Post by Deleted on Aug 26, 2007 2:12:35 GMT 8
you do bring up some valid points.....especially the fact that were it not for prior efforts, corregidor would have long since been gutted by the scrappers.
but to appeal to such sentiments as national pride and the national interest is a fool's errand . that sense just does not exist at the present time in the philippines (too many people would rather go to the nearest mall or "gimmick" (disco) spot). in fact, one more argument for preserving the island is that it may serve to instill that sense of history and national pride in the people. you may not be able to do it en masse, but if it can succeed in doing so for a few people, or even just one person, it may make all the difference.
it may not be a case of emailing the local congressman and trying to get him to help pass a funding bill. that's never gonna happen. but it may take talking to the right people. the story goes that corregidor was saved by just such an approach. a foreign businessman had heard that the philippine government was planning to scrap the remaining guns and sell the metal for profit. he approached then president marcos about the idea of turning the island into a tourist destination. he appealled to marcos' sense of national pride (marcos, supposedly being a proud veteran) and as well as pointing out the island's greater profit potential as a tourist spot, rather than a scrap yard. the ploy worked, and the island was saved.
the point being that it might take a more finesse approach, talking to the right people with the right approach. it may not reap adequate funding in the short term, but it may be a more sustainable approach. corporate funding may not be such a good idea, because we may end up seeing a jollibee in the middle of the topside parade grounds (for the uninformed this is the philippine version of mcdonalds). congressional assistance as i have mentioned might be a long time coming. however, individual congressmen and senators do have a ton of congressional development funds (aka "pork barrel" funds) at their disposal. a little finesse might convince these people to part with some of their pork barrel fundings in order to get certain jobs done on the island (you might have to tolerate the "this repair project is a priority project of congressman so-and-so" sign, but at least the funding might get to where it needs to go, and there is some hope of getting something done).
but you are right -- the key is knowing and talking to the right people. it may take dinner and a night with a gro (guest relations officer -- the local euphemism for a prostitute), but business will get done.
but to appeal to such sentiments as national pride and the national interest is a fool's errand . that sense just does not exist at the present time in the philippines (too many people would rather go to the nearest mall or "gimmick" (disco) spot). in fact, one more argument for preserving the island is that it may serve to instill that sense of history and national pride in the people. you may not be able to do it en masse, but if it can succeed in doing so for a few people, or even just one person, it may make all the difference.
it may not be a case of emailing the local congressman and trying to get him to help pass a funding bill. that's never gonna happen. but it may take talking to the right people. the story goes that corregidor was saved by just such an approach. a foreign businessman had heard that the philippine government was planning to scrap the remaining guns and sell the metal for profit. he approached then president marcos about the idea of turning the island into a tourist destination. he appealled to marcos' sense of national pride (marcos, supposedly being a proud veteran) and as well as pointing out the island's greater profit potential as a tourist spot, rather than a scrap yard. the ploy worked, and the island was saved.
the point being that it might take a more finesse approach, talking to the right people with the right approach. it may not reap adequate funding in the short term, but it may be a more sustainable approach. corporate funding may not be such a good idea, because we may end up seeing a jollibee in the middle of the topside parade grounds (for the uninformed this is the philippine version of mcdonalds). congressional assistance as i have mentioned might be a long time coming. however, individual congressmen and senators do have a ton of congressional development funds (aka "pork barrel" funds) at their disposal. a little finesse might convince these people to part with some of their pork barrel fundings in order to get certain jobs done on the island (you might have to tolerate the "this repair project is a priority project of congressman so-and-so" sign, but at least the funding might get to where it needs to go, and there is some hope of getting something done).
but you are right -- the key is knowing and talking to the right people. it may take dinner and a night with a gro (guest relations officer -- the local euphemism for a prostitute), but business will get done.