Cebu business groups back Pagdanganan

The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Hotel Resorts and Restaurants Association of Cebu (HRMC) have sought the retention of Tourism Secretary Roberto "Obet" Pagdanganan for the way he has successfully handled the country’s tourism program.

CCCI president Robert Go said Pagdanganan should be given "chance to turn around the tourism industry in the Philippines" while HRRAC president Jessica Avila said that the association is crafting a manifesto to be signed by several tourism groups in Cebu to convince President Arroyo to let Pagdanganan stay.

Earlier, Sen. Richard Gordon batted for the retention of Pagdanganan as the latter "is doing well" as DOT Secretary. "I do not see any reason for his replacement, "Gordon said of Pagdanganan, former marketing czar of Unilever.

Gordon echoed Pagdanganan’s assertion that a boom in tourism creates jobs, even for unskilled workers.

Pagdanganan projects tourist arrivals to hit a record setting 2.5 million tourists this year to eclipse the previous high of 2.2 million tourists registered in 1997.

The DOT chief is crafting several programs to address the concerns of tourists. This ranges from educating policemen to be tourist oriented to segmenting the market such as offering dive sports in Tubbataha, Anilao and Panglao to divers from Korea and Japan.

Pagdanganan said the Department of Tourism is establishing a marketing office in Paris for southern Europe, Frankfurt for eastern Europe and London for United Kingdom and the Scandinavian countries.

Tourist arrivals from January to June have reached 1.15 million, up to 30.5 percent indicating that the 2.5 million target can be achieved, Pagdanganan said.