Tourists as objects of business?

BY ATTY. BATAS MAURICIO

LIFE’S INSPIRATIONS: “…Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it….” (Proverbs 22:6, the Holy Bible).

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TOURISTS AS OBJECTS OF BUSINESS? OH WELL!!! I couldn’t agree more to what newly-installed Tourism Secretary Ramon Reyes Jimenez Jr. laid out as plans to attract more tourists to the Philippines. Indeed, there is a need to “sell the Philippines” and promote its tourism potentials worldwide. But that is not enough.

For one, there is also a need to see to it that tourists who come here do not become victims of Filipinos who, because of poverty, have no qualms about stealing from, or hurting or even killing, tourists, and making the tourists’ stay here a horrific event. Right now, there is a problem of security for tourists in the Philippines.

For another, there is a sorry mental state among Filipinos, officials and ordinary folks alike, that tourists are a source of “business”. With due respect, this is a wrong perspective to take---tourists are not simply “business”. They are people out to take a vacation, people who needed a respite from their busy lives.

They are people that needed to be attended to---not treated as objects of commerce or as sources of revenue. If the Philippines, under the new tourism czar, will go about its tourism industry laboring under the perception that tourists are mere dollar earners, we will have more problems than we could imagine.

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HOW TO INSTALL GOOD OFFICIALS: Just a thought. Did you know that installing officials must follow a selection process to assure that the installed officials will serve to the best of their ability and will not resort to anomalies? Let us read the following story, taken from Exodus 18:13-23 of the Bible:

“The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, `What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?’

“Moses’ father-in-law replied, `What you are doing is not good… Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you…Teach them his decrees and instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave.

“… But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens…”

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CONGRATS LANI SOLEDAD: Ms. Lani Soledad, the councilor of Valenzuela City and co-host of TV 5 ace performer Willie Revillame, was the instant darling of the crowd of Rotarians that attended the induction Thursday, September 1, 2011, of Ms. Nellie King as ChangeMaker president of the Rotary Club of Chinatown. Everybody wanted to pose for pictures with her. Congrats, Lanie, and keep up the good work!


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Turista bilang “negosyo”? Naku naman!



INSPIRASYON SA BUHAY: “… Turuan natin ang mga bata sa daang dapat nilang tahakin habang sila ay bata pa, at hindi na sila hihiwalay dito maging sa kanilang pagtanda…” (Kawikaan 22:6, Bibliya).

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TURISTA BILANG “NEGOSYO”? NAKU NAMAN!!!  Katig ako sa mga sinabi ng bagong talagang Tourism Secretary Ramon Reyes Jimenez Jr. bilang mga plano upang makahikayat tayo ng mas maraming turista sa Pilipinas. Tunay nga, kailangang “ipagbili natin ang Pilipinas” at mapatatag ang industriya ng turismo sa buong mundo. Pero hindi ito makakasapat.

Una, kailangan ding tiyakin na ang mga turistang nagpupunta dito ay di nagiging biktima ng mga Pilipino na, dahil sa kahirapan, ay walang pakundangan sa pagnanakaw o sa pananakit o maging sa pagpatay ng mga turista, at paniniyak na ang pagpunta ng mga turista dito ay nagiging malagim na bangungot, dahil na rin sa kawalan ng seguridad para sa kanila sa Pilipinas.

Ganundin, talaga namang mayroong umiiral na pananaw sa hanay ng marami nating mga kababayan, ke opisyales man o ordinaryong tao lamang, na ang mga turista ay “negosyo”. Mawalang-galang na po pero ito ay di tamang perspektiba---hindi lamang “negosyo” o “komersiyo” ang mga turista. Sila ay mga tao, na nais magbakasyon sa mga problema sa buhay.

Ang mga turista ay mga taong dapat ay pinag-uukulan ng pagpapahalaga, at hindi tina-trato bilang panggagalingan ng salapi. Kung ang Pilipinas, sa ilalim ng bagong liderato sa turismo, ay magpapatuloy sa pagtanaw sa mga turista bilang dollar earner, magiging malaki lalo ang problema natin.

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PROSESO SA PAGPILI NG MGA OPISYALES: Alam ba ninyong ang pagluluklok ng mga opisyales ay mayroon palang prosesong dapat ay sinusunod upang masigurado na ang mga maluluklok ay kikilos ng mabuti at hindi gagawa ng katiwalian? Basahin po natin ang kuwento mula sa Exodo 18:13-23 ng Bibliya:

 “Noong sumunod na araw, muling hinarap ni Moses ang mga tao upang bigyang-kalutasan ang kanilang mga suliranin, at ginawa niya ito mula umaga hanggang gabi. Noong makita ito ng kanyang biyenang lalaki, sinabihan siya, `Ano ang ginagawa mo? Bakit ikaw lamang ang tumatayong hukom samantalang naghihintay ang mga to?

“Sinabi ng biyenan ni Moses, `Hindi tama ang ginagawa mo… Makinig ka sa akin at nawa’y samahan ka ng Diyos… Turuan mo sila ng mga tuntunin ng Diyos, at ipakita mo sa kanila kung papaano sila dapat mamuhay…

“… At piliin mo ang mga taong may kakayahan---mga taong may takot sa Diyos, mga taong mapagkakatiwalaan at galit sa masamang ganansiya---at sila ang italaga mo bilang mga opisyales…”

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CONGRATS LANI SOLEDAD: Darling of Rotarians bigla itong si Ms. Lani Soledad, ang konsehal ng Valenzuela City at co-host ng TV 5 ace performer na si Willie Revillame, noong dumalo siya sa induction noong Huwebes, Septyembre 1, 2011, ni Ms. Nellie King bilang ChangeMaker President ng Rotary Club of Chinatown. Lahat gustong makapag-palitrato kasama siya. Congrats, Lanie at keep up the good work!