Why are we such a mess?

MANILA, Philippines — It is a national embarrassment. Worse, the bureaucrats responsible have not taken responsibility but instead blamed and suspended two private groups.

The horrible welcome given by the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) to 2,500 cruise passengers only showed we are not ready for prime time in international tourism.

An initial statement from the PPA also washed their hands. They are not responsible. No one is responsible. So typically Pinoy bureaucratic thinking. Hindi yan dapat puede.

For background, let us hear it from one of the cruise passengers. He had a fairly long post on Facebook and here are some portions.

“The Norwegian Jewel cruise ship, carrying 2,500 tourists – mostly Filipino-American retirees and foreign nationals – disembarked at Pier 15 in Manila, concluding a 10-day Southeast Asian cruise... What was supposed to be an opportunity to showcase Philippine tourism turned into a harrowing experience.

“Upon disembarkation, we were led to an open parking space where we could pick up our luggage, exposed to midday searing heat (10-12 noon). No porters or luggage carts were provided. I think there were approximately 20 porters to service 2,500 passengers, mostly seniors with full luggage (hand carry and the usual 20-kg maletas) … You have to retrieve your luggage in an open car park with an uneven surface and negotiate through a narrow, congested walkway moving inch by inch with pot holes, pushing or pulling your luggage is a big challenge… congestion was inevitable.

“Our nightmare started upon entering what looked like a hall (that could accommodate approximately 1,000 people only), standing side by side. We were greeted by two to three customs personnel at the entrance, supposedly to collect our declaration forms. We told them that it was already given at Puerto Princesa Port of entry, and asked them for extra forms if they really needed a completed form, but we were told that they ran out of forms so they just let us pass.

“We asked why there’s only one exit considering the heavy buildup of passengers. Can the other exits be opened? They said, “Ayaw nila eh” (referring to Ports Authority personnel), and what else could we say? (PPA officials on duty could have alleviated the situation at this point by opening more exits and managing the flow of people).

“Nobody could move, we were packed in like sardines carrying big luggages that we couldn’t leave, and shuffling slowly. That was our last encounter with any personnel at Pier 15, and marked the start of the ordeal of negotiating our way out of what felt like a trap.

“From the entrance of that hall to the exit that leads to the driveway was a distance of about 150 meters, but it took us at least 1.5 hours to get to the narrow exit there.

“With luggage in tow (mostly seniors up to 80 years old, with a few in wheelchairs), we were left on our own – all 2,500 of us to negotiate a narrow two- meter exit from the building…

“We could see several Ports Authority personnel and officials watching us in adjoining glass-paneled air-conditioned offices, but no one bothered to help or take charge of the chaos that they could clearly see ensuing. (Why were PPA officials just watching instead of doing something?)

“Upon exiting the hall, we had to negotiate a two-meter-wide walkway that was broken and uneven, making it incredibly challenging to pull or push our luggage. This was made worse by the fact that the walkway is where the blowers of the airconditioners of PPA offices are placed every two to three meters while the midday sun blasted us from above. Only being able to move inch by inch because of the congestion, as well as not having anywhere else to pass, it was agonizing…

“It was a sad, pitiful, and traumatic experience. There was an absolute lack of concern on the part of PPA personnel to ensure a safe, comfortable, and pleasurable disembarkation experience. (Basic hospitality called for PPA officials to distribute bottles of water).

“If anybody panicked or had a medical emergency, the congestion would have made it impossible to get help, especially since we didn’t see anyone to ask help from.

“I spotted unscrupulous individuals trying to make a deal with some foreigners – what do you expect in such a situation? I overheard one foreigner remark, ‘What? That’s too expensive.’ So, there we go – no protection for the hapless tourists. We heard some foreigners with very negative remarks, even some cursing, ‘Never again, Philippines.’

“We Filipinos, mostly balikbayan retirees, tired from the almost two-hour ordeal, in the midst of heat, thirst, and hunger, just bowed our heads in shame. ‘Wala na siguro pag asa mabago sistema sa Pilipinas,’ was all they could say in desperation.

“We disembarked at seven ports: Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia, Puerto Princesa, Boracay—and we all had a very pleasant experience. So, what went wrong?

“It’s not about the lack of resources. The solution doesn’t even need any fund allocation. Just some care and consideration, (malasakit) and of course, planning…

“Most countries that thrive on tourism, such as Greece (top-billed by Athens, Santorini, Mykonos), many European cities, Bangkok, Thailand, Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi in Vietnam, are provided with well-organized and efficient tourism-friendly systems and infrastructure by their governments.

“The Philippines has so much to learn from its Asian neighbors, especially Thailand. With our white sand beaches spread throughout the archipelago, stunning tourist attractions, rich cultural heritage, delectable food, a welcoming and hospitable nation, all we need is the support from our government to optimize our tourism potential. Our tourism infrastructure is sorely lacking.”

What’s horrible is that no one is taking responsibility for the mess. The senior PPA officer on duty must take responsibility. So should whoever heads the cruise tourism section at the DOT. Surely, they must have known of this major arrival. They were sleeping on the job and ought to be fired for dereliction of duty.

What hurts is that we seem to have lost that feeling of hospitality. Unless heads roll, our bureaucrats will never learn.

Boo Chanco’s email address is [email protected]. Follow him onX (formerly Twitter) @boochanco