Boracay Tourist Information and Assistance Centre Launched in Station 2

The Department of Tourism and the Municipality of Malay inaugurated last Friday the Boracay Tourist Information and Assistance Centre (BTIC), located at the beach front of Station 2, formerly Boracay Boat Station 2, in Barangay Balabag, Boracay Island in Aklan, to better address the various information, safety, and security concerns of tourists.



The Boracay Tourist Information Centre was inaugurated at a very opportune time with the unfolding of the summer season, as a lot of domestic and foreign tourists have started flocking the popular party-island in the Philippines, making it really more FUN in the Philippines and in Boracay!

Everyone's welcome to shoot at Rizal Park

Inquirer published online last Saturday, November 12, 2011, an article entitled "Photographers snap at Rizal Park execs for 'no-shoot' rule" by Jeannette I. Andrade and Jerome Aning. I was alerted to this article by fellow bloggers, photographers, twitter mentions and emails from concerned citizens.

Screenshot from Inquirer.net
I could not let this pass, because, I, for one, know that anyone and everyone could snap a photo or photos at the Rizal Park and the Intramuros, without being hassled by anyone saying that it is not permitted to do so. If you even ask for permission, they could even assist your shoot. Case in point, I assisted Metro Magazine and Ms. Shamcey Supsup when they used the Department of Tourism facade for their November 2011 cover shot, and they did not even pay a single centavo for the shot, because it is for free!


I immediately wrote to some DOT Officials, including National Parks Development Committee (NPDC) Director Jett Villegas, alerting them about the article. Over the weekend, Director Villegas replied to me through e-mail saying:

Dear Brian,

Please help inform all persons and groups inquiring that the allegations that it is prohibited to shoot photos in Rizal Park is a blatant lie. I ask your help to spread the news that we allow all interested individuals and groups and anyone interested to photograph the park. Those intending to use the park for personal souvenir and take photos for personal use and school projects are free to do so for after all it is a public park. What we are asking only from those interested to use the park as a venue for commercial ads and for video infomercial, events such as prenuptial, and other events is for them to get permit. Reason for permit is to ensure that the use of the national monument is within the bounds of historic and cultural protocol as per the guidance of the National Historical Commission. We do get expert guidance from them on these matters.

As to the other sites of the park, we need to give permit for commercials shoots so that we can review the story board because we want the park to be projected as pleasant public park for leisure and recreation and historic educational experience and not to use it as scene for commercial, movie or photos that are showing violations against persons, property, abuses and human rights violation particularly among women and children.

Please pass the information to available media to hear our side. I think, it was wise for the group complaining if they did get our side of the story because we are certain that we can show them proofs that anybody can walk in the park and take their photos. If they did so ask our side, they will perhaps appreciate our policy that we want all park visitors to take photos of themselves and at any part of the park that interest them, this is for free to them and all our free additions to the new Rizal park. The peoples park is now looking very good after it did rehabilitation work since last year, and we promise to make it better under now the guidance of Sec. Mon Jimenez. He gave us the marching orders to make excellent things to happen in Rizal Park soonest.

Please extend your assistance to pass on the news that the public is invited to have their photo shoot anytime in Rizal Park.

Thanks,
Jett

The allegations that the Rizal Park, and any other National Park in the Philippines (to set the record straight), would disallow Filipinos, its visitors and tourists to take photos of themselves and their company in the park, are plain absurd, and, to me, a move to discredit and malign the Department of Tourism and the National Parks Development Committee for whatever personal selfish reasons they may have.

You know what, even the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty, both stated in the article by Mr. Mel Cortez (a wedding photographer, if you try to Google him), have stringent guidelines for filming and image shots, and require "fair rate for each operations," according to the official website of the Eiffel Tower, and in the National Park Service of the U.S. Department of the Interior.

These are more photos I gathered from the NPDC and from Dir. Villegas, which proves that anyone can shoot at the Rizal Park, even for product shots. These photos by the Samahan ng mga Litratista sa Rizal - Federation of Philippine Photographer Foundation, Inc. promoting Coleman lamps. They asked for permission to take these shots, and they were granted without having to pay anything. Aren't these photos really nice? :)



To set the record straight: Come visit the Philippines! Come visit Luneta, Rizal Park. Come visit Manila, and the Intramuros. Take shots. Take memories that will last. Take lots of them. Snap away. Because it is free. Because we love our beautiful country. Pilipinas, tara na! ;)



Please spread this good news! :)

P.S. The opinions herein are solely mine, and not representative of the DOT or its officials.

EDIT (11/14/11, 3:20PM): I only saw this video, which was shared to me by a colleague. More questions than answers arise, and based on the video itself, the NPDC has every right to disallow them to proceed with their actions, because they are staging a preconceived permit-less protest (hello banner and shirts), which may be offensive and disrespectful to the place or may be in violation with the protocols of the National Historical Commission.

EDIT (11/15/11, 4:00PM): The National Parks and the Intramuros Administration have released a joint statement on the issue. Also, there's a Press Release from the Department of Tourism just now. National Parks Development Committee and Intramuros Administration Joint Statement DOT MEDIA RELEASE: NPDC and IA Photography Policy

New Tourism Secretary Mon Jimenez announced at Malacanang

This noon, Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office (PCDSPO) Secretary Ramon Carandang officially announced before the Malacanang Press Corps (MPC) the appointment of Ramon "Mon" Reyes Jimenez, Jr. to the Department of Tourism, as its new Secretary, upon the resignation of Secretary Alberto Aldaba Lim which took effect August 31, 2011.

Secretary Carandang's statement, which gave a brief background on the new Secretary is found in the Official Gazette. Carandang formally introduced Secretary Jimenez to the public.

SECRETARY RAMON R. JIMENEZ, JR.

It is with great humility I accept the role of Tourism Secretary to President Benigno Aquino III. In accepting this role, I am keenly aware that I will succeed only if I begin by rallying the DOT staff, the team, tourism practitioners, government bureaucracy and the general public around one very simple idea.

TOURISM IS THE PEOPLE'S BUSINESS.

Ang turismo po ay negosyo ng taumbayan.

As such its ultimate goal is not merely to improve statistics on tourist arrivals. Its real goal is to generate fulfilling and profitable income and employment for our people. In an area of endeavor where Filipinos tend to excel, I have much to contribute in terms in bringing strategic discipline to the challenge of promoting and developing the Philippines as one of the world's most exciting destination brands.

I am thankful to Secretary Lim for the important gains achieved in terms of preparing the way for a truly progressive and aggressive Philippine tourism industry.

To President Aquino my thanks for the trust and confidence. I will do my best to make tourism a hallmark of his administration’s drive to bring our people to the road to richer and prouder future.

Thank you.

After his speech, he entertained a few questions. Here are some of the questions he answered from the MPC:

SANDRA AGUINALDO: The tourism industry is not just about advertising. What do you plan to bring in or contribute to the Department of Tourism?

SEC. JIMENEZ: You’re very right. Advertising in fact is not about slogans. Advertising is about strategic discipline. In fact, I am a marketing communications person when you think about it because that’s what we need. We need a real insight into the market place and a solution. I am engaged in solution finding and marketing communications for very many years. So you’re very right to ask that question. It’s not just that. In fact, job number 1, is to galvanize the DOT staff into an honest to goodness selling unit. Kasi yun naman ang trabaho namin eh. Mga tindero kami, actually.

ROSE MIRANDA: Kelan kayo nainform ng Presidente? Ano ang marching orders niya sa inyo?

SEC. JIMENEZ: Sufficed to say, it was fairly recent. He really thought about it long and hard. My marching orders as I mentioned earlier are really very simple. Tourism is the people’s business. We have no business in engaging in this industry if it’s not going to benefit our people. So we’ve got to built an entire industry that’s focused on generating income and employement.

ROSE MIRANDA: May mga dating programs ba si Secretary Lim na itutuloy ninyo?

SEC. JIMENEZ: My fervent wish is that I will be able to keep what I will find. Momentum is very important at this marketing game. So the answer is yes, yes, as much as I can keep.

Pilipinas, Tara Na, for Local Philippine Tourism

The new Pilipinas, Tara Na! Music Video was shown to DOT Secretary Alberto Lim last month or a week before it was officially unveiled last August 05 before the DOT officials, media and invited artists. He was very happy with the result of the songs, and thankful for the effort that was put into making the video by the Perceptions team and all the artists who've given time and talent to remake the song and video.



After its launch in Manila, the video was brough to the MICE Conference in Cebu City, which was played in the DOT Booth and unveiled to both the Cebu and foreign crowd attending the conference.

We released the trailer or a preview of the actual thing days before it was actually released last Friday noon, through the Pilipinas, Tara Na! Facebook page and the Department of Tourism Facebook page. You can view the preview and the actual music videos here:





Local tourism is one of the big factors that contribute to our economy, in fact around 900 billion pesos was contributed to our economy by it. There are 28 million local travelers, as of date. With what's happening in the US and in the international scene, local spending will help us get through, and cushion us from financial crisis.

LIKE. SHARE. INSPIRE. PILIPINAS, TARA NA! :)

RIZAL@150: Travel the Philippines in Jose Rizal's Footsteps

Heritage and Culture with Local Tourism. That's the main thrust of the Department of Tourism's latest project, the Lakbay Jose Rizal @ 150. In celebration of the 150th birth anniversary of Philippines' national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, on June 19, the DOT, together with the National Parks Development Committee, Intramuros Administration, National Historical Commission of the Philippines, Heritage Conservation Society and Cebu Pacific, launched this heritage trail project, and the heritage trail map at the Rizal Park Manila.



Starting June 19, 2011 to June 19, 2012, everyone (locals and foreigners) can try and visit all 27 Rizal sites all over the Philippines, and get a chance to win prizes from Cebu Pacific and the Inter-Agency Committee, when they get to complete all the stamps in their Lakbay Rizal Passports, which are available at the DOT and the DOT Regional offices (soon). Mechanics for the Lakbay Jose Rizal @ 150 Heritage Trail Project may be found here.




The National Parks Development Committee redesigned and converted the old Philippines Relief Map in Rizal Park to be the new Rizal Heritage Trail Map, a guide and a glimpse of all the 27 Rizal sites from all over the Philippines, for those who don't have the means to travel all around the country.



Last week members of the Media, and some bloggers, got to experience going to different Rizal sites in Metro Manila (like the Rizal Monument in Rizal Park, Fort Santiago, where he was jailed, and Paco Park, where his remains were brought right after his death), and had their Lakbay Passports stamped. We also got to taste some of Rizal's favorite food, like Adobo and Tinola. :)



I think that it is important that we Filipinos get to explore and appreciate the beauty of our country first before heading out to explore the world. As I always say, every Filipino must be an ambassador of and for the Philippines. Who else would we depend on but ourselves. We live in a naturally beautiful land, now it's up for its naturally beautiful people to live its beauty. "Huwag maging dayuhan sa sariling bayan."