Uncovering the gems
More than two decades have passed that I have visited Palawan, an island with pristine white sand and crystal-clear seawater. Together with my younger sister and some Korean friends, the island was a perfect paradise for locals, a heaven for foreigners. If this is still the present picture, this we need to find out from the latest travel reviews.
My recent travels in China, Hongkong, and South Korea have exposed me to different airport services in Asia and glimpses of the spectrum of disparities.
The world has known Filipinos to be hospitable-willing to offer their best. We may claim to have the right mix of behavior, culture and social skills we can offer to visitors and strangers-a major factor why our visitors would consider for a comeback. And with this right human working force, with the right attitude, this must be equated with the right and adequate infrastructure.
Recently, we probably have a reason for our heads to lift a bit higher as some sectors have recognized our efforts to elevate our standing to be at par with our Asian neighbors and even our world counterparts. This is a reason to tell the world that we valued their comments and took them positively. We are not resting on our laurels but continue to undertake measures to be better, and be the best.
Citing the Ninoy Aquino International Airport as one of the worst airports in the world is more than a reason to do something. But now it has risen a few notches from the pit. It has gotten from among the world's ten worst airports, according to the online travel site Guide to Sleeping in Airports. This is owing to the efforts and seriousness of the government to push for rehabilitative programs.
And just recently, from the same online travel site, three Philippine airports have made to the top 30 best airports in Asia. The Mactan-Cebu International Airport landed in the 18th place while Iloilo International Airport and Clark International Airport ranked 21st and 24th respectively. This is an indication though that our worst is improving, and yet we also have the best.
Three places in the Philippines made to the scrutinizing review of Conde Nast Traveler, a mass media company headquartered at One World Trade Center in New York City, as traveler's 20 Best Islands in the world. Cebu is in the 19th place, Boracay in the 15th spot and for the second year in a row, the island of Palawan was recognized as the Best Island in the World. This is decided upon by the travel magazine's readers, published on Tuesday, October 20, 2015 and covered places "from nearby Caribbean beaches to far-flung islands in Southeast Asia."
We can't anymore go back to our previous standing. It's either stay where we are or aspire for a higher spot. Obviously the latter is the call of time, when we want to position our country among the bests of the world. And such position requires the strong will of the government to undertake necessary and responsive changes. This is on top of the positive mindset of the Filipinos to face the challenge for global competitiveness.
We have slowly uncovered the gems of our country for the world to see and appreciate. The world has for many occasions witnessed the unique hospitality and the wonders of our natural resources. Our very own people, our natural resources and the unique hospitality have proven that we are a force to reckon with not only in Asia but also the world.
Exceeding expectations is what travelers and visitors want in every traveling experience. Given the right infrastructure, on top of the kind of people we have, for sure, to be on top is not an elusive dream but a near possibility.
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