LONDON-based World Travel Awards evaluates applications for tourism awards. The Philippines is well-regarded and has recently won titles as (a) the World’s Leading Beach Destination and (b) the World’s Leading Dive Destination.
My concern is that, for many tourists, it is the personal contact with individuals and organizations that are most significant and long-lasting. Many contacts are friendly and are not forgotten.
Quite naturally, however, there are not-so-friendly encounters. I wonder if it is possible for the Department of Tourism (DOT) to intervene sometimes so as to improve matters.
In any case, it would be good if DOT publicized all the categories, including personal contacts, which are included in the World Travel Awards. Overall, I believe that the Philippines would acquit itself well but it may help a fuller understanding if a “warts and all” report of bad experiences are included as well.
***
From a tourist perspective I wonder if there is merit if a greater marketing effort were to be made in which package holidays to provincial airports were included. Both Iloilo and Bacolod have potential.
The support for the expansion of the Iloilo Airport is welcome and we hope that Prime Asset Ventures Inc (PAVI) is able to make a successful approach to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) relating to the proposal to upgrade the passenger terminal building.
My experience is that tourism would greatly benefit from enhancements to provincial airports, especially Iloilo and Bacolod.
The implementation of a longer runway at Bacolod-Silay International Airport has been mooted for several years. I believe this potential project is now more likely to produce a satisfactory cost-benefit ratio than before. Tourism is highly beneficial to our economy and regional airport developments would engender significant growth.
***
Money Laundering
For several years, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has not made sufficient efforts to meet the specific requirements of Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to prevent money laundering.
In the past two years BSP has had several Governors. All are capable. Firstly, President BBM transferred BSP’s governor Benjamin Diokno to become Secretary of Finance. A good move but it seems that subsequently BSP has not paid enough attention to the curtailment of money laundering. At least FATF is not yet satisfied.
I believe that current BSP Governor Eli Remolona could quickly meet FATF’s requirements. In my opinion, our banking system is reasonably secure.
It would help our international reputation if BSP made the administrative effort to demonstrate our vigorous anti money-laundering efforts./PN
