Boracay in 35 minutes

Boracay is undeniably the most vibrant economy in Aklan.

There are four airlines that indirectly service the route, including Southeast Asia Airways, which flies to Caticlan 18 times (a 35-minute ride) daily during the summer months. From there, passengers can cross by banca to Boracay.

Serving the needs of the island’s 200 resorts are the branches of four banks, including the country’s largest, Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co., and all the major bottled water companies.

There’s a snake in this paradise, however, if Tourism Secretary Joseph Durano is to be believed. You see, Ace Durano believes Boracay will implode within the next five years if it does not solve its solid waste problem.

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Did you know 1: Many companies have begun to cut back on the working hours of their employees as a strategy to stay afloat until the good times come back. Here are some ways.

Instead of working for 12 hours per shift (with overtime pay, of course), employees have been asked to work the regular eight hours. Instead of two or three shifts, it’s now down to one.

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Did you know 2: HSBC (Phils.) deputy country manager Martin Cook started out his career with credit card company, Diners Club International, which is celebrating its 10th year in the Philippines this coming Oct. 8 with local partner, SB Cards Corp.

Mr. Cook is, of course, the boss of marketing director Suresh Nadoo, who runs the bank’s credit card business.

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Did you know 3: Even companies like San Miguel Corp. are giving business to boutique marketing companies, which do both above and below the line marketing. You see, the integrated approach allows clients to determine how successful or effective a marketing project has been, given the pesos allocated.

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Over the past two months, Chowking Foods Corp. marketing manager Virgilio Ajero has opened a third branch in Dubai and a second one in Indonesia.

Jojo Ajero is expected to do more foreign traveling the rest of the year (read: more branches to be opened) as the domestic market matures (read: the growth rates will no longer be that dramatic).

Oh yes, all foreign branches for at least the next three years will be company-owned. This way, president Rufino dela Rosa will have better control of the bottom line – he was, after all, the chief financial officer of Jollibee Food Corp. before he was moved to Chowking in 2000.

Coming up with signature dishes for foreign branches also enables the company to experiment with the core menu, with the end view of introducing top-selling dishes in foreign branches to the Philippine market.