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Post by EXO on May 17, 2018 10:38:31 GMT 8
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Post by EXO on May 16, 2018 10:30:14 GMT 8
Please don't get me wrong on Doris Ho. She's caught between a rock and a hard place - no pun intended. My take is that the Corregidor Inn refurbishment cost her corporate entities dearly, it had to have had. Her management is doing whatever they can while they still hold a lease, to get a return on investment. The trouble is, that's a big ask, and the baseline for tourism to Corregidor hasn't been stellar. The new “Inn” cost, my guess, maybe a million bucks (that much, yes, because one must include in the calculation the loss of trade for the year or so it took to get done). So I ask myself, how long has she been given to get ROI? Maybe a three year lease? So that’s maybe a thousand days. By my rule of thumb, she’s got to work that hotel $1000 a day if it's a mil she's chasing.
Unfortunately, there's a business paradigm in some climes that when business is slow, you put your prices up. The slower it gets, the more the prices go up. When things get tight, you fire your sales people. When more and more people don't come back, you simply stick it to those who do, more and more. This protects profits without the effort of becoming competitive, or in building up the market. It must work that way, so many people do it! Helps even more if you've got a lock on supply.
(FYI - the basic room rate at the Manila Hotel starts at $112.) In my view, it would be best to push the island towards being declared a National Historic Park and get a nice long lease locked in as quid pro quo, like the concessionaires in the USA do. But for that certainty, a premium needs to be paid. Her ROI shouldn't be forcing Corregidor to become a preserve of the elite.
The sheer fact that no one seems to want to allow Corregidor to become a National Park or National Historic Park, seems to be a "follow the money" game. "No real interest in history and all politics and material gain..." a friend recently wrote me.
Old hands will recall not so long ago when the Cabcaben banca cartel jacked their prices for white folk up from 1000 to 3000 peso. The price rise applied to the "foreign born" even if they were permanent residents. Local prices were less than a third. Essentially it was a long nose tax. This situation today is different - with overnight twin rooms costing more than 6,000 peso, Corregidor is cutting out the middle and working classes, and becoming a destination for the elite. Poor folk need not apply.
The bottom line - Corregidor needs accommodation for all price ranges, not just elite folk. It needs to encourage people to stay and explore. Back in the 70's, Hong Kong spent big bucks to promote itself on the basis of "Hong Kong - You'll Want to Stay Longer!" Corregidor is discouraging visitors who want to stay longer. Generally, those who do want to stay longer are the "history buffs." Why, I know three people who, between them, have had 150+ nights there.
Idea: Why not write to the Inn and ask them to quote you a price for a twin room, for 7 days. Let's start comparing apples with apples. While you're at it, ask them what their wifi speed is. And are all meals included? What's the price for a cup of coffee? Is it bottomless? What's the price for a beer in the bar? Post your replies here, or if you want to preserve your anonymity, PM to EXO.
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Post by EXO on May 15, 2018 11:30:54 GMT 8
Our regular readers are already aware that the Corregidor Foundation Inc has had a change of personnel, and with it no doubt, a change of direction. What does this mean for our community college of Corregidor students and buffs? Short answer: Beats me. The announced head of CFI is former Tourism undersecretary, Ms. Cynthia Carrion-Norton. If you google her, you find an significant number of self-promotional references to her many achievements - president Advantage Sports & Leisure, Inc.; President at Golden Asian Holistic Medical Alliance, Inc.,Philippine Organization of Wellness Establishments & Resources, Inc. (POWER), Golden Asian Holistic Medical Alliance, Inc., Gymnastics Association of the Philippines, Chief Operating Officer Philippine Tourism Promotions Board 2009 – 2010 (1 year), Executive Director Philippine Commission on Sports Scuba Diving (PCSSD)2003 – 2010 (7 years), Murdoch University Master of Business Administration (MBA). You also find the Inquirer, of all people, designating her as a part of the Filipino elite. Check out this 2013 Inquirer product promo article, where she sets up her own clinic to promote a less controversial adult stem cell therapy in the Philippines. (Treatments starting at $17,000.) Oops, here's a curious one. Cynthia Carrion is wang-wang personified | Pinoy Buzz Wow, Paul Ford at Pinoy Buzz sure doesn't like her. (Whoever he is, he's clearly got an axe to grind.) He's traced her to being a classmate of former President Gloria M. Arroyo, and at some point, GMA's personal aerobics trainer. He classifies her as "the embodiment of everything P-Noy is against", which now that everyone in the Duterte Era is attacking P-Noy and everything he stood for, I guess that makes her "the embodiment of everything great." Unfortunately for us, no where have I seen any mention of an interest in history, the preservation of heritage, or the protection of the Corregidor environment. Which is what Corregidor is supposed to be about, n'cest pas? What I do know is that under the new CFI, accommodation other than in the Corregidor Inn has been closed down, the Corregidor Inn room rate is on the northside of 6,000 peso a night, and day trippers who arrive on Corregidor via banca are being told that bringing their own foodstuffs is verbotten. That's a cheap shot by me, sorry, because those are decisions from the office of Doris Teresa Magsaysay-Ho who recently spend big bucks on a charm bypass for the Corregidor Inn. Come back Art, I love you more now than I ever didn't. Read more: corregidor.proboards.com/thread/150/corregidor-new?page=2#ixzz5FXLlNUQf
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Post by EXO on May 15, 2018 11:19:01 GMT 8
Our regular readers are already aware that the Corregidor Foundation Inc has had a change of personnel, and with it no doubt, a change of direction. What does this mean for our community college of Corregidor students and buffs? Short answer: Beats me. The announced head of CFI is former Tourism undersecretary, Ms. Cynthia Carrion-Norton. If you google her, you find an significant number of self-promotional references to her many achievements - president Advantage Sports & Leisure, Inc.; President at Golden Asian Holistic Medical Alliance, Inc.,Philippine Organization of Wellness Establishments & Resources, Inc. (POWER), Golden Asian Holistic Medical Alliance, Inc., Gymnastics Association of the Philippines, Chief Operating Officer Philippine Tourism Promotions Board 2009 – 2010 (1 year), Executive Director Philippine Commission on Sports Scuba Diving (PCSSD)2003 – 2010 (7 years), Murdoch University Master of Business Administration (MBA). You also find the Inquirer, of all people, designating her as a part of the Filipino elite. Check out this 2013 Inquirer product promo article, where she sets up her own clinic to promote a less controversial adult stem cell therapy in the Philippines. (Treatments starting at $17,000.) Oops, here's a curious one. Cynthia Carrion is wang-wang personified | Pinoy Buzz
Wow, Paul Ford at Pinoy Buzz sure doesn't like her. (Whoever he is, he's clearly got an axe to grind.) He's traced her to being a classmate of former President Gloria M. Arroyo, and at some point, GMA's personal aerobics trainer. He classifies her as "the embodiment of everything P-Noy is against", which now that everyone in the Duterte Era is attacking P-Noy and everything he stood for, I guess that makes her "the embodiment of everything great." Unfortunately for us, no where have I seen any mention of an interest in history, the preservation of heritage, or the protection of the Corregidor environment. Which is what Corregidor is supposed to be about, n'cest pas? What I do know is that under the new CFI, accommodation other than in the Corregidor Inn has been closed down, the Corregidor Inn room rate is on the northside of 6,000 peso a night, and day trippers who arrive on Corregidor via banca are being told that bringing their own foodstuffs is verbotten. That's a cheap shot by me, sorry, because those are decisions from the office of Doris Teresa Magsaysay-Ho who recently spend big bucks on a charm bypass for the Corregidor Inn. Come back Art, I love you more now than I ever didn't.
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Post by EXO on May 6, 2018 12:57:40 GMT 8
6 May:
Welcome absaroka6 from 23.113.161.177 which returns at St. Louis, Missouri.
Welcome RapidoJoe who sends us greetings, and "would like to join this group. I am highly interested in the history of the Fortress Corregidor and it's significance to the USAFFE and the Philippine Islands. Thank you!" His IP returns Pasig City, Philippines.
Welcome also to Gibs, who writes that he is interested in this forum and is doing research on the Balangiga Bells, exploring the possibility of coming up with a coffee table book. He is a native of Balangiga.
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Post by EXO on Apr 28, 2018 13:24:33 GMT 8
I see the image of the artist's rendition of the MINDANAO GARDEN OF PEACE and I don't really have any comment on the proposal provided that CFI does not allow the demolishing any part of the existing Corregidor historic structures. I see there is a significant movement in favor of the "strict preservation and conservation of national cultural heritage structures" - as can be seen in the following letter. Corregidor should not be immune from this.
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Post by EXO on Apr 23, 2018 8:28:34 GMT 8
QUO VADIS, CORREGIDOR - RURSUS!!
So now we have a new CFI, and the questions can't be helped but asked, "Where are you going, Corregidor?" The new CFI people probably weren't around (or even involved) when we had the "Quo Vadis, Corregidor" discussions before. The topics were raised and discussed, almost ad nauseum, back in 2006-2007. So what happened then? The short answer is "Nothing!" and the long answer is "Nothing, but here are the reasons." Either way, nothing comes from nothing. In 2007, we made recommendations and were entirely ignored. Please have a thought as to how Corregidor would be today if these recommendations, made 2007, had been taken seriously. (Say, wasn't that recently said about Boracay, that had the recommendations made by certain persons several years ago been followed, the resort would have avoided its present public health disaster and the need for a close-down?) I digress. Where was I? Oh yes, 2007! Ah, where's my flux capacitor when I need it? ____________________________________________________________________________________________ As the tourist market of WWII Veterans has now ended, and there is a correspondingly smaller market of relatives and “buffs”, the “Heritage Memorial Island” market is failing to reach the raw customer numbers of even a few years ago. No longer can the custodians of its heroism install more statues, more plaques and more memorials, and expect wave after wave of awe struck tourists to come and pay respect to the remembrance of the heroes of yesteryear. Sure, there will always be a residual market, but the numbers have been heading toward uncommerciality.
Don't get me wrong - there will always be a number of tourists who will do just that, me amongst them, and the market will still need to be looked after - but the numbers just won't be there.
One option is to reinvent Corregidor as an Eco-Park. This has already been attempted – in name, in words, perhaps even by intent - but hardly not by action.
So why not do it, but for real, this time?
Getting an internationally recognised environmental audit would be the way to start on this. An audit would certify Corregidor’s eco-friendly credentials, and would furnish a roadmap on how to reinvent Corregidor to become one of Manila's closest showcase natural ecological reserves.
Why internationally recognised? Because if not, there will always be a suggestion that the Government had not retained a truly "independent" report.
For instance, and to get the discussion rolling, I suggest:
1: No cats, No dogs, no domestic pets; if there are rats, then use rat-terriers, not feral cats.
2: No traps, no trappers; have a university study done of the monkey population to assess its health etc., and allow numbers to be trapped to provide breeding colonies elsewhere. Monkeys should not be in cages at the Coast Guard to provide for eating.
3: No night resident squatters on the beaches;
4. All introduced garbage from the island be removed from the island, not dumped, buried or burned after dark;
5: All waste products must be environmentally disposed of; bring shame upon the Metro Manila authorities concerning the floating tide of garbage they send to Manila Bay each day;
6. Actual enforcement of a fishing ban – no dynamite, cyanide or other fishing whatsoever, within a declared environmental zone; 7: Develop artificial reefs as fish breeding grounds, and perhaps as skindiving attractions.
All of this should be done in a public manner, for two reasons:
1: The public and Corregidor's stakeholders do not trust that it be done behind closed doors; and
2: It is the beginning of a publicity campaign to establish Corregidor as an eco-destination, locally and internationally.
There's also another way to get up to speed on the "Where goes Corregidor" discussion. The direct link is HERE.
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Post by EXO on Apr 14, 2018 18:01:40 GMT 8
Tieza readies master plan for Corregidor
Catherine Talavera (The Philippine Star) - February 11, 2018 - 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — The Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) plans to develop the island of Corregidor into a flagship tourism enterprise zone (TEZ).
The agency recently met with the board of trustees of Corregidor Foundation, Inc. (CFI) earlier this week for its first board meeting for the year, where it discussed its proposed plans for the island.
Among the key topics of the meeting were the formulation of a comprehensive master plan for the redevelopment of Corregidor Island and the proposed rehabilitation of the Corregidor South Dock Pier.
TIEZA proposed the redevelopment of the 546-hectare island as a flagship TEZ due to its historical value and potentials in tourism development.
“TIEZA shall be responsible for the development of the island’s potential as an international and local tourist destination, as well as the maintenance and preservation of war relics on the island,” TIEZA said.
Flagship TEZs are properties that have been identified and masterplanned by TIEZA. The agency is also responsible for jumpstarting the development of the TEZ by providing necessary infrastructure such as power and water.
At present, there are a total of five flagship TEZs across the country. These are the 883.11-hectare Long Beach area of San Vicente, Palawan, the Rizal Park Complex in Manila, Mt. Samat Shrine in Bataan, Panglao Bay Premiere in Bohol and Bucas Grande in Surigao del Norte.
Last November, TIEZA approved the designation of Panglao Bay Premiere flagship TEZ and its comprehensive tourism master plan, as well as the respective comprehensive tourism master plans for Bucas Grande flagship TEZ and for Mt. Samat Shrine flagship TEZ.
TIEZA’s flagship TEZ program is in line with its mandate under the Republic Act 9593 (Tourism Act of 2009) as well as the framework of the National Tourism Development Plan to support the development of the Philippine tourism product and raise the competitiveness of the Philippines as a tourism destination.
TIEZA officer-in-charge for the TEZ management sector Nino Ruperto Aquino earlier told The STAR that the agency was targeting to approve at least 12 TEZs this year.
At present, it takes around two to three months for the TIEZA board to process and designate TEZ applications by area, Aquino said.
He said the processing time may be cut short to one month if applicants submit all the required documents.
Last year, TIEZA approved the application of two flagship TEZs and one private TEZ.
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"...proposed the redevelopment of the 546-hectare island as a flagship TEZ..." sounds to me like an invitation for bidding.
Hmmm, who do you think will suddenly emerge on the scene as the successful applicant who has obtained the right to commercial redevelopment of the tourist potential Corregidor? Cue the bulldozers?
Can we all finally buy a luxury condo on Wheeler Point?
Gee, I hope not.
So what's the current coliform level of Manila Bay now? In the millions.
Given the faecal coliform count of Manila Bay's waters, it won't be a beach resort. Eleven years after the Supreme Court ordered government agencies to clean up Manila Bay, "nothing much has improved" in terms of water quality. The Writ of Continuing Mandamus for the rehabilitation of Manila Bay called on the government in 2008 to restore Manila Bay water to class "B" level, meaning fit for swimming and other forms of contact recreation. The ideal coliform level for this water class is 1,000 MPN (most probable number per 100 milliliters). The agencies named by the mandamus as responsible for Manila Bay's rehabilitation are the DENR, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Philippine Coast Guard, Metro Manila Development Authority, and the Department of Health. The MBCO is the agency in charge of coordinating all efforts of the departments.
Don't they know of the curse of Corregidor?
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JEWELL
Apr 13, 2018 10:18:10 GMT 8
Post by EXO on Apr 13, 2018 10:18:10 GMT 8
Hi, have anybody heard about a ship named "Jewell" reported sunk about 04 May 1942 at Corregidor? I haven't heard of it as a vessel - but there is a Battery Jewell on Grande Island which comprised four 3-inch rapid fire pedestal guns. Was it a military or civilian craft?
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Post by EXO on Apr 11, 2018 4:40:12 GMT 8
11 April 2018
Welcome to Manong, who writes: "I'm Willie (Manong) and living in Mabayuan Olongapo City. I appreciate if you accept my registration. I am so much interested in the past of the Subic Naval Base and its changes to this time. Thanks in advance!"
Welcome to zup737, who writes: "I have always been interested in Corregidor and Bataan since I am super into history. I grew up around Military bases when I was young(Grand Father was in the Army). I have taken tours of Bataan, Corregidor and Panama. I am currently a pilot for Delta Airlines and I fly mostly Pacific routes."
Welcome to Hanz Baltazar, whose IP 110.54.213.86 indicates Cavinti at Laguna.
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