I will live with a facility that is old and decrepit but I cannot live along with people who are hurting and demotivated. How can they serve well if their soul are bedraggled.

Yes let us tell the pilots to love our country but when the stomach is aching or the respect to oneself is zero a catastrophic scenario is just around the corner.

Moreso, if offers on all sides of the globe is very tempting.

There is a middle ground. However, I think that this is a case of a lazy giant not having a competition that led to this quagmire. A giant that has become so relax that it forgot basic responsibilities to its people.
Haaay PAL.

Yes, something is missing. The action towards making a competitive MICE industry towards our ASEAN country is missing. It seems it is out of the picture for our new DOT leadership. I hope not.

Meetings, Incentive, Convention and Exhibition (MICE) are business boosters and it gives a stronger punch than backpack tourism.

In MICE the economic activities will be more long lasting.

Look at China; a country that sets-up huge convention centres in each of its cities and it is reaping the rewards in return. Look at Singapore and Hongkong, they have a very efficient MICE structure that attract and complement their tourism destinations. Look at Thailand, and even Vietnam they have a better public and private MICE machinery that have overtook us.

To our Department of Tourism, creating a MICE department or office in DOT will not be enough. A concrete and a strategic action plan is needed. The industry and all the organizations involve in MICE are ready to help.

Just don’t dare to forget about MICE, if you do any painkiller will not alleviate the pain and ailments of our tourism and MICE industry – a neglect that is an anti-thesis of targeting high value tourists.

I did not make any argument and dutifully paid the P100.00. As an organizer, I know how it is hard to survive the event even to make it break-even. However, this should not be an excuse. As organizers, what was announced to the public must be honoured regardless what is the financial conditions of the organizer or the event. We have a duty to deliver to the exhibition visitors – to give what was announced and promised.

Between surviving a financially problematic event and being honourable, I would rather lose money than lose face. I would rather side with the ethical dimension of the event than the financial dimension of the event when this two collide.

Let this be a reminder to all organizers of exhibitions and conventions. Money will always come back to those who know how to honour commitments and promises.

I may write the organizer even if it is not a member of PACEOS so that they will tow the line of what should be a conduct of a Filipino organizer. By doing this, I hope they will wake-up and realize this major error they have done.

I am not disappointed. He reiterated some of the plans that will take place “in the near future” (the bold words are his favourite; he uttered it many times during his talk). Here are some that might interest you:

•  Fast Tracking of the business registration turnaround time
•  Creation of the Philippine Business Registry – a sort of directory of the population of the all companies existing in the country
•  Focus on certified DTI SMEs that has undergone training and has shown potential for growth, they will be supported of funds and trained further if they pass profitability and marketability metrics of the government
•  Protection of the consumer
• Importation fast tracking system to our importers who have good records
• Tight monitoring of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Trade Agreements that will favour to our country’s interest

Very few but needed and doable action plans. Although I just would like to comment that something must be done to address our Business Competitiveness Ranking, we are now rank 87. Vietnam which last year was rank 70, which we are following (we are rank 71 last year) has improved to rank 57. As you can see we have deteriorated.

Honourable Secretary Gregory Domingo we hope you can do something about it. We have so much potential, we just need strong fundamentals.

The last time I talked about airports it feels like I am ranting. But of course I do. I believe that we must rant in order to be felt by the government and private sectors that are powerful to make some change in our airports.

It seems my ranting is working. I know that I am not the only one making comments about our airports, there are millions of nationalistic Pinoys praying and hoping to someday see an airport that would be like an edifice that everybody can be proud of.

Last time I have heard it was Manny Pangilinan who wanted to develop Clark Airport, I feel elated and looking forward in him making it happen. However, today it hit the major dailies that a consortium backed by the Malaysian government is willing to pour $150 Million in direct investments to jumpstart Clarks Airport Development.

I say things are looking a bit rosy. I say if all transactions are above board then let us do it. Secretary Alberto Lim, Department of Toursim, said that it is his priority. P-Noy emphasized this focus on making infrastructure a center piece of his leadership in the government to uplift not only our economy but our spirit as a country that is eager to embrace development.

Again, let us do it and make a dash to the finish line of having an International Airport that will make tourists feel great upon landing in our country and our Balikbayan and OFWs proud upon returning to their country.

It is what every products and services want. It is what all companies battle to acquire. They know that when their products and services achieve high visibility in a particular event they will have an upper hand in their competition in the long run.


So I ask why are companies not aggressive enough to acquire it when joining expo and tradeshows.

Is it because of the investment requirements?

There are many ways no to spend a lot in achieving high visibility in events. A concentrated activity in a particular timeslot is one way and having said this you have to figure other creative ways to maximize events.

For the engagement the events provide is more than the investment that you will place into it. Just try once and you will see what I mean with it.

The move of Leyte and Mati, Davao to grab a chunk of the local and international market by developing infrastructure is a welcome development.


Leyte has been receiving a lot of inquiries for events but is not able accommodate it because of lack of facilities. Currently, it has an existing convention center owned by the government that can house 3,000 people. In Tacloban, the highly urbanized area of Leyte there is only 870 rooms. Indeed improvement in infrastructure is badly needed in order to attract MICE activities.

One of the famous tourist spot in Leyte is the Mac-Arthur Shrine.

Mati, Davao on the other hand boasts a virgin nature comparable to Palawan. There are also a lot of beaches in Davao that tourists are already visiting. It has Pujada Bay and Dahican beach, a beach is favourable for surfing.

Both these provinces need investors and their aggressive moves are positive signs that these two places will be a MICE hub and tourist magnet in the coming months.

It’s Friday and events in Metro Manila is more than a handful but I will be going around the Metro to see three events that interests me.


First is the 1st Philippine Chocolate and Ice Cream Show at the World Trade Center, new events like this gets me excited. I wanted to know what it is all about and also to show support to the organizer which is a newbie or the first time I have heard of them.

Second, it’s the annual Philippine Franchising Expo at SMX Convention Center. The vibrancy of this event is one indicator of how our economy will fare. Visitors here are all businessmen and entrepreneurs, all wanting to see opportunities in starting a business or expanding an existing business.

Lastly, my life is not about business events because if ever that will be it will be such a bore right? So I am going to watch a Cinemalaya movie, in my top list is “Ang Paglilitis ni Andres Bonifacio” directed by Mario O Hara. I have heard and read good reviews of this one so I am not depriving myself a chance to have it slip by and not watch it.

Yes, I know majority watch commercial movies meant for entertainment but in Cinemalaya watching movies are not only for entertainment but for mental and spiritual stimulation. I am afraid only few wanted to go there at this point in time but I believe someday soon the public will buy this kind of movies and ideas.

It is a crazy Friday, the Metro is still recovering from Basyang’s fury, but scheduled events and expo must continue and that is a true hallmark of an event organizer that lives in the dictum that the show must go on.

Just before it gets totally out of my head and completely forgotten I must share to you why I enjoyed reading “Catching Fire” of Suzanne Collins her sequel to the equally blockbuster “Hunger Games”.


It has been almost three months since I finished this book but many developments prevented me for giving my say to this nice piece of work.

Anyways, “Catching Fire” as a story shows the importance of symbols. In Katniss Everdeen’s universe she has become a symbol to oppressed people of different districts in Panem. Her insignia the Mockingjay, a hybrid of a mocking bird and a jabber jay, has become her representation, a symbol of their support to the uprising that is about to take place because of Katniss unconscious but witty action in the first book “Hunger Games” where she defied the authoritarian regime of Panem.

This show of defiance stokes the fire of rebellion and the Mockingjay insignia became a symbol of the revolution and of hope in toppling the oppressive regime.

We saw the power of symbols in Da Vinci Code and immediately fell in love with Robert Langdon. Even in the movie American Treasure we fell in love with Nicholas Cage character. In real life, the color yellow symbolizes hope and catapulted PNOY to power in the Philippines.

I know this may have been discussed a lot of times but in events one of the ingredients to make it successful are symbols that create connections with its target audience. One of the symbols or the most important symbol of all is the logo of the event. It maybe trivial to some but to those who knows well a logo that sinks inside the target markets consciousness create a very formidable contribution to the positive results of the event.

Symbols cannot be encapsulated by a number of beautifully stringed words. It lives and grows inside each and every attendee in an event or expo.

This is why I am very thankful for”Catching Fire” for reaffirming in me what I have already known. Now I am in a waiting mode as to when will the third sequel of the book will land in the Philippines that will be one of the best days of my life in the year 2010.