Entire of itself Cebu is not

There was a time when Cebu marketed itself as “an island in the Pacific” as opposed to a “province in the Philippines” to dissociate itself from all the bad things happening in the rest of the country back then.

To millennials out there, that was the time when demonstrations clogged the capital’s streets. When people disappeared without a trace. When censorship was de rigueur. When the Philippines became the “sick man of Asia.”

That was also the time when Cebu stood alone in defiance of “Imperial Manila.” And suffered in consequence.

Left to its own devices, Cebu made do. And I have to admit, it looks like it hasn’t done so bad.

(Although, Cebu may have been a victim of its own success. Just look at all the people living on the streets. Or the garbage piling on neighborhood corners. Or the traffic. But hey, I should always look at the bright side of life, right?)

The people at GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corp. (GMCAC), too, had been left to their own devices. And it looks like they, too, have not been doing so bad.

Just last month, the operator of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) attended the Routes Asia 2017, a three-day annual route development forum and conference held in Okinawa, Japan.

They courted airline companies from Australia, Europe and Asia to fly directly to Cebu, to make our island the ideal gateway to the Philippines.

They also announced that they plan to open new routes that will connect Cebu to Australia, Europe and more Asean countries within the next two years. They’re also studying to expand connections to China, South Korea and Japan.

Last month, maiden flights to Chongqing, China; Taipei, Taiwan; Dubai, United Arab Emirates via Clark; and Los Angeles, US were inaugurated.

On April 18, Xiamen Air will launch direct flights to Fuzhou from Mactan.

It’s obvious Andrew Harrison, chief executive adviser of GMCAC, has complete confidence in the product they’re selling.

“Cebu has so much to offer as a tourist and investment destination. It has natural beauty, history and culture, and a strong emerging economy. This is the experience we want to share with the international market starting with the quality of service and warmth that we promote here at MCIA,” he said in a statement.

Some local officials should follow GMCAC’s example. They should take pride in their constituents and in their areas of responsibilities.

They can start by leaving their egos at home. Because if Cebu is going to become a top tourist destination, everyone will have to cooperate, especially those in power.

That means officials will have to work together to address common problems like the lack of infrastructure, traffic, flooding, lack of water (depending on the season) or criminality. These problems are by no means endemic. By the way, Cebu will also have to shed that “island mentality” and start marketing itself as a member of the global community.