diminalno Falls, Disadsad Falls and Sisangkilan Falls). There are no hotels and resorts here, so most visitors stay at the homes of hospitable residents.

While not as massive as the Hoover Dam in Colorado, Magat Dam (Barangay Aguinaldo, Ramon town) still makes one impressive sight. At the time of its construction in the 1980s, it was the largest in Asia. A tourism resort complex has since been built, allowing visitors have a picnic, and even take a boat ride in the reservoir lake with waters supplied by the Magat River, a tributary of the mighty Cagayan River. Magat Dam supplies both hydroelectric power to the province and helps irrigate its farms.

What was once used mainly by illegal loggers to ferry their illicitly cut timber, the Abuan River is now being promoted as the country’s next whitewater rafting destination. Now the bugadores (timber haulers) have been trained as boatmen, skillfully navigating the river’s rapids. There’s also a calmer portion in the river where visitors can kayak. The main tour of Abuan River includes a trek to the three-tier Sulimanan Falls, as well as some rappelling. (Call Luis Caraan at 0927-6556-845 or e-mail him at lcaraan@wwf.org.ph for inquiries, or Anton Carag Jr. of Adventures and Expeditions Philippines Inc. at 0917-5327480/E-mail  anton@whitewater.ph for tours.)

How about visiting some farms in Cauayan City? Visitors can pick fruits at the Cortez Fruit Farm and pay for these before leaving, or admire the flowers and other ornamentals at the Dacuycuy Farms. After, drop by the Mushroom Center at Barangay Tagaran and pick up some fresh oyster mushrooms, pickles, burger patties and other mushroom-based products. (To arrange the farm visits, call the Department of Tourism in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan at 078-844-1621 or e-mail cvtourism2@gmail.com.)

For a different kind of dining experience, drop by Josie  Panciteria (13 National Highway, Purok 7, Anao, Cabagan, near the Milagros Hospital.  0919-2509140) for her Pancit Cabagan made more savory because the broth she uses is made from boiling pork bones all day. A teacher, Josie Taron also makes pure dark chocolate balls from the cacao seeds she purchases from her students; the balls can be mixed in hot water to make a chocolate drink, or eaten as is, like dessert. So every purchase of these chocolate balls also helps Cabagan students stay in school.

Where to stay

Truth to tell, there are very limited choices for accommodations in Isabela, offering only basic facilities and amenities, with inns mostly run by families. Among those recommended by the DOT are: Amity Inn (National Highway, Cauayan/ 078-652-2010); Grand Cauayan Hotel (Don Ancilliary Street, Cauayan 078-635-2023; Queen Jennifer Hotel & Restaurant (National Highway, San Fermin, Cauayan/078-652-0066 or 0077); Hotel Romans Ville (Rizal Street, Centro, Ilagan/078-624-2029); Marjs Hotel (Gangan Avenue, San Vicente, Ilagan/ 078-622-3599); and San Antonio Hotel (12 Burgos Stree., Ilagan/078-624-2170).

You may want to drive the four hours to Tuguegarao City instead if you plan to stay only overnight. Stay at the new Villa Victoria Hotel (11-a Highway Pengue-Ruyu Tuguegarao/078-844- 0436) with its clean and tastefully-designed rooms. Love its crispy fried chicken.

Getting there

Cebu Pacific flies to Cauayan, Isabela every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Cyclone Airways flies from Cauayan City to Palanan every Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

By land, you can take the bus to Isabela via Victory Liner, GV Florida (T# 352-5393), and Baliwag Transit (T# 912-3343/912-3361).

You can also drive to Isabela via the North Luzon Expressway passing through San Fernando, Pampanga, going to Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija, via the Pan-Philippine Highway. Staying on the same highway, you will pass Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya, then reach Santiago City, Isabela.  Cauayan, where the provincial airport is located, is about 20 kilometers away. From Cauayan to Ilagan, the provincial capital, is about 25 km. The trip from Manila is about six to eight hours, depending on your speed. (For more on Isabela tourism and tour packages, click www.dotregion2.com.ph/d2/)

(This piece was originally published in the BusinessMirror, June 17, 2013. All rights reserved for these photos.)

Travel Bites: Metro Naga eyes 20% hike in tourists by 2016 on higher infrastructure spend

METRO Naga is projecting a 20-percent growth in tourist arrivals over the next three years, as it positions itself as a premier destination in the Bicol region.

This developed as Naga City Mayor John Bongat told  the BusinessMirror he is looking to spend some P1 billion for tourism-related infrastructure projects over the medium term that would further boost the area’s chances of attracting more visitors.

“We will solicit support from national government sources,” he said of the proposed budget. Bongat was in Manila on Friday to launch Naga Excursions (Naga X), a tourism brand that pushes the exciting destinations of Metro Naga—composed of 16 local government units in the province of Camarines Sur, with Naga City as its anchor.

One of the most popular festivals in Bicol is the feast day of Our Lady of Peñafrancia, which features a fluvial procession. (Photo by Remate)

About P400 million to P600 million of the proposed infrastructure budget will be spent to rehabilitate the Naga River. “This is the site of the fluvial parade [during the Feast of the Our Lady of Peñafrancia], so we would like to help the river recover, construct a plaza and other gathering areas along its banks,” said Alec Francis Santos, chief of the Arts, Culture and Tourism Office of Naga City, the capital of Camarines Sur.

The rest of the P1-billion proposed budget would be for the repair and construction of roads, bridges, promenades and walkways.

In 2013, the national government allocated P52 million to build a city museum in Naga in memory of the late Interior and Secretary Jesse Robredo, Santos added.

He also said Bongat had recently written a letter to Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya for help in upgrading the Naga City Airport, which is regularly flooded during the monsoon season. The mayor is also seeking Abaya’s support to raise the priority of return flights from Naga, so planes would be able to land on time in Manila.

According to the General Appropriations Act of 2013, the Department of Public Works and Highways is constructing some P338 million in tourism infrastructure projects in Camarines Sur this year. The projects are mainly for the upgrading and improvement of roads to specific tourism areas in the province.

“Metro Naga is now gearing up and positioning itself as the tourism hub for Region 5 [Bicol region],” said Bongat, who is also chairman of the Metro Naga Development Council (MNDC), which groups 16 local governments representing the municipalities of Bombon, Bula, Calabanga, Camaligan, Canaman, Gainza, Libmanan, Magarao, Milaor, Minalabac, Ocampo, Pamplona, San Fernando, Pili, Pasacao and Naga City. The MNDC is an initiative funded by the Canadian International Development Agency through the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

The group “seeks to bring about accelerated, equitable and sustainable growth and development by maximizing the resources of its members, following an integrated area development framework. Through local economic development, the MNDC seeks to strengthen the links between urban Naga City and its neighboring rural municipalities to widen the economic benefits derived from its phenomenal growth,” says its project web site.

“For a long time, tourists going to Camarines Sur stay in Metro Naga. So we’ve identified destinations that are ready for promotions, as well as others for tourism development,” said Santos.

Naga X is designed as a one-stop shop for tourists, offering a variety of “highly customizable” travel packages that cover accommodations, tours and other activities in key destinations in Metro Naga, connecting to other tourist sites in the other provinces in Camarines Sur. The province has 35 towns and two cities.

Caramoan is often called the Secret Paradise because of its distance from major urban cities or centers of commerce. It is a favorite location for the reality TV series, Survivor. (Photo from http://www.caramoan.co/)

The packages feature trips to nearby islands like Caramoan, the location for various Survivor series (Islands Excursions), churches like the Minor Basilica of the Virgin of Peñafrancia (Pilgrimage Excursions), cultural landmarks via walking tour of Centro Naga (Heritage Excursions), or a hike through the Mount  Isarog National Park (Highlands Excursions), among other places, with rates starting as low as P550 per person.

Basic inclusions in the package tours are ground handling (land and boat transfers), Department of Tourism (DOT) accredited tour guides and travel insurance.

“Naga X is also a consortium that groups local players in the tourism industry that includes hotels, transport providers, tour operators, restaurants, coffee shops, spas and allied services,” added Santos. All of the members cooperate in marketing Metro Naga, and are expected to adhere to strict standards for operations to make the tourist experience truly satisfying.

From 3.1 million tourists in 2010, tourists to the Bicol region have leaped by almost 20 percent to 3.7 million, according to DOT data. Of the total visitor arrivals in the region, Metro Naga/Camarines Sur accounted for 34 percent in 2010, steadily growing to 51 percent, or 1.9 million arrivals in 2012. Domestic travelers comprise the bulk of the visitor arrivals in Camarines Sur, while foreign tourists account for some 25 percent.

Bongat said the construction of the Camsur Watersports Complex  (CWC) in Pili has helped spur tourism in Metro Naga and the entire province.

Aside from the CWC, the annual festival celebrating the feast day of the Virgin of Peñafrancia plus meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) have helped attract more tourists to the province.

Santos added that tourism receipts generated in Metro Naga alone grew by 23.5 percent to P741 million in 2012 from P600 million in 2010.

The growth in tourist arrivals in Camarines Sur has encouraged more private-sector investments in the accommodations sector, he said. From only 22 hotels in 2000, with 551 rooms, there were 56 hotels with 1,609 rooms in Metro Naga as of the end of 2012, which included the Eurotel hotel chain. He also said some 200 more rooms will be added to the accommodations sector this year.

Metro Naga is easily accessible by land or air. PAL Express and Cebu Pacific  fly daily to Naga City. By land, which usually takes eight hours, tourists can take the bus via Philtranco, Peñafrancia Tours or Isarog Line , Cagsawa Travel and Tours (T# 913-4514/0917-6063918)  and DLTB Co. 

(This piece was originally published in the BusinessMirror on June 3, 2013.)

Travel Bites: The smiling land of beauty

THE province of Cagayan is known as a spelunker’s and game fisher’s paradise.

It has a number of caves that attract the adventurous who bravely go into their deeper recesses to gaze at formations that took millions of years to shape by dripping water.

With the waters from the Pacific Ocean swirling in to meet the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea), a mix of fish species can be caught off the municipality of Santa Ana and Palaui Island, which sports fishers say can rival even Hawaii’s best fishing areas.

Tourists will also likely enjoy visiting Cagayan’s historic churches, hiking through its lush mountains, or just chilling by the beach.

Palaui Island is a declared marine reserve and features a white beach, rugged terrain, and an ancient lighthouse. (Photo from http://www.islandsofthephilippines.com/)

Its most celebrated time of the year is the Aggao na Cagayan held in the province’s capital of Tuguegarao City every year  from June 23 to 29, with the last day having been declared a non-working holiday since then-President Ferdinand Marcos’s time. This year will be the festival’s 430th year, which will likely be observed with beauty contests, sports tournaments, street dancing, an exhibit of local art and indigenous products and a trade fair.

Also during the month of August, Tuguegarao residents gather for their annual Pav-vurulun Festival. The weeklong affair features a variety of activities in honor of its patron saint, Saint Hyacinth, whose feast day is on August 16.

While in Cagayan, one must not miss its famous dish called Pancit Batil-Patong, made up of miki noodles and topped with minced carabao meat, pork chicharon, bean sprouts and other vegetables and a sunny-side up egg. It is usually mixed with a sauce of vinegar, soy sauce and calamansi with chopped onions.

Must-see’s

FIRST stop in a tour of the province should be the Cagayan Provincial Museum and Historical Research Center (Capitol Hills, Tuguegarao City). It features extensive research on the Callao Cave, where the fossilized remains of the so-called Callao Man were discovered in 2007. While research is still ongoing on the Callao Man’s origins, some believe he could antedate the 47,000-year-old Tabon Man and could be the ancestor of the Atis, who were the first indigenous tribe in Cagayan. The museum also houses antique pieces and religious artifacts.

The Callao Cave (municipality of Peñablanca) with its seven chambers is probably the most popular tourist spot in the province. It has magnificent limestone rock formations, which look like an elephant’s head, an angel, a dog’s head, a lion’s head, etc. Shafts of light illuminate darker recesses of the cave through natural crevices in the rocks. Locals have turned its first chamber into a chapel.

One must climb about 190 steps to get to the cave’s main entrance. Local tour guides are available to take visitors into the cave. (Getting there: From the city’s main terminal, take a jeep or tricycle going to the town of Peñablanca—you can ask the driver to drop you at the dock where bancas ply the clean and scenic Pinacanauan River, which will lead you to the Callao Cave. Local entrance fees apply.)

With some 300 caves that can be explored in Cagayan, it’s best to consult professional spelunkers to guide you. Contact the Sierra Madre Outdoor Club (078-844-2359/0917-2726-494. Look for Francisco Battung).

Pinacanauan River itself is a tourist attraction and visitors can pay the boatmen a fee to take them around the river. By 6 p.m., there is a particular spot on the river where one can marvel at the scores of bats flying out to look for their first meal of the day.

The Basilica Minore de Nuestra Señora de Piat (The Basilica of Our Lady of Piat) is dubbed the Pilgrimage Center of the North as thousands of devotees go there to pray to the over 400-year-old Black Virgin Mary. There is a stairway that leads to the back of the Lady, where devotees can touch her dress through small windows. The feast of the Lady is on July 2. (From the Tuguegarao City terminal, take a bus or jeep going to Piat.)

The Basilica of Our Lady of Piat, above, 

and its most venerated resident, below. 

(Photos from www.cagayanvalley.com)

One should also drop by the Saints Peter and Paul Metropolitan Cathedral along Rizal Street, Tuguegarao City,  famous for its five-story belltower. White columns frame the structure built from red bricks. Another must-visit is the Iguig Church and the nearby Calvary Hills, whose main attraction is the life-sized 14 Stations of the Cross. (From Tuguegarao, take a passenger van to Iguig, then a tricycle to Calvary Hills.)

If you’re into game fishing, check out the municipality of Santa Ana, on the north coast of Cagayan. (Take a passenger van from Tuguegarao to San Vicente—about three hours away). The waters are home to the Pacific sailfish, Pacific black and Pacific blue marlin, Giant Trevally, Sailfish, Wahoo, King Mackerel, Dorado and the barracuda. The Philippine Game Fishing Foundation (PGFF) (http://pgff.net/xe/index.php) hosts regular local and international game fishing competitions there. Planes may be chartered to land at the Philippine Navy Camp where the PGFF maintains its own fishing camp.

Some local anglers also make the 12- to 14-hour trip from Manila to Santa Ana, dragging their own light boats for deployment in waters. April to June are the usual months for sailfishing, but other anglers are known to catch fish even during the monsoon season.

From the port in San Vicente, one can also take a boat trip to Palaui Island where a centuries-old lighthouse still stands. (Supposedly the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority is undertaking its rehabilitation.) Located on a hill in Cape Engaño (a 30-minute hike), the lighthouse and its environs provide a panoramic view of the rolling terrain and the surrounding waters, the same overwhelming raw beauty one can see in Batanes.

Santa Ana is also home to the pristine Anguib Beach with its creamy white sand perfect for lying around under sun. Its waters are quite shallow but so transparent, one can see through straight to the sea floor. There are no beachfront resorts here, which probably explains why it remains to be in relatively immaculate condition. There are small huts for rent where you can store your stuff and eat. There are grilling stations where you can cook freshly caught seafood by fisherfolk. (Either take tricycle ride from town proper or a boat ride from the San Vicente pier.)

Another beach that shouldn’t be missed is the remote Centinela Beach in the town of Claveria, with its fine sand and tranquil waters. (Take a passenger bus from Tuguegarao to Claveria, then a tricycle to the beach.)

Check out the Department of Tourism’s web site for other interesting sights in Cagayan.

Where to stay

IN Tuguegarao City, try out the newly opened Hotel Lorita (67 Rizal Street, 078-846-2565) with its inexpensive rooms, and a courteous staff that go out of their way to make each guest’s stay very memorable. It’s also located strategically in the city proper, and has its own café.

In Santa Ana check into Jotay Resort (http://www.jotayresort.com) with its clean rooms, swimming pool and Internet access. It also offers boat trips for sport fishing or beach tours. It has a shuttle bus service from Tuguegarao.

Getting there

PHILIPPINE Airlines and Cebu Pacific fly daily to Tuguegarao.

You can also take the bus from Manila to Tuguegarao via Victory Liner from its Pasay City terminal or Florida Bus from its Sampaloc, Manila, terminal (T# 743-3809/912-5354/781-5894).

By private vehicle, from the North Luzon Expressway passing San Fernando, Pampanga, drive along the national highway all the way through Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija; Bayombong City, Nueva Vizcaya; then taking the Santiago-Tuguegarao road in Santiago, Isabela, and arriving in Tuguegarao. The trip takes about  seven to10 hours depending on your car speed and the number of stops you make along the way.

(This piece was originally published in the BusinessMirror on May 27, 2013.)

Travel Bites: An island born of fire

SAY “Camiguin,” and at once, it conjures up images of the round, luscious, fleshy fruit called lanzones.

The volcanic soil on this island off Misamis Oriental has made it possible for the lanzones as well as other fruits and vegetables to thrive lushly in Camiguin. Lanzones-growing is a major source of livelihood for most Camiguingnons.

As such, every third week of October, the island erupts into a four-day festival celebrating the small pale-brown balls of golden sweetness, with a street dancing contest, a parade, a trade fair and a beauty pageant.

Just a little under 30,000 hectares, the pear-shaped island has seven volcanoes including Mount Hibok-Hibok (also known as Catarman Volcano), still considered active with the last rumblings and eruptions occurring between 1948 and 1951. With such volcanic activities, it’s no wonder Camiguin has often been described as  an “island born of fire.”

Camiguin Island has beaches including a white sandbar, hot springs, water falls and deep diving spots filled with corals and colorful marine life. It is also rich in religious history and is known for the annual Holy Week pilgrimage called Panaad Festival. Locals and visitors, as part of their religious vow (saad in Cebuano), walk the main circumferential road hugging the island’s coastline, and praying the Stations of the Cross while trekking up the walkway of Mount Vulcan.

The friendly and helpful locals speak Cebuano, although indigenous tribes possibly of the original Manobo settlers, still speak their own Kinamiguin dialect.

The best time of the year to visit Camiguin is from April to July, during the dry season.

Street dancer shows off newly-harvested lanzones during the four-day Lanzones Festival in Camiguin. (Photo from http://www.timonera.com)

Must-see’s

The White Island is actually a sandbar that takes on different shapes  depending on the tides, but most often it is splayed out under the sun, much like the beachgoers who are there to swim, snorkel or sunbathe.  (It disappears during high tide.)

There are also a number of gray to black-sand beaches along the island’s coastline, though the most popular, such as the Yumbing Beach (where one can admire the golden setting sun) and Camiguin Beach, are in the main municipality of Mambajao.  Toward the south in Barangay Cantaan, 30 minutes away from Mambajao, is the Kabila White Beach, a secluded cove that has a giant clam nursery. (Donations to the foundation operating the nursery are encouraged.)

In 1871, a massive volcanic eruption occurred in Camiguin, wiping out a 175-year-old Spanish settlement in the municipality of Catarman. What remain are the adobe walls and belfry of Catarman Church (Guiob Church). Inside the ruins is a tiny chapel. Aside from the Catarman Church Ruins, there is also a cross nearby marking the community cemetery, which sank during the 1871 eruption. The area is also a popular dive site.

Aside from the beaches, there are also breathtaking waterfalls such as the Katibawasan Falls, which drops from a height of some 80 meters into an icy-cold pool below. The area is also teeming with orchids, ferns and other vegetation. It is about 20-minute ride from the Mambajao town proper.

Tuasan Falls in Barangay Mainit, Catarman, cascades from a height of 25 meters. It’s not exactly the easiest spot to go to as this involves some hiking along a cliff to reach a river to the falls. But visitors are rewarded with its pristine beauty and natural rock formations.

Being a volcanic island, Camiguin is also rich in hot and cool sulfur springs. There is the Ardent Hot Spring in Barangay Esperanza in Tagdo, about 2 km away from the Mambajao town proper. There are several pools fed by Mount Hibok Hibok but one is just truly hot, making a swim there truly rejuvenating. Food and picnic tables are available onsite.

The Macaw Cold Spring in Barangay Tupsan Pequeno, Mahinog town, has a deep smoky-blue color supposedly because it is rich in minerals. You can take a dip—entrance is free—or hike around the area, which has lush vegetation. It’s about 12 km south of Mambajao.

Mount Hibok-Hibok is still considered an active volcano. Its previous eruptions have made the soil in Camiguin rich in nutrients and thus, a good area to grow crops. (Photo from http://tropicalvacationspotsblog.com

Must-do’s

Do snorkel or dive in Camiguin as it has a number of rich diverse dive sites, with an abundant marine life. Recommended dive sites are the Jicduf Shoal, Burias Shoal and Kantaan Dive Site (for advanced divers), Mantigue Island, Cabuan Point, to name a few.

Feast on the local cuisine and delicacies. It has grilled chicken; pastel, a soft bun filled with yema (Vjandep Bakeshop, 57 Plaridel Street, Mambajao/T# 088-387-0049); kiping, which is made from sweet potato and served deep-fried with latik (coconut sauce);  and an assortment of seafood. There are respectable Italian and Mexican restaurants on the island as well.

Check out Little Bridges Taberna Ramada (Anito Barangay Road, Anito) for its muffins and quiches, creamy cheesy lasagna and pizza.

If you’re an avid mountaineer, do climb the challenging Mount Hibok-Hibok. Once you reach its peak, you are rewarded with stunning views of Bohol, Cebu and Negros provinces.

Pastel, a soft roll filled with sweet yema, is one of the more famous food delicacies in Camiguin. (Photo from Vjandep Pastel FB account)

Where to stay

Casa Roca Inn (http://www.casarocacamiguin.com/) along the National Highway in Naasag, Mambajao, is a full-service bed and breakfast, where the attraction is not only the sea that guests can look out to from their bedroom balconies, but its owners Jim and Evelyn who make every guest feel at home. They also whip up fantastic feasts that will make every tummy sing. The entire house is also available for rent for large groups of families and friends.

Golden Sunset Beach Resort (T# 088-387-9163) in Barangay Yumbing, Mambajao, just lies across the famous White Island—you are there in just 10 minutes. Its rooms are spacious and clean, with a salt-water pool that also overlooks a wide expanse of ocean.

Getting there: There are flights to Cagayan de Oro City from Manila, Bacolod, Cebu and Davao,  or via major carriers. From Cagayan de Oro, take a cab to the Agora Market, where buses go to the town of Balingoan. From there, catch a ferry going to Camiguin.

(For more on Camiguin island, check the Facebook page of the Camiguin Tourism Office, or you may call 088-3871-097 local 120, or e-mail: camiguin.tourism@gmail.com).

(This piece was originally published in the BusinessMirror, April 29, 2013.)

DOT targets over 1 million tourists in 1st quarter, 2014

THE Department of Tourism (DOT) has projected “over 1 million” foreign visitors by the end of the first quarter this year, as it intensifies its marketing efforts for the Philippines in Asia, the Middle East and Europe.

This was the optimistic prediction of Tourism Secretary Ramon R. Jimenez Jr. even as he announced the agency’s visitor arrivals target for 2014 at 6 million, down from the 6.8 million target the agency officially uses for budgeting purposes.

The Philippines has missed its visitors’ targets in the past two years owing to diplomatic issues, political skirmishes in the south and natural calamities, which have discouraged the arrival of more foreign tourists.

In an interview on the sidelines of the Philippine Economic Briefing, entitled “Enhancing Resilience to Sustain Inclusive Growth,” at the Philippine International Convention Center on Tuesday (March 18), Jimenez expressed confidence that some 500,000 foreign visitors arrived in January and February this year.

The first quarter of the year usually brings in foreign tourists, especially for the Yuletide-New Year holiday, as well as the Chinese New Year. Last year the Philippines attracted 1.15 million visitors in the first quarter alone.

The DOT chief said his agency is intensifying the Philippines’s exposure in markets, such as Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Russia, India and the Middle East.

This is aside from the DOT’s new marketing tack to promote the Philippines and its major provincial destinations in the European market.

In an interview with the BusinessMirror in January, Tourism Assistant Secretary for Market Development Benito Bengzon Jr. said: “For 2014, we have identified new opportunity markets in Europe, such as France, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Italy, Spain and Russia. Through a strong market development push, we hope to generate more than 250,000 arrivals from these markets, with France and Russia expected to provide about 50,000 each. Together with existing key markets in Europe, such as the United Kingdom and Germany, we hope to generate a total of over half-a-million visitors from Europe this year.” (Click "DOT ‘sees’ 5.7M tourists in 2014; more Europeans eyed," BusinessMirror, Jan. 11, 2014.)

Meanwhile, Jimenez said the agency will also be implementing “tactical campaigns” for Shanghai, Singapore and Hong Kong.

“The Philippines’s is Singapore’s value extension, especially when we become the destination of cruise lines that are docked in Singapore. That is why we are working closely with the Singapore Tourism Board and cruise-line companies, such as Carnival Cruises, Genting World [Star Cruises], Royal Caribbean International, etc., on this,” he explained.

While Chinese tourists continue to flock to the Philippines for rest and recreation, diplomatic issues between both countries continue to put a damper on their arrival.

Similarly, Hong Kong’s recent visa restrictions on travel to the region affecting Philippine government officials indicate the continuing undercurrent of tension between both countries, stemming from the botched rescue of Hong Kong tourists in 2010, and the Philippine government’s refusal to apologize for it.

Chinese visitors accounted for 9.11-percent market share of the 4.7 million total tourists to the Philippines last year; Singapore was 3.74 percent; and Hong Kong 2.69 percent.

Jimenez’s optimism is also shaped by the fact that the Philippines is looking to add at least 26 new inbound flights that would generate some 10,404 additional seats per week.

These new inbound flights and additional flight frequencies could come from Indonesia, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Japan, Brazil and New Zealand, which have conducted bilateral air negotiations with the Philippines recently.

During the economic briefing, Jimenez stressed the importance of developing competitive tourism products and destinations, which can fuel inclusive growth through generating quality jobs and business opportunities in host communities.

“The merits of visiting the Philippines have been noticed by publications such as Condé Nast and the New York Times in the past year. Our international tourist receipts have grown by 15.38 percent in 2013. However, we are not going to rest on our laurels, but continue to develop competitive tourism products and destinations so that we can augment and sustain this rapid growth well into the future.”

(This piece was originally published in the BusinessMirror, Jan. 11, 2014.)