Category 1

 The country is doing its best to regain a Category 1 rating back from the US Federal Aviation Authority. It received a Category 2 rating, which is a downgrade, last 2007 because of over eighty safety concerns. Because of the downgrade, Philippine carriers were banned from plying European routes, which was a big blow to the tourism industry. A large number of those safety issues have been addressed, but after the latest inspection by the FAA last January, there are still 23 “critical elements” that have to be addressed. Why we cannot seem to nail all these issues since 2007 is anybody’s guess. The country needs to get back to a Category 1 rating, if it is to succeed in its current promotion of the Philippines as the next tourist destination in Asia. It needs those European routes. “It’s more fun in the Philippines”, as the new slogan goes, but all that isn’t worth anything if people do not feel safe flying in and out of the country!

 I can appreciate all the efforts being done to fix everything that concerns the airport and Philippine civil aviation. An understanding has been reached with a Japanese company to finally get the remaining 23 systems working in NAIA Terminal 3, making it one hundred percent operational. This would also decongest the old NAIA Terminal 1 so work could be done to improve it. Hopefully the worst airport in the world rating would just be a memory.

 But to get tourists to come to the country will take more than a nice airport to arrive in. We also have to fix the places that they would frequent. I was having coffee, well tea actually, in one of the places in Makati one day. As I looked up, I saw the whole ceiling strewn with cobwebs, or more accurately, “dustwebs”! And it wasn’t just above where I was, but the ceilings of the whole walkway! Why aren’t these cleaned on a regular basis? Why are these “dustwebs” allowed to accumulate? It is an eyesore as it is filthy. You can’t sell a place with dirt like this! Nobody wants to go to a dirty place, right? Unless of course you really wanted to. But if you’re the usual tourist, you would definitely want a clean place. And this is Makati, where it is supposed to be the financial, shopping and entertainment district. Nothing entertaining about “dustwebs,” even on Halloween! I now understand why in other countries, there are cleaning personnel that roam around malls and similar places, just constantly cleaning as they go. It makes a place more enticing, more conducive to tourists.

 If the goal of having ten million tourists visit the country in a year by 2016, all these issues must be addressed. There is no argument that we need revenues from tourism like we need air. That is of course, if fuel prices make air travel all but dead! It all starts with cleanliness, followed by working systems and a change in attitude. Otherwise, why are we so enraged by a video that only showcased what we truly are? The intention is offensive, but was the content misleading? Let’s ask ourselves that, while we clean our surroundings.