P.Noy: Let's focus on our rice self-sufficiency

First, allow me to congratulate Aboitiz Equities Ventures (AEV) President and CEO Erramon “Montxu” Aboitiz for his recognition by the Platinum Circle as one of the Asia Leaders for the year 2010 representing the Philippines. This honor was conferred on him during the Asia Leadership Dialogues (ALD) held at the Crowne Regency Galleria Hotel last July 27. The Platinum Circle is a private business organization composed of global and Asia corporations with annual revenues exceeding US$100 million.

Cebuanos are proud that Montxu Aboitiz not only represents the entire country, it is a feather in the cap of Cebuano leadership in the business world. This honor and recognition puts Cebu in the map of the world as far as business leadership and excellence is concerned. Kudos to Montxu for bagging this prestigious award and more power to the Aboitiz Group of Companies.

* * *

One of the issues that Pres. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III gave utmost importance when he delivered his State of the Nation Address (SONA) was his attack against the National Food Authority (NFA) that imported tons of rice which he pointed out was left rotting in NFA warehouses. We already wrote that the rotting rice was an issue that the media exposed after Typhoon “Ondoy” a year ago, so it wasn’t really something that P.Noy should have given special mention in his SONA.

Because P.Noy made this a big issue, the national media went all over the country in the search for rotting rice and NFA officials obliged them, allowing the media to see their warehouses. But the only rotting rice discovered were those that arrived from countries where rice was bought. Either rotting rice was sent here or it rotted on the voyage to the Philippines. Perhaps PNoy’s handlers used last year’s rotting rice footages. In fact, a pro-Noynoy newspaper came up with the headline: “We’re Swimming in Rice!”

I really don’t blame P.Noy that the rotting rice was included in his SONA. Rather, we should blame the people who gave him this “expose”. After all, the President relies on the information given by his acolytes. No doubt, the people behind P.Noy think that they still belong to the opposition and haven’t yet changed their ugly ways. Now this issue has only caused unnecessary embarrassment to P.Noy, especially that he delivered a very good SONA. It is something P.Noy needed like a hole in the head!

If at all, many pundits are saying that P.Noy should have instead focused on increasing our rice productivity or self-sufficiency, something that he didn’t care to mention. We Filipinos have always been proud of the fact that thanks to the presence of the International Rice and Research Institute (IRRI) we Filipinos taught most of Asia on how to extract more cavans of rice on a per hectare basis. However, we’re saddened by the reality that we are importing rice from these countries whom we taught because their farmers are more productive than our own. Perhaps this is due to the fact that most of our farmers spend their time in mass rallies in the nation’s capital region.

* * *

Tourism under the new Aquino administration will be a big source of revenue; that’s if they are willing to spend more money into advertising the Philippines in tv shows like CNN, BBC or other news outlets. This is a reality that we must embrace. Malaysia truly Asia always comes out in these international tv networks. So too with Egypt, Turkey and Singapore. If we’re behind in our tourist arrival numbers, we have no one to blame but ourselves. We cannot do a “Juan Tamad” and wait for tourists to come to our shores. We must entice them through advertisements.

A few months ago, former Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña chastised then Tourism Secretary Ace Durano because CamSur had overtaken Cebu as a tourist destination. Actually, the figure Mayor Osmeña quoted was only for the first quarter of the year. Cebu is still number one as tourist destination. However, we cannot sit on our laurels. We must do something to attract these tourists to come to Cebu.

Last Monday, many national dailies carried a one-page ad dubbed “All Roads Lead to CamSur” for Aug.22, 2010 as the venue of the Ironman competition where 800 athletes from 34 countries will be in CamSur for one week in the biggest Triathlon event in the Philippines. CamSur should be our wake up call as it has made its mark as a tourist destination. We in Cebu must work harder to sell Cebu, not just complain and bicker, yet do nothing! What Cebu needs today are more tourist sites and perhaps the improvement of what we already have. We also need to fill our museums with artifacts so that the foreign and domestic tourist can truly see and learn about the long history and culture of Cebu.

* * *

Email: [email protected]