...the next Guam

Subic seen as new Guam

            

By Ric Sapnu

The Philippine Star

June 30, 2013

 

 

 

MANILA, Philippines - Subic Bay Freeport could be the next Guam, Ronald Wang said in a statement read by Dr. Johnson Yang, chairman of the Subic-based Grand Pillar International Development, Inc.,Wang, chairman of property developer Century 21 Subic Bay and also chairman and chief executive officer of Century 21 Taiwan, Century 21 Asia Pacific, and Fantai Real Estate Management Co., expressed high hopes for Subic as the next best thing in the real estate business.
“Subic is the next Guam in terms of economic growth,” Wang said.

Wang was the guest speaker in the groundbreaking ceremony for Grand Pillar’s Mi Casa Terrace, a P170 million three-storey commercial and office building project to be constructed in the Freeport Zone.

Wang said that when he was invited by Dr. Yang to Subic several years ago, he felt the passion in Subic and the opportunity that awaited in terms of leisure and commercial development.

“This is the reason why when I attended the 10th Asian Real Estate Association of America Global Summit held in Hawaii in May (2013), I was inspired and had the confidence to present to all the delegates and participants of the summit that Subic could be the next Guam,” he said.

Guam is a tiny island in the Western Pacific, which attracts more than one million tourists annually from Asia and America because of its more than 20 luxury hotels, duty free shops, indoor aquarium, entertainment venues, and several golf courses in what is dubbed as the Pleasure Island District.

Subic is said to have the potential to replicate Guam’s real estate boom because of its natural attractions that include mountain forests and the Subic Bay.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairman and administrator Roberto V. Garcia, meanwhile, said that the proposed three-storey commercial building is another manifestation of the increasing demand for spaces intended for tourism-related businesses.

 

...the Asian Youth Boxing Champions

FOUR FILIPINO BOXERS WIN GOLD IN ASIAN YOUTH BOXING CHAMPIONSHIPS

By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 17 Mar 2013



Four talented and courageous young Filipinos won gold medals in the Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships at the Subic Freeport on Saturday providing a boost to the grassroots development program initiated by the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines headed by its president Ricky Vargas and the eminent businessman-sportsman Manny Pangilinan as chairman.

Light flyweight Jade Bornea, light welterweight Eumir Felix Marcial, flyweight Ian Clark Bautista and lightweight James Palicte fulfilled the expectations of the ABAP leaders and executive director Ed Picson with the finest showing of the country in years.

The support from hometown fans certainly lifted the spirits of the young fighters and gave them an advantage especially in close fights.

A bronze medalist in the World Youth Championship in Armenia last December light flyweight Bornea defeated Shatlykmyrat Myradov of Tukmenistan, 17-10, in their 49-kilogram semifinal bout but had a much tougher time against Japan’s Kosei Tanaka before taking the country’s first gold 15-13.

The score was tied at 8-8 going into the final round before Bornea with a solid left followed by a right which jolted Tanaka emerged winner 7-5 to edge the game Japanese.

Ian Clark Bautista won the flyweight gold with a 19-10 win over Uzbekistan’s tough Mirazizbek Murzahalilov after coasting to a 6-3 lead in the opening round marked by a cracking left hook and a right straight. A counter left by Bautista in the second round staggered the Uzbek fighter who was unable to penetrate the solid defense of the Filipino.

Lightweight James Palicte took the first round by a close 5-4 margin against China’s Liu Xiaoshuaichn and held on to that lead 10-9 at the end of the second due mainly to a terrific uppercut that stunned the Chinese boxer who kept pressing the action. Another solid uppercut by Palicte sealed a 17-13 win although the final score was no indication of the closeness of the bout.

The fourth and final gold medal of the Philippines was won by Eumir Felix Marcial who put on the most impressive performance by the Filipinos beating Mongolia’s Batzorig Otgonjorgal by a runaway 29-12 margin.

The switch-hitting Marcial, the reigning World Junior Champion who is a power puncher battered his opponent from the opening bell to take a 11-5 lead at the end of round one nailing the Mongolian with a vicious left straight and a solid combination.

Marcial kept up the pressure in a second round slugfest with some big shots to move ahead 22-11 before coasting in the final round for the big win that won the hearts of fight fans.

Amateur Boxing Association president and former Philippine Boxing Association chairman Ricky Vargas was ecstatic over the performance of the youth squad as he said “while we cheer for every boxer we reserved even louder cheers for the ABAP team that has been working hard for an efficient and properly run tournament.”

ABAP chairman Manny Pangilinan was overjoyed over the boxers showing and texted the Manila Standard saying “Congrats to ABAP. Mabuhay ang Pinoy boxers. Go ABAP!”

 

...the polvoron connection

Pitching Philippine tourism via ‘polvoron,’ mangoes

By Jocelyn R. Uy
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Thursday, July 26th, 2012

SEOUL—Don’t belittle the unpretentious “polvoron.”

Fashioned out of flour, powdered milk and sugar, it is one of the native Philippine delicacies, along with dried mangoes, offered in a one-stop shop set up on a street in this bustling South Korean capital to attract more Korean tourists to the Philippines.

On the shop’s glass window, an eye-catching poster greets passersby: “Outdoor cafés. More fun in the Philippines.”

Guests at the shop are offered mango juice or coffee and Filipino delicacies, such as dried mangoes and polvoron, while they browse through brochures detailing holiday packages to the Philippines.

The shop’s staff is a mix of Filipinos and Koreans.

The Department of Tourism on Saturday opened its first ever international one-stop shop and showroom to pump up the already growing tourist traffic from South Korea.

“Korea is our No. 1 market so it is only right that we set up our first ever showroom here,” Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. said at the opening.

He said the launch was a milestone for the Philippines, the first Asian country to have such a showcase in South Korea. “This is where the Philippines has many friends,” he told guests.

Present at the opening of the one-stop shop were Philippine Ambassador Luis Cruz, Korea’s Mode Tour president Hong Ki-jeong, Assistant Tourism Secretary Domingo Ramon Enerio III, tourism attaché Maricon Ebron and other VIPs. Representatives from airlines and tour operators also graced the event.

Nestled in Euljiro Jung-gu district, the showroom is flanked by hotels, banks, malls, the subway and historical spots, such as ancient royal palaces.

“This is a perfect place because this is a very busy area and there is a huge traffic of potential tourists coming from the subway station, the malls, restaurants, banks and offices,” Enerio said.

From its signage bearing the slogan “It’s More Fun in the Philippines,” down to its brightly decorated glass windows, the showroom is eye-candy amid a tangle of concrete and steel.

Its interior showcases Filipino culture: The walls are painted bright yellow and orange and the shelves are arrayed with colorful picture frames made from indigenous materials, porcelain dolls dressed in the traditional baro’t saya and books on fiestas, ancestral weaving, Jose Rizal, birdwatching, golfing and cookbooks.

A flat screen on the main wall plays videos of the Philippines’ white, sandy beaches, blue waters and other tourist destinations. Two huge posters showing Bohol’s tarsiers and festival costumes also embellished the walls.

Hundreds of brochures feature prime destinations—Boracay, Bohol, Cebu, Manila, Davao, Subic and Clark. Tour packages offered by Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and Zest Air are on hand.

“This is a one-stop shop for your travel plans … you can book your travels here,” Ebron said. “There is free coffee and mango juice every time you visit us.”

...the PH in world investor's radar

PH catches GE’s eye amid boom in emerging Asia

 

80 firms visited to check opportunities

By: Riza T. Olchondra
Philippine Daily Inquirer

 Monday, July 23rd, 2012

The Philippines has caught the eye of the likes of American giant General Electric, whose research and development (R&D) arm is exploring growth opportunities in Asia.

As of June, 28 inbound missions (groups of business leaders) and 80 individual firms sent officials to Manila.

There’s one more on the way: GE Global Research.

Asked to confirm buzz on GE Global’s interest in the Philippines, Trade Undersecretary Cristino L. Panlilio said company executives were set to meet with trade officials.

“It just says the Philippines is in the radar of world investors,” Panlilio said of the meetings.

As for GE Global, he said, “They’re interested in engineering design. It may be an R&D, BPO [business process outsourcing] type of operation.”

Aside from hosting and providing talent, the Philippines can also offer assembly facilities, Panlilio said.

“We can follow up with assembly of machinery, like jet engines, turbines,” he said.

GE Global may be offered locations in economic zones such as those in Clark and Subic.

“We want to create an ecosystem for them. For manufacturers to come in, 60 to 70 percent of what they need must be accessible here,” Panlilio said.

He said there was a maker of sophisticated technology products such as aircraft wing flap mechanisms for Boeing and Airbuses. It operates in the Baguio City Economic Processing Zone, which hosts many other electronics and high-technology firms.

Such ecosystems, economists say, boost economic growth through investments and job creation not only in the growth engines (BPO, manufacturing, etc.) but also in allied sectors such as food and retail, which benefit from consumer spending.

The Business Processing Association of the Philippines reported that revenue in the country’s outsourcing sector reached $11 billion in 2011, with 643,000 people employed.

The Philippines had an 18 percent share of the $44 to 46 billion global BPO market in 2011, right behind India, according to Everest Group Analysis.

However, the Philippines had only 1 to 1.5 percent share of the $10-billion global engineering outsourcing market, which is seen as a high-growth sector.

As such, the Department of Science and Technology (DoST) is pushing for the Philippines to climb the engineering services ladder. “We are No. 1 in call centers. We intend to double our market share in three other fast-growing services: information technology, engineering services and multilingual BPO,” DoST deputy executive director for ICT industry development Alejandro P. Melchor III said in a presentation to engineering educators last June.

...the Blue Ridge's Best Sailor

Best sailor on US command ship is Pinoy

VERONICA VELARDE-PULUMBARIT

GMA News

March 26, 2012

 

 

The best sailor on the USS Blue Ridge — the "finest flagship" of the United States — is a Filipino, one of the ship's ranking officials said.

LtJG Clinton Beaird, Public Affairs Officer, said of Filipino Senior Chief Petty Officer Ed Agustin: "He’s the best sailor that we have on board." 

The USS Blue Ridge is the US Navy's most technologically advanced ship. It is the permanent flagship of "Commander," the navy's Seventh Fleet. 

During Operations "Desert Storm" and "Desert Shield" in the 1990s, the USS Blue Ridge served as the flagship for the Commander of the US Naval Forces Central Command. 

Beaird said Agustin, 47, was one of some 76 Filipinos serving on the USS Blue Ridge. The Filipinos represent some 12 percent of the ship's nearly 1,000 crew.

Asked by GMA News Online why he was considered as the "best sailor" of USS Blue Ridge, Agustin said, "Dito sa military, nag-eexcel ang mga Pilipino. Kasi karamihan ang mga nagjo-join sa Navy sa US bata pa, 17 or 18 years old. Tayo, [mga Pilipino], nagjo-join mga 24 [years old] na, mature na, mas dedicated na sa trabaho."

Agustin, one of the ship's sailors who were recruited from Subic Bay in the Philippines, said he was in charge of the ship's maintenance.

He was born and raised in the Philippines. His family is from Balagtas, Bulacan, and he studied at the University of the East.

He said the last time he came home to the Philippines was "two or three years ago. Exciting. I was looking forward to sinangag, diniguan, papaitan."
 

Asked what he liked about working for the US Navy, Agustin said, "Yung retirement is guaranteed. After 20 years makakapag-retire na ako. Wala kang makikitang trabaho na after 20 years pwede ka nang mag-retire. Pwede kang umuwi ng Pilipinas."

Manila: 'A favorite port of sailors'

Captain Daniel Grieco, who assumed command of the USS Blue Ridge in May last year, said: "Manila has long been a favorite port visit for sailors. This visit provides our sailors the opportunity to appreciate  the unique Philippine culture and to experience the sights and sounds of this busy international city."

A decorated officer, Grieco holds master's degrees in Business Administration (from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University) and National Security Affairs and Strategic Studies (from the US Naval War College).

Captain Derek Rey, who was born and raised in the US but whose parents are both Filipinos, said he was looking forward not only to visiting places such as Intramuros or Corregidor but also tasting Pinoy food. 

"I like nilaga, pancit, lumpia — anything you have in birthday parties," Rey said. 

Rey said he told his colleagues at the USS Blue Ridge that "the values of the Filipinos are
very much aligned with the Navy and Marine Corps."

"They [Filipinos] value honor, courage, and commitment and hard work. Those are the values that we embody and the military as well," Rey said.

He thinks his colleagues would "feel right at home in the Philippines."
 
IT seaman Jen Romnick Escano, a satellite communications operator, was also born and raised in the US to Filipino parents. "My mom is Caviteño but my dad is from Pangasinan."

Escano said "it feels great being able to come to the mother country. It’s nice to come back to the mother country."

He said the last time he was in the Philippines he was "too young." Now he feels he can appreciate the country and its culture even more. "I can’t wait to have balut. A lot of my friends are afraid of balut but I'm not," he said.
 

All in the "Navie"
 
Meanwhile, a junior officer, Ensign Maria Josefa Veloria, 25, enlisted in the US Navy as a Logistics Specialist after graduating from the Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Illinois.

A daughter of Brig. Gen. Mariano Veloria, Maryjo — Pepay to her family and friends — ranked first out of 800 sailors in Military Excellence.

A member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class 1979, Gen. Veloria is now the commander of the 53rd Engineering Brigade of the Philippine Army.

Maryjo said out of six siblings, four of them are in the US Navy. The eldest child in the family, Maryjo said she has been with the US Navy for five years now.

She has visited 34 countries and Dubai was the place she liked best. "Iba po talaga siya sa mga napuntahan ko," Maryjo said.

Her mom Navie, who welcomed her at the Manila South Harbor with her dad, said she was the first "Navie" member of the family.

In jest, their mom said all of her four children followed in her footsteps and chose to become Navy personnel and not an Army man like their father.
 
First cousin of Migz Zubiri

Meanwhile, Gunnery sergeant Elwin Zubiri, 31, a first cousin of former Senator Miguel "Migz" Zubiri, said his job was to be a "liaison between the Navy and the Marine corps."

He said he was the only Filipino marine officer on board the USS Blue Ridge.

Zubiri said he feels a little nervous whenever he hears negative news about the Philippines or its neighboring countries.
 

"There’s still a little bit of, you know, a little bit of nervousness. You’ve got family here, what’s gonna happen?" Zubiri said.

Fast facts about the USS Blue Ridge

• There are approximately 650 Blue Ridge sailors, 350 US 7th Fleet staff embarked, and up to 450 more personnel during exercises aboard USS Blue Ridge.

• Command ship USS Blue Ridge has two commands aboard: the embarked 7th Fleet staff members and Blue Ridge crew. The 7th Fleet staff commands and controls ships and the other units assigned to 7th Fleet region. 

• The USS Blue Ridge was commissioned in 1970. First stationed in San Diego from 1970 to 1979, Blue Ridge was deployed to Yokosuka, Japan in 1979.

• USS Blue Ridge is referenced as LCC-19 (meaning Amphibious Command and Control ship number 19).

• The entire 7th Fleet can be coordinated in real-time using the advanced array communications systems aboard Blue Ridge.

• The 7th Fleet’s area of responsibility encompasses more than 48 million square miles - from the Kuril Islands in the north to the Antarctic in the south, and from the International Date Line to the 68th meridian east, which runs down from the India-Pakistan border.

• The area includes 35 maritime countries and the world’s five largest foreign armed forces. Five of the seven U.S. Mutual Defense Treaties are with countries in the area; Republic of the Philippines, Australia and New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Japan, and Thailand. Half of the world’s population lives within the 7th Fleet area of responsibility.

• At any given time, there are more than 60 ships, 200 aircraft and 40,000 Navy and Marine Corps personnel assigned to the 7th Fleet.

- KBK, GMA News

...the foresight

The economic picture looks good

By BETH DAY ROMULO

May 31, 2011

Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines — The latest ratings released by Standard & Poor’s international rating service views the Philippines economic outlook as “stable.” Better yet, the World Bank has listed the Philippines as one of the countries worldwide with the “highest growth potential.”
 
 

And the fact that the Philippines is no longer listed by the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) as a country that offers safe haven for tax evaders and money launders encourages foreign investment.


The most active sites for foreign of investment have been the former US military bases at Clark and Subic Bay.


The former Clark Air Force Base is the home to the US chipmaker Texas Instruments which set up shop there in 2009, and Korea’s Samsung Industries which came in last year. The Japanese tire maker Yokohama which has been at Clark since 1996 has announced plans for expansion this year.


At Subic Bay, South Korea’s giant Hanjin Heavy Industries has built one of the largest shipyards in the world and already delivered 20 ships since it came in five years ago.


The port at Subic is now second only to Manila in volume of cargo, and revenue collections hit two billion pesos in the first quarter of this year. The Subic Bay Freeport has become a bustling hub for regional budget airlines and cargo ships. It is also developing as a tourist attraction with its sandy beaches and rainforests.


The Asian Development Bank recently released a report on the roll-on-roll-off (RoRo) projects introduced during the Arroyo administration which have provided local employment at ports throughout the country and also stimulated the economy through the “nautical highway” which connects the major islands of the archipelago.


In the Metro Manila area, the business process outsourcing firm Accenture has opened a new 9-floor facility at Global One Center in Quezon City, and expects to add another 5,000 employees to its work force.


Last year, the Foreign Joint Chambers of Commerce listed seven potential areas of investment in the Philippines: Agriculture, business process outsourcing (BPO), creative industries, manufacturing, infrastructure, mining, and tourism. Of the seven, five are doing well, but two – mining and agriculture – received no fresh investments last year. This year, there has been some activity in the mining sector but agricultural businesses still fail to attract investment.


In an attempt to rectify this situation, the Department of Agriculture (DA) decided to conduct a census of food producers and fishermen in 80 provinces to determine this sector’s “gaps and vulnerabilities.” This is the first time such a study has been made.
 

Currently, the census taking, which is being conducted by DA regional officers who interview farmers and fishermean, has finished the Southern Luzon area and is now working in Quezon province. The national survey is expected to be completed by 2014 and will provide a database which will give a detailed picture of what policies proved effective and what needs yet to be done to improve production.

...the ex-bases

Ex-US bases thrive in Philippines

By Cecil Morella

Agence France Presse

05/01/2011

SUBIC, Philippines - Two huge former US military bases have found a new lease on life in post-Cold War Philippines, with budget airlines and cargo ships taking the place of fighter jets and destroyers.

The conversion of Subic Naval Base and Clark Air Base into tax-haven special economic zones nearly two decades ago has drawn a few thousand investors that include shipbuilders, electronic firms, airlines and tour operators.

Subic Naval Base, Zambales

Clark Air Base, Pampanga

The transition, however, has not been smooth and the vast areas, each about the size of Singapore, still do not live up to their potential with parts resembling ghost towns, officials involved in running them acknowledge.

But they now employ around 150,000 people, nearly four times the 42,000 locals when US forces gave up what were then their biggest overseas military facilities in 1992, according to Subic's state-administrator Armand Arreza.

"We're the main economic driver here," Arreza told AFP in an interview at his office at the sheltered deepwater port of Subic.

The US military set up their naval and air presence in 1901 and 1903 respectively as they took colonial control of the Philippines, with Subic becoming the repair and supply yard of the US 7th Fleet that ruled the Pacific.

Clark became the headquarters of the 13th US Air Force and the two bases were among the biggest employers in the Philippines for decades after World War II.

But Clark was forced to close when the nearby Pinatubo volcano erupted in 1991, burying the area under vast amounts of ash.

The following year Subic also closed when, amid rising nationalist sentiment and a dispute over rent, the Philippine Senate refused to renew leases on both bases.

In their place, the government moved quickly to turn the areas -- a couple of hours' drive north of Manila -- into special economic zones that allowed investors to import raw materials, capital and equipment tax free.

The company tax rate in the zones was set at five percent, compared with about 30 percent elsewhere in the Philippines, and foreign businesspeople setting up there were given visa waivers.

Foreign manufacturers -- from makers of electronic chips to door knobs, garments and car parts -- dominated an initial rush in the 1990s.

But some ran into difficulty during the 1998 Asian economic crisis -- a pattern that, most recently, again played out in 2008 with the global financial meltdown.

Arreza and others involved in the process described the post-US withdrawal development as a series of hits and misses.

"There are assets that have been distressed, companies whose business plans have not been as successful," Arreza said.

One major setback came in 2009 when Federal Express moved its regional hub to China, leaving 800 locals without jobs, in what was seen as a symbol of the Philippines' increasing inability to compete with its giant Asian neighbour.

Many manufacturers that initially were attracted to the Philippines had in actual fact shifted operations to China and Vietnam from as early on as the mid-1990s.

Richard Gordon, Subic's first administrator, said one of the key misses was a controversial government decision to strip top Asian port operator Hutchison Whampoa of its winning bid to build a Subic container port in 1995.

"If we'd brought (Hutchison's billionaire owner Li Ka-Shing) to Subic who knows what companies would have come," Gordon told AFP.

The government later borrowed money to build a container port that is now operated by Li's local rival for the original project.

Nevertheless, Clark and Subic have done well compared with the rest of the economy, said John Forbes, investment adviser to the American Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines.

"The Philippines has done extremely well at both the bases... of course they are not being maximised but that's because the Philippine economy has not been maximised," Forbes told AFP.

In a country that has fallen further behind many of its Asian neighbours on a range of vital economic and social criteria over recent decades, the bases have provided a crucial source of money.

Total investments in Subic since its conversion into an economic zone reached $7.2 billion last year, with nearly $5 billion of that coming since 2005, according to government data.

Clark, which has more usable space and a bigger runway, has attracted a total amount of $25 billion, official figures show.

Among the biggest recent investors at Clark are chip-makers Texas Instruments of the United States, which arrived in 2009, and South Korean giant Samsung, which set up operations last year.

The two have so far ploughed 860 million dollars and 135 million dollars respectively out of their initial billion-dollar investment pledges.

Japanese tyre manufacturer Yokohoma, which has been one of the most enduring foreign companies at Clark after arriving in 1996, also has expansion plans.

Meanwhile, regional airline AirAsia is due to make Clark its main Philippine hub in September, joining seven other budget carriers already there.

Over at Subic, Korean shipbuilder Hanjin Heavy Industries has built one of the 10 largest yards in the world which has delivered 20 ships over the past five years.

"Shipbuilding has become an emerging sector for us," said Arreza, adding that the Subic port was now second only to Manila in terms of general cargo volume.

In another sign of progress, Guam-based Aviation Concepts moved into Subic in February to provide fuelling and maintenance services for Asia-based aircraft, as well as air ambulance services.

After Federal Express' departure to China, Subic's airport had remained dormant.

One of the government's main priorities now is to drive more traffic into the former bases to boost aviation and leisure facilities, with the huge Chinese market a top focus.

"Tourism, for me, is the sleeping giant," Arreza said.

"Right now we're into domestic tourism, but of course there's a lot of seasonality and you are vulnerable to domestic conditions. So we want to get budget carriers to come here also for the foreign tourists."

Subic, in particular, has rich tourism potential, boasting tropical beaches and some of the most well-preserved rainforests left in the Philippines.

Subic also already hosts international sporting events such as triathlons, mountain bike tours, sailing and kayak races.

Lance Gokongwei, chief executive of Cebu Pacific Air, one of the seven current Clark operators, said the airport there had the potential to attract as much traffic as Manila's international airport.

"It's just a question of making an investment in infrastructure," Gokongwei told AFP.

"There's a large catchment around Clark, within a one-hour radius I think, (where) there's five or six million potential customers."

...the base

Subic: School for sustainable tourism and economic growth driver

Empowering the Filipino People

By Former Philippine President Fidel V. Ramos

April 2, 2011

“People empowerment leads to a culture of excellence and results in global competitiveness. Excellence simply means being ‘better than the others.’” — FVR

MANILA, Philippines – Last 23 March, FVR launched the International School of Sustainable Tourism (ISST) in Subic upon invitation of its President, Dr. Mina Gabor, former Tourism Secretary. Mina is one character who really knows how to get attention. Three weeks ago, when she came to our Ramos Peace and Development Foundation (RPDEV) in Makati to invite us for the inauguration of ISST (her latest “baby”), we had 83 things calendared on the chosen date. But, when she dropped the word “ECO-TOURISM,” right then and there, we cancelled everything and agreed to go.

UN World Tourism Organization ‘Musts’

Sustainable tourism is the acknowledged key to ensuring that there is an adequate supply of quality tourism products/services, while minimizing/ avoiding negative impacts of tourism on our natural environment and socio-cultural assets.

Many actions need to be done to prepare venues for the enjoyment of local and foreign tourists, the most essential listed by the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) being:

Research: Engage leading industry experts and research institutions to generate cutting-edge knowledge on sustainable policies and tools.

Capacity Building: Conduct seminars and training camps using practical/hands-on methods.

Dissemination: Organize international conferences/forums for the exchange of “best practices.”

Networking: Collaborate with regional/national tourism administrations, UN agencies, and tourism operators regularly.

Pilot/Technical Applications: Carry out pilot projects to “test” new approaches and techniques.

Bringing stakeholders together

Late last year, the first Eco-Guiding Course ever done in the Philippines was held at ISST in partnership with the Department of Tourism.

Our country badly needs Eco-Guides since we have only a limited number of well-trained park rangers.
Taking care of at least 2,000 hectares of forest is the job of just one park ranger.

An Eco-Guide is someone who connects tourists with the natural and cultural values of the places visited.

Guides do this by interpreting each venue’s special features, sharing their passion for nature with visitors, while minimizing people’s impact on the environment. They are responsible not only for the safety and enlightenment of tourists – but equally, for environmental protection.

Ecotour Guides are employed on cruise ships, walking/bus tours, wildlife adventures, and at historic sites.

Maximizing opportunities in sustainable tourism

RPDEV completed last year a series of “EcoMismo” seminars where partners in government and the private sector discussed doable solutions to challenges, both in policy and operations.

These sharing workshops were held in MetroManila, Cebu, Bohol, Sarangani, South Cotabato, GenSan, and CamSur.

With the theme “Ecotourism and Eco-Productivity: Best Practices and Challenges,” EcoMismo aimed to highlight the Philippines as among the top Asia-Pacific clusters in eco-tourism, and a pioneer in eco-productivity.

FVR also keynoted the 4th Philippine Real Estate Festival (PREF) Excellence Awards last 31 July when achievers in both real estate and tourism development were properly recognized, and where retirement/healthcare communities for foreigners were identified.

Only the best is good enough

Emphasized to EcoMismo and PREF audiences was the importance of EXCELLENCE as the yardstick for successful tourism packages.

During FVR’s Presidency (and up to now) among the recurring themes in his speeches, writings and interactions with other stakeholders is the virtue of striving for excellence in everything we do – if Filipinos are to become globally competitive as a nation.

Among our tourism crown jewels, it is in Subic Bay (being an international gateway) where tourism development, environmental conservation, and human behavior synergistically converge, and where nothing less than excellence works.

Many talk about increasing global opportunities in our time. As modern technology brings far-flung or untapped markets closer to our doorsteps, we may think the chances for global business automatically increase. Well, not really – because excellence in the global marketplace is the principal yardstick.
Best practices in eco-tourism

In 1991, the DoT – in collaboration with the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the UNWTO – prepared a Philippine Tourism Master Plan, the key objective of which was to position the Philippines as a world-class tourism destination under the guiding concept of sustainable development.

The Ramos Administration adopted that blueprint in 1992 as our basic roadmap, which includes real estate and property development. That official policy of sustainable tourism was further deepened and broadened thru regional seminars-workshops among stakeholders.

Sustainable tourism demands sustainable business practices. Clearly, the task of sustainable tourism has no universal solution -- it has only universal intent. Solutions are always location-specific. What works in Bohol may not work in Caramoan, CamSur. Practices in Cebu City may not apply in Lake Sebu.

The intent in sharing best practices is not the “who,” but the “why” and “how.” It is not to imitate but to learn from each other’s experiences -- and be inspired by them.

Nurturing a culture of excellence

In “winner” tourism models, decision-makers don’t settle for what is easy and convenient, or what is contrived or merely improvised. They study, analyze, plan and test until what they wish to achieve is clearly configured and understood in the minds of stakeholders who must help bring about the intended outcome.

Such is the “Culture of Excellence” that has enabled many nations, some smaller than ours, or whose natural resources are more limited than our own, to achieve much, much more than we have done – in terms of sustainable development and, consequently, their people’s quality of life.

If we persist in incorporating a “Culture of Excellence” in our lives, and encourage others in the community to aspire for nothing but the best, it is likely that the overall improvement of the Filipino future will become reality and not just an impossible dream.

Successful developers and operators forego small comforts and instant gratification because only the best is good enough. They keep track of what the competition does and are humble enough to accept where they fall short. They constantly search for ways to do better next time.

Tourism with a conscience

Many seem to forget that the Earth is humankind’s only home, and that millenniums of consistent abuse have pushed our Planet to the brink of no-return.

If our children – and all others after them – are to enjoy a decent future, we must change the way we treat food, water, air, vegetation, trees, energy, land, rivers and seas, and Earth’s other bounties.

We work hard every day so that our families may have three healthy meals and a roof over their heads. But, all that work will be for nothing if our Planet becomes uninhabitable.

Eco-tourism requires community participation in protecting and managing natural resources, traditional culture, and indigenous wisdom.

Eco-tourism fosters environmental ethics while promoting economic benefits for host communities and cultural enrichment for visitors.

Subic as growth engine

Subic Central News (February, 2011) reports: “The total exports in 2010 from Subic Freeport hit an all-time high with freight-on-board value of U$1.34 billion, surpassing the 2009 export value of U$1.08 billion by 24.6 percent year-on-year.”

The biggest exporters were led by Hanjin Heavy Industries Corp-Philippines, which exported a total of U$725.8 million in FOB value. In 2010, Hanjin completed two oil tankers – the M/T Leyla K and its twin M/T Eser K, for delivery to the Turkish Kaptanoglu Shipping Line.

The two vessels were the very first large tankers built in the Philippines, each valued at U$68 million, and measuring 114,000 deadweight tons, 241 meters long, 44 meters wide, and 21 meters deep.

Imports by Subic-registered firms also showed strong performance, jumping by 55.3 percent to $3.48 billion in 2010 from $2.24 billion in 2009.

Subic Administrator Armando Arreza (“Triple-A”) claims these export-import achievements indicate Subic’s economic power and increased competitiveness as a manufacturing/logistics hub.

Subic Bay is an ideal tourism gateway to what FVR in 1994 designated as the “Manila Bay Doughnut” in terms of economic growth and tourism potential that encompasses Bataan, Corregidor, Cavite, Tagaytay, Batangas, Quezon, Laguna, Rizal, Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Pangasinan, and Zambales.

Nobody describes Subic Bay better than Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim, citing it as a “perfect model of sustainable and quality tourism attractive to a diversity of foreign and local visitors.”

The fundamental principle

The tourism industry provides great opportunities for dealing with the persistent threat of climate change in a way that not only nurtures the environment, but boosts businesses as well.

In a word, eco-tourism is tourism with a conscience – because it advocates protection of natural resources and establishes mechanisms that are environmentally sustainable, economically rewarding, and socially equitable.

In his message at ISST (read by Secretary Bertie Lim), President Aquino III firmly committed: “Our policy is first and foremost anchored on the principle of sustainable tourism... that is environmentally and socio-culturally manageable.”

WE DON’T HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN “GROWTH” AND “GREEN.” THE PHILIPPINES CAN BE BOTH GREEN AND GROWING.