Reason & Concern

by Ronquillo C. Tolentino

Notes On Tourism

Expect President Aquino’s Sona shall be graded this whole week. We are a nation with a fondness for grading others. Let us look at it as part of our democratic state although those who make the grades would not wish that they should be graded.

Executive Order No. 29 which opened the country albeit partially to foreign carriers had been considered by the Makati Business Club to boost the country’s tourism potentials as well as an attraction as investment destination.

The open skies policy, notwithstanding earlier criticism on the absence of air rights reciprocity had been projected to attract six million tourists and generate $18.5 billion in tourism revenues. Too, it is expected that the open skies policy would 　consequently create three million new tourism-related jobs by 2016.

The Department of Tourism under Secretary Alberto Lim appears not to be in good terms with the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) and the Tourism Congress. The MAP had considered Secretary Lim’s DOT leadership as the weakest link.

Tourism Congress appears to be at odds with Secretary Lim. It asked Lim to recognize the present composition of the Tourism Congress.

The Tourism Act of 2009 gave birth to the creation of the Tourism Congress. Tourism Congress notes that　the partnership between the public and private sector had not been considered by the DOT.

Electricity Rate Increases

A September 2011 round of electricity rates increase is expected. This had been announced by the Energy Regulatory Commission.　The Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM) had allegedly　petitioned the Energy Regulatory Commission to recover stranded debts and contract cost estimated at P139 billion.

The Electric Power Industry Reform Act (Epira) had been criticized by a watchdog group as a "massive failure". People in the province of Aklan are keeping watch on electric rates increase as this week, another increase had been noted.

I remember the June 4, 2011 Kapihan sa Aklan where I made the preliminary statement on the causes and factors of　poverty. I ended with a question as to whether the high electric and water rates in Aklan contribute to the　penury of some people in the province. The answer of those present was in the affirmative. /MP