Welcome break

Taking a break from the daily grind of earning a living is always refreshing and reinvigorating. And this is especially true if one spends it at an exotic place in another country like Bali, Indonesia where my wife Josie Sison and I attended Area 3 General Meeting of Rotarians from Australia, New Zealand, Philippines and Japan who belong to the International Yachting Fellowship of Rotarians (IYFR).

IYFR is an organization of Rotarians all over the world for the preservation and protection of the environment especially the seas, rivers and inland waterways that serve as venue for their sport of boat sailing. We attended the meeting not because we are also engaged in the lucrative sport of sailing boats but more because we also love and care for our environment. In fact, membership in the IYFR is not exclusively for those who own yacht or boats as the name of the organization implies, but for all Rotarians with the same cares and concerns for nature. And for Philippine Rotarians, attending the event brings more pride and honor because the International Rear Commodore of IYFR is no less than our own Past President of Rotary Club (RC) of Cubao West, Jesus “Jun” Avecilla who will head the organization in 2015 as the International Commodore. Also attending the event are Jun’s wife Lilia, Butch Bautista, Robert Del Rosario, Josie Garcia and Mel Waje.

The four-day event was indeed enjoyable because it was a combination of business and leisure. The business portion consisted of one day session where the Rotarians discussed how to promote the IYFR and attract more members; amendments to the organization’s rules and regulations; and other problems besetting the various IYFR fleets in the area. Spearheading and ably guiding the session were Immediate Past International Commodore Terry Stretton who came to the event with his wife Meryl; International Rear Commodore Jun Avecilla, Regional Commodores Grahame Werrel, Robert Eaglesham, Kerran Campbell and Past Fleet Commodore Murray McNally.

The delegates also established connections with Bali Rotarians by attending the regular luncheon meeting of the Rotary Club of Nusa Dua, and the cocktails hosted by the Rotary Club of Seminyak which likewise hosted a fundraising lunch at the rustic mountain retreat of Rotarians Detlev and Losi. There were also day tours of scenic Bali usually capped by evening dinner dances at famous night spots along the beach. Highlighting the event on the last day was the sunset cruise along Benoa harbor with a special presentation from the Philippine contingent which played the songs “Edelweiss” and “Auld Lang Syne” using “Angklung”, the Indonesian bamboo musical instrument under the direction of Josie Sison. The various activities of the affair were single-handedly organized by the very active couple from Australia, Roger and Glenda Lingard.

Going on a trip to other countries is really very educational as we likewise learn about the culture and languages of other people in this world. In this particular trip, the most significant aspects we learned are the striking similarities in the culture, language and features of Filipinos and Indonesians. There is no doubt that we came from the same Malayan race such that when we mix with a crowd of Indonesians here, people from other countries will find it hard to distinguish the Indonesians from the Filipinos. Even some of our Tagalog words have the same sound and meaning as theirs. Their cultural dances also have the same movements and features as our dances especially in Muslim Mindanao. The only difference perhaps is that the Indonesians somehow managed to retain most of their Malayan traits unlike us who were obviously influenced and affected by the Spanish and American customs and traditions, appearances and even complexions.    

Going to other countries also enables us to make comparisons and discover the reasons for our success or failures in other disciplines and aspects of life. Indonesians are apparently more nationalistic than Filipinos precisely because their Dutch colonizers have not substantially influenced and affected their customs and traditions. Thus unlike Filipinos, Indonesians do not want foreigners to impose on them and intrude into their sovereignty. If the foreign imposed RH bill being pushed by our own government with strong foreign lobby pressure will be introduced in Indonesia, it will certainly be junked right away. According to an article in “Bali Daily” women are generally “considered as chaste and moral by society,” so that they overly protect them against violence. And one of the acts of violence against women is the polygamy of their husbands, because the predominant Hindu religion in Bali is strictly against polygamy.

Another noticeable difference which should supposedly work more in our favor is in the beauty and attractiveness of tourists’ spots. While Bali indeed has longer stretches and wider expanse of beaches, it is certainly no match to the pearly white sands of Boracay. Yet Bali attracts millions and millions more tourists than Boracay. And while they are already overflowing with tourists from other parts of the world, elaborate studies are still being done for further development of three strategic areas in Bali which are among the 16 tourism destinations nationwide.

Most noticeable however, is the continuing influx of foreign investments in tourism there. Somehow it conveys the message that to attract more tourists we should shift our basic strategy by attracting more tourism investors that will certainly draw more tourists. It is another proof that we really have to amend the economic provisions in the Constitution and ease the restrictive policy on foreign investments in all sectors to attract more foreign investors especially in the tourism industry. This is exactly the opposite of what is happening in Indonesia which is more worried about tourism investment being controlled by foreigners as “approximately 80% of investment in Bali’s tourism originates from foreign investors” (Bali Daily P.II).

*      *      *

Email: [email protected]