[Second Opinion] Holy Week's pilgrimage of tourists

by Gideon Lasco
Philippine Daily Inquirer

This week is significant not just for Christianity, but also for tourism; it is the peak season of travel for many Filipinos. This shouldn’t be a surprise: Unlike Europeans who get five or six full weeks of annual vacation, most employees in our part of the world have very limited leave benefits. For many, Holy Week is a once-in-a-year opportunity to see a part of the country—or the world.

Holy Week, moreover, takes place during the dry season—the perfect time to visit beaches, climb mountains, or even just do a road trip without the risk of storms that come later in the year. For the religious, a trip to the Ilocos can have Manaoag as a side trip; a visit to Sorsogon and Mayon can include a stop for Peñafrancia.

The Lenten pilgrimage of tourists has been around for a long time, but it has swelled in recent years, spurred by cheap flights, better roads, and unprecedented access to information online.

All these developments have opened up various destinations around the country, beyond the traditional attractions like Baguio, Bohol and Boracay. In fact, some folks are aiming to reach all of our country’s 81 provinces.

And ecotourism is growing: Climbing Mount Pulag, canyoneering in Cebu, and swimming in the Enchanted River in Hinatuan have become part of many people’s ever-lengthening “bucket list”—and so has the trek in Buscalan to see Whang-Od.

Overall, I think this is a good development. Ecotourism can form part of a “green economy” that can provide alternatives to more impactful activities like mining and logging. (Donsol and Oslob are good examples: Locals have realized that they can earn more by letting the whale sharks live, instead of hunting them.) Additionally, by having many destinations to choose from, we can “spread the impact” of tourism and therefore lessen the burden on each destination, while distributing the benefits to many.

But the growth of tourism also poses numerous challenges. More and more destinations—old ones like Sagada and Boracay and new ones like the mountains of Rizal—are getting overwhelmed by the sheer number of visitors. Carrying capacity and sustainability—the “eco” before “tourism”—are often left out of the equation.

Then there’s also the question of accountability. Mount Apo’s reopening this week has raised eyebrows not just because of its timing (just a year after the devastating forest fires), but also because of the imposition of a P2,000 fee per visitor—which translates to millions of pesos every year. How will this money be spent? Tourism is good, but we should also be critical of how it is executed and regulated—and vigilant lest it harm the local communities and the environment.

***

Filipinos are traveling abroad, too, and Japan has emerged as a crowd favorite, especially at this time of the year—the season of cherry blossoms. Our intrepid kabayan are also hiking in the Himalayas, diving in the Indian Ocean, and going to far corners of Europe and South America. Wherever they go, I hope they can show our country in a better light.

But what of foreign visitors to the Philippines? According to Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo, reportage on the EJKs has made it difficult to “sell” the country (I think it’s the killings more than the reportage).

But while it will turn off some people, I think tourists will come as long as there’s good infrastructure and facilities—including decent airports. For better or for worse—as a recent Inquirer editorial pointed out—most tourists don’t really care about the politics of the country they’re visiting. And the places they visit rarely reflect the country’s social realities: When you are strolling along the beaches of Palawan, or hiking through the mossy forests of Bukidnon, it’s hard to imagine the Philippines other than as a blissful paradise.

In a way, this is understandable. Traveling, after all, is as much an escape as it is a pursuit. For the vacationer, politics can wait, especially when the mere thought of it has become wearisome.
Which is probably why, for many Filipinos jittery about our nation’s future, this week comes as a most welcome break—a respite before the storm.


Originally published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer: http://opinion.inquirer.net/103180/holy-weeks-pilgrimage-tourists

Making the most of a delayed flight

By Gideon Lasco

The announcement airline passengers dread the most is that of a flight delay, and though its increasing occurrence has made it almost a given for frequent flyers, it can still be a frustrating experience.

"Attention all passengers: your flight is delayed due to late departure of turnaround aircraft." The announcer says. What a meaningless statement! It's like saying that “Our date in Makati is delayed due to my late departure from Los Baños.” There are no advance warnings, no details.

My worst experience was on a flight to Puerto Princesa just a few months ago. After a nap in what I thought would be a short and smooth late afternoon flight, I peered out the window and could already see the familiar outlines of the Palawan mountains, as well as the islands of Honda Bay.

We were just about to land when suddenly the plane pulled up then turned around! After a dreadful few minutes of silence - enough time to entertain thoughts like “Are we being hijacked?” - the captain made an announcement that the because of the tailwinds it wasn't safe to land, and also mentioned the lack of lights in the runway. It wasn't very convincing - why did he attempt to fly in the first place?

After the hour-long return to Manila, the flight attendant merely parroted her “welcome you to Manila!” spiel, as if it were our destination! The passengers  - offered neither nor lodging nor compensation - applauded such tactlessness out of sarcasm, but the flight attendant, undeterred, kept smiling and uttering more perfunctory phrases before finally apologising for the cancellation.

***

Negative energies, like any strong emotions, can get us carried away. Given the systemic problems our airports face, however, it is in vain to get mad at a flight attendant. It is also probably unwise to declare "I'm never gonna fly with this airline again!”: Given the limited choices in the Philippines, you might swallow your words soon. The fact is that our airports are operating at a level way beyond their capacity, and all the airlines suffer from delays. Only a major overhaul can fix this - and it wont be happening anytime soon.

But what can we do as individual passengers stuck in an airport? As annoying as a flight delay is, it can actually be a very productive time, to work, to learn, and to connect with your loved ones.

Bringing a book is always a great idea. When was the last time you actually read a book? The flight delays can make even Dostoyevsky readable - unless you prefer observing the young people take selfies. E-books, of course, can also suffice, but for flights I prefer the printed book, which doesn’t ran out of battery, and doesn’t get the flight attendants mad during take-off and landing.

Being inside the airport also puts you in a box that is actually conducive to working. Since there is nothing else to do, you can concentrate more on tasks like unfinished reports and assignments. Also, rather than stare at the "Delayed" status of your flight, you can choose to attend to long-delayed tasks, like responding to forgotten emails text messages. Or call your parents and grandparents - maybe even your high school classmates! Think of all people you've been meaning to call or email, but haven't really done so in a while.

One thing that makes a flight delay especially stressful is if you have scheduled something immediately after it. Here, I can offer some practical tips. The earlier in the day the flight, the less likely it will get delayed. During the peak holiday seasons of summer and Christmas, expect even longer delays.

Afternoon flights to certain airports, such as Caticlan and Cagayan de Oro, are particularly risky. The "delayed flight due to sunset limitation" speaks of another problem: the lack of equipment in our smaller airports.

There are lucky days, as when the flight is smooth and when your baggage miraculously appears first in the carousel. As a mountaineer, I consider it especially auspicious when I see the mountains from the air: as the flight takes off from Manila, Pico de Loro, Batulao, Makiling, Banahaw.

But you better be prepared for when things go wrong. On that aborted flight to Puerto Princesa, my seatmates had booked a cruise to Coron that same night and they were understandably mollified at cancellation, which has irrevocably altered the course of their vacation. Another crestfallen face was that of a father who had just missed his son's birthday.

Their images tell us: People's lives and daily schedules matter. We do not care about dancing flight attendants - or fun games. The minimum airlines could do is to honor their commitment, and the minimum the airports can do is to allow airlines to do so. Surely, paying passengers have the right to demand as much. The airport is the first impression of a country, and if the government seriously want to make it "more fun in the Philippines", the airport is the place to start.

***

Finally, the boarding announcement! "You may now board the aircraft at Gate no. 118" A collective sigh of relief fills the air, and people are stirred from their seats.

As you may have guessed, I am writing this piece in the middle of a flight delay. As a consolation, I found one of the rare functioning sockets in the terminal. Two and a half hours was more than enough to write this article, charge my laptop, and do other things besides.

The queue of passengers fills up, and they make a second announcement. I guess it's time for me to stand up and fall in line. But I will not be in a hurry.

NAIA Terminal 3
August 7, 2015