The air is rife with rumors, Pres. Bongbong Marcos has eyed former Philippine Airlines President and Chief Operating Officer, Captain Stanley Ng, to replace Tourism Secretary Cristina Frasco.
As I write this piece there is no indication as yet whether Ng will accept the post given the fact that the country had become the laggard in the tourism industry that used to be the best revenue-generating sector that contributes to the Philippine economy.
In brief, whoever replaces Frasco who is a lawyer, a former Mayor and daughter of former Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia, faces a gargantuan task of resuscitating the moribund tourism industry.
It is not an easy task for several reasons foremost among these are:
- Marcos himself is part of the problem. He barely warmed up his seat as President, he rejected former President Rodrigo Duterte’s foreign policy of engaging in bilateral talks to resolve long standing conflicts with China in the West Philippine Sea/China Sea issues. Marcos cuddled up to then US Pres. Joe Biden and allowed the US to put up nine EDCA military bases in the Philippines. Having done that he, along with AFP Chief Romeo Brawner and some petty officers in the Philippine Coast Guard started saber-rattling even brazenly threatening to come to the aid of Taiwan in the internal conflict of China.
- The Philippines multiple military bases unnecessarily became a beacon of missile target.
Who would then venture to travel to the Philippines? Chinese, which accounts for the biggest volume of tourists worldwide, including the Philippines, and are among the big spenders quickly vanished from the Philippines tourist destinations. We not only lost the Chinese tourists but also the China consumer market which is the most sought-after by business the world-over including US President Donald Trump.
These are among the issues that will confront any tourism-savvy experts including Captain Ng. The Philippines is endowed with natural bounties which are of interests to international tourists. We have the best of mountain resorts, prestine beaches in the world and a lot of other cultural and natural wealth that is unique only to the Philippines. We can take pride of the Davao City Coastal boulevard and promenade which is the best in the world offering a spectacle of our grandiose Mt. Apo, of the Davao Gulf and imagine the sight to behold once that 4.3-kilometers Davao-Samal bridge will be once finished.
Davao City too has one of the best quality of drinking water courtesy of the Davao City Water District you can drink it straight from the faucet.
Domestic and foreign tourists enjoy the peace and cleanliness of Davao City the Tourism Index showed the city as the country’s prime tourists destinations, business conferences and functions. The stable investment climate in the city has lured billions worth of investments last year alone. And yes, Davao International Airport has become an important route for Qatar Airlines, Singapore Airlines, China Airlines (primarily for export cargo of fruits and fresh and processed tuna and other marine products from Davao) and of late direct flights of Japan Airlines and Vietnam.
Of course our own flag carriers – the Philippine Airlines and Cedu Pacific hauls huge volumes and cargoes to and from Manila alone. On a personal note, retuning from Manila last week, the PAL flight to Davao was fully booked and not a few foreigners were on board. Which makes me wonder why cannot they reduce the cost of plane fare.
So welcome to Davao City. Home of former President Rodrigo Duterte, of Vice President Sara Duterte and of Senators Christopher “Bong” Go and Bato del Rosa.
Happy New Year!
