Government critics, independent observers and stakeholders in the tourism industry are one in blaming the country’s lackluster tourism performance on several factors.

More Chinese tourists in 2026

After the audacious and illegal kidnapping of Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro, which the United States president claimed was effected in pursuance of American law enforcement policies, Donald Trump has effectively lost his moral ascendancy before the community of nations.

International law is nothing to Trump 

Like a broken record, Jay Tarriela has always characterized China's action in the South China Sea as coercive, aggressive, illegal, bullying, etc.

Jay's confirmation bias and SCS truth 

Last Friday, at 1:34 am, another incident happened in the South China Sea, wherein a foreign cargo vessel, later identified as Filipino, capsized at 55 nautical miles northwest of China’s Huangyan Dao (Panatag shoal).

China’s humanitarian rescue continues

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. did the right thing by assuring that he will not declare China's ambassador to the Philippines Jing Quan persona non grata.

Marcos did the right thing 

The Philippines and Vietnam are exactly on the same boat navigating the turbulent waters of the South China Sea.

Vietnam shows the way for PH

Whenever people talk about tourism in the Visayas, or in the Philippines as a whole, Boracay is always mentioned as the primary destination.  Especially among tourists.

Time to scale up E. Visayas tourism

It is reassuring to note that the government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) which is the official and legitimate source of information and opinions on the subject of the conflicting claims in the South China Sea (SCS), has assured that its communication channels with China are open and working.

Open lines of communication

In our engagements with the superpower neighbor China, it appears that it is the Philippine private sector that is showing the government how to handle things and issues correctly.  Listen, Tarriela, Carpio, Tulfo and Risa:  business and trade, not quarrels with China.

Business and trade, not quarrels with China

Imagine that.  Filipinos who are of working age, qualified and willing to work, remain jobless as of the end of December.  They number around 2.26 million.

2.26 M Filipinos are jobless

VIEW FROM CALUMPANG Column Diego Cagahastian and Raffy Sarnate

VIEW FROM CALUMPANG

Latest News