My favorite destinations in the Philippines

THE cool, powdery-white sands of Boracay.

The massive limestone cliffs in El Nido.

The clear, blue waters of Cebu.

The lush, rolling hills of Batanes.

The almost-perfect cone of majestic Mayon Volcano.

These are just some of the awe-inspiring sites to behold when traveling around the Philippines.

I’ve been fortunate to have traveled to quite a number of lovely places in the country primarily because of my profession, and due to a brief stint in the government in the early '90s, accompanying three successive Cabinet secretaries who frequently monitored their agency’s provincial projects.

Nothing compares to the beauty of the Philippines, simply because it offers a myriad of choices to travelers of all persuasions and budgets. And whether you’re a fellow Filipino or a foreigner, one can be sure of friendly locals at these tourist destinations, eager to help and ensure you have a great time.

Here are some of my favorite places in the country:

Albay
Mayon Volcano as seen from the Cagsawa Ruins.
THE still-active Mayon Volcano is one of the most moving and powerful sights I’ve ever been fortunate to behold in my life. Its near-perfect cone is simply breathtaking.

Aside from trekking to the volcano, you can also take an all-terrain vehicle straight up to the lava front. Other sites to visit are the Our Lady of the Gate Parish Church in Daraga that was built in the 18th century, the Cagsawa Ruins, Busay Falls, and Liñgon Hills where an underground tunnel built by the Japanese forces can be found.

Of course, the best part about visiting Albay is eating spicy Bicolano dishes, such as Bicol Express, a variety of meats and fishes cooked with coconut milk, and my favorite dried fish called New Look.

Where to stay: Hotel Venezia (www.hotelvenezia.com.ph) if you’re staying in Legazpi City and want comfortable, clean and value-for-money accommodations. For a luxury feel, check out Misibis Bay Resort in Cagraray Island (www.misibisbay.com).

Batanes
A traditional Ivatan stone house in Basco, Batanes.
SOME foreigners have compared Batanes to Scotland because of its wide-open spaces, lush greenery and deep-plunging cliffs.

Take a trip to “Marlboro Country”—a rolling hill with horses and cows roaming around or feeding on the grass. Visit colorful old churches, such as the Basco Cathedral built in 1783, the Mahatao Church (1787), San Jose Church (1814), etc. And if you can take a seasickness-inducing boat ride to Sabtang (one of three major inhabited islands of Batanes), drop by Savidug, a village of traditional limestone houses still used by the locals (or Ivatans).

Where to stay: Batanes Resort is a 10-minute ride from the capital, and sits on a hill overlooking the sea. Built to resemble the Ivatan houses, the establishment is clean and inexpensive, with basic amenities, such as hot and cold water. They also serve local Ivatan cuisine where I got my first taste of fried flying fish—delish! (For inquiries and reservations, call 927-2393, 0927-5829078.)

Bohol
The tarsier is one of the more popular tourist attractions in Bohol. (Photo by www.nocturnal-animals.com/.)

ASIDE from the world-famous Chocolate Hills, the must-see places in Bohol are the 18th-century churches, such as the baroque-inspired Baclayon Church and Loboc Church, which has an extensive collection of images of various and other religious paraphernalia.

Have a hearty lunch of Boholano dishes while cruising down Loboc River, then visit the smallest primate in the world, the tarsier, in several of the minizoos located along the river.

Other activities include swimming on Alona beach, scuba-diving on Balicasag Island, and dolphin-watching on Pamilican Island.

I was recently told that my favorite resort no longer offers the best customer experience so better click www.bohol.ph/resorts.php for a list of accommodations.

Boracay Island, Aklan
Boracay - the all-time best beach in the country and one of the most popular in the world.

NO doubt the long stretch of white-sand beach and its clear turquoise waters are still the major reasons people continue to flock to Boracay.

Aside from the usual island tours, spa massages, food tripping and bar hopping, and banana-boat rides, there is an amazing number of fun activities that can also be pursued. There’s rolling down a hill in a zorb (www.facebook.com/zorbboracay), feeding the fish while helmet diving, and para-sailing, to name a few.

Visitors have a choice of resorts featuring the barest minimum amenities to the most luxurious, while foodies will surely enjoy an array of local and international cuisine cooked with the most authentic ingredients.

Where to stay: Discovery Shores in Station 1, if you want the best luxury accommodations with the friendliest staff to boot (www.discoveryshoresboracay.com); and Sun Villa in Station 2, for a quiet escape, the best value spa, and home-cooked cuisine (www.boracaysunresorts.com.ph/villa.htm).

Cebu
Visit the Taoist Temple in Cebu City, and make your petitions to the gods.

I HAVE loved Cebu since I started going there in the 1980s. One can be sure of warm, friendly smiles, an inexpensive but belly-busting meal, and just great entertainment because after all, isn’t this the land of country’s best singers? And, of course, the tasty, herb-filled Cebu lechon is simply one of the best-tasting in the country.

Some of the most interesting sites are the Shrine of Magellan’s Cross which was planted by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan’s men upon his arrival in Cebu in 1521; the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño where the oldest image of the Christ Child is enshrined; and the Taoist Temple, which is guarded by fierce dragons and where the local Chinese go to pray and seek favors from ancestors and ancient gods.

Also take a trip to Carcar, which is less than an hour drive from the city, which is famous for its chicharon, leather sandals, Spanish-era and American-period houses, and the historic St. Catherine’s Church, which is the second-oldest church in Cebu, after the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño.

Where to stay: BE Resort in Mactan for its hip, cool interiors, beach and tasty restaurant dishes (www.beresorts.com); Islands Stay Hotel in Cebu City for a value-chic stay (www.islandsstay.com) accessible to major malls, offices and tourist sites in the city.

Davao
Dr. Bo Puentespina's 'bird talk' at the Malagos Garden Resort's interactive bird show. (Photo courtesy Malagos Garden Resort.)

DAVAO’S marketing slogan “From islands to highlands” says it all.

You will need boundless energy and at least a week to enjoy all the pleasurable offerings of this region.

Climb Mount Apo and catch the sun breaking through the clouds; visit the mighty but endangered Philippine eagle at the Philippine Eagle Center; watch an entertaining interactive bird show at the Malagos Garden Resort; see the creepy bat cave on Samal island; or go ziplining in what is reputed to be Asia’s longest, which is definitely not for the faint-hearted.

Eating durian can be a challenge to first-time visitors—it tastes like heaven but smells like hell, goes a local saying—so if the smell is off-putting, you can try its other variants like candies, coffee (at the homegrown Blu Gre café), or ice cream (Donnabelle brand). Other than durian, pomelo and mangosteen are also plentiful and readily available in the market, supermarkets, and roadside fruit stands.

One of the remarkable food finds in Davao is the artisanal goat cheeses under the brand of Malagos Farms which are comparable in texture and taste to the foreign brands.

Where to stay: Marco Polo Hotel (www.marcopolohotels.com) is still the finest hotel in the city with its large comfortable rooms, and possibly the best Chinese restaurant in the area.

Palawan
Massive limestone cliffs dot the clear torquoise waters of El Nido, Palawan. (Photo from www.e-philippines.com.ph.)

ONE of my most memorable trips has got to be in El Nido, in northern Palawan.

Take a pump-boat ride and marvel at the colossal limestone cliffs or swim in the clean waters of Bacuit Bay where you can see schools of colorful fishes and other marine life. Or why not stop by a sandbar and enjoy the cold powder-fine, white sand under your feet?

Where to stay: Miniloc Island Resort (www.elnidoresorts.com) is in itself a tourist attraction, with its lush surroundings and water cottages built on stilts.

A must-see in Palawan is the Puerto Princesa Underground River, which has been gaining a massive amount of publicity since it was named one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature. The main attraction is the St. Paul’s underground cave where stalactites and stalagmites have formed over the years.

Where to stay: Hotel Fleuris in Puerto Princesa (www.fleuris.com) loves hosting groups—whether families or friends, so make sure you avail yourself of its barkada package.

By no means is this list complete. There are so many other gorgeous places to visit in the Philippines, and where travelers are assured of warm smiles and fun times.

(This piece was originally published in the BusinessMirror, Feb. 26, 2012. All photos by this blogger, unless otherwise specified. All rights reserved.)

Festivals of the Odd

Taong Putik festival in Nueva Ecija. (Photo by Bullit Marquez/AP via Daily Telegraph)

It’s definitely more fun in the Philippines—to quote the Department of Tourism’s new marketing slogan—because the country is always alive with the many festivals going on in some part of the country somewhere.

Most fiestas are still steeped in the Catholic tradition—celebrations of a city or province’s good fortune believed to be accorded by a patron saint. Then there is the devotion to the Virgin Mary in all her incarnations, and her son the Baby Jesus or Santo Niño, like the Sinulog festival in Cebu and the Ati-Atihan festival in Aklan, both of which will culminate today. Also worth mentioning is the grand annual celebration of Tondo, Manila, fiesta also to Santo Niño.

There are also the festivals that celebrate a town’s founding anniversary, or its native products.

Whatever the basis for the merrymaking, you can bet on a lot of food served, overflowing drinks, much singing and dancing, and contests in all shapes and forms. Costumes and parades are also de rigueur for a number of the festivals as well.

But there are a few festivals in the country, which are still not too well known by the majority, and have odd or unusual beginnings.

Just monkeying around
Down South, in Surigao del Norte, the municipality of Malimono pays homage to human-sized monkeys said to have existed in the coastal area even before the time of the Spaniards, by celebrating the Onggoyan Festival.

In fact “Malimono” got its name from the mischief and mayhem caused by the monkeys. Legend has it that the monkeys (“unggoy”), seeing human beings perhaps for the first time, plotted and stole the food and personal belongings of a group of Spanish travelers when night fell. The next morning, finding themselves bereft of belongings, the leader of the group cried “mal mono” (bad monkeys) in disgust.

The natives, however, thought the monkeys were gods, according to the Provincial Tourism Office. So every May 15, the residents of Malimono make offerings to these monkey gods by preparing their favorite foods like bananas, cassava, etc., in the hope that the mischievous ones leave the residents alone.

While the festival is held intermittently due to scant financial resources, when the event is mounted, people go around dressed up as monkeys, and play tricks on neighbors. Tricks are played by one family on their neighbor, there is a lot of singing and dancing, and people tell stories or mount plays based on the lives of the monkey gods.

Local products are also on display during this festival, as street dancers go around imitating the movements of monkeys.

Mudfest
If Surigao del Norte has its mischievous monkeys, Nueva Ecija has its mud people.

Every June 24, Catholics in the country observe the feast day of Saint John the Baptist. Many barangays nationwide, especially those named after the saint, celebrate the feast by dousing their neighbors and passersby with water.

In Barangay Bibiclat, in the town of Aliaga, Nueva Ecija, the feast day of the baptizing saint takes on a different color as devotees literally transform themselves into mud people or “taong putik.” Residents call the ritual “Pagsa-San Juan” (Imitating St. John), while outsiders have dubbed it the “Taong Putik Festival.”

Devotees, because of their panata or vow to the saint, or perhaps as a way of thanking him for blessings received, smear their entire bodies with mud, and then wrap themselves in banana leaves, tied end to end, to make sure their identities are kept secret. They then go around, knocking on doors to beg for candles or money to buy candles to be offered to the saint during the Mass at church. After the Mass, everyone removes the banana leaves to reveal himself or herself and participate in the procession in honor of the saint.

Healers gather in Siquijor during Holy Week to make their 'magic' potions. (Photo from MySariSari Store)

The residents, even old timers, don’t know exactly when the festival began. They believe it started as early 1876. According to some, early Ilocano settlers brought an image of St. John the Baptist to Bibiclat, which helped rid the area of poisonous snakes. “Biclat” is actually Ilocano for “snake.”

Others say the ritual started in World War II when Japanese soldiers wanted to take revenge on the village whose residents they thought killed fellow soldiers. As the Japanese soldiers were about to execute all the males in the village, it rained so hard that the prisoners had to be brought into the church. Supposedly, the Japanese soldiers had a change of heart and freed the men instead. The village attributed this miracle to their patron saint. Thereafter, the villagers vowed to celebrate his feast day by wearing costumes patterned after the saint’s, but using native materials like banana leaves.

Witches’ brew
Every Black Saturday, “witches” from all over the country descend on Barangay San Antonio in Siquijor, Siquijor, for a grand meeting.

What people believe as witches, however, are really herbalists, locally known as albularios, who come from all over the Visayas and Mindanao to recharge their healing powers. They usually gather at Crocodile Hill, overlooking the Bay of Lazi and Mindanao Sea.

According to those who have been able to witness the ritual, these healers merely throw in tree barks, herbs, insects, roots of certain crops, into a giant vat of coconut oil, roiling to a boil over fire. Participants in this annual “Witches Festival” invoke the spirits and other mystical forces by saying ritualistic verses in a rhythmic monotone believed to energize the brew and give its handlers the power to heal. The “witches” then dip their flasks or containers into the brew to take home and use in their treatment of the ill.

Siquijanons say the ritual takes place during Black Saturday because this is the time Jesus Christ has yet to rise from the dead and thus, supernatural forces are able to go about freely and share their gifts of healing with humans.

Due to Siquijor’s relative isolation from the rest of the Visayas and Mindanao, and perhaps due to their level of education, the locals still believe in mananambals (herbalists) or mangbabarangs (black witches). As such, the festival has taken on an occult or mystic feel. But festival participants insist they are nothing more than ordinary people given the gift to heal.

Flying pests
El Nido, Palawan, is well known for its bird’s nests prized in Chinese cuisine, as well as its diverse marine ecosystem. But it is also famous for its high incidence of malaria cases.

To kick off an anti-malaria campaign, the El Nido Foundation mounted the very first Pista ng Kulambo (Feast of Mosquito Nets) in 1999. Since then, the festival is held every first or second week of December, and serves as the culminating activity for the year for the town.

The foundation believes that the festival helps reinforce malaria awareness and encourage people to use “impregnated” mosquito nets. That means that the mosquito nets are immersed in insecticide and air dried before being put to use. While there are medicines to protect or treat people ill with malaria, these are usually expensive. The cheaper alternative is to use mosquito nets to prevent from being bitten by these nasty flying insects.

Organizers of the festival usually come up with a lot of gimmicks to enable the residents of the 18 villages in El Nido to use their mosquito nets creatively. There have been contests on the best-dressed in a mosquito net, the biggest net, or the smallest net, etc.

Aside from bringing out the creativity of the residents of El Nido, the annual festival has enabled the town to dramatically reduce its malaria cases by over 80 percent since it was first held in 1999. Now isn’t that a good reason to celebrate?

Residents of El Nido, Palawan parade in their mosquito nets in their annual Pista ng Kulambo. (Photo by Mon Corpuz via Flickriver.)

Where the laundrywoman is actually…a man
But one doesn’t have to go far into the provinces to see unusual festivals.

Mandaluyong City, for example, has its own feast of the odd—a Lavandero Festival.

Conceptualized to celebrate the city’s foundation and liberation day, the festival is usually the highlight of weeklong activities held from February 1 to 9. (But there are times the festival is also held in November.)

The City Administrator’s Office created the festival in 2000 celebrating a traditional means of livelihood in old Mandaluyong during the Spanish era and right until after World War II. This was when Pasig River was still clean and teeming with fish.

“Mandaluyong was known for its men who supported their families while washing clothes. Many of them were able to send their children to college by being laundrymen. In fact two of Mandaluyong’s mayors used to be laundrymen—Pedro P. Cruz in the 1940s and Isaac Lopez in the mid-’50s. And I found out that the men’s way of washing clothes is very much different from the women. Hinahataw nila sa bato, tapos pinipilipit. [They whip it against the rocks or stones by the banks of the Pasig River then twist it],” says Jeffrey Sison, who first mounted this festival. Women, on the other hand, wash clothes by rubbing the front of their fists against each other, then wringing the water out.

“An oldtimer told me during the course of my research that before, being a laundryman was considered ‘macho’ [unlike now when it is seen as being ‘under the saya’]. Besides it was only the men who had enough strength to wash heavy garments then like blankets, the sotanas of the priests, etc.”

During the Lavandero Festival, male residents dress up in a typical washerwoman’s attire, a red or maroon patadyong with a white hand towel wrapped around their head. Imagine the delight of onlookers to watch these macho men dancing during the parade carrying a washbasin and a wooden palo-palo!

Exciting contests and shows are held by the banks of the Pasig River as part of the festivities.

As in most festivals, even these odd ones are celebrated with typical Filipino charm, humor and creativity.

(For a list of Philippine festivals, click on the Department of Tourism web site. This piece was originally published in the BusinessMirror on Jan. 15, 2012.)

The stuff champions are made of

Trekking the craggy boulders of Mt. Apo. (Photo by Rhonson Ng)

EVEN as a child, champion racer/mountaineer Jonathan Pido constantly tried to outdo himself.

A native of Carmen, Davao del Norte, Pido came from humble beginnings—the son of a farmer, Pedro Pido (now deceased), and Vivien, a food vendor.

He said when he was in grade school, he would help out in his father’s farm planting rice, bananas and vegetables. “Pero nu’ng namatay s’ya, bumalik na ulit sa may-ari ’yung lupa. Tenant lang ang papa ko. Ang mama ko, nagtitinda ng banana cue, barbecue, nagbabalot ng ulam.”

Pido, a police officer by profession, was the grand-prize winner of the 1st International Mt. Apo Boulder Face Challenge held last year in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur. He, along with his team mates Angelito Sibayan and Edwin Bueno (Team Carmen), bested 18 local and foreign teams, and clocked in at 22 hours, 51 minutes, and 42 seconds. The team won $3,500 (about P154,000) and a trophy for its effort.

I met him at the recent press briefing to announce the 2nd International Boulder Face Challenge, which will be held on April 28 and 29. With neither “hiking” nor “mountain climbing” in my vocabulary, I wanted to discover for myself the stuff champion racers/mountaineers were made of.

The second to the last child in a brood of 12, Pido said when his father passed away, “naghiwalay-hiwalay na kami.” Some of his siblings went to find work in Manila, some went abroad, while he and a few others stuck close to home. All the siblings, he said, now help out to support their widowed mother.

Despite the family’s financial circumstances, Pido wasdetermined to continue his education and graduate from a university, hoping to become a soldier or a police officer. He said he was inspired by his relatives who were in the Philippine Army and in the police force. “I was attracted to their keen sense of leadership, and their self-discipline,” he explained in the vernacular.

To support himself in his studies, he worked in a banana plantation tending to the flowering plants, then as a bagger wrapping huge plastic bags around the fruit bunches. “It’s backbreaking work,” said Pido half-chuckling and wincing at the memory. He said he had to wake up at 4 am to be at the plantation by 6 am for “assembly time”, and work continued until 2 pm, just as the sun was shining at its mightiest. By 4:30 pm, he was off to school where classes lasted until 9:30 pm.

Amid his hectic work and school schedules, Pido said he still managed to find time to join school clubs, become an officer in the Student Council, and even help in the local Kiwanis chapter.

In college, he joined the varsity volleyball team to help defray his tuition. His hard work and focus on his professional goal paid off. Armed with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from the University of Mindanao-Panabo College, he applied at the Philippine National Police and passed its entrance exam in 2009.

Pido has been a cop for three years now. As P01 with the Regional Public Safety Battalion, 2nd Maneuvering Company of the PNP Region 11 Command, Pido helps beef up the checkpoints in Davao to ensure that the city and its surrounding environs are always safe from criminal elements.

Taking part in extreme sports or activities appears to be second nature to Pido, now 28, having faced adversity most of his life. He runs to keep fit but also takes part in running competitions and marathons. (Last December, he also ruled the Century Properties Ultra Marathon in Manila.)

He said he took up mountaineering in 2007 and first climbed Mount Apo with newfound friends from the Panabo Eco-Adventures and Keepers. “Matagal ko ng gusto mag-mountain climbing, at umakyat ng Mount Apo,” he said. “Why?” I asked. “Wala lang, out of curiosity,” he answered. But I sensed it was probably due to a desire to again challenge himself with some new activity.

It’s easy to comprehend why Mount Apo holds an immense allure for mountaineers and other extreme sports enthusiasts. At close to 10,000 feet, it is the highest point in the Philippines. According to pinoymountaineer.com, the still active volcano “possesses a formidable array of landscapes, from craggy rockscapes to virgin forests; from mossy swamps to volcanic structures,” thus offering “the widest spectrum of environments” for climbers.

Despite their relative expertise in climbing Mount Apo, Pido and his teammates still faced quite a few formidable challenges during the race. One was the sulfur emissions from the volcano—they didn’t have masks to protect themselves from the fumes. And second was battling hypothermia.

Pido said the team reached the peak at 10 pm, or 12 hours after they had set off from the Municipal Plaza in Sta. Cruz, the starting point of the race.

By then, he said, the temperature at the summit was freezing and they were garbed only in singlets (sleeveless running shirts), their shorts, and running shoes. “Wala kaming pang-ginaw,” he said. Fortunately, they stumbled on cellophane bags which they used to wrap themselves with and keep warm.

Because it was a race, there were no breaks except at the designated checkpoints, and to eat their meals. “Ang baon namin pork adobo at kanin, at saka mga energy bars. Kailangan mo talaga ng kanin para sa carbo-loading, para me energy ka umakyat,” Pido explained.

According to Art Boncato, regional director of the Department of Tourism Region 11 (Davao Region), the Boulder Face Challenge was first held in 2008, but in 2011, they decided to encourage international teams to attend as well.

“The Mount Apo Boulder Face Challenge is one of the toughest adventure races in the Philippines,” he said. “It is a 24-hour extreme challenge using various disciplines such as mountain biking, trekking, water tubing and road running. The race starts from the Sta. Cruz beach lines and participants will navigate through the town’s tough trails and raging rivers, scale the boulder face of Mt. Apo, and culminate in the skyline of the country’s highest mountain.”

The event is one of the highlights of the annual Pista sa Kinaiyahan (Feast of the Environment) of the municipality of Sta. Cruz. Boncato said the annual competition has made the region of Davao a leading destination for eco-adventure tourism. It has also helped increase awareness about the importance of protecting the environment. This year, organizers expect participants to reach the maximum 35 teams—each team consisting of two racers and one logistical crew.

Declared a national park in 1936 and a protected area in 2004, Mount Apo is home to the Philippine eagle, and hundreds of other critically threatened bird and plant species. The national park is on the tentative list of Unescoas a World Heritage Site.

Despite the handicaps, and competing against better-prepared international racers and climbers, it’s amazing how Pido and his teammates still managed to snag the top prize last year. Asked what he did to his share of the prize money, he said with a hint of pride, “Bumili ako ng lupa, one hectare lang. Ginawa kong sagingan.”

Still unmarried (“Gusto ko muna makapag-invest para ‘pag panahon na, at least handa na ako.”), Pido said he intends to join this year’s challenge and is quite focused on winning again. And maybe someday, he said, he’ll make it to the top of Mount Everest as well.

To join the 2nd International Mount Apo Boulder Face Challenge, register online at www.boulderface.com.

In lower photo, P01 Jonathan Pido, left, and teammate Angelito Sibayan cross the finish line in the 1st International Mt. Apo Boulder Face Challenge in April 2011. The Department of Tourism Region 11 has announced the 2nd International Mt. Apo Boulder Face Challenge, which is scheduled on April 28 and 29 at Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur.(Photo courtesy www.boulderface.com)

(My column, Something Like Life, is usually published every Friday in the Life section of the BusinessMirror. This piece was originally published on Feb. 10, 2012. Yes, I've remiss in my posts. Wah.)

EDSA people power revolution...26 years after

ME pagbabago ba?

* * * *

Wynn sues Okada in US for 'bribing' Pagcor officials; Mike Arroyo got free accommodations

Wynn complaint vs Kazuo Okada

ADDITIONAL READS:

PNoy double standard for Pagcor chief hit

After days of defending the Pagcor chief, and calling the freebies he received as "industry practice", finally Aquino orders PAGCOR chief Naguiat probed on Okada bribery scandal. Better late than later. But we all know where this is going right?

Now this is a gem. What do Grace Lee and the Pagcor chief have in common?

4M tourists found the PHL ‘fun’ in 2011

(The main gate to Fort Santiago in Intramuros, a popular tourist site in Manila and the seat of government during the Spanish period. National hero Jose Rizal was imprisoned at the fort, which now displays various Rizal memorabilia.)
CLOSE to 4 million tourists apparently found the Philippines “fun” in 2011, with the bulk coming from three major markets—Korea, the United States and Japan.

The Department of Tourism said this surpassed its 3.7-million target for that year, and was higher by 12 percent than the 3.5 million who arrived in 2010.

“When the industry exceeds expectations as it had done last year, we feel very encouraged. And with the overwhelming response to our new brand campaign launched last month, we know that we have broken ground on crowdsourcing. The people’s campaign will help bring more numbers,” said Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. in a statement.

The DOT launched its “It’s more fun in the Philippines” brand campaign in January, using social networking as its platform. By April this year, it will roll out its actual campaign using traditional media such as television commercials, billboards and posters, targeting major target markets in North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Jimenez expressed confidence that another record-breaking year will be achieved in 2012 once the new brand campaign is fully implemented. “Our marketing resource has grown exponentially because of other people’s contributions in kind. We will continue to build on these positive energies to attract 4.2 million this year.”

As a regional group, East Asia accounted for almost 47 percent or 1.84 million of the visitors in 2011. December proved to be the strongest month for tourists with 394,567 recorded.

The country’s top 10 markets in 2011 were: Korea with 925,204 arrivals representing 23.6 percent of the market share; US at 624,527 (15.9 percent); Japan 375,496 (9.6 percent); China 243,137 (6.2 percent); Taiwan 181,738 (4.6 percent); Australia 170,736 (4.4 percent); Singapore 137,802 (3.5 percent); Canada 117,423 (3 percent); Hong Kong 112,106 (2.9 percent); and the United Kingdom 104,466 (2.7 percent). (See attached Scribd document at the end of story.)

(Aileen Clemente, president of the Philippine Travel Agencies Association)

Meanwhile, a travel executive said it will take more than a slogan to sell the country to tourists, but was hopeful the DOT would hit its arrivals target this year.

“There was a launch of a slogan, but this is not yet the strategy and campaign. No logo guide has yet been released, etc. We are waiting for these for implementation. I believe the tourism arrival targets can be achieved but it takes more than the tagline. This includes policy reforms [visa procurement etc.], infrastructure development, capacity to take tourists, etc. But I believe that if we want to achieve something, we are able to achieve it. So I am very hopeful,” said Aileen Clemente, president of Rajah Travel Corp. in an interview with the BusinessMirror.

Clemente, who is also president of the Philippine Travel Agencies Association, said traditional destinations such as Cebu, Bohol, Palawan, Davao, North Luzon and the Metro areas will still get bulk of the visitors this year. She attributed this to the better infrastructure in these areas.

“But there are other locales that are aggressive in tourism such as Legaspi, Marinduque, Aurora, Camarines Sur,” she noted.

Clemente added that Filipinos will be traveling more this year as low-cost carriers continue to offer affordable fares and new destinations within the country and to nearby regional destinations.

“I predict that Filipinos will increase their travels both within [the country] and outbound. There are more LCCs now which makes it relatively cheaper to travel around and out of the country and into more routes than in previous years,” she said.

The strong peso will also likely be a boon for travelers going abroad, she added.

Clemente disclosed that regional carriers will be slashing their fares by as much as 50 percent to be able to offer more affordable travel packages to visitors of the 19th Travel and Tour Expo from February 17 to 19 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City. (UPDATE: Philippine Airlines said it actually slashed its fares by as much as 70 percent.)

In a press briefing, she said: “We have a range of airlines participating in the travel fair from low-cost carriers to major carriers which will be giving the best value for your money.” She said long-haul carriers will be offering discounts from 10 percent to 20 percent.

The three-day event is expected to exceed last year’s more than 60,000 visitors from around the Philippines with over 450 booths featuring some 200 local and international organizations including travel agencies, airline companies, cruise operators, domestic tour operations, government agencies, embassies, national tourism organizations, hotels and resorts, international tour operators, travel shops and more, she said.

The travel fair with its theme “One Stop Shop to the World,” is co-organized with the DOT.

Clemente said the fair is seen generating P330 million in sales revenue, or “at least 10 percent higher” than sales recorded in 2010.

She noted that there were several new exciting destinations to be showcased at the travel fair, such as Hokkaido, one of those usually overlooked by frequent visitors to Japan. Most travelers to Japan, she said, would go to Osaka, Narita and Nagoya.

“Also, India is a newly launched route for PAL [Philippine Airlines] so we’re trying to intensify the promotion for that,” she added, even as both Indian and Philippine governments were working to ease the visa procedures in both countries.

Clemente also noted new destinations such as Legoland in Malaysia, as well as activities like “river cruising” in Europe and in Asia, as travel possibilities for Filipinos.

The annual Travel Tour Expo of the PTAA was conceptualized in 1994 to showcase the products and services of its members. Since then it has grown to be the ultimate destination for the most affordable travel deals and the prime marketplace for all destinations.

The expo is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on February 17 and 18, and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on February 19. A minimal entrance fee of P50 is charged regular visitors while senior citizens get a discounted rate of P20.

(My piece was originally published in the BusinessMirror on Feb. 15, 2012. Intramuros photo copyrighted by this blogger. Clemente photo courtesy PTAA.)

Philippines Tourist Arrivals Jan.-Dec. 2011
(Statistics courtesy Department of Tourism)

Infrastructure budget to support tourism

Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Jr. shares his agency's development plans for 2012 in his keynote speech during the Philippine Tour Operators Association’s (PHILTOA) 1st General Membership Meeting for 2012 at the Hotel Intercontinental in Makati City on February 8, 2012. The gathering drew various representatives from the tourism sector, as well as key personalities such as Ilocos Norte Rep. Imee Marcos and Travel Time host Susan Calo Medina.

THE P128-billion government infrastructure plan for 2012 includes the construction or renovation of important tourism facilities that will help the country eventually attain its goal of attracting 10 million tourists by 2016.

In his keynote address at the first general membership meeting for 2012 of the Philippine Tour Operators Association at the Hotel InterContinental in Makati City, Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. said accessibility to major tourist destinations is one of the key focuses of the National Tourism Development Plan. “This will be improved with the frontloading of [expenditures] for transportation and infrastructure projects such as the upgrading of major hubs for both sea and air. For the first time, the bulk for infrastructure [spending] in 2012 will be for tourism.”

Among the major tourism projects are the upgrade of the Puerto Princesa airport to an international airport “which can receive 747s someday,” and in the medium-term, the improvement of airports in Mactan, Cebu; Panglao, Bohol; and Kalibo, Aklan as well. The infrastructure program also includes the implementation of the North Luzon and South Luzon expressway ‘’connector projects,” and the upgrade of sea ports which would encourage major cruise lines to dock in Manila at a time when these companies “are beginning to look at Asia again.”

Jimenez also disclosed ongoing negotiations with Singapore tourism officials to create a “Sunshine Trail” that will bring tourists in Singapore to the various tourist destinations in the Philippines. He said the Changi airport already serves as a major gateway to the Philippines, “all we have to do is pull the value out of the Singapore market and bring it to us.” He said Singapore will be spending for this marketing effort, “atin lang ’yung beach.”

Underscoring that the government is already doing its job by financing tourism infrastructure projects and embarking on a marketing campaign, the DOT chief also urged tour operators to support these efforts by offering “competitive” travel packages to the country.

“We must review our pricing. Our new marketing slogan is based on a simple word, ‘fun.’ But how much fun is our fun? Competitive ba tayo? ‘It’s more fun in the Philippines’ is not just a slogan, it’s a competitive marketing strategy. So we should ensure for example, that a boat ride here costs the same as boat rides in other places,” Jimenez said.

One of the more common complaints even by local tourists is that it is more expensive to travel within the Philippines than to go abroad. Also, foreign travelers have noted that fees in some tourist destinations like environmental fees and user’s taxes seem indiscriminately charged.

In an interview with the BusinessMirror, Philtoa President Cesar Cruz expressed optimism that the 4.2-million tourist arrivals targetted by the DOT this year “is definitetly achievable. As the secretary himself said, whatever happens, it’s still more fun in the Philippines. Just keep the positive attitude on the part of the stakeholders, tour operators, hoteliers and accommodations sector—we keep focused on that [the slogan], and we will not be distracted by these disasters which also happen everywhere.”

“Ultimately, any campaign will only be as good as the product,” he said. “We believe that community-based tourism projects and products, coupled with experiential activities such as eco adventures and cultural thematic tours, will be the way to go if the country wants to meet its projections.”

Philippine Tour Operators Association president Cesar Cruz expresses optimism for the tourism industry's growth this year during Philtoa 1st General Membership Meeting for 2012 at the Hotel Intercontinental in Makati City held on February 8.

On the issue of offering competitive prices as per the DOT chief’s suggestion, Cruz said: “We will make an extra effort to review our rates and make them more competitive. But at the end of the day, what is reality is the law of supply and demand. We really must come up with the extra capacity to be able to come up with these pro-rated accommodations.”

During an open forum after his speech, Jimenez also revealed more positive developments that would boost tourist arrivals in the country.

He said he was hopeful that the Federal Aviation Authority would soon revert the country to Category 1 safety status, which would in turn, encourage the European Union to lift its ban on Philippine carriers. “We’re currently awaiting the [FAA] audit. That in itself is a good signal because you can’t be scheduled for an audit if you’ve not passed the pre-audit. So we’ll get that audit at the close of the first quarter.” The country is currently under FAA’s Category 2 status, which prevents Philippine carriers from expanding its routes in the US.

He added that a legislative bill is currently being crafted that would eliminate the common carriers tax charged on foreign carriers. The Department of Finance earlier bucked plans to eliminate the CCT as this would result in revenue losses. “We’re finally gaining ground because even the DOF is part of the new attitude that competitive pricing is more fun.”

Moves are also under way, he said, to remove Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) charges as well. “There will be three workshifts to discourage overtime pay among immigration and customs staff. They will be paid a night differential instead, with the cost to be paid by the government, not the airlines.”

The country will also benefit from the Single Asean Visa that Asean tourism officials are currently working on. “We will make that a reality soon, maybe in the next year and a half. So anyone can walk into a Singaporean or Malaysian embassy anywhere in the world and get an Asean visa. This will enable him to automatically go to the Philippines. This is important for the European, US and Chinese markets,” Jimenez said.

For their part, members of the Philtoa also asked the DOT chief to look into new regulations by the management of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport that prevent travel agency representatives from personally meeting their arriving clients, and disallow transiting tourists from leaving the airport terminals and going on short city tours.

Philtoa has also adopted the “It’s more fun in the Philippines” campaign for the 23rd Philippine Travel Mart, a travel trade show featuring Philippine tourism destinations and hugely discounted tour packages. An annual event of the Philtoa, the PTM will be held from August 10 to 12 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.

Organizers of the PTM project an increase in both the number of participants and visitors this year. Last year’s expo recorded some 77,000 individuals in foot traffic and generating gross sales of some P33 million.

(My piece was originally published in the BusinessMirror on Feb. 9, 2012. Photos courtesy Geiser Maclang PR)

More fun in the Philippines? DOT blames abducted tourists for ignoring advisories

THE Department of Tourism on Friday seemingly laid the blame for the kidnapping of two Europeans in Tawi-Tawi squarely on the victims' shoulders.

In a press statement issued late Friday, the DOT stressed that "the issuance of travel advisories is part of the regular functions of embassies in line with ensuring the safety and security of their citizens in a foreign country. For the Philippines, advice against travel to some parts of Mindanao has been constant and common."

The DOT then added: "The Tawi-Tawi incident is considered unfortunate and could have been avoided had the visitors taken necessary precautions many European tourists usually take in heed of these advisories."

Police have identified the kidnap victims as Elwold Horn, 52, of Holland; and Lorenzo Vinciguerra, 47, of Switzerland. They were abducted on Wednesday by unidentified armed elements while riding a boat back to the capital of Bongao, after a bird-watching trip. Their guide, Ivan Sarenas, managed to escape by jumping into the sea.

The DOT expressed confidence that tourists would continue to flock to the country despite a new travel advisory issued by the United Kingdom. (Click InterAksyon for the rest. My piece was published on Feb. 3, 2012.)

Leading with Mt. Apo Challenge, Davao tourism looks to scale new heights in 2012

Rising at 10,000 feet, Mount Apo is considered the highest point in the Philippines. Close to 1,000 mountaineers climbed the still active volcano in 2011 from the Sta. Cruz trail, according to data from the municipality. (Photo courtesy DOT/Rhonson Ng)

THE Department of Tourism is projecting close to 820,000 in tourist arrivals for the Davao region this year, as the area continues to attract the lucrative conventions and exhibitions market, as well as a growing number of eco-adventure travelers.

DOT Region 11 Director Arturo Boncato Jr. made this bold prediction after announcing the region's first major tourism event for the year – the 2nd International Mount Apo Boulder Face Challenge to be held on April 28-29, 2012 – a joint project with the municipality of Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur.

"The Mt. Apo Boulder Face Challenge is one of the toughest adventure races in the Philippines," he said in a press briefing on Feb. 1 at the R.O.X., Bonifacio High Street. "It is a 24-hour extreme challenge using various disciplines such as mountain biking, trekking, water tubing and road running. The race starts from the Sta. Cruz beach lines and participants will navigate through the town's tough trails and raging rivers, scale the boulder face of Mt. Apo, and culminate in the skyline of the country's highest mountain." This year's grand prize is P150,000.

The event is one of the highlights of the annual Pista sa Kinaiyahan (Feast of the Environment) of the municipality of Sta. Cruz. The Boulder Face Challenge was first held in 2008. The DOT and the Sta. Cruz municipality decided to encourage international teams to participate starting last year. (Click InterAksyon for the rest. My piece was published on Feb. 3, 2012)

Pioneering techpreneur creates 'angel fund'

MYLA VILLANUEVA may not have invented the thinnest computer, the smallest smartphone, or a faster way to transmit data over the Internet, but among her peers she is considered every inch tech royalty.

After having successfully sold the idea of networking computers via an Internet protocol in the late ’80s, a time when most companies still relied on clunky mainframe computers for data storage, she is now on her fifth startup and focused on mass-marketing technology. (She calls herself a “serial entrepreneur.”)

As co-founder and managing director of Novare Technologies, she is developing products, software and architecture for local and foreign mobile operators in the field of “Fixed-Mobile-Internet convergence.”

Basically these are mobile applications and solutions for clients which include Globe Telecom, GSM Association, Meralco, PLDT, Philippine Savings Bank, RCBC, Smart, Standard Chartered Bank, Sun Cellular, and Norway’s Telenor, to name a few. Among Novare’s partners are IBM, Oracle, Research in Motion, Sybase, Tata Consultancy, etc.

She is now setting her sights on expanding Novare’s footprint in Southeast Asia and China.

“Our next goal as a group of companies is to hit China and other southeast Asian countries, which is made possible through partnerships with telcos and Internet companies localized and establishing there.... I feel this is a wave bigger than that of the last two decades of the Internet’s exponential influence and growth.”

Ever on the forefront of tech breakthroughs, Villanueva has launched what could be described as her best innovation to date.

Last January 11, she announced her personal advocacy called “Wireless Wings”, a P111-million angel fund which aims to support deserving information technology ideas from colleges and universities nationwide.

“I am trying to ignite a culture that I think is very ‘thin’ right now. I want to encourage people to innovate. I want them not to be just builders. I want them to build their own companies, craft their own models and be successful.”

Aside from funding ideas, Villanueva says her team will also provide beneficiaries with mentoring sessions from seasoned IT executives, as well as link them up with multinational companies and major players in the IT industry.

This way, “we will be able to expose them to the corporate setting, and to the type of thinking that businessmen have, because it has always been my dream to find emerging innovations that we can send outside the country.”

She adds: “We want them to think forward and realize that their ideas and products could also be used in Asia, in Indonesia and China.”

Villanueva also invites “other companies who have the same advocacy” to contribute to the angel fund to be able to boost the chances of these new techpreneurs in the international market.

It’s easy to understand why she has chosen this particular advocacy, having once grappled with the challenges of breaking into new markets dominated by the big boys of technology.

Flushed with idealism and inspired by the tech boom in Silicon Valley where she had studied and was living (and no less inspired by Apple’s Steve Jobs’s success), Villanueva, then just 21, came home to the Philippines in 1988, set up MDI Group Holdings, and introduced the idea of networking computers via Internet protocol.

Back then, most government agencies and the top Philippine firms shared and stored data using those clunky mainframe computers.

“It is so old tech today, but I cannot understate the challenges that came along, starting a new company to sell this concept, and competing against the IBMs and Digital Equipments of the world, in a male-dominated industry which was then very conservative and comfortable with the status quo,” Villanueva now recalls. But she pressed on, knowing that computer networking would soon be the norm.

Her very first deal was with the Social Security System which saw the value in decentralizing its members’ contributions system. This was soon followed by projects with Meralco, ABS-CBN Corp., PLDT and other private firms.

More pioneering efforts in the local tech sector followed.

With her husband Jun, she introduced consumer electronics equipment, gadgets and design software to a mass market via Microwarehouse (1995); created Wolfpac (2000), a mobile applications and content provider which was subsequently sold to Smart Communications; then set up Meridian Telekoms (2003), the first wireless broadband firm in the country (later sold for $50 million to Smart and now rebranded as SmartBro). All these breakthroughs earned her the first Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Award (2003) under Ernst and Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year program.

At the GSM Association, where she is a member of the executive management committee, Villanueva had pushed for the globalization of Mobile Money Transfers. It now benefits millions of migrant workers, especially Filipinos, who easily send money home to their families just using their cell phones.

Looking back on her very first networking project, and her subsequent achievements, Villanueva says the key to her success is that she has “never been afraid of hiring people who are much better than me.” Also, she is able to spot the major trends in her field because she has a voracious reading appetite and a constant curiosity about everything around her.

When she isn’t thinking up more ways to break ground in yet another tech field or indulge in her advocacies, Villanueva, now 45, loves chilling with her husband and their two kids: Blanca, 17, and Luis, 10. Usually they are out sailing and discovering the Philippines via their catamaran, the TutuTango. “We also love to travel the world anytime we can. I guess we are a family of gypsies.”

(My column, Something Like Life, is published every Friday at the Life section of the BusinessMirror. This piece was published on Jan. 27, 2012. Photo courtesy Myla Villanueva.)

PAL needs more cash for refleeting program

FLAG carrier Philippine Airlines believes 2012 will be crucial and will determine whether it could carry out a strong refleeting program, expand its routes, and return to better fiscal health.

Airline President Jaime Bautista said in an interview with select reporters on Wednesday evening that “from a management point of view, we need higher capital” to pursue a refleeting program and keep the carrier competitive.

But he said he could not determine how much new capital would be needed because this would all depend on whether the planes would be purchased or leased.

“Refleeting is a challenge. Wide-bodied aircraft are needed. You need to pay delivery fees [about 15 percent to 20 percent of plane cost], that’s where the cash is needed,” he said. This is why “management welcomes new investors,” he said.

Businessmen Ramon Ang of San Miguel Corp. and Manuel V. Pangilinan of the First Pacific Group are reportedly both keen on investing in PAL and help it carry out its refleeting and modernization effort. PAL is 94-percent owned by PAL Holdings Inc. which is led by taipan Lucio Tan.

Of the 36 aircraft currently in the PAL fleet, it has five Boeing 747-400s that were purchased during the carrier’s first refleeting program as a privatized company. “These five B747s are aging. By 2015 they have to be replaced as they will be 21 years old already. They’re still good airplanes, but the maintenance costs are higher.”

Bautista said while the carrier could, on its own, push its refleeting program, “our capacity to compete [with other carriers] would be limited.” Delivery of new aircraft takes about two or more years after ordering so PAL’s new refleeting program needs to be finalized in the new fiscal year, which begins on April 2012 and ends in March 2013.

Other than the five B747s, PAL’s fleet also includes two B777-300ER, four Airbus 340-300, eight A330-300, 13 A320-200, and four A320-319.

The carrier is also counting on the US Federal Aviation Authority to upgrade the country’s safety status Category 1 status by November, which will enable it to expand its routes in the United States.

“We will back to Category 1 [status] Timing nalang. Maayos na,” the PAL president said. “Many of the needed reforms have been instituted by relevant government agencies. PAL itself will be undergoing a technical review then a technical audit by the FAA.”

A team from the FAA will be in town next week to assess the safety measures and equipment installed by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (which replaced the Air Transportation Office). The Aquino administration has predicted an upgrade in the country’s safety status to Category 1 by June.

Bautista said the carrier is considering an expansion in routes to San Diego, California; Seattle, Washington State; and New York, which hopefully can be mounted within the year. He added that once the country is back to Category 1 status, PAL can also resume its services to Europe, using its Boeing 777-300ER. The carrier will be taking delivery of two more Triple 7s and four Airbus A320s are arriving this year.

Following the FAA downgrade in 2008, the European Union had also banned Philippine carriers from flying there.

Bautista predicted a loss in fiscal year 2011 (April 1, 2011-March 31, 2012), a reversal of the $72.5-million profit recorded in FY 2010.

Bautista said the loss was due to the higher fuel costs, the labor strike, and lower passenger revenues from the Japan earthquake and tsunami as well as the floods in Thailand. The carrier reported a loss of $39.4 million from July to September 2011.

He said the carrier’s operations were “back to normal,” after flight disruptions were felt initially after it implemented its much-needed but controversial outsourcing program in October 2011. About 2,400 employees were affected by the outsourcing program.

(My piece was published on Jan. 20, 2012 in the BusinessMirror.)

DOT moves to improve tourist facilities

NO tourism enterprise should be allowed to operate in the country, unless it meets the minimum standards set by the Department of Tourism.

Lawyer Ma. Victoria Jasmin, DOT undersecretary for tourism regulation, coordination and revenue generation, said the agency is currently working on new hotel and resorts standards to be published before the end of March.

“This would mean that all primary tourism enterprises should be accredited by the DOT prior to operation, hence, they should comply with the DOT’s minimum requirements,” she said in a memorandum to Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr., a copy of which was sent to the BusinessMirror.

“Primary tourism enterprises,” are defined in the implementing rules of the Tourism Act of 2009, as “travel and tour services, land, sea and air transport services exclusively for tourist use; accommodation establishments; convention and exhibition organizers; tourism estate management services; and such other enterprises as may be identified by the Secretary, after due consultation with concerned sectors.”

Jasmin’s memo was prompted by the recent publication of the results of a 2009 survey of tourism establishments in the country by the National Statistics Office —a joint undertaking with the DOT—which showed that 548 of the 1,475 “accommodation establishments” surveyed did not offer essential tourism services such as laundry, airport transfers, spa/massage therapy services, tour services, medical services, cultural and recreational shows, among others. (See "Tourism-wise, Philippines was not fun in 2009–NSO", in the BusinessMirror, Jan. 16, 2012.)

But she said those who responded to the survey were “both accredited and non-accredited facilities,” and that most of those failed to offer the essential tourism services “are non-accredited by the DOT.”

According to the NSO, the 2009 Survey of Tourism Establishments in the Philippines (STEP) covered four tourism industries: hotels and motels, pension houses, other short-stay accommodation, and transport equipment rental. Also covered in the survey were establishments engaged in: accommodation, restaurant passenger transport, transport equipment rental, travel agency, tour operator and tourist guide services, recreation, entertainment, cultural services and similar activities, financial and insurance activities, and health and wellness.

The survey showed “only 194 establishments or 13.6 percent of the total” were accredited by the DOT in 2009 and that “more than half of the total establishments with DOT accreditation in 2009 were…tour and travel agencies.”

“The respondents are a mix of big, medium, and small-scale tourism facilities which have varying all types of services offered to tourists,” Jasmin said. “It would, therefore, be inappropriate to assume or conclude that same must be required for all types of accommodation facilities, since different categories of facilities required different sets of services.”

She said the survey was also conducted “to determine at the time of approval of RA 9353 [the Tourism Act of 2009], the state of accommodation capacities in the country, so that appropriate measures could be undertaken toward ensuring that most, if not all accommodation establishments, comply with the necessary requirements for mandatory accreditation.”

Meanwhile, the survey also indicated a robust growth among tour and travel agencies—one out of 10 of such establishments said they were going to expand in the next five years.

Other significant findings in the 2009 STEP survey were:

• Tours and travel agencies accounted for the largest number, or 60.4 percent, of the 1,430 establishments counted by the survey. This was followed by supporting and auxiliary activities to water transport industry (10.6 percent); Booking offices/Tourist assistance activities, not elsewhere classified (8.3 percent); Inter-urban bus lines (6.2 percent); Chartered buses and cars operation/Other land transport operation (4.9 percent). Domestic air passenger and freight transport/International air passenger and freight transport, registered only five establishments and thus classified under “other industries.”

• Overall, the tourism industry is male-dominated at 77.2 percent of total employees in 2009. Only tours and travel agencies (60 percent), as well as booking offices/tourist guides (65 percent) were dominated by female employees.

• Transport operators, tour and travel agencies reported a total revenue of P164.5 billion, of which 41.6 percent was generated from tourists. Among industries, domestic air passenger and freight transport/international air passenger and freight transport earned both the highest total revenue and revenue generated from tourists with P97.1 billion and P54.3 billion, respectively.

• There were 1,012 tour guides registered, of which 74.3 percent were hired by tour and travel agencies. “One out of three tour guides were freelancers or on commission basis.”

• A total of 5,319, units or 42.2 percent, of the total land transport facilities owned and operated by the establishments were cars/sedans. More than half or 3,285 cars/sedans were used as public utility cars and taxicabs.

(My piece was originally published in the BusinessMirror, Jan. 24, 2012.)

Luck for Aquino, disasters for PHL– feng shui expert

Master Joseph Chau, resident feng shui expert of the Mandarin Oriental Manila.

THE Year of the Water Dragon, which starts on January 23 will bring general luck and prosperity to the Philippines but because of a Disaster Star in the southeast where the country is located, it must be prepared for natural disasters during the year.

In a recent press briefing to announce the Chinese New Year festivities at the Mandarin Oriental Manila, its resident feng shui expert, Joseph Chau gave a preview of his forecasts for the coming year.

“The birthday of the Philippines is June 12, 1898, at 3:30 p.m. So the Philippines was born in an Earth Dog year, the month of the Earth Horse, the day of the Fire Horse and the time of the Fire Monkey. There are so many fire elements in the Philippines. In the Year of the Water Dragon, there will be an abundance of water. But what happens when abundant water and too much fire get together? They fight each other. But on the positive side, there is harmony because you need water to extinguish fire. So that means the Philippines will have good luck in 2012.”

The economy would face some challenges this year, he said, “fluctuating from time to time,” so businessmen are advised not to be “too stubborn” and to be “flexible in their work.”

The lucky businesses to engage in this year include lumber, fashion and garments, and publishing because all of these are ruled by earth elements.

“For the earth ventures to grow, you need water, isn’t it?” Chau said.

Lucky and unlucky directions this year. (Image courtesy Mandarin Oriental Manila)

He said banking, the production of raw materials and mining “will face many challenges this year,” with the real-estate industry and the construction business slowing down.

“If President Aquino wants to push the mining business, he must organize [the regulations] well so he can attract good business. For real estate, if the property companies want to be able to sell their buildings, they must consult a licensed feng shui expert before constructing,” he added.

He also said that for the banking industry to expand, banks should adopt longer hours like in Hong Kong, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“If you are a businessman, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. is too short a time to complete your business, especially if you’re coming from abroad, and your flight comes in the afternoon.”

What Chau was most excited about, though, was the tourism industry. He said the sector would prosper if the country were promoted well.

Lucky New Year platter at the the Mandarin Oriental Chinese New Year feast. Photo courtesy MOM.

On the heels of the newly launched tourism campaign of the country, the feng shui expert, who is a resident of Hong Kong, even declared “Chinese New Year is more fun in the Philippines!”

He said, “tourism is a water element, and can cool down the fire in the country’s sign. So President Aquino should tell the tourism secretary to do more promotions to encourage tourists to come.”

He suggested that the Philippines do away with visa requirements altogether.

President Aquino, having been born in the Year of the Golden Rat (1960), also has a lot of fire elements, and would need the water in the coming Dragon Year to “cool down. This will help him bring money luck to the country,” Chau said.

But he underscored the possibility of more rains, floods, earthquakes and “explosions” in the Philippines, especially in the southeast location, because of the presence of the Disaster Star in the southeast quadrant.

“These may happen in the months of April, October and January 2013. So I hope the government can prepare for these, and prevent them when possible. They must make adjustments to avoid flooding.”


Chau's forecast for those born in the Year of the Rat like President Benigno S. Aquino III.

Most of the zodiac signs are lucky in the Year of the Water Dragon, except for those born in the years of the Dragon (1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012); Dog (1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006); Ox (1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009); Goat (1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991); and Rabbit (1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011).

The lucky colors of the year are gold, silver, white, sky blue, green, red, pink, violet, peach, orange, beige, yellow and brown.

The Chinese New Year festivities at the Mandarin Oriental Manila are among the most anticipated in the metropolis, outside of those in the Chinatown area in Binondo, Manila. They regularly attended by Vice President Jejomar Binay and his spouse, Dr. Elenita Binay, as well as business executives who work or reside in Makati.

(My piece was originally published on January 13, 2012 in the BusinessMirror. I own the copyright for the photos and video on this blog, except where otherwise indicated.)

* * * *
Here are the rest of Master Chau's forecasts for the different animal signs in the year of the Water Dragon (courtesy Mandarin Oriental Manila):

Your Chinese zodiac sign in 2012 (Year of the Water Dragon)

Or click here.

Impressive, incredible, sensational (slogans)!

WHILE doing research on the tourism slogans of other countries, I stumbled on the site of travel blogger, Fiona Cuillinan. In 2009, she compiled a list of slogans used in a number of countries, including our own (back then it was still "Wow Philippines, of course).

So I'm posting her list here. An asterisk means it's an updated entry or correction.

Albania A New Mediterranean
Anguilla Feeling is Believing
Aruba One Happy Island
Belize Mother Nature’s Best Kept Secret
Brazil Sensational!
California Find Yourself Here
Canada Keep Exploring
Croatia The Mediterranean As it Once Was
Ecuador Life at its Purest
Viva Cuba
Egypt Where It All Begins
El Salvador Impressive!
Visit Finland Breathe
Visit Florida
Florida Keys Come As You Are
France Rendez-Vouse En France
Germany Affordable Hospitality
Grenada Rhythms of Spice
Hong Kong Best Place Best Taste
Hungary A Love for Life
I heart New York
Incredible India
Indonesia Admit It You Love It
Italy Much More
Jamaica Once You Go, You Know
Cool Japan
See the world. Visit London
Malaysia, Truly Asia*
Maldives Sunny Side of Life
Montenegro Wild Beauty
Namibia Land of Contrasts
New Zealand 100% Pure
Romania Land of Choice
Discover Peru
It's more fun in the Philippines*
Uniquely Singapore
Slovakia Little Big Country
Slovenia I Feel Love
I need Spain*
Switzerland Get Natural
Taiwan Touch Your Heart
Tanzania Land of Kilimanjaro Zanzibar and the Serengeti
Texas (visual representation of ‘Everything’s bigger in Texas’ – I think)
Amazing Thailand

Btw, the "I❤NY" is probably the longest-running tourism slogan in all of history, and according to marketing experts, it is the most successful as well. No wonder New Yorkers don't have any reason to change it. It was created in 1977 primarily for New York City, but was later adopted as a campaign for the entire NY state.

Doomsday you say?

FROM my friend, Manila Standard columnist Jojo Robles comes this cartoon:



Haha! ;p

Happy New Year folks!

Sharing the Noche Buena feast

Last of two parts

THE holiday season continues as we eat through more parties, food presents, and reunions with family and friends.

So what is your dream Noche Buena feast?

On my family’s dining table, the staples are usually a Chinese jamon, queso de bola (we prefer the more biting Dutch Master edam to the usual Marca Pato or Piña brands), and a pasta dish done by Big Sister or Kulit Niece. Then there are the ensaymadas from Mary Grace and the steaming Tsokolate Eh (Antonio Pueo) whisked to a froth with a batidor in an ancient blue ceramic chocolatera that’s been in my family as far back as I can remember. (For New Year, we decided to go a little more decadent and bought the fluffy and light delicious Cunanan ensaymadas.)

The other accompanying dishes usually vary depending on our mood and budget—sometimes there is Pancit Molo and prawns in lemon butter sauce. This year, we tried something new and had Baked Norweign Salmon with Pesto Parmesan from Dulcelin. (For some reason, Big Sister and I got particularly obsessed with a fish dish this Christmas.)

(Apples Chen with husband, Peter)

Our Christmas Day lunch would never be complete without a lengua dish from Mama or Big Sister. It takes me back to memories of my lola who was a superb cook, and whom I always hung out with in the kitchen as she experimented with a new recipe from a cookbook or from the women’s magazines she subscribed to. But her fork-tender ox tongue with tomato sauce, potatoes and carrots had been my favorite since I was little. It is a dish that will always remind me of the comforts of home and family, and I’m glad that Mama has learned to make it.

Of course, if I won the Super Lotto, I’d probably fly in Chef Eric Ripert of the three Michelin-starred Le Bernadin to whip our Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve feast. I know there are far more experienced French chefs out there, but Ripert is way hotter! And he’s a Buddhist, so I’d like to see if the family’s loud squabbling over the dining table would eventually annoy him and send him screaming back to New York. Hahaha!

(Rep. Jun Abaya w/ his wife Ria and their kids)

To continue, more thoughts on the Noche Buena feast from friends:

Rafaela “Apples” V. Chen, general manager, International Hoteliers and Associates (Shanghai) Ltd.—This year will be very different from my other Christmas Noche Buena feasts. For the past 15 years, my husband and I were always in the Philippines, but this time we will spending our Christmas in Shanghai. It will be a cold and chilly Christmas, but I will try to put on the table my favorite dishes that I could prepare here, like puto (China has this in their supermarkets), fruit salad, queso de bola, and I will have stuffed chicken that I can ask our chef to help me grill in the oven.

We will be missing the sumptuous food festivities but our thoughts will always be there for our families and mutual friends out there this season.

(Chef Joie Candelaria and daughter Jasmine Danielle)

Rep. Joseph Emilio “Jun” Aguinaldo Abaya, LP, Cavite—I have an eclectic taste for food. I love mussels and oysters prepared by Mommy Alice in any of the fine-cooking traditions of my hometown Lawit, Mama Vivien’s laing, a bowl of chirashi, some fajitas or gyros, pizza with everything on it, cold shrimp salad. End the meal with a bar of Butterfinger and a hot cup of excellent Cavite coffee, and I’m content!

More important for me, however, is sharing my meal and a good conversation with my favorite people: my wife Ria; my kids Miong, Gogo and Ichay; my family and my in-laws. And if God will grant me a miracle, I would be most delighted to be in the company of my daughter, Veanna, and my great grandfather, Emilio Aguinaldo, both of whom have been granted, ahead of us all, the privilege of celebrating Christmas with the ultimate birthday boy, Jesus, in Heaven.

Chef Josephine Yu Tanganco-Candelaria, executive Chinese sous chef, Mabuhay Palace, Manila Hotel—Well, for me I still go for the traditional comfort food and then add a twist of something different. A Noche Buena feast should be a delectable combination of all the dishes that a family loves.

(Anthony Abad)

My family and I still take pleasure in drinking Tsokolate (Chef Konrad Walter’s recipe) to accompany my homemade bibingka topped with adobo flakes, melt-in-your-mouth ensaymada with queso de bola (Marca Pato) and bone-in-ham from Hong Kong served with Mantou bread. We also have creamy leche flan, lechon and lechon manok with my very own version of liver sauce, pancit malabon, barbecue pork, and—for dessert—moist dark chocolate cake, and of course my very own salted duck egg ice cream which my family and kids love!

Anthony Amunategui Abad, CEO, Trade Advisory Group—My dream Noche Buena feast would be a baked lechon de leche stuffed with truffle rice. Try it and you will know why!

(Patrick Tan)

Patrick Tan, vice president for commercial affairs, Southeast Asian Airlines—For the past years, the Christmas/New Year staples on our family table have been an assortment of prepared foods like confit de canard (from the can, and then baked), pate de foie gras with truffles which we serve with crackers and lumpfish caviar; smoked salmon with capers, and different cheeses.

Our home-cooked foods include pata tim, cha-misua, duck casserole a’la chinoisse, callos, bacalao, and ox tail ragout. For dessert we have chocolate truffles, as well as fresh grapes and oranges.

The meals are characterized by richness and a variety that includes Chinese, French and Spanish dishes. This is what we have gotten used to and this is our dream Christmas meal. Of course we can never finish what’s on the table, but the meal symbolizes abundance, so it is appropriate.

(JJ Yulo)

JJ Yulo, founder, choreographer, GRO, Pinoy Eats World—My lola’s food will always make it to my list of my fantasy Noche Buena, starting with her galantina. It’s basically a mixture of pork and other spices that’s been stuffed and rolled into a chicken—a terrine of sorts that is an absolute pain to make. It’s a labor of love, and it shows not only when you see it, but when you eat it. It’s been a Christmas tradition for me since I was small to get a slice, put some mustard and a bit of mayo on the side, and eat it with her signature bread called frescas (sort of like a brioche), and a bit of Russian salad, colorful with boiled beets. These are my real flavors of Christmas.

Since we are in fantasy mode, my lechon would be a bit different: the best Cantonese suckling pig I’ve ever had would be at this restaurant called The Manor in Hong Kong. I can’t figure out what it is about it, but my educated guess is that 1) it’s a specially sourced pig; and 2) they’ve been doing it so long that they’re masters in the art. The skin is impeccable—not a single bad piece—all loudly crunchy (you can hear your seat mate crunching), and with meat that’s so tender and succulent and flavorful with every bite. Their special seasoning is masterful too—it never gets too salty. It’s a game changer for me, palate-wise. I’ll take my Cebu lechon for Noche Buena anytime, but this—this is something else.

(Carla Humphries)

This meal would be consumed with all my loved ones around me, all laughing and making merry with no talk of politics or sad stories, and in attendance would be the Christ child himself, because even Jesus deserves a birthday party, don’t you think? And I really think he’d like my lola’s galantina.

Carla Humphries, actress—If I could not worry about gaining weight for a night, a Willy Wonka-inspired Christmas would be nice. Imagine all the chocolates, candies, etc., and not a single calorie on them.

(cont'd from last week, "The true spirit of Christmas is in giving," BusinessMirror, Dec. 23, 2011. My column, Something Like Life, is published most Fridays in the Life section of the BusinessMirror. This piece was published on Dec. 30, 2011.)