The tourism ministers, together with several provincial governors who are interested in all things tourism, from the member nations, such as China, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, Russia, Thailand and the Philippines, led their respective high-powered delegations representing their national tourist offices.
This year’s theme, "Selling East Asia to the Global Market," paved the way for a meaningful exchange of ideas, opinions and plans on future tourism efforts and mutually affirmed the measures taken to promote travel in the region and within the member states.
At the end of the three-day seminar-workshop, EATOF became a viable channel for economic and cultural interaction, successfully bringing forth strategies that helped strengthen linkages between various sectors and, best of all, promoting friendship among the participating governments through increased cooperation in the field of tourism. A joint statement was signed unifying the endeavors in visualizing concrete steps targeting the world market in spite of the current global crisis.
Though EATOF is a cooperative regional effort to promote the East Asia zone, it provided the Philippines, and Cebu in particular, an excellent opportunity to showcase the famous landmarks and attractions, both natural and man-made, the rich legacy of Cebuano arts and culture, unique local products and exceptionally hospitable people.
So, one evening after the discussions, debates and deliberations were over and all the work was done, the visitors and guests were honored at a farewell and fellowship dinner at the Theatro Casino of the Casino Pilipino, where the multi-awarded San Diego Dance Troupe artistically staged Cebu’s most important and much-loved festival, the Sinulog, while the University of San Carlos Dance Troupe and the University of San Jose Recoletos Dramatics and Cultural Ensemble happily took turns in presenting glimpses of Philippine life in song and dance. It was a grand night.
Rexlon Gatchalian, executive vice president for operations of the Waterfront Group of Hotels, tendered a highly exclusive cocktail reception at the presidential suite of the property in Mactan to welcome presidential appointee Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority general manager Angelo Verdan.
Guests included government agency heads, such as the Philippine Air Force Base Commander Vladimir delos Trino, police top honchos Isidro Pacifico and Jose Cosio Jr. of the Regional Aviation Security Office and the island’s Bureau of Customs Mactan collector Abubakar Hamad.
The get-together afforded us the luxury of time of getting to know Cebu’s man of the hour – a real gentleman who, during office hours, would otherwise be extremely busy attending to the needs of the ever progressive airport with the assistance of some 600 officers and staff.
And this much we learned. Born in the town of Aurora, Isabela, in northern Luzon, Verdan supported himself through school by taking odd jobs, that included selling newspapers and briefly driving a cab. While at the university, he worked at the Weather Bureau as a weather observer and after graduation he trained as a meteorologist. He then joined the Philippine Airlines Aviation School and flight operations where he spent 26 years in various related fields. As head of the flight control center, he supervised the preparation of flight plans, implemented safety programs and coordinated aircraft maintenance. More achievements were accomplished. There was simply no way to stop the man.
With such impressive credentials, on-the-job training and hard-earned experience, the MCIAA is truly in excellent hands.
Congratulations and more power!