Ang Mga Taga-Department of Tourism at Philippine Tourism Authority ng Pinas ay tila Puro Porma lang yata pero wala namang alam

Ang Mga Taga-Department of Tourism at Philippine Tourism Authority ng Pinas ay tila Puro Porma lang yata pero wala namang alam

Sa totoo lang, ang nakakainis na ang mga siniswelduhan nating mga kawani ng gobeyrno ay kung umasta akala mo kung sino. Puro porma wala namang alam!Ano bang nangyayari sa turismo ng bansa natin? Kung di ilegal na mga turista ang pumapasok sa atin na inaayos ang lang ang kanilang papel pag nagkaproblema ay ang mga dayuhang pedopiliya, tulak ng droga o smugglers. Di naman natin basta kailangan lang ng mga turista. We need quality tourists.Eh papano nga tayo magkakaroon ng quality tourist eh kung ang mga nakaluklok sa DOT at PTA ay mga taong walang alam kundi pumorma lamang at umastang akala mo kung sino.

Tignan nyo ang Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia at Thailand. Ang mga bansang ito ay walang puknat na dinadagsa ng mga tourista di lamang mula sa Europra, America, Africa at Australia kundi sa iba pang karatig bansa mula sa Asia. Ang pagtarget ng mga turista mula sa Europa, America at Australia ay isang bugok na pamamaraan ng mga bugok na taga-DOT (Department of Tourism). Tangna naman kasi eh, appointed lang naman ni GMA ang mga lekat na yan. Pati ang mga taga-PTA na ang alam lang ay ibandera ang pangalan ni Dean Barbers sa mga proyekto nya sa Boracay at iba pang lugar. Hijo, the BARBERS are already falling stars! I wonder if Dean Barbers still remembers the time when he allegedly went to DLSU-Manila to contest the grade of his sibling who fell short of few points to get an honor? I heard that from a reliable source a classmate in DLSU graduate studies told me that horror from the tirades of Dean. Is this true, Mr. GM? If this were true, hijo, La Salle is not a government where you can put you're weight around. Iba dyan pare. Grades are not for sale!!!

For several times, the government embarked on the "holiday economic on tourism", that is, by adjusting the date of "non-working days" or making the weekend long with an end in mind that the local tourists would enjoy the holiday by patronizing the local destinations we offer which ironically very exorbitant to afford. Eh mga bugok pala kayo eh. Mana kayo kay GMA. How do you expect this "holiday economic on tourism" strategy would work when the local holiday packages are very expensive and that the international holiday packages are more affordable? When I was in Japan, their strategy of encouraging local tourists to patronizing the local holiday package works. Like in Disneyland, the rate for local tourists is 100 yen while for foreigners is US$100! Consequently, the local tourists practically go there almost every week.This was also the point I told to Ms. Sonja Garcia of DOT Davao in the invest tourism forum at MEGAMALL when Philippine Retailers Association (PRA) invited me there to participate. But instead of listening to me, Ms. Garcia was very defensive. Sabi nya it's because of the media that makes our tourism go down by painting Philippines as corrupt country. Eh obvious ba? Kaliwa't-kanan ang mga pagnanakaw at behest loans. Mga ulol, buntot nyo hila-hila nyo.

Even Ms. Veronica Carandang of Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industries agreed in my proposal to DOT folks --- coordinate with the resort owners and other establishments. Yan ang problema sa mga ibang tagagobyerno eh. Pakiwari nila, they monopolize the knowledge and skills. Helloooooooooooo... Dream on. Remember, most of you are in your position not due to your competency and skills... in short, YOU'RE THERE NOT BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU KNOW, BUT SIMPLY BECAUSE OF WHOM YOU KNOW. C'est la vie. That's how it is in the Philippines.

Here are my other assumptions why our tourism program fails:

1) The people who run the department are seemingly not equipped with the necessary skills they need. Our Asean counterparts are very aggressive using various media in promoting their country and its tourism. Sa mga bisaya ikanga, mas gusto pa ganing maglagaw ang mga hinayupak ng mga ito. Kasi nga naman, masarap magpunta sa US, Europe, Australia, Africa at iba pa. Mas malayo ang lugar, mas malaki ang "per diem" nila, pwede pa silang magsama ng KAPAMILYA o KAPUSO nila. Hahaha. Tangna nyo!!!!

2) They don't want to work on regulating the resorts and other establishments that promote tourism because their profit margin will be lessened. Alam nyo naman sa Pinas, conflict of interest is very prevalent. Who the hell cares? The care bears, they say! But if ony they would be able to talk to resort operators (their business partners or relatives) to lower the price and make it affordable to local tourists, then the "holiday economic on tourism" will be very successful not only as planned, but also in its implementation.

3) Apparently, their primodial concern is not really to promote tourism, but to go on shopping, find business opportunities for their family relatives or kabets or dummies, and other selfish interest.

4) Funds are not used properly. Where does the travel tax go? I think, that PTA and this government should disclose where the travel tax go? Putang ina, eh wala ka namang nakikita kinahihinatnan ng mga ito? Needless to say, abala lang yan pag aalis ka. Sana inintegrate or inincorporate na lang yan pag nagbabayad ka ng airfare. Eh kaso nga what do you expect from these incompetent people from the government. Ala! Weather-weather lang daw. In all other countries where I had been to, only Palau collects travel tax before leaving. That was my experience the first time I went there. But last year, Palau made it easier. No more queues. Eh sa atin sinasayang na ang pera ng tao, pati oras pa. Separate ang travel tax at terminal fee lane. We only should to the world how we operate the government. It's damn riddled with bureaucracy. Nakakahiya. Ngayon ang tanong, san ba napupunta ang travel tax? Bakit wala ka man lang makitang improvement in the facilities and service that the government renders? Bakit ginagawang gatasan ang mga tao? I wouldn't mind paying travel tax and terminal fee if I see any improvement. Pero wala eh. Not even an iota of improvement. Can Commission of Audit tell us where the money goes? How about the PTA General Manager himself? We have the right to ask for it, right? Wag kayong balat sibuyas hane? If the government is really serious in making the "holiday economic on tourism" successful, I suggest, work with the resort operators, hotels and other establishments. Explain to them the "economies of scale". Ika nga ng mga Chinese, "Tsap Di" lang... Think big by going to small. Ang siste ang mga tourists operators ay nahawa sa mga taga gobyerno sa kaswapangan. But I cannot blame them kasi karaniwan sa gobyerno ang kalakaran eh, "ang lagay ba eh", gusto may tongpats... mahilig kasing pumatong eh both figuratively and literally. Gusto may bukol. Sila ay nalahian ng mga "COMMISSIONERS". Nakakatawang, nakakalungkot. But the reality remains, "Ang Mga Taga-Tourism Department at Philippine Tourism Authority ng Pinas ay Tila Puro Porma lang pero wala namang yatang alam!"

Prove us wrong, fellas!!!

Visit my blog: http://pinoy-politics.blogspot.com/