Mabuhay Guide Re-born...

I am Happy!!!! Happy, Happy... Happy!!!!

After an agonizing wait of a month and a half I finally recieved my renewal for accreditation as a tourist guide from the Department of Tourism. Officially, today... I am a Mabuhay Guide again.

I was at the Tourism office this afternoon after Mr Bimbo Cruz of the accreditation department confirmed that my renewal finally went through. He sent me a text message at around 10 or 11 this morning. I went to see him after lunch...a little past two, actually. I just waited a little, was called to her desk by Ms Yoli and then she sent me off to pay the fee of Pesos, 180.00. Down I went to room 114 to pay the fee and was issued a reciept which I presented to the window at room 206. A little more waiting and voila! My accreditation and ID were handed to me. There's just one catch - the laminating machine was busted... talk about bad timing...

For a paperless transaction this one seemed to have taken forever. I hope the new secretary of Tourism resolves this problem soon enough. I guess Secretary Bertie Lim has an eye out for the many opportunities that will boost tourist arrivals in the country.

In the papers today, writer/columnist Bernardo M. Villegas points out certain facts about tourism in the country that the former administration (thanks to former Secretary Ace Durano) has set up like the nautical highway, better airports, improved roads. They had all of nine years to do as much as they could... and the results were astounding!

Get this:
- for the last nine years international tourism grew by 5.2% annually notwithstanding the downtrend in the global markets
- tourist arrivals hit the 3 million mark in 2007 expanding by 1.5% to 31 million in 2008
- tourism dropped by only 3% in 2009 during the worst economic crisis compared to other asian countries
- tourism reciepts grew by 3.9% annually from $2.2B in 2000 to $2.96B in 2007.
- tourism employed 3.3M persons in 2008, 23.7% higher than in 2000.
- the average annual tourism employment was 9.5% which means tourism generated one out of ten jobs over a period of ten years.
- the average annual tourism employment rate was 2.37% which closely approximated the national employment growth rate of 2.7%
- the passenger transport industry was the largest employer at 42.7% followed by restaurants at 23.7%, retail enterprises at 4.7%, hotels at 4%

Given these statistics* Secretary Lim is looking into integrating nature, culture and history as a means of providing a total package for tourist spots so that potential visitors get a "tight"and neat little experience that will make them want to come back.

The poor guy has been much maligned after he was misinterpreted/misconstrued/ misquoted ( you select the proper term) for his pronouncements regarding tourist arrivals. He has a quite an interesting view on attracting tourists to the country opting for quality more than quantity. I think it makes a lot of sense. We can't compete with the tourist arrivals from other countries in europe who can attract 50M tourists each season. Do we really want hordes of noisy, backpacking tourists descending on our virgin beaches and frolicking naked in the sand?

Aside from the physical and moral pollution that it entails, we've been touted for ruining our destinations because of our penchant for catering to every whim of tourists. That's Pinoy hospitality for you. In the seventies and eighties we were known for the sex tours and what a horrible reputation we had back then.

Just go to Boracay during Holy Week and you get the idea... I loved Boracay when it was virtually unknown to the outside world. Nipa huts rented for P500.00 a night and you had to take a shower with a pozo to rinse of the sea water from your body... and then you used a "buhos" toilet to do your morning ritual... That was the Boracay i knew and loved... nowadays, you can't make me go back there specially during peak season. For one, I could no longer afford it. It has become too expensive. For another reason, i dread the hordes of people who go there and party all night.

It's time to rethink what we're known for... eventually visitors will want something of a novelty. They did it in CamSur with the wakeboarding. Caramoan's jagged primeval coastline came alive with it picture-perfect beauty. Danao started to offer extreme activities aside from its historical significance owing to the Dagohoy rebellion. We want to attract tourists who will stay and spend their hard-earned money and not commit acts of loutism while they're here. Naturally, it's families who will want to come and bond with each other while enjoying the best of what our country has to offer. I think this is what Secretary Lim meant when he said it's not the number of people you want to come trampling on our shores... it's the quality of tourists...

I'm with you there... I'm a Mabuhay Guide again...



*Manila Bulletin. Business and Society. "Nature, History, Culture". Bernardo M. Villegas. Monday, 16. August. 2010

Missing Ilocos

Same time last year, the Mabuhay Guides embarked on a lengthy and in-depth research trip to Region I... the province of Ilocos!!!

Dustin Arnold Ancheta was given the task of being the team leader and there were ten of us who went to Ilocos for the research trip and we had a blast. The purpose of the trip was not only to enjoy what Ilocos has to offer but also to view the region with an open mind... discover the visual treats along the way and perhaps provide a glimpse of what the people and the province has in store for the erstwhile tourist.


We took an early morning flight to Laoag Airport and we were met by the representatives of the region's tourism office. From there we were taken by coaster to the Palazzo Hotel which is a few minutes off the center of Laoag. The owners were very cordial and it turns out that the lady of the hotel was originally a Manilena but was married to an Ilocano. It was just a few minutes at the lobby to sort out our room assignments and we were ushered to the dining room for sumptuous Ilocano Breakfast that had this soup made out of seaweed in a clear broth and the traditional Ilocano poqui-poqui, pinakbet with barbeque and fish and bagoong.

Then after lunch we were ushered into the van enroute to Curimao, Batac and Paoay. Now, these sites are must sees. Curimao is where Sitio Remedios is located. A collecton of quaint centuries old houses clumped into one compound amid ngarled and ancient trees ans nestled in the rugged coastline. Batac and Paoay are the bastion of the Marcos Family. Batac is where the Marcos Mansion and Museum is located. The Marcos Museum and Mausauleoum is where the family stays when vacationing in Ilocos, whilst the Museum is the final resting place of the former president Ferdinand E. Marcos. His remains lie in state in a temperature-controlled room that is annexed to the rest of the compound.
We also had a short stop at the Fort Ilocandia for merienda and to see the amenities that are available to tourists.

Paoay is noteworthy, as it has the distinction of having one of four World Heritage sites in the Philippines. The San Agustin Church built by the Agustinians during the Spanish regime is a massive architectural wonder featuring flying buttresses in the Philippine earthquake baroque style. A few minutes from the church is the Malacanan ti Amianan (Malacanan of the North) the official residence of President Marcos overlooking the Paoay Lake. After a tour of the palace, we motored back to Laoag for dinner at the Palazzo Hotel

Our second day in Ilocos was chock-full of activities. First stop was the Juan Luna Shrine in Badoc, Ilocos Sur. The home of Juan Luna was restored and turned into a museum that features the nationalist's life and works. From there, we proceeded to Vigan, Ilocos Sur where we took the Mestizo River tour.We also visited a weaving cooperative where The famous Abel Iloco cloth is still woven. Centuries ago, the lowly abel Iloco was the subject of a ban from Spanish weavers as the clothe proved to be sturdier for use in sails of the galleons that plied the Philippine-Mexico route. We went to the Syquia Mansion and was toured around by the caretaker. Then we proceeded to the Arzobispado de Nueva Segovia that's right next to the St Paul's Cathedral to learn about the contributions of the Catholic religion to the simple Ilocano way of life. Finally we went gallivanting round the Spanish heritage town of Vigan, spared from the Japanese bombs when a Japanese colonel who fell in love with an Ilocana. This after a great lunch at Cafe Leona... known for her poetry and for her strong female presence in Vigan society.


The third day was devoted to a lecture at the Museo Iloco by Father Laeda. Father Laeda enlightened us on the shrinking bell tower of St William the Hermit Cathedral. The Museo is also fondly called "Gameng" Ilocano for jewel. as it holds a virtual treasure trove of Ilocano artifacts from farm implements, fishing equipment musical scores and even a replica of a vigan home within the Tabacalera's restored walls. We also visited the Capitol building and then were whisked off to the North Coast. Along the way we stopped at the Pasuquin Salt factories, we had lunch at Burgos municipality tendered by the Mayor and his staff. Then we went to Cape Bojeador that has witnessed the galleons' voyages throughout the centuries. After that, we went to see the Bangui windmills; a modern concession to the Ilocano culture as it supplies a moajority of the regions electrical power. Then, it was Pagudpud!!! On the way back, we stopped at the REFMAD Dragon Fruit Farm.

The Fourth Day in Ilocos was more of a review of sorts. We visited the Churches of Sta Monica in Sarat. The massive church interior was the setting for the momentous wedding of presidential daughter Irene Marcos to Greggy Araneta. WE also saw the Well that had secret tunnels that led to the river where revolutionaries took refuge during the Philippine revolution. After that we went to the Laoag Market just to find out the curios they had to sell. We also went to St William the Hermit Church in Laoag. We also went back to Batac to view the Artemio Ricarte Museum. After which we sampled local Empanada. From there and many digital photos later, it was back to Laoag for merienda at a joint that served us Ilocano fusion food and then the airport for our flight back home... It's been a year since I was there last...

How fast time flies...

The Baguio of My Childhood

I have always had fond memories of Baguio. I used to go to the summer capital quite often when I was a kid. Two of my elder cousins studied there and my dear grandmother would gather all of us cousins and head for Baguio to check on her favorite grandchildren.

Recently, my cousin Alice arrived and she had the bright idea of taking her American husband to see Baguio first-hand. Apparently, she too, had fond memories of Baguio and had told Jim (her husband) stories of how she spent vacations there. So upon her invitation, I tagged along for a weekend there. She had an invite to stay at the Baguio Country Club and she and Jim stayed there while I and the driver stayed at the El Cielito Inn a stone's throw from SM City Baguio ( yes, there's one there now too).

I was surprised by the speed of which we got there. We cut the trip to at least half the time thanks to the modern day convenience of the NLEX and SCTEX which cuts through the face of Northern Luzon. Before it took 6-8 hours to get to the city of pines... nowadays, it takes 4-6 hours. Incidentally the SCTEX also cuts through the Hacienda Luisita ( owned by PNoy's family) and you get a sense of the wealth and power of landed families from the Spanish times to the present as they hold sway over the common Filipinos.

The purpose of the trip was R&R and to show Jim around what the Americans built to make the location a place of refuge and to remind them of home when they were getting bored and home-sick in Manila. Because truly, the city remains far removed from the heat of the rest of country. It's as if you were trasported to a different country while you're here.

When I was a child I stared in awe of the beauty that surrounded me as I craned my neck to see the deep ravines along Kennon Road. At the foot of the mountain one gets a whiff of fresh mountain air. No longer. You only get that now whe you're near the city proper. The rest of the climb all you see is the degradation of Kennon Road and the smell of smoke emissions from the busses that ply the Baguio-Manila Route.

There is so much urban development in Baguio now so much so that there are traffic jams along Session Road ( where we used to do most of the sightseeing and eating) and there are areas where traffic is re-routed one way. The side of the Baguio Cathedral along session Road has so many tall buildings now it has all but obscured the Gothic Baguio Cathedral from that side. I remember eagerly running up the steps to the cathedral and counting the hundred and plus so steps to the top. Pine trees that used to surround the historic church have been sawn off. there's a walkway and fountain that now obscures the faced of the Cathedral.

Thankfully, the sites that make Baguio unique are still there but I can't tell whether it has become a tourist trap or a sign of progress... I guess it's a matter of looking at different perspectives. The observation deck at Mine's View Park has been totally over-run by stall upon stall of curio shops and Photo-ops with dogs and horses. It takes a while before one gets to the view. Apparently there have been a lot of complaints from tourists and there is now a move to re-locate the merchants from the view deck. Igorot Kids used to hang around the cliff face to scrounge around for coins tossed by tourists. The practice has now been stopped. Rightly so, as it has cost the lives of some children falling off the cliff clambering for loose change.
The vista of Baguio remains as spectacular as ever but now, homes are precariously constructed along ridges. Old colonial homes are left derelict or up for sale. Hotels, motels, inns, pension houses, bed and breakfasts have sprung up like mushrooms due to the heavy influx of tourists during the summer. But the landmarks of Baguio remain as enduring as its glorious weather. At two in the afternoon, the clouds set in. Usually, it rains in the afternooons this time of year so don't forget your raingear. It isn't as cold as I remember it to be. But the flood of memorieshas made this trip a very sentimental one for me... and my cousin as well...

Here are some of Baguio's Must See's:
Baguio Country Club ( see the marker for its history)
Camp John Hay- built as an american military facility, the camp is now open to the public with all the great amenities and spectacular views. a certain area now has a row of dining and outlet stores.
Mine's View Park - need I say more?
Burnham Park - named after Daniel Burnham of Manila and London fame... he was responsible for the gridiron lay-out of the city of Manila. Baguio has the same lay-out.
Baguio Cathedral-(see photo)
Lourdes Grotto- we used to run up and down the stairs when I was a kid. Now it's a location for a TV commercial for body pain relief pill.
Mansion House- built as a summer residence for the presidents of the Philippines. Located across the entrance of Wright Park
Teacher's Camp- I stayed at the Teacher's Camp year ago for an Art consrvation and Preservation Seminar conducted by the National Museum. The place is famous for the Urban Legend of "white Ladies" and ghost stories.
Baguio Convention Center- Designed by National Artist for Architecture Leandro Locsin, the convention center is situated right across the UP Baguio Campus. I recommend you visit the Tourism office there to ask for maps of Baguio City.
Wright Park- Pony ride, anyone? I used to ride the sturdy mountain horses when I was a kid. I got a "kick" (pardon the pun) out of it everytime.
Botanical Garden- When I was a child i remember putting my nose on a rose to sniff it and my face was totally covered in pollen.
Mount Sto Tomas
Tam-awan Village- Artist Ben Cabrera is credited for re-creating an Ifugao village with his personal funds and creating a complete arts center with a gallery near Quezon Hill.
Philippine Military Academy- West Point style military Academy that trains the future military leaders of the country. I remember attending a PMA graduation when I was a kid. It was for the graduation of tito Alexander Aguirre who was top of his class. The academy has accepted women plebes a few years back.
Asin Hot springs
Loakan Airport- now closed for commercial air transport. Sea Air now has flights to La Union complete with busses that ferry passengers from La union to Baguio City
Bell Church
Heritage Hill- Site of Baguio City Hall. It houses American Colonial Buildings that are still in use.
Easter Weaving Room- site for local weaving. the most famous weaver that broke into international fame is Narda Capuyan. She popularized the Igorot weave in Europe and the americas
Wood Carver's Village
Baguio City Market- Ever popular place to look for bargains, especially fresh strawberries
Maryknoll Sanctuary

Yes they're still there. But you better go see Baguio before everything completely changes before your very eyes. Getting around isn't a problem as there are jeepneys that go the routes of these sites and taxis are cheaper (guess what? no aircon). there's even a fly-over now that leads from the city to the Marcos Highway that's as smooth as it can get...

An Afternoon with Secretary Lim

Yesterday was a red-letter day for the remaining Mabuhay Guides. It was the day when the remaining guides paid a courtesy call to newly-appointed Department of Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim. I say remaining because from twenty-five the number has been drastically cut to fourteen active Mabuhay Guides. Some have opted to leave the group for better pastures while the rest who were stricken of the roster failed to make the desired rating.

Oh yes, Virginia... the Mabuhay Guides underwent an acid-test of sorts for an entire year while taking on various guiding duties. Each and every group we went with were given an evaluation sheet of how satisfied/disatisfied they were with our guiding skills.

But I digress. As a show of solidarity and support for the newly-appointed secretary, we were all instructed to be in our gala uniform and be at the Secretary's office at 1:30 p.m. Suits for the men and for the women, their black pencil skirts and their orange tops and matching blazers.

We were ushered into the recieving room and were made to wait for Sec. Lim as he was still out on a meeting with PNoy. Whilst there, we all exchanged pleasantries and tried to catch up on what each and everyone was doing outside of the Mabuhay Guides. As is usual with our meetings, there was a lot of fun and laughter which we did with a lot of resttraint so we don't make the wrong impression on the Secretary.

At half past two in the afternoon, Secretary Lim enters the door from his office and he was a bit surprised that we were dressed to the nines as if a reception was underway. Apparently the cabinet meeting would have taken till midnight if the president had not included another meeting he had to go to. My first impression of Secretary Lim was that he was a no-nonsense kinda guy. He's a pretty tall man with a serious demeanor. Eventually, he slackened when we each introduced ourselves to him. Of course, our mother-hen, The Susan Calo-Medina was there to steer the conversation to our plans.

I liked that Secreatry Lim was quite supportive of the future plans of the Mabuhay Guides. Like us, he believes in upgrading the quality of the guides in the country and that he is willing to provide us with logistical support if and when necessary. He also believes in strengthening the Mabuhay Guides brand so we can professionalize the guiding industry as an effective conduit to tourism. Like any businessman, he can be direct and exacting to the point that he gets misconstrued... misquoted... perhaps even misunderstood.

All in all, the meeting was a pleasant one and shows lots of promise for the Mabuhay Guides who choose to stick it out and spread the love for country and travel to the rest of the world. Meanwhile, as we all undergo the renewal process for our individual accreditation, we're most anxious for the guests to start pouring in. The rainy season has set in and at the moment, it's quite a long wait for each and everyone of us to get assigned to a tour.

That's tourism for you... we're dependent on the weather. We can make the worst of the rainy season look good but we have an eye out for brighter sunshine to make our guests enjoy what the country has to offer.

Oh well, since it's summer in the US, my cousins have all decided to come home for a spell. For them, this is the best time to come home to Manila. The weather isn't that bad and it's a lot cooler than it is during summer. Since I haven't taken my turn yet I may as well get some practice showing my cousins around...

Global Pinoys

Here's a list of Filipinos who have distinguished themselves recently by grabbing the headlines worldwide. I personally, find their stories inspiring and am proud we share the same race.

THE PUGILISTS- Recently, three boxers hogged the headlines: Anna "the Hurricane" Julaton - the first Fil-Am female boxer who captured the WBC title. She has the same coach as Manny Pacquiao in the person of Freddie Roach. Anna flew in just recently and was feted with a ticker tape parade and a courtesy call on P Noy as well as guest spots on various TV Shows. On the same arena (pun intended)are two guys Brian Villoria and Nonito Donaire who pommelled their Puerto Rican and Mexican opponents. The victory is especially sweet for Donaire who recovered his championship belt, albeit, on a different weight category... but a victory, nonetheless.

FRANCISCO "DJANGO" BUSTAMANTE - Recently won the World Pool Championships in Cardiff, Wales. Billiards is a strong arena for Philippine talents. It has gone a long way from the dyas of Efren "Bata" Reyes and Amang Parican both of whom elevated billiards consciousness in the country and elevated the sport into an art form. Incidentally, Mr. Reyes also competed in the same competition but was eliminated in the earlier rounds. Django pocketed the cash prize of 36,000.00 Euros and bragging rights as world pool king.

FRANCISCO DOMAGOSO- Formerly better known as Isko Moreno, the man who was a struggling actor in his younger days has become an icon of sorts when he was invited to and graced a seminar on local governance in the United States. Born of humble beginnings, Francisco was a street urchin who spent his childhood begging for scraps of food and frequenting the mounds of trash in Smokey Mountain. He ended up in Showbusiness as a discovery of German Moreno and eventually entered politics first as a councilor of Manila. He then pursued higher education and continued to serve in the local government. Isko was duly elected and was one of the first to be declared winner in the vice-mayoralty race in the City of Manila in the 2010 elections.

CANDICE ADEA - A diminutive ballerina of no meager talent, Diday, as she is fondly called by friends won the Silver Prize in the recently concluded ballet olympics in Jackson, Mississippi. The International Ballet Competition in Jackson is held every 4 years and is participated in by hopefuls from all points of the world. Young dancers come from far and wide to compete in dance technique which they have finely honed in their own respective countries.

Candice follows in the footsteps of celebrated Filipino dancers Lisa Macuja Elizalde (who won silver in Japan) and Camille Ordinario Joson (again, silver medalist in Paris). Candice is a principal dancer of Ballet Philippines.

ARTHUR AALA- Make no mistake about it, Italians know their food well. So how the heck did one Filipino win the hearts (and stomachs) of a nation that perfected pasta and pizza? Well, give them sushi.

Arthur Aala opened his first Japanese restaurant, Ohashi, in 2002. He is now the owner of 6 Japanese restaurants. Two of them are solely his, while he co-owns the other 4 with his Filipino buddies.

A framed certificate recognizing the quality of their food is proudly displayed in one of his restaurants, Osaka. It was awarded to the restaurant by the Il Gotha del Gusto International Press Association, which has a membership of 300 food critics worldwide.

Aala believes the quality of food and service in his restaurants is the reason why customers keep coming back. He started as a janitor in the Middle East at the young age of nineteen with dreams of providing for his family. He then rose the ranks and learned to make sushi. When he felt he had learned enough, he moved to Turin and established a small Japanese restaurant ( i know, why not Pinoy food?. His business grew and he now owns 6 restaurants employing Filipinos.


UST SINGERS - The University of Sto. Tomas Singers made history when they bagged the Choir of the World- Luciano Pavarotti Grand Prize at the 2010 Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, in Wales, UK -- the oldest and most prestigious choir competition in the world. They won the same award in 1995, making them first and only Filipino and Asian choir to win the celebrated award twice.

The Choir of the World competition (COTW), which is the highlight of the festival, is exclusive for the 1st prize winners of 5 major choir categories: Mixed Choir, Chamber Choir, All-Male Choir, All-Female Choir and Barbershop/Close Harmony Choir.
The UST Singers won the top prize in the Mixed Choir Category, which qualified the group for the COTW competition.

In the COTW competition, the UST Singers triumphed over 4 champion choirs: the Cywair Choir of Wales, winner of the Chamber Choir category and also a Choir of the World winner in 2005; the White Rossettes Choir of England, winner of Barbershop/Close Harmony Choir; Cantabile Choir of Limburg, Germany , winner of the All-Male Choir Category, and the Chanterelles Choir of England, the winner of All-Female choir.


The COTW trophy is named after the great tenor Luciano Pavarotti, who started his career as a singer at the same Llangollen International Musical Eistedfodd stage in 1955 when he was a choirboy in an All-Male Choir in Modena, Italy. His choir emerged as the All-Male Choir Champion in the same competition in 1955. The Pavarotti name was added to the COTW title in 2005.

The University of Santo Tomas Singers was founded in 1992. It is a mixed choral ensemble composed of a select group of students and alumni representing the different colleges and faculties of the oldest university in Asia. The group, under the baton of Prof. Fidel G. Calalang Jr., is completing its tour in some European cities before returning to the Philippines.

Meanwhile, another entry from the Philippines, the DLSU Chorale, also won 2nd place in the Chamber Choirs category.