Undervalued or undermined?

Don’t expect kings to know everything in the kingdom.

In like manner, we can’t expect Cabinet secretaries to realize everything under their domain. For this reason, we have to make a point of getting their attention.

Take for instance the case of the Department of Tourism. I have regularly contacted Secretary Ace Durano on many minor tourism related matters and I have either learned from the exchange or contributed to the concern.

But there comes a time when talk achieves little. A few months ago, I called the attention of Secretary Durano to complaints made by foreign tourists, expats and students who were being charged “foreigner rates” to visit the Mt. Pinatubo area.

It seems that the local Mayor and his council have “taken over” the management of tourism at the unofficial gateway to Mt. Pinatubo and were charging two sets of entrance fees: one for local residents (Pinoys) and another much, much higher rate for foreigners. Unfortunately, these amateurs overlooked the fact that there are “foreigners” who are missionaries, NGO volunteers, who teach for free in schools and universities, or like the Boy Scouts who accommodate each other at almost no cost.

Just for your education, the practice of having two rate cards is considered a crime in other countries. It is considered opportunistic and discriminatory and cannot be justified on the basis of skin color or nationality.

In any case, Secretary Durano never got back to me on the matter so I presumed that the matter had been dealt with.

Recently I found myself in the province of Tarlac yet again as one of the judges for the Belenismo sa Tarlac ’08. Already on its second year, the annual event showcases various kinds of “Nativity scenes (Belen) from dioramas or miniature recreations or interpretations of the Nativity scene all the way to municipal grand scale presentations that involved schools and communities.

Without a doubt the Belenismo annual event is an awe-inspiring tourism attraction that has nationwide potential. For two years, the event has drawn the full support of Tarlac Governor Victor Yap, respected civic leaders and mother-daughter team Isabel Cojuangco and Dra. Isa Suntay.

In spite of hectic schedules and the punishing process of driving back and forth through the entire province to judge all the exhibits, media personalities such as Ces Drilon of ABS CBN, Christine & Michelle Dayrit including sis Yvonne commit themselves to the work of love each year.

Even the executive director of the Museo De La Salle, Joey Panlilio and entertainer Ding Mercado, gives recognition to the significance and value of the event by regularly attending the judging process and the awarding ceremonies.

Yet after two years, the only involvement I heard of from the DOT was some regional director or assistant accompanying a Taiwanese TV crew who seemed to be more preoccupied with missed meals and food. In the last two years, I really did not see much publicity for the event coming from the DOT. Whatever they do, it is certainly not enough to be noticeable.

Quite frankly, it seems that many of our fiestas and cultural or tourism events are better promoted or supported by San Miguel Beer than by the Department of Tourism, just like Shoe Mart would probably do a better job of making airports than the DOTC. Please don’t get me wrong. I’m not knocking down Secretary Durano, but I wish he would start knocking out some of his people at the DOT who are so old they qualify as petrified wood, or so lazy all they do is pass the blame or pass the buck.

I used to dismiss the Province of Tarlac as having zero potential for tourism or a drive-by, drive through place of no interest. The only thing that ever got promoted was the War Memorial for the WWII death march. Now there is Mt. Pinatubo, there is Hacienda Luisita which could be recreated and developed just like the historical but living farms in Virginia, USA.

Just like the Ati-Atihan which has been pirated and adapted by other provinces and transformed to boost their own fiestas, the “Belenismo sa Tarlac” is proof that “events” and competitions has just as much tourism potential if we only appreciate them and support them.

Perhaps instead of simply relying on Tourism officers who are uninspired, lacking in resources and influence, Secretary Durano can spearhead the formation of provincial and regional Tourism Board of Trustees just like Diplomatic Honorary Consuls.

Do it based on nomination, selection and recommendations of stakeholders, civic organizations, churches and political leaders. Keep it clean and free of status seekers and wannabes. Why keep out the competent, the influential, the powerful, the rich and the passionate when they possess what we need for success?

 Tourism is a community and a national concern. It involves the environment, transportation, peace and order, history and trade. It is not a backyard industry. Even PGMA missed the boat not realizing that local tourism could give her a better chance of generating millions of jobs faster and cheaper than any business and any industry.

Perhaps in his last 18 months or less, Secretary Durano can work on renewing the government policy and public mindset about Philippine tourism. It should not be all about marketing and statistics. Any salesman can do that.

Having proved his ability and his dedication, Secretary Durano should now prepare a platform and a business plan or model just like Lee Kwan Yew did for Singapore. Tourism saved the fledgling nation that had no industries and no manufacturing. Tourism brought in people, foreign exchange, gave jobs and had a multiplier effect in creating businesses.

Educate policymakers, media and the public about the undiscovered and unappreciated potentials of making tourism a major business platform of government. Launch a long term local tourism campaign correlated with trade, agriculture, education and media. Let Filipinos discover each other and build up each other. If we don’t the boat will dock elsewhere!

H