After asking Boy Abunda to be Secretary of Tourism, president-elect Noy is said to be considering Dingdong Dantes and Ogie Alcasid for government posts. (Source)
This early, you can tell who's running the show (read: First Lady). And I wash my hands.
But those of you who voted for Noy should leave him alone on his smoking because you knew when you voted for him.
Noy is a package deal. It's like getting married, you can't expect a man to change after you've committed to him—duh.
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Boy Abunda thankfully said he was declining the offer—for now—for financial reasons (obviously he's earning well in show biz) and he is tied with ABS-CBN till 2011. That's next year.
I've traveled with the DOT in 2006 during a trade show in Guangzhou and got to personally interview Secretary Ace Durano. I've also been a guest of the Singapore Tourism Board many times. Being a frequent traveler, I can basically tell what makes a country attractive or unattractive to tourists.
Tourism isn't just about joining trade shows and creating beautiful ad campaigns.
So what if people decide to visit our country based on pretty pictures of sun and sand, only to find out the whole experience isn't so great? They're not coming back.
As a business owner, I know that what makes a business prosper besides a good product are word of mouth and returning customers.
Same goes for tourism. People aren't gonna come if the people who have been here are not saying good things.
Here's a reality check for the incoming government and department of tourism:
(I don't have to spell it out but tourism brings lots of dollars to the country so we have to fix this department, pronto.)
1) The airport is the first and last thing a foreigner sees when entering the country. These impressions last. Please close NAIA 1.
Dear Noy, the airport bears your martyred father's name. Do you want a crappy (read: bulok) airport to bear his name or a nice airport to bear his name? Where do our airport taxes go??
Please open NAIA 3!
![NAIA3]()
2) Taxis create another big impression on tourists. Is there any way to fix our taxi drivers? Why do they all act like killers and swindlers? Why do the rates go up when foreigners enter taxis? Why do they have the right to choose passengers and their routes?
Can we please have a good guy at Department of Transportation to fix this, like now?
3) I cannot stress enough the importance of new and clean toilets everywhere. I should really write a full article on the importance of nice toilets. Number one are the toilets at NAIA. They are so disgusting. But really, the whole place needs to be shut down.
Mall toilets need to be first class and not built at the lowest budget, because is that what you think of your customers—low class? Don't customers deserve nice smelling, clean toilets with toilet paper and good circulation?
The Department of Sanitation needs to have a rating system where they shut down disgusting toilets everywhere, beginning with NAIA 1 and the whole of Divisoria.
4) The crime rate really needs to go down. Every time a foreigner is killed or robbed in the Philippines that piece of news is echoed in parts of the world and less people will want to come.
5) Could you please shut down money changers that cheat people?
Those are just the basics, yet they've never been fixed.
The country is a mess. What a waste of nice people, beautiful sunshine and sunsets, and awesome sights if we don't fix the basic things that would make a guest feel safe and comfortable.
![mayonvolcano]()
So dear Mr. Aquino, kindly consider your choice before you decide.
Hoping you'll choose someone who is traveled, deals with a lot of foreigners, knows what the country has to offer, is tourist-friendly, knows the arts, is qualified and has class.
May I humbly recommend...?
![Follow jiritajackson on Twitter]()
This early, you can tell who's running the show (read: First Lady). And I wash my hands.
But those of you who voted for Noy should leave him alone on his smoking because you knew when you voted for him.
Noy is a package deal. It's like getting married, you can't expect a man to change after you've committed to him—duh.
Boy Abunda thankfully said he was declining the offer—for now—for financial reasons (obviously he's earning well in show biz) and he is tied with ABS-CBN till 2011. That's next year.
I've traveled with the DOT in 2006 during a trade show in Guangzhou and got to personally interview Secretary Ace Durano. I've also been a guest of the Singapore Tourism Board many times. Being a frequent traveler, I can basically tell what makes a country attractive or unattractive to tourists.
Tourism isn't just about joining trade shows and creating beautiful ad campaigns.
So what if people decide to visit our country based on pretty pictures of sun and sand, only to find out the whole experience isn't so great? They're not coming back.
As a business owner, I know that what makes a business prosper besides a good product are word of mouth and returning customers.
Same goes for tourism. People aren't gonna come if the people who have been here are not saying good things.
Here's a reality check for the incoming government and department of tourism:
(I don't have to spell it out but tourism brings lots of dollars to the country so we have to fix this department, pronto.)
1) The airport is the first and last thing a foreigner sees when entering the country. These impressions last. Please close NAIA 1.
Dear Noy, the airport bears your martyred father's name. Do you want a crappy (read: bulok) airport to bear his name or a nice airport to bear his name? Where do our airport taxes go??
Please open NAIA 3!
2) Taxis create another big impression on tourists. Is there any way to fix our taxi drivers? Why do they all act like killers and swindlers? Why do the rates go up when foreigners enter taxis? Why do they have the right to choose passengers and their routes?
Can we please have a good guy at Department of Transportation to fix this, like now?
3) I cannot stress enough the importance of new and clean toilets everywhere. I should really write a full article on the importance of nice toilets. Number one are the toilets at NAIA. They are so disgusting. But really, the whole place needs to be shut down.
Mall toilets need to be first class and not built at the lowest budget, because is that what you think of your customers—low class? Don't customers deserve nice smelling, clean toilets with toilet paper and good circulation?
The Department of Sanitation needs to have a rating system where they shut down disgusting toilets everywhere, beginning with NAIA 1 and the whole of Divisoria.
4) The crime rate really needs to go down. Every time a foreigner is killed or robbed in the Philippines that piece of news is echoed in parts of the world and less people will want to come.
5) Could you please shut down money changers that cheat people?
Those are just the basics, yet they've never been fixed.
The country is a mess. What a waste of nice people, beautiful sunshine and sunsets, and awesome sights if we don't fix the basic things that would make a guest feel safe and comfortable.
So dear Mr. Aquino, kindly consider your choice before you decide.
Hoping you'll choose someone who is traveled, deals with a lot of foreigners, knows what the country has to offer, is tourist-friendly, knows the arts, is qualified and has class.
May I humbly recommend...?
