Planning to visit Boracay? Check it here first: My Boracay Guide.
As the island of Boracay gradually opens its doors allowing businesses with clearance to operate, let’s remind ourselves the reasons why it was involuntarily shut-down in the first place. Let’s create a habit of helping the island to maintain its beauty and cleanliness. Let’s be diligent enough in adopting policies due to the changing environment, demographics, law, and the market. Let’s keep in mind that a sound system should be resilient enough towards an ever-changing leadership style. As long as we follow the protocols and implement the procedures correctly, then it should stand against ill-intentioned individuals. Practice self-policing.
WASTE MANAGEMENT, big word.
After Boracay’s rehabilitation program, a collective mindset might arise that says something like “It was a mess before, we shut it down and fixed it. I’m sure we can manage it again if some problems such as these arise.” While the last phrase seems agreeable, we can’t live with the whole idea of the quote because it will only lead us heading backward and it supports terrible practices such as being irresponsible, unassertiveness, lack of accountability, dependency, and complacency, which prevents us from harnessing the benefits of improving human development.
Not taking care of our environment only leads to senseless cost. A cost that affects our health which sustains ourselves experiencing the goodness of life; our livelihood that helps us afford; our integrity that keeps our image in shape thus helps us stand out in the marketplace, and our funds – funds that can be used for research and development, either through lending or through providing grants.
Stop making problems irreparable. Stop creating diseases. Nurture our healthy biosphere.
For impatient individuals, caring for our environment can be tough. As we all know, we don’t usually hear a “thank you” from someone, receive tangibles from an agency for not littering, or feel an instant blow of O2 coming from the trees after we water them. The point is the effects of how we treat our environment are intangible, long-term, and compounding. If we do it right, then we’ll all benefit from its intangible, long-term, and compounding effects of it. Along the way, it’ll hone creating integrity for ourselves, and understand (not just knowing) the essence of discipline, and there comes our common vision underway.
So for all the locals, it would be a good idea to send a smile and say “Salamat” (thank you) after witnessing someone who does a good job looking after their mess – encouraging and wouldn’t cost a penny.
We have to get rid of the mentality that because visitors paid for their vacation, it’s our responsibility to look after their mess! It’s not just our responsibility, it’s everybody’s responsibility! As we implement that, we better know some concrete answers in case someone asks why they should be doing it, and saying “we paid for this environmental fee” or “isn’t your job to… we paid for this… and that…” – Caution: an ignorant question in disguise. Yes, people, in general, are more aware these days, but that doesn’t mean people around the world will be looking at the same angle. It’s a valid question, and this question should help us understand what’s going on with our funds. Along the way, if we’re not happy, then let’s find ways to spend it efficiently. For those who are not yet prepared to answer this question, it wouldn’t hurt to say something about the general maintenance of the island, it’s part of (your) job to enforce cleanliness to the surroundings, and direct them to a group who can answer their questions, which in the end they might not indeed proceed going there because nobody wants to spend their vacation figuring out how the funds of a foreign country is spent. Yes, learning usually starts with questions; but people can always use probing as a measure of getting away from following policies to avoid being penalized, or merely to protect their ego.
Its Development, Our Development
Thankfully, the island of Boracay’s rehabilitation program seems to be going smoothly. In fact, it’s hard not to be proud of its ongoing development. However this time, instead of covering the importance of good governance and the community’s participation, there’s another essential part of this picture that contributes to sustainability – financial resources help preserve natural resources.
Establishments such as Savoy Hotel of Megaworld (MEG) and Hotel 101 Chain of Double Dragon (DD), are just a few examples that would support economic development in terms of the following:
An Increase in Business Activity
Starting from the construction of these facilities (which involve raw materials-based businesses), suppliers of construction materials, trucking agencies (or logistics firms), architecture & engineering firms (hopefully based in the Philippines), utility companies, heavy machinery / equipment firms, glass suppliers, businesses providing manpower (contractors and subcontractors alike), and other niche businesses that offer something to the types of trade mentioned, are going to benefit.
Another ingenious example is the amount of furniture they’ll need. The demand in furniture may be supplied from overseas, but it would be nice to buy furniture made locally – this supports money keeping in the circulation in the Philippines, and not in other countries’ government through income and corporate tax from those businesses who sold/exported goods to us.
Money kept in the Philippines would help support our government’s financial obligations such as:
- Funding our BUILD, BUILD, BUILD (Infrastructure) Program
- Sustaining the salaries of individuals involved in facilitating government operations a.k.a the foundations of our functioning society (e.g., street cleaners / sweepers, policemen, auditors, nurses, doctors, judges, firemen, social workers, traffic enforcers, military, teachers, etc)
- Supporting the welfare programs of those who are affected by poverty
- Lowering or balancing our budget & national deficit
- Fulfilling our national debt obligations to other countries (avoiding debt-trap from other nations)
Those mentioned above are just a few, the government has a lot in its plate, and it seems like there’s more than a lot when we’re talking about the Philippines, as of now. For those who want a better Philippines, we can only start by paying the right taxes, fulfilling our civic duties (which include voting wisely), and minding our own damn businesses.
Aside from the example mentioned about the furniture, it’s evident that we can think of something else apart from that, starting from as simple as rags, make it reusable; make it environmental-friendly. The world doesn’t need more garbages for sure. If time doesn’t allow our locals to cope up supplying goods brought by the demand of the tourism industry, then consider the following:
- Initiate partnerships or merge with other local businesses.
- Create a strategic alliance, which would involve more than two businesses.
- Invite a foreign entity to create a joint venture, using the demand from the tourism industry as the selling idea (applicable for more qualified business entities).
All types of reorganizations above, to name a few, have the aim of:
- boosting productivity through merging talents,
- increase market share because Business A’s customers could be like Business B’s as well,
- customer convenience by creating one-stop-shop which can be easily achieved through merging talents,
- better potential for diversification – maybe Business A and Business B can come up with something more outside their current ventures, and
- possibly securing more financial capital.
And let’s keep in mind that this is not just about selling products & services, it’s also about keeping customers, thus helping the business alive. Keep customers happy, or more than delighted if possible. Secure contracts if possible.
Remember, the products or services should be sellable, create some value to your product like providing after-sales services or an option for the product to be replaced at no cost or at a very minimum cost.
Above all, if someone thinks they missed the train to Boracay’s fortunes, don’t worry, it’s not the only island with the potential around. Use the knowledge and experience acquired in Boracay, and apply it to other emerging islands. The island of Boracay has its spot in the Philippines’ tourism benchmark for sure.
Spur Employment Demand and an opportunity for Self-Employed as well
An increase in business activity would mean demand for employment as well. Notably, in this case, Gaming and Tourism where customer-service plays a vital role. Working in those facilities mostly don’t demand the typical 8-5 business-hour jobs, the schedules here are shifting. With those hotels & casinos itself, it would create substantial employment in the Visayas region. In fact, it’s large enough that residents from Luzon and Mindanao might want to consider working there.
Not just that, jobs and other businesses which could be as self-employed, would be created supplying the needs of:
The hotels and casinos such as website developers, data management, network maintenance & security, food suppliers, housekeepers, managers, receptionists, waitresses, agents selling timeshares, chefs & cooks, and lifeguards.
The government agencies for compliance, public safety, and the needs of the island such as policemen, waste-management, engineers, utility inspectors, and lawyers.
The residents in general & tourists such as convenience stores, teachers, therapists – for those who have gambling problems, restaurants, yoga instructors, massage therapists, drivers or transportation providers, tour guides, entertainers, laundry service, diving instructors, real-estate broker, medical professionals, “rent-a-thing” related businesses, and the popular yet trying to be less mainstream – the paid companions or “D Paid Companions” (quote and quote, whatever it is that comes to your mind).
Speaking of sex-workers; watch out DOH, we’re already having difficulty controlling HIV in our country, what more if it starts spreading in remote areas where there are scarce medical resources (knowledge, manpower, and equipment).
(Clarification, paid companions are not escorts. Known paid companions are famous for not engaging in sexual activities, simply because there is a word for those who do. Just take the word “paid companion” as it is).
During an ongoing Trade War
Supporting our products and services don’t support trade war unless our trade policies reflect it. When we choose “the Philippines,” that’s deemed personal choice, there’s nothing wrong with that, and no one can take that away from someone. However, when we get to be more vocal in supporting our products regardless; then that could be seen as advocating trade war, which might turn into a hype and might end up supporting trade war – especially when someone’s political capital is at greater risk.
Bottom line, supporting trade war depends on the degree of how biased we are in promoting local products. Yes, we have tariffs which follow the UN’s Standard International Trade Classification (import tariffs can reach from 0 to 65 percent); but raising its percentage crossing beyond mutual threshold can send a signal of a trade war. Again, it should reflect in our trade policies, it should reach up to a macro-level.
While looking at a bigger perspective, the Philippines is not significantly big of an economy on par with the ASEAN region but is one of the emerging markets that seems to be on the right track. Remember, things don’t happen overnight, especially if you plan on doing something BOLD, and doing it right. Therefore, supporting our goods and services won’t be an issue.
In a layman’s way of looking at things, we have to help (Yes, HAVE TO) ourselves first so that when we’re able enough, we’ll be more capable of creating prudent measures to allow ourselves to win in the marketplace. Winning means we should aim for a win-win. We don’t play to allow ourselves to lose; to let others win; and us be fine getting left behind. Other countries never wished for us to fail. Generally, they’re just taking advantage of what’s legal, or to put it in a more positive tone, following the opportunity, legally. It’s no surprise for other countries to focus on their national interests. Treaties between or among nations do exist, but overall, they still don’t have jurisdiction on us, so let’s not expect them caring for things they can’t control (or say manage, since no human wants to be controlled anyway). After all, they can only do their best to do no harm.
A trade war is definitely a concern, it’ll affect our resources through our jobs, businesses, and investments. However, it should not deter our desire to support our economy through supporting our own, at least to an individual level. We don’t have to start big, we can start as simple as buying shoes from Marikina for example; if not happy with their shoes, then provide them feedbacks; if jealous of those shoemakers’ amount of money their making, then be one of them.
Once trade-related policies get modified, then the rest of us follow accordingly anyway.
J. Letre
Sources:
ASEAN Briefing: Import and Export Procedures in the Philippines – Best Practices | June 23, 2017
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