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Thursday, July 07, 2005
Council asks DOT to screen Koreans acting as tour guides
Reports of South Koreans who act as tour guides to their fellow Koreans got the attention of the Cebu City Council.
These foreigners allegedly deprive local tourist guides of income, so the City Council yesterday urged tourism officials to coordinate with the immigration bureau and the labor department in the screening of tour guides.
Councilors Edgardo Labella and Jose Daluz III, however, have another opinion.
A lawyer and former Ombudsman director, Labella cited that immigration laws prohibit foreigners from engaging in retail business here. He believes that agreeing to the resolution would mean he and Daluz are amenable to Koreans acting as tour guides in the country.
Accreditation
Councilor Arsenio Pacaña pointed out that a few South Koreans got accreditation from the Department of Tourism (DOT).
But Labella said they are not certain if the immigration office is aware of this accreditation.
Pacaña also said Cebu is getting the most number of visitors from Korea and that their presence greatly contributed to the boom of Cebu’s tourism industry.
But the visiting Koreans tend to arrange their travel with fellow Koreans staying in Cebu, to the detriment of legitimate local tour guides.
“(They) appear to have threatened the legitimate operations of duly-accredited tourist guide operators, considering that they have the advantage in cornering the huge chunk of the South Korean tourist market,” read Pacaña’s resolution.
Interpreters
He also said no local tourist guide understands the Korean language.
With this, Councilor Augustus Pe, Jr. suggested that South Koreans can act as interpreters so they will not compete with local tourist guides.
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) earlier ordered that South Korean tour guides should first get DOT and BI accreditation before they could engage in tourism-related activities.
DOT, on the other hand, makes tour guides undergo a seven-day special training. This is meant to professionalize the tour guides and level the field.
In yesterday’s session, Councilor Gerardo Carillo also wondered whether Koreans have working visas.
The discussion over the problem also unveiled the absence of a City tourism officer. Councilor Jocelyn Pesquera said the position is available but the personnel selection board has not opened it for those interested. (RHM)
(July 7, 2005 issue)
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