We're shooting for the top place in the 7 new wonders of nature tilt. Even if we're just included in the top 7, this will give tremendous boost to our tourism.
The Panglao Int'l Airport, though still very much a blueprint than an ongoing project, fits well with the global media mileage we're getting.
But is Bohol really ready? I think the comments of this foreigner, lifted from the forum Dumaguete Info, deserves a second thought.
* * *
Much has been said that Bohol is an island paradise and the government is moving heaven and earth to promote this place for tourists. Here are the reasons why it will take a few more years to make Bohol a wonderful place to live in especially for Westerners:
1) Most of us foreigners want our food served hot. This is how we were brought up. McDonalds branch in Tagbilaran is not aware of this. Some white men even complain that their coffee is cold, the French fries, egg Mcmuffins, Big Mac is cold, etc. No wonder you can seldom find foreigners who keep coming back to this place.
2) The downtown area of Tagbilaran has numerous beggars who makes sure that they rub their dirty hands to your arms to force you to give them something. They keep following you and grumble if you signal them to go away. They even tag along naked young kids to make you pity them. I was told that boat loads of Badjaos come to Bohol waters all the way from Mindanao and this is an organized crime. What is the city government doing about this? One time, while I was buying some medicines in a pharmacy near Chong Hua Hospital in Cebu City, a young Badjao lad kicked me in the ass when I refused to give him money. I know one of them will stab me if I use my fist to this nasty scrounger!
3) The drivers must know some basic road rules. Whether you are in Tagbilaran City or in far away towns, majority of the drivers do not know basic traffic rules and regulations. I got myself a new car and I got pissed off several times a day because a vehicle overtakes even if I am already signalling to make a turn. A vehicle wanting to make a left hand turn does so from the very right end of the road instead of near the center of the road. They do not even make a signal that is why it angers me when a vehicle would suddenly cross in front of me. In any other country in the world, this is a complete NO NO. The police will apprehend you for this.
A book of rules should be issued to a driver before issuing a license. In Bohol, a lot of people who drive vehicles do not even know how to read or write! In other countries, we were taught about common road courtesies early in school.
4) You cannot have privacy even in banks. Banks should provide cubicles where you can discuss investments or ask assistance on how to make money transfers. When you go to the banks, people flap their ears to listen to every detail that a white man says to a bank staff. Privacy is never heard of in this place.
5) In hotels or pension houses, a Filipino guest will switch on his TV set to the maximum volume and when he stamps his feet in the wee hours of the morning. Why can't they be considerate to others who are still sleeping?
Linkback:
https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=13433.0
Topic: International airport, barriotic minds (Read 10043 times)