TOUR GUIDING IN BORACAY ISLAND...
I was honored and privileged to be interview by GMA Network under Jessica Soho about Tour Guiding in Boracay Island. Apparently; there are too many foreigner Tour Guides in the island and it seem to be so easy to secure a permit to be Tour Guide. By securing some requirements set by Malay City Hall and making an initial payment of Php20,000.00, a foreigner can be a Tour Guide in the island. You may be wondering what about Working Visa? You will be surprised by making payment of Php30,000.00, they will be issued with a Special Work Permit for 6months and this can be renewed after expiration. I always wonder what is a Special Work Permit? If you are working in the Philippines and you are a foreigner then you must secure a 9G Working Visa.
Furthermore, are these Tour Guides trained? Have they attended the Tour Guide Course organized by Department of Tourism Philippines in Kalaw Manila? Last 2008, I attended the Tour Guide Course organized by Department of Tourism, it was 1 month course and I learnt so much about guiding and most important, I learnt much about the history and cultures about Philippines. Being a Tour Guide is not just about going to the airport to pick up guests then try to sell them activities in the island and send them back to the airport after 5days in the island. What about history? What about cultures? I always wonder if they know about the history of Boracay? If everybody can be a Tour Guide then why is there a need for us to attend the Tour Guide Course organized by Department of Tourism? Why do I have to waste 1 month of my time attending the course? According to the rules and regulations set by Department of Tourism Philippines; if you are a Tour Guide, you must be accredited and to be accredited, you must be trained! How many accredited Tour Guide are presently in the island?
During the interview, I was questioned about the number of foreigner Tour Guides are more than the local Tour Guides. What do I think about it? Well, I believe everybody can market the Philippines in regardless of Nationality. I am a Singaporean living in the Philippines for more than 10years and presently hold a Permanent Resident VISA in the country. I have travelled to different parts of Philippines and promoting the country is part of my passion. Indeed it is more fun in the Philippines and I believe that as long as people are trained then they are qualify to be a Tour Guide. If the local Tour Guides are willing to pick up Mandarin as their language then they are qualify to guide the Chinese and the same goes to the foreigner, if they are willing to be trained by Department of Tourism and attend the Tour Guide Course then they are also qualify to be a Tour Guide in the island.
Perhaps is time for Department of Tourism to consider about doing a crash course for those foreigners who wish to be accredited by the Department. I also wish that Malay City Hall will review their rules and regulations in the days to come, set new standards for Tour Guiding in the island. If you want to be a Tour Guide in regardless of Nationality, you must be accredited by Department of Tourism and all foreigners are to secure a proper 9G Working Visa to work in the island. Being a Permanent Resident of the Philippines, I did my obligation by paying my Income Tax annually but how many Tour Guides are fulfilling their obligation to BIR?
The tourism industry are booming in the island, there are going to be more direct flights to Kalibo Airport and we can expect more tourists in the island. The government are doing their best to market the Philippines and the Officials of Malay City Hall are also doing their best to market Boracay Island. We need to uphold the standards of tourism in the island and continue to maintain Boracay Island as one of the best beaches & islands in the world. Is more fun in the Philippines but is even more fun in Boracay Island!
Mabuhay...
Furthermore, are these Tour Guides trained? Have they attended the Tour Guide Course organized by Department of Tourism Philippines in Kalaw Manila? Last 2008, I attended the Tour Guide Course organized by Department of Tourism, it was 1 month course and I learnt so much about guiding and most important, I learnt much about the history and cultures about Philippines. Being a Tour Guide is not just about going to the airport to pick up guests then try to sell them activities in the island and send them back to the airport after 5days in the island. What about history? What about cultures? I always wonder if they know about the history of Boracay? If everybody can be a Tour Guide then why is there a need for us to attend the Tour Guide Course organized by Department of Tourism? Why do I have to waste 1 month of my time attending the course? According to the rules and regulations set by Department of Tourism Philippines; if you are a Tour Guide, you must be accredited and to be accredited, you must be trained! How many accredited Tour Guide are presently in the island?
During the interview, I was questioned about the number of foreigner Tour Guides are more than the local Tour Guides. What do I think about it? Well, I believe everybody can market the Philippines in regardless of Nationality. I am a Singaporean living in the Philippines for more than 10years and presently hold a Permanent Resident VISA in the country. I have travelled to different parts of Philippines and promoting the country is part of my passion. Indeed it is more fun in the Philippines and I believe that as long as people are trained then they are qualify to be a Tour Guide. If the local Tour Guides are willing to pick up Mandarin as their language then they are qualify to guide the Chinese and the same goes to the foreigner, if they are willing to be trained by Department of Tourism and attend the Tour Guide Course then they are also qualify to be a Tour Guide in the island.
Perhaps is time for Department of Tourism to consider about doing a crash course for those foreigners who wish to be accredited by the Department. I also wish that Malay City Hall will review their rules and regulations in the days to come, set new standards for Tour Guiding in the island. If you want to be a Tour Guide in regardless of Nationality, you must be accredited by Department of Tourism and all foreigners are to secure a proper 9G Working Visa to work in the island. Being a Permanent Resident of the Philippines, I did my obligation by paying my Income Tax annually but how many Tour Guides are fulfilling their obligation to BIR?
The tourism industry are booming in the island, there are going to be more direct flights to Kalibo Airport and we can expect more tourists in the island. The government are doing their best to market the Philippines and the Officials of Malay City Hall are also doing their best to market Boracay Island. We need to uphold the standards of tourism in the island and continue to maintain Boracay Island as one of the best beaches & islands in the world. Is more fun in the Philippines but is even more fun in Boracay Island!
Mabuhay...
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