Thursday, November 30, 2006 DOT official assures right number of cars for summit
ABOUT 4,000 rental cars will be available for delegates of the 12th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit and media covering the event, Tourism Undersecretary Phineas Alburo said yesterday.
“Additional car rental units will also be sent from Manila,” he said in an interview with Sun.Star Cebu.
Philippine Ambassador to the Asean Marciano Paynor earlier said if Cebu does not have enough cars for rent, rental companies will have to ship more units from Manila.
Alburo, however, denied reports that rental cars for the summit are overpriced.
He said that in Manila, the rental for a sedan-type van is P4,750 for a 10-hour use. In Cebu, during the summit, a similar vehicle is available to delegates and guests for P4,500 for the same number of hours.
Alburo said rental car operators have agreed to rent a parking area near the Shangri-La’s Mactan Island Resort as well as a facility to house the drivers.
“These vehicles will not be parked in their respective garages for security reasons,” he said.
Alburo said coasters would also be provided to shuttle delegates from one destination to another.
Compensation
He said summit delegates are expected to arrive as early as Dec. 5.
On reports that hotels are charging high rates, Alburo said the increased prices “compensate” for additional expenses hotel operators have incurred in preparation for the summit.
“There are delegates staying in high-end hotels so they should expect rates, at this time of the year and given the occasion, (to be) higher. Plus hotel operators have upgraded their facilities, so basically the rates they impose compensate their expenses,” he said.
However, he said that despite the increase in hotel rates, the Department of Tourism (DOT) has not received reports of any cancellation.
Alburo also revealed that the DOT has organized a reception and facilitation assistance group tasked to assist Asean delegates at the Ninoy Aquino International Aiport (NAIA).
He said some 42 international flights are expected during the summit. This is why 20 DOT receptionists will be deployed there to assist delegates arriving in NAIA and going to the domestic airport to take a flight to Cebu.
Alburo earlier said the DOT will establish assistance desks with student volunteers as receptionists in different hotels and resorts. Taxi drivers have also been trained to handle summit delegates and participants.
He assured that the Asean summit “will turn out well.” (MMM)
