The Philippines for $15 a day - DEMAND AND SUPPLY

Reynaldo Concepcion Jr., who runs the Days Hotels in the Philippines with his father, reacted to an observation we made about the problem of high hotel rates in this country. To get the tourists over, we have to be reasonable with our rates, or at least, competitive with neighbors like Thailand and Malaysia. Last Christmas, we found it cheaper to go to Bangkok, with their very reasonable tour packages.

Well, Mr. Concepcion said they agree with me that hotels that charge upwards of $100-$200 a day for their rooms are dreaming. This is why the Concepcions are offering the extremely reasonable rate of $15 a day per person in any of their Days Hotels or affiliated hotels in over 35 destinations. Take your pick: Camiguin, Silay-Bacolod, Pagudpod, Ilocos Norte, Iloilo, Tuguegarao, Sagada, Banaue, Naga, Panglao Island, Siargao, Bais-Dumaguete, Bantayan Island, Palawan, Boracay, Tagaytay, Vigan, Puerto Galera, Guimaras, Bohol, Pampanga, El Nido, Marinduque, Anilao, La Union and Subic.

There is a catch. You can't reserve from here. The offer is only made abroad because the objective is to generate foreign tourist interest. Locals pay slightly higher than that bottom rate. But I imagine, the Days people must have figured that foreigners will also eat in the hotel and spend for other activities there. Locals bring their baon or eat elsewhere. In the end, the hotel makes a little more money on the foreign tourists.

But that is not the point. The point is, there is a group that is going out of its way to promote the country to foreign tourists. And $15 a day is as good as it gets. Even fleabag motels in the US charge more than that. And those who have been in Days hotels here managed by the Concepcions know you get as good as five star service. Even in terms of devalued pesos, that's amazing.

Mr. Concepcion is very bullish about tourism in the Philippines, notably in the Visayas. He didn't have the exact figures offhand, but he is sure tourist arrivals in Cebu, and that's foreign tourists, have definitely gone up. The Super Cat ferry to Bohol is normally half filled with foreigners, he said.

Many of these tourists, he said, are having the time of their lives but do not even know they are in the Philippines. He cited a Korean tourist who, when asked if he would visit Manila, told him he wouldn't dream of going to the Philippines because it is not safe but he likes Cebu. He didn't have the heart to tell the tourist that Cebu is in the Philippines.

A trip to Bantayan Island in Cebu or Bais to watch the dolphins are Mr. Concepcion's personal recommendations. If you are planning where to go this summer, you should drop the Concepcions a line for some good ideas. Their e-mail addresses are [email protected] or [email protected]. Now, if only they can package hotel days and airline tickets like they do elsewhere… Maybe, Lakbay.net can help. Check their website too.

OFW

At last, we have a Foreign Secretary who knows his priorities. At the Ristorante La Dolce Fontana in Greenhills the other day, Vice President and Foreign Secretary Tito Guingona highlighted the role of the Foreign Service in protecting the interest of some eight million overseas Filipino workers. He didn't say it explicitly, but it seems he feels past leaderships of the foreign office didn't make the OFW concerns a top priority.

The Vice President is right. Being a non entity in the context of world or even regional power politics, it is almost a waste of time to indulge in the esoteric world of the Henry Kissingers. We have a more down-to-earth concern and that is the welfare of our compatriots abroad, who are in fact, keeping the country alive with their forex remittances.

Mr. Guingona noted that our fellow Filipinos abroad are victims of abuses and discrimination. We ought to use diplomacy to gain for our workers the same rights and even salaries enjoyed by other citizens doing the same jobs. Because of our desperate need, we have often agreed to be treated as second class workers abroad. As the Vice President pointed out, our nurses are as good as the Canadian nurses for instance, and there is no reason why our nurses are being paid as much as $300 less a month.

The Vice President may want to look into Canada's so called Caregivers program which relegates our licensed nurses to the level of amahs. Bilateral agreements must be negotiated with many countries so that our professionals are treated as professionals. Teachers and nurses shouldn't be made to work as household maids. Not only will this generate more earnings for our countrymen, they will also be given the proper respect due a professional.

And yes, the Vice President will ask President Arroyo to certify a bill giving OFWs the right to cast an absentee ballot. That right is embodied in the Constitution, but Congress has denied them that right by failing to pass the enabling bill all these years. If there are indeed eight million Filipinos abroad, that's enough to elect a senator or make a difference in a presidential contest. Do it in stages if we must, but do it soon. The continued denial of their right as a citizen is no way to treat modern day heroes.

Luli

The Vice President also vigorously disagrees with the refusal of President Arroyo to sign the appointment papers of presidential daughter Luli Arroyo. Mr. Guingona says that as a lawyer, he does not think this violates the prohibition on appointing close relatives to public office because Luli passed a highly competitive examination even before GMA took office.

Luli is one of three who made it out of over 3,000 who took the foreign service officer examination. I, for one, think she earned it and deserves it. I caught an hour long interview of Luli on ANC and I think she will be an asset to our Foreign Service Corps.

Send her on foreign assignment so she will be away from the political intrigues. And to show she is not favored, a hardship post in Eastern Europe should be good training ground. She is definitely someone who will make her country proud.

Anyway, Mr. Guingona said he has a solution. But that will have to wait until President Arroyo leaves the country for a state visit and he, as Vice President, assumes the powers of the Chief Executive in her absence.

Restroom graffiti

The best words of wisdom are often one liners and found in restrooms. Dr. Ernie E sent us some of his favorites.

Don’t trust anything that bleeds for five days and doesn’t die.

–Men’s restroom, Murphy’s, Champaign, IL

No matter how good she looks, some other guy is sick and tired of putting up with her shit.

–Men’s Room, Linda’s Bar and Grill, Chapel Hill, NC

If voting could really change things, it would be illegal.

–Revolution Books, New York, NY

A Woman’s Rule of Thumb: If it has tires or testicles, you’re going to have trouble with it.

–Women’s restroom, Dick’s Last Resort, Dallas,TX

(Boo Chanco's e-mail address is [email protected])