Sports tourism eyed as new Cebu charm

Updated February 06, 2009 12:00 AM

Eyed as another growth area in line with the thriving tourism industry, sports tourism is now being actively advocated along with its huge potential of attracting throngs of foreign travellers in the country.

Defined as attracting people who travel with the objective of either indulging or participating in any sports –related activity or witnessing a sports festivity or visiting a sports attraction, sports tourism is now being considered by some tourism industry stakeholders as another product that Cebu can possibly capitalize in order to further increase its influx of foreign tourists.

Charles T. Lim, conference director of the upcoming Sports Tourism Conference this February 17 to be held at the Waterfront Cebu, said that sports tourism is slowly gaining grounds in the world’s tourism industry even in the country but sad to note that this segment seemed to have been neglected here in Cebu.

Lim pointed out that the main reason for such neglect is the lack of adequate equipments and facilities in the city to accommodate sports tourists and to facilitate sports-related activities such as sports fests, tournaments and the likes.

“Although tourism is striving here in the province, sports tourism is sadly neglected. Nobody really focused on this segment but at this critical juncture of the industry it’s but high time to start giving focus on sports tourism,” said Lim.

He said that in sports tourism, Cebu can penetrate and attract niche markets of big groups composed of sports enthusiasts, athletes along with their staff, fans and supporters which if taken into consideration will be much bigger compared to attracting medical tourists, who only comes in small groups.

In terms of market, he stressed that sports tourism certainly has a huge prospective market, only that the particular sporting event or sports-related activity must have a big following.

“We should look at sports tourism in a bigger picture. For example the Olympics in China, it has drawn in about 6.5 million tourists for three weeks. The influx of sports tourists will of course translate to spending because spectators, athletes and participants along with their supporters will likely spend,” said Lim.

He added that the kind of sports that could draw crowds of visitors from different parts of the globe include general sports either outdoor or indoor, spectacular sports, team events such as international tournaments or leagues, and even sports conference and meetings, among others.

“Through the conference we hope that we will be able to encourage sports event organizers, hotels, resorts, sports clubs, golf courses, local tourism councils, and even the local government units to organize sporting events that can draw in sports tourists from all over the world. These sports fest may not be highly competitive or grand but it should have a following,” said Lim.

He said that to really get things moving for Cebu to attract sports tourists is to first invest in sports facilities, equipments, and venues that can host different kinds of sporting activities.

“There are so many Filipinos who are good in their field of sports but they often go out of the country to compete. Why not we bring sports tourists here to participate in our own tournaments and benefit from the influx of tourists from all over the world,” said Lim.

Lim said that for starters, Cebu can set off its sports tourism efforts with dance sport since it already started to establish a strong following and support system and since the province had already hosted an international event in this arena before.

The sports tourism conference will gather tour operators, hotel and resort operators, sports organizers, sports clubs and associations as well as tourism councils and sports councils in the region.— Rhia de Pablo

"Senatoriables" for 2010: Ace, Cerge, Gwen in Lakas-CMD list

"Senatoriables" for 2010: Ace, Cerge, Gwen in Lakas-CMD list
By Garry B. Lao Updated February 06, 2009 12:00 AM

CEBU - The ruling Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) has included three Cebuano leaders in a list of probable senatorial candidates for the 2010 elections.

This was revealed during the executive meeting of the party of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and former President Fidel V. Ramos, the chairman emeritus.

The three are Tourism Secretary Joseph ‘Ace’ Durano, Press Secretary Cerge Remonde, and Cebu Governor Gwendolyn F. Garcia.

They are in the list of 33 probable candidates of the party that includes Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile along with Senators Richard Gordon, Lito Lapid, Ramon Revilla, Jr., and Miriam Defensor-Santiago.

Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs Gabriel Claudio said that credentials play a big role in the selection process in order for the party to field the best possible candidates.

Garcia, however, has already announced, during her State of the Province Address (SOPA) last year that she would not run for any national position in 2010.

Garcia said that there is still much to be done in Cebu and she’d be here to stay.

When asked to comment, Garcia said, “I’m not open to political questions right now. Ask me in 2010.”

Cebu Province 3rd District Rep. Pablo John Garcia, the governor’s younger brother, said that the national leadership recognizes his sister’s inspiring leadership with the way she handles the province.

Gov. Garcia is proud that the province is debt-free and has assets amounting to P17 billion.

Pablo John further stressed that the national leadership continues to court the governor because they believe that Cebu is strategically important.

They believe that with Garcia, Cebu could give them an advantage based on what happened in 2004 when Cebu gave President Arroyo an overwhelming majority.

In the 2007 elections, Garcia won by over 461,000 votes, a record-setting margin in Cebu, and the province went against the national trend in the senatorial elections.

Senators Manuel Villar, Mar Roxas III and Richard Gordon, who have expressed interest in the 2010 presidential race, all want Garcia to be their running mate.

For Durano and Remonde, they said that the election is still too far away and they would rather concentrate on their work.

Although he was flattered by the fact that Lakas was considering him in the ticket, Durano said he is not yet thinking about it seriously.

“I’m flattered that there are those who find me qualified for the position, but the elections is too far off to be thinking about seriously,” Durano said in a text message sent to The Freeman.

Fifth District Rep. Ramon “Red” Durano VI, who belongs to the National People’s Coalition (NPC), said the party is already aware that his brother is included in the probable senatorial bets of Lakas, but they are still waiting for the outcome of the merger of the political parties.

Remonde, for his part, is not aware that he is in the list, but nevertheless is honored that is included.

Remonde, who hails from Argao and a former media practitioner, threw his hat into the political arena when he ran for congressman of the North District of Cebu City in 1992 but lost to re-electionist Rep. Raul del Mar.

“I am not aware of that but I’ll be honored if it’s true,” Remonde said in his text message to The Freeman.

Remonde added, “I have no time for politics now.” He said he is focussed on his new position as Press Secretary.

Also in the line up are former Senators Sonny Alvarez, Tessie Aquino-Oreta and Dangerous Drug Board chairman Vicente Sotto, Rep. Mikey Arroyo, Environment Secretary Lito Atienza, Silvestre Bello III, Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza Cabral, and former Rep. Mike Defensor.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, Marikina Mayor Marides Fernando, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez, Pagcor Chairman Ephraim Genuino, Education Secretary Jesli Lapus, Immigration Commissioner Marcelino “Nonoy” Libanan, Optical Board chair Edu Manzano, former Rep. Prospero Pichay, Rep. Monico Puentevella, NEDA Secretary Ralph Recto, Rep. Martin Romualdez, Chavit Singson, Buboy Syjuco, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, Ray Villafuerte and Ed Zialcita are also in the list.

The party will still conduct a series of screenings and consultations in the next few days to pick the best bets.—/NLQ(THE FREEMAN)

Editorials: A widening financial dilemma

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

PROBLEM is, much as the President would like the country to achieve financial stability in the coming months, the prevailing domestic condition that dogs the global economic footsteps consistently sows financial devastation along the way. Hence, the sad prognosis on the world’s financial situation in the succeeding months offers no hope of relief, much more generate even a mere ray of optimism that could brighten our collective spirit.

Indeed, the five-day World Economic Forum late last week in Davos, Switzerland, attended by world economic leaders, including our own President, offered no hope at all. Report of the meeting’s being “mired in indecision and uncertainty,” made the situation even more gloomy and depressing. The world’s best and brightest among the participants failed to come up with plans to “stem …the global financial meltdown.”

Observed Singapore’s dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy: “Everybody’s lost in Davos. No one seems to have a clear understanding of how big this crisis is and what we need to do to get out of it. My own view is that you really need to do a fundamental re-examination of the whole global system to see what went wrong, and nobody here is yet ready to ask these kinds of fundamental questions in Davos.”

And so, it should not be any surprise to the average Filipino to learn that despite the efforts of the President and her economic advisers to present an acceptable financial portrait of the republic, the basic reality of our fiscal condition shows an otherwise glum reality. Take the National Economic Development Administration (Neda) report that the Arroyo administration’s “budget deficit may reach P160 billion this year due to the continuing effects of a global financial crisis.”

The Neda head confirms the “probability that the deficit will hit 2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP)” which he contends is quite high. But he softens the impact by continuing that he is “not saying that it should be P160 billion, but it can happen. This would still be OK, as long as the economy grows faster than the (country’s) debt.” But as of now, there’s no hope of balancing the budget at all.

But the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, however, offers a ray of optimism, contending that “most likely, this year won’t be as bad as last year.” The BSP revealed that foreign investment inflow in 2008 was only $1.4 billion, a reversal of 2007’s $3.5 billion inflow, due to risk aversion on the part of investors. The deepened global crisis has caused a slowdown in the growth of our domestic economy to only 4.6 percent.

The possibility, though, that the financial crisis may ease up in our country in 2009 is indicated, according to the BSP, by the fact the universal and commercial banking sectors did not appear gravely hit. The Development Bank of the Philippines posted a 33 percent increase in net income despite the crisis. And bad debts exposure of the banks went down by 11 percent at the end of 2008, positively indicating decrease in non-performing loans.

Firm offers money management class

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

AMID the deepening global financial crisis, the International Marketing Group (IMG) is intensifying its efforts to promote financial education among domestic and overseas Filipino workers.

“Filipinos know how to work but some of them do not know how to make their money work for them,” said IMG president and chief executive officer Jose Enrique de Las Peñas.

In Hong Kong, where IMG is now on its fourth year of operations, about 3,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) out of more than 150,000 are affiliated with IMG.

IMG is an international financial distribution company with branches in the United States, Canada, Taiwan, Hong Kong and the Philippines, among others.

Its product portfolio includes retirement strategies, mutual funds, peso and dollar investments, long-term health care, pre-need plans, life insurance, investment adviser services, mortgage insurance, business insurance and estate preservation.

De Las Peñas said IMG gets about 1,000 OFW-affiliates in Hong Kong annually.

The company is also planning to extend its wealth management training to more OFWs in Macau, Dubai, Singapore, Athens, Spain, and Milan, among others.

“If these OFWs have no financial plan and the families receiving their money are not educated to handle (their remittances), the money they send to the country will all be used up,” said IMG chief executive officer Noel Arandilla.

De Las Peñas said OFWs and domestic workers in the country find it difficult to manage their hard-earned income due to lack of financial education.

Meanwhile, Arandilla noted an increase in inquiries received by their offices nationwide from individuals and various sectors seeking for the company’s aid to train them on financial management due to the economic slowdown.

Some of the inquiries come from sectors like technology and electronics, which are among those heavily affected by the crisis, said de Las Peñas. He added that about 20 Cebu-based companies have sought IMG’s help.

Sectors that are doing well but still recognize the importance of financial intelligence include religious groups, the academe and cooperatives.

“In general, everyone (is feeling) the global financial crisis. We at IMG want to project that there is hope amid this crisis,” said de Las Peñas.

He said an affected company can recover from the crisis by implementing wealth management. (NRC)

Backpackers’ inn opens in Cebu

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

AT THE heart of the city is a “hideaway” that awaits budget travelers.

Since it opened last October, the Aysha Lily Guesthouse has become a home-away-from-home to foreign and local travelers, especially backpackers.

Jo-Ann Badana, who manages the guesthouse while the owners are out of the country, told Sun.Star Cebu in an interview that the Australian owner got the concept after staying in a similar accommodation in Manila.

Carol Ann McDonald, the owner of the inn, married Badana’s cousin who used to work in a travel and tours company. In Australia, McDonald worked in a real estate company.

Badana said McDonald noticed there were no accommodations for backpackers or those who travel on a budget in Cebu City. Seeing the need for a backpackers’ inn, McDonald checked out about 100 houses around the city before picking a Spanish-style house located along Gen. Maxilom Ave.

Although 70 percent of the original house structure was preserved, it now has eight fan rooms, four air-con rooms and two dormitory-type rooms that can accommodate eight to 10 people.

Room rates start at P450 a night while bed space in a dormitory-type room is at P290 a night.

All rooms are furnished with bamboo beds. The inn’s interiors feature Filipino and Asian designs.

The guesthouse offers laundry service and cooking implements to guests who want to cook their food.

Badana said most of Aysha Lily guests are short-staying travelers who come to the city after a dive in Moalboal or a daytrip in Bohol.

After the Sinulog, McDonald has decided to open four more rooms within the year. The guest-house was fully booked during the Sinulog, said Badana.

McDonald, she said, is also planning to open another guesthouse in Bohol but a date has yet to be set.