Calle Real, Downtown Iloilo City
Not so long ago, Iloilo City experienced surges of tourists flocking in to see it’s premiere festival: Dinagyang. However this is just once in a year…and the festival period of the city goes from 2nd week of January until mid-February, with Paraw Regatta closing the season. I laud the efforts of the City Tourism Office, the private sector and also DOT for the tireless effort in promoting Iloilo City as a tourist destination, despite Typhoon Frank and lack of attractions and amenities within the city.
Now, the city is also looking for a year round income-generator based on tourism. More tourists means more business. More business means brisker economy. Brisker economy means more jobs. More jobs in return makes one city livable. This simple domino effect understood by many policy makers, is part of what our capitalist world does. But what if one’s myopic interpretation of an ordinance may create a stumbling block for the economic take-off of the city?
Infante-StopLight Junction, Iloilo City (2 Years Ago)
I just read a news (and has long been already a news) that the Traffic Management Group of Iloilo City does not allow tourist buses inside the city because it is indicated in the Perimeter Boundary Ordinance (PBO) that buses are not allowed within city proper…what happens to those who serve special trips for fieldtrips, conventions and the like? Does it echo the “anti-tourism” or “anti-business” move?
In my opinion, PBO has done something to alleviate the traffic situation in the city…but like any laws or ordinances, there’s a loophole in it that is counter-productive to the booming business sector in the country today.
I agree with Director Trompeta of DOT Region 6 though that tourism is an income generator. If Iloilo City is indeed aiming to be part of the tourism map of the Philippines (which in previous years has been shunned), then how can the city help itself if they wouldn’t allow tourist buses and special trips inside the city? As if they do ply regularly like those artery-blocking cholesterol called “jeepneys-making-terminals-in-loading-and-unloading-zones.” PBO has indeed decreased the jeepneys plying inside the city but can they take a look on how some city-loop jeepneys are clogging the narrow avenues and streets of Iloilo City? That particular loophole in the PBO is counter-productive and very unfriendly to tourism business…somehow, the myopic implementation of the PBO has made a casualty for the city in terms of tourism.
Iznart Street, Downtown Iloilo City
How would the children on fieldtrips express their appreciation on Iloilo City’s rich heritage and culture when their buses are blocked upon entering the city? How would the city handle a party of Koreans or visitors without them transferring coaches? It’s not all the time that tourist buses enter the city…nor even they’re creating havoc on the traffic system…what do you expect? Truckloads of tourists like some out-of-town tribal contingent for the Kasadyahan?
I’m just a concerned citizen expressing my sentiments about this particular issue. I would suggest Mayor Jerry or the city council and the involved parties to sit down at the table, discuss about it and have a second look at the ordinance itself; make some revisions that would be beneficial to the tourism sector and aims of the city; make some exceptions for the special trips for buses or jeeps…perhaps an income-generator like issuing “field trip permits” for a minimum fee or better yet, no fees at all. And/or perhaps, they should impose stricter (and long-term) disciplinary actions and implementation for both the traffic enforcers, policy-makers, motorists and pedestrians. There are solutions for these issues, and I hope the city council wouldn’t turn blind with suggestions or open to some revisions…the ordinance has been tested for several years now.
There are solutions to the perennial problem of traffic in Iloilo City…but there are also solutions by not hurting the business sector that is helping Iloilo City and Province. I still believe in her potential, tourism is helping her out. We’ve seen investors flying away from the city…I hope we learn from this and do not cloister on established thoughts and sobra nga pagsalig. Let’s think out of the box. Tourism is one way we can show to the world of our culture and the best that we Ilonggos could offer for our pinalanggang banwa and our pinalanggang pungsod. One way in helping our fellow Ilonggos to generate more jobs which in turn…as I’ve said before, beneficial to the city and to us all.
This is my dos sentimos/salapi.
Aug
23
2009
Tourist Buses Not Allowed at Iloilo City? (A Commentary)
by Berniemack Arellano
Calle Real, Downtown Iloilo City
Not so long ago, Iloilo City experienced surges of tourists flocking in to see it’s premiere festival: Dinagyang. However this is just once in a year…and the festival period of the city goes from 2nd week of January until mid-February, with Paraw Regatta closing the season. I laud the efforts of the City Tourism Office, the private sector and also DOT for the tireless effort in promoting Iloilo City as a tourist destination, despite Typhoon Frank and lack of attractions and amenities within the city.
Now, the city is also looking for a year round income-generator based on tourism. More tourists means more business. More business means brisker economy. Brisker economy means more jobs. More jobs in return makes one city livable. This simple domino effect understood by many policy makers, is part of what our capitalist world does. But what if one’s myopic interpretation of an ordinance may create a stumbling block for the economic take-off of the city?
Infante-StopLight Junction, Iloilo City (2 Years Ago)
I just read a news (and has long been already a news) that the Traffic Management Group of Iloilo City does not allow tourist buses inside the city because it is indicated in the Perimeter Boundary Ordinance (PBO) that buses are not allowed within city proper…what happens to those who serve special trips for fieldtrips, conventions and the like? Does it echo the “anti-tourism” or “anti-business” move?
In my opinion, PBO has done something to alleviate the traffic situation in the city…but like any laws or ordinances, there’s a loophole in it that is counter-productive to the booming business sector in the country today.
I agree with Director Trompeta of DOT Region 6 though that tourism is an income generator. If Iloilo City is indeed aiming to be part of the tourism map of the Philippines (which in previous years has been shunned), then how can the city help itself if they wouldn’t allow tourist buses and special trips inside the city? As if they do ply regularly like those artery-blocking cholesterol called “jeepneys-making-terminals-in-loading-and-unloading-zones.” PBO has indeed decreased the jeepneys plying inside the city but can they take a look on how some city-loop jeepneys are clogging the narrow avenues and streets of Iloilo City? That particular loophole in the PBO is counter-productive and very unfriendly to tourism business…somehow, the myopic implementation of the PBO has made a casualty for the city in terms of tourism.
Iznart Street, Downtown Iloilo City
How would the children on fieldtrips express their appreciation on Iloilo City’s rich heritage and culture when their buses are blocked upon entering the city? How would the city handle a party of Koreans or visitors without them transferring coaches? It’s not all the time that tourist buses enter the city…nor even they’re creating havoc on the traffic system…what do you expect? Truckloads of tourists like some out-of-town tribal contingent for the Kasadyahan?
I’m just a concerned citizen expressing my sentiments about this particular issue. I would suggest Mayor Jerry or the city council and the involved parties to sit down at the table, discuss about it and have a second look at the ordinance itself; make some revisions that would be beneficial to the tourism sector and aims of the city; make some exceptions for the special trips for buses or jeeps…perhaps an income-generator like issuing “field trip permits” for a minimum fee or better yet, no fees at all. And/or perhaps, they should impose stricter (and long-term) disciplinary actions and implementation for both the traffic enforcers, policy-makers, motorists and pedestrians. There are solutions for these issues, and I hope the city council wouldn’t turn blind with suggestions or open to some revisions…the ordinance has been tested for several years now.
There are solutions to the perennial problem of traffic in Iloilo City…but there are also solutions by not hurting the business sector that is helping Iloilo City and Province. I still believe in her potential, tourism is helping her out. We’ve seen investors flying away from the city…I hope we learn from this and do not cloister on established thoughts and sobra nga pagsalig. Let’s think out of the box. Tourism is one way we can show to the world of our culture and the best that we Ilonggos could offer for our pinalanggang banwa and our pinalanggang pungsod. One way in helping our fellow Ilonggos to generate more jobs which in turn…as I’ve said before, beneficial to the city and to us all.
This is my dos sentimos/salapi.
Tags: Iloilo, Iloilo City, Perimeter Boundary Ordinance, Philippines, traffic management