Kudos to the SKAL awardees

I’m supposed to be in Manila today as I’m invited to be at the SKAL International Makati as our good friend, chairman Robert “Bobby” Joseph has announced the 2019 SKAL Tourism Personality Awardees in connection with their 38th founding anniversary celebration and 29th SKAL Tourism Personality Awards today which will be held at the New World Hotel Makati. The SKAL event is in partnership with Philippine Airlines, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., New World Hotel Makati, and Ralph Wines and Spirits.

The 2019 awardees are Corregidor Foundation Inc. chairman and CEO and former Tourism Undersecretary Cynthia Carrion, for Historical Tourism Development; followed by former president of PAL Jaime Bautista for SKAL Leadership in Tourism and Transportation; and Emmanuel Gonzalez of Plantation Bay Resort and Spa for Food Tourism.

Other SKAL awardees are Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, and Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat for Eco-Tourism; Philippine STAR President Miguel Belmonte for Star Legacy Award; Suzie Moya Benitez for Bayanihan-Heritage and Cultural Tourism; Pampanga Vice Gov. Lilia Pineda for Domestic Tourism Development; and Patrick Lawrence Tan, CEO of Globallink MP Events International Inc. for Exhibition Tourism.

This prestigious list includes Elizabeth “Betty” Sy, president and chairman of SM Hotels and Convention, who leads in the Hotel Awards category; my good friend Arnel “AA” Patawaran for Print Media; Dina May Flores (Philippine Airlines) for Airlines; Michelle Tiotangco of Kamia Bay for Resorts; Rafael Dionisio of MAD Travel for Cultural and Ecological Adventure Tourism; and Eat Bulaga’s Ms. Millennial Philippines for TV Program Tourism Segment Award.

As pointed out by Bobby Joseph, “The annual prestigious awards are given to persons who gave their utmost services to promote and develop the tourism industry here and abroad, where we selected awardees from the government and private sectors including the entertainment industry.” SKAL’s awards always bring prestige to those who work tirelessly for the growth of our nation’s biggest national treasure… our Tourism Industry!

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Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. last Monday ordered the filing of diplomatic protests over Chinese warships passing through Philippine waters. Sec. Locsin directed the Department of Foreign Affairs’ Office of Asia and Pacific Affairs to file the protest. As he said, “Drop the diplomatic crap; say it is ours period; they are trespassing our waters.” Sec. Locsin also said the DFA should file a new protest in case it has already filed on over China’s ships in the Sibutu Strait.

For those of you who have never been to Sibutu Island, I’ll have you know that the huge mountain that you will see by the eastern side is the Island of Borneo. I was in Sibutu 20 years ago with friends and that means, Chinese warship passing through might just be passing through International waters. Remember Sibutu is the last island in the Philippines and the next islands you would see belong to Malaysia. Sibutu Island and Sitangkay Island are beside each other with Sitangkay as the headquarters of the Caaragenan Industry of the late Benson Dakay.

Apparently, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said that the Department of National Defense is already “getting irritated”  at the series of incursions of Chinese warships in Philippine waters. He added that Beijing appeared to be “taunting” Manila by deploying their warships in Philippine territorial waters with the vessels’ Automatic Identification Systems turned off and without prior notification to authorities. Defense Sec. Lorenzana added that in February, four Chinese warships have enter and sailed through the Sibutu Strait at least four times. These have been done without coordination with local authorities. So let’s find out what really is the intention of the Chinese Navy?

Of course with Pres.  Rodrigo Duterte’s planned return to China this week will be his longest trip to the country since assuming the presidency in 2016. DU-30’s visit to the Asian economic giant for 6 days from Aug. 28 to Sept. 2, we can expect something positive to come out of that meeting with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping especially when the President would raise the 2016 Manila’s arbitral ruling, which upheld the country’s sovereign rights over the West Philippine Sea. Aside from the arbitral ruling, Pres. Duterte will also raise the code of conduct on the South China Sea, a possible joint exploration for oil and gas, and the increasing presence of Chinese ships in Philippine waters. Let’s hope and pray that things would turn out well.

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