Many times, our sala was also appropriated as a sleeping area. When this happened, I hide off to my grandparents' house up the hill from ours. No offense, I love my Manila relations.
When I was older, I was often totally consternated by acquaintances who presumed upon my nonexistent hospitality. I was from Baguio -- that meant for some of them that they had a ticket to stay with me.
Looking back, I wonder at the presumptuousness of the mindset. I figure that it comes from some Pinoy "hospitality" gene. When I was older and wiser, I made clear to would-be guests that I was very selective about such, and that notice was a much valued nicety.
So even while I appreciate tourism as an industry, I'm not crazy about it. It presumes upon the hospitality gene I have happily escaped. Also, I come from a family that stocks up on movies and stay-at-home goodies when a crowd hits town.
When Panagbenga happens, going out is not the festive preoccupation (ang saya kasi) it seems to be for all and sundry. It's just a week or two of hullabaloo that has to be endured, itself a show based on a nonexistent Baguio flower industry/tradition, to begin with.
So please. All those tourist arrivals the Department of Tourism (DOT) is so proud of? They're too high. All these "growth targets" for year 2008? They're not a sign of progress.
We should be more concerned about the quality of environment, government, management, public services and public utilities in any given time and place.
When these are taken care of for the benefit of its residents, tourism is likewise a thriving effect. Not this entire, irresponsible, overdone reason a country has for being.
And as for these investors in Baguio's tourism industry who actually think that the City Government owes them all manner of incentive, let me say this. Didn't you do your homework beforehand? Didn't you study market trends and risks before you decided to build that spanking new hotel? Didn't you look at the very well-entrenched tourist energies in town before thinking to give them competition? You should have.
If you did, then you know that your new hotel, or your new restaurant, or your new pension, bar, or whatever, is just like any other business in Baguio.
There's a risk, there's luck, there's a good number of market elements involved, not the least being feng shui -- and still you ventured into it. If you didn't, you know what? Baguio doesn't owe you special treatment if your business doesn't make it. Take it like a man, will you, and stop whining. No, a casino in John Hay doesn't have to happen just to boost your revenues. Go home.
