To Increase Tourism and Investment in Metro Manila, Pwede Na Yan Must Be Eliminated From Its Culture!
Remember the Department of Tourism wrote, "It's More Fun in the Philippines" for certain activities. Sad to say, Metro Manila is one place in the Philippines that needs to be serious with its date with improvement and throw away mediocrity out of its culture. Tourism and investment can be easily drawn by a tagline but it's definitely DIFFICULT to convince them to stay when the tagline's opposite is very true. As long as "Pwede Na Yan" which in English means "That Will Do" is not eliminated from the mindset, DO NOT EXPECT IMPROVEMENT!
Why is it that Metro Manila must get rid of mediocrity to promote more tourism and investment? Mediocrity is different from contentment. A content man seeks to improve while accepting his limitations. To be mediocre is to never seek improvement at all. A case can happen between two squatters. One squatter seeks to improve, he is no longer poor but when he finds out he is definitely not fit to be Bill Gates, he accepts it and continues his well-paying job. On the other hand, the squatter who is mediocre is content with his dirty squatter lifestyle and refuses to go to work. See the difference?
Here are the threats to tourism and investment that Manila needs to take care of:
Manila NEEDS to do something about its sanitation
Like it or not but pollution and garbage defeats the tagline, "It's More Fun in the Philippines." and you cannot have "Garbage - It's More Fun in the Philippines." Just think if China or any big booming economy did that. If anything is wrong with Manila, it could be close to becoming the Bangladesh located in the Philippines. If Cebu may soon be close to being a Singapore in the Philippines, sad to say but Manila has its problems with becoming another Bangladesh.
You cannot deny this, garbage is a MAJOR source of problem. Throw away garbage here and there, you get a LOT of floods. It gets stuck in the sewers, it gets stuck in the drainage thus leading to floods. Floods don't only happen with a lack of trees, it also happens because the drainage isn't working properly. The Pasig River needs serious rehabilitation because it's KILLING Metro Manila.
Tondo, Manila is NOT a tourist spot
If the Department of Tourism decides to fool the outside world with a beautiful picture of Tondo only for it to turn out to be one UGLY slum, expect tourism to drop. Taglines matter but testimonials can defeat them when the opposite is true. Tondo, Manila contributes to the garbage problem, squatter problem and criminal problem. Slums are disease ridden because of their poor sanitation. A place where you can poo and pee anywhere you want is definitely NOT inviting to tourists and investors!
Hearing kidnappings are strong in Manila, somebody I know got kidnapped by Tondo gang members. These squatters can be easily bribed by major corrupt businessmen and politicians to work as goons. Kidnap for ransom is a problem you cannot ignore. Just think of how many people can be harmed in Tondo, Manila definitely the "best place" on Earth... #sarcasm!
Heavy traffic is not always a sign of growing economy
Heavy traffic is a real huge killer. Just think of why some areas of the Philippines are more progressive than its capital. In Cebu, traffic is much lower than Manila except Mondays and Fridays. Doing business in Cebu means easier routes, ease of supply chain, timeliness and the like. Even if some traffic aides are causing a problem, most of the time Cebu's congestion problem allows it to progress.
The heavy traffic in Manila is a real supply chain killer. Now there is traffic but theirs is too heavy to the point it's hard to manage. Now you want more customers right? Sure. But what if you had a MILLION customers in one day and you are a small/medium sized shop? Certainly you cannot accommodate them can you? Also, with heavy traffic, it's very difficult for supplies to move thus causing a halt of production. Tourists may also find it very annoying as well.
Unjust rates for bad services makes it a painful to invest
One can think of how electricity and water may cost less in Visayas over Manila. Having gone to Manila and Cebu, Internet speed and service connection varies. Now size is an issue, no questions asked but it must be addressed. Paying high for bad quality service is total enslavement. If Manila wants to prosper, it must discourage monopoly of basic resources and encourage a healthy amount of competition.
I remembered interviewing some people who moved from Manila to areas in the Visayas. Even during my trip to Bohol, one person who resided there used to be from Manila. He argued that production in Bohol was easier not only because of size but because the electricity and water were cheaper. Sad to say but no sensible person would want to be in an area with high fees but LOW quality service. It's just plain bullying.
Poor labor force contributes to a lot of poor investment and tourism
It got annoying when some uncle of mine in Manila got furious with a bus company. I mean, we all flew to Manila to attend his birthday. We were at the airport WAITING and to be honest, the bus was scheduled to arrive at 2:00 P.M. but guess what... it arrived at 5:00 P.M.! The reason was uncovered that they were practicing their "patriotism" and "nationalism" as Pinoys. It should irritate any decent Pinoy to be in our shoes! However in Cebu, it was easy for the guests to be moved. We were moved ON TIME. The bus was late but only for a FEW MINUTES. Just see the difference there!
Just think would anybody want to investment in a place with bad labor? Now not everybody will be destined to be high ranking businessmen but everybody must work anyway. I mean, every job is important from being a laborer to being a manager. A good service industry personnel gives quality service. Sad to say but in Manila, it's very common to see the culture of punishing the diligent and rewarding the lazy. How often is it that the manager DID NOT deserve to get promoted or that late comers aren't punished? With that kind of culture, don't expect improvement.
You cannot always say, "It's More Fun in the Philippines" when something goes wrong
Boy do I love to use the Rolando Mendoza incident. Just think... it was supposedly just a normal day BUT one day, things went wrong. Certainly it's more fun to eat Filipino food in the Philippines right? However not all things are more fun in the Philippines and being hostage is definitely not more fun in the Philippines nor anywhere else around the world. If you were a hostage, it's always a frightening thing no matter where you are.
Looking at the late Rolando Mendoza, the lack of preparedness defeated the credibility of the tourism tagline "It's More Fun in the Philippines". While hostage crisis can happen anywhere but the unpreparedness ruined tourism. To be honest, I hope nobody told the survivors something as stupid as, "Don't worry, being hostage is more fun in the Philippines." It just shows that with mediocre service, investments and tourism will really take a nosedive.
Why is it that Metro Manila must get rid of mediocrity to promote more tourism and investment? Mediocrity is different from contentment. A content man seeks to improve while accepting his limitations. To be mediocre is to never seek improvement at all. A case can happen between two squatters. One squatter seeks to improve, he is no longer poor but when he finds out he is definitely not fit to be Bill Gates, he accepts it and continues his well-paying job. On the other hand, the squatter who is mediocre is content with his dirty squatter lifestyle and refuses to go to work. See the difference?
Here are the threats to tourism and investment that Manila needs to take care of:
Manila NEEDS to do something about its sanitation
Like it or not but pollution and garbage defeats the tagline, "It's More Fun in the Philippines." and you cannot have "Garbage - It's More Fun in the Philippines." Just think if China or any big booming economy did that. If anything is wrong with Manila, it could be close to becoming the Bangladesh located in the Philippines. If Cebu may soon be close to being a Singapore in the Philippines, sad to say but Manila has its problems with becoming another Bangladesh.
You cannot deny this, garbage is a MAJOR source of problem. Throw away garbage here and there, you get a LOT of floods. It gets stuck in the sewers, it gets stuck in the drainage thus leading to floods. Floods don't only happen with a lack of trees, it also happens because the drainage isn't working properly. The Pasig River needs serious rehabilitation because it's KILLING Metro Manila.
Tondo, Manila is NOT a tourist spot
If the Department of Tourism decides to fool the outside world with a beautiful picture of Tondo only for it to turn out to be one UGLY slum, expect tourism to drop. Taglines matter but testimonials can defeat them when the opposite is true. Tondo, Manila contributes to the garbage problem, squatter problem and criminal problem. Slums are disease ridden because of their poor sanitation. A place where you can poo and pee anywhere you want is definitely NOT inviting to tourists and investors!
Hearing kidnappings are strong in Manila, somebody I know got kidnapped by Tondo gang members. These squatters can be easily bribed by major corrupt businessmen and politicians to work as goons. Kidnap for ransom is a problem you cannot ignore. Just think of how many people can be harmed in Tondo, Manila definitely the "best place" on Earth... #sarcasm!
Heavy traffic is not always a sign of growing economy
Heavy traffic is a real huge killer. Just think of why some areas of the Philippines are more progressive than its capital. In Cebu, traffic is much lower than Manila except Mondays and Fridays. Doing business in Cebu means easier routes, ease of supply chain, timeliness and the like. Even if some traffic aides are causing a problem, most of the time Cebu's congestion problem allows it to progress.
The heavy traffic in Manila is a real supply chain killer. Now there is traffic but theirs is too heavy to the point it's hard to manage. Now you want more customers right? Sure. But what if you had a MILLION customers in one day and you are a small/medium sized shop? Certainly you cannot accommodate them can you? Also, with heavy traffic, it's very difficult for supplies to move thus causing a halt of production. Tourists may also find it very annoying as well.
Unjust rates for bad services makes it a painful to invest
One can think of how electricity and water may cost less in Visayas over Manila. Having gone to Manila and Cebu, Internet speed and service connection varies. Now size is an issue, no questions asked but it must be addressed. Paying high for bad quality service is total enslavement. If Manila wants to prosper, it must discourage monopoly of basic resources and encourage a healthy amount of competition.
I remembered interviewing some people who moved from Manila to areas in the Visayas. Even during my trip to Bohol, one person who resided there used to be from Manila. He argued that production in Bohol was easier not only because of size but because the electricity and water were cheaper. Sad to say but no sensible person would want to be in an area with high fees but LOW quality service. It's just plain bullying.
Poor labor force contributes to a lot of poor investment and tourism
It got annoying when some uncle of mine in Manila got furious with a bus company. I mean, we all flew to Manila to attend his birthday. We were at the airport WAITING and to be honest, the bus was scheduled to arrive at 2:00 P.M. but guess what... it arrived at 5:00 P.M.! The reason was uncovered that they were practicing their "patriotism" and "nationalism" as Pinoys. It should irritate any decent Pinoy to be in our shoes! However in Cebu, it was easy for the guests to be moved. We were moved ON TIME. The bus was late but only for a FEW MINUTES. Just see the difference there!
Just think would anybody want to investment in a place with bad labor? Now not everybody will be destined to be high ranking businessmen but everybody must work anyway. I mean, every job is important from being a laborer to being a manager. A good service industry personnel gives quality service. Sad to say but in Manila, it's very common to see the culture of punishing the diligent and rewarding the lazy. How often is it that the manager DID NOT deserve to get promoted or that late comers aren't punished? With that kind of culture, don't expect improvement.
You cannot always say, "It's More Fun in the Philippines" when something goes wrong
Boy do I love to use the Rolando Mendoza incident. Just think... it was supposedly just a normal day BUT one day, things went wrong. Certainly it's more fun to eat Filipino food in the Philippines right? However not all things are more fun in the Philippines and being hostage is definitely not more fun in the Philippines nor anywhere else around the world. If you were a hostage, it's always a frightening thing no matter where you are.
Looking at the late Rolando Mendoza, the lack of preparedness defeated the credibility of the tourism tagline "It's More Fun in the Philippines". While hostage crisis can happen anywhere but the unpreparedness ruined tourism. To be honest, I hope nobody told the survivors something as stupid as, "Don't worry, being hostage is more fun in the Philippines." It just shows that with mediocre service, investments and tourism will really take a nosedive.
Still a scenic city and it has warmth that many clinical touristy spots don't
ReplyDeleteHowever these problems need to be addressed. You cannot expect improvement without addressing these problems.
Delete