Transport and Tourism: RP partner in economic dev’t

Transport and tourism could be a strong partner in the development and growth of the Philippine economy if only the government and the private sector will collaborate to make tourism the number one priority.

Working from within the airline and travel industry and being actively involved since 1969, I have worked my way up in the different airlines. My wide grasp and insights about the Philippine transportation and tourism industry became handy when I was a guest columnist of the Manila Bulletin, Transportation and Tourism section in 1986. Some 25 articles of mine were published to advocate the protection of our skies and the development of our tourism industry. I dished out first hand information of the relevant issues that affected Philippine transportation and tourism.

If we look back on the issues that plagued the transportation and tourism industry in the Philippines, it would be inevitably noticeable that most of these problems still prevail today. It is in this intent that once again, I will lay the “Real Scores” in our Transportation and Tourism arena.

Real Scores will provide in-depth discussions of issues and come up with solutions for the improvement of our industry. Once again, we shall call the attention of government officials and inform the travel and the academe sectors of the issues facing our tourism industry. Real Score will emphasize on the confidence that the legislative and other government officials should place in the stakeholders when considering policies. Compiled Real Score articles will be distributed monthly to these institutions to inculcate the importance of our position.

Our core value is Glocal—local to be global but not to allow globalization to kill our local industry. Real Score will fight tooth and nail against the lobbyists of foreign interests, both in the local and international levels.

With us in this significant endeavor is a strong team of agencies with a stake on the security of our skies: the Network of Independent Travel Agencies (NITAS) with 625 agencies and 13 chapters all over the country; the Travel Cooperative of the Philippines (TCP), which is the first travel cooperative in the world and will soon be accredited as an International Air Transport Association (IATA) Agency to support small and medium travel agents; the Save Our Skies (SOS) Movement, which is a non-governmental organization that advocates, among others, the protection and promotion of our local carriers; the Department of Tourism (DoT), which will secure dependable statistics for the decision-making process and support our massive training programs; the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG); the AirCargo Forwarders of the Philippines; the Air Safety Foundation; the SKAL International Makati, and the American Society of Travel Agents. Together we will coordinate with the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the American Chamber of Commerce Philippines Incorporated, the European Chamber and the Latin American Community and other travel-related organizations in working for the improvement of the industry.

Our vigilance will protect the Filipino interest! We shall protect our patrimony! Support Buy Filipino for the Filipino. If not, who else will? Let us uphold the Philippine interest!