Helping hands abound in Puerto Princesa
RECENTLY, I WAS IN PUERTO Princesa as a resource person on leading change to the Boot Camp on Performance Governance of the Institute for Solidarity in Asia. Taking advantage of the opportunity to get away from Metro Manila, my husband, eldest daughter and I decided to take a break and arrive 4 days ahead of the event.
WARMTH AND HOSPITALITY
We were pleasantly surprised to experience the warmth and hospitality of everyone from the tricycle drivers, to the waiters in restaurants to sales girls in department stores. How I wish this same culture will prevail in all our major cities. I have travelled a lot in my lifetime, locally and overseas. My family and I could not help but become "raving fans" .They would bring you around in a city tour that brought you from the city market to bay walk to a beach resort. They would patiently wait for you, very courteous in their ways.
I interviewed one of the tryke drivers Elmer (not his real name) who shared with me an unforgettable story. One time an Australian and a Filipino couple were visiting the city, they had only threedays time to spend in the city as they unfortunately their money transfer had not come but he offered to tour them around the city anyway, taking the risk of not being paid.
PROACTIVE AND SINCERE OFFER
Elmer offered to advance the expenses for doing a city tour using his tricycle. Since Elmer had connections, he asked his friends with travel agencies, if they are willing to take the risk of advancing services to them which they did. At the end of the three days, Elmer invited them to his house demonstrating typical Filipino hospitality. The next day to his surprise the couple paid all the expenses incurred during their stay. On top of this they gave him a tip of P 25,000 pesos, that he then used to repair his house and buy his own tricycle. As he shared this story during my interview, at once I thought, indeed the gospel is true, "give and you shall receive". I also warned Elmer we don't have that much money. He smiled and said, "Don't worry po".
HIGH QUALITY SERVICE
What impressed me most is that the amount of hospitality rendered for both local and foreign tourists had the same high quality. In our stay we took 9 tricycle rides, rented twice vans, moved around several restaurants and took two boat rides. In all these services rendered we realized the people are able to answer questions accurately and sharply around locations, prices, services.
During my stay my laptop stopped functioning, so I ask a tricycle driver to bring me to a local repair shop. He did. The repair person took a look and with the voice of experience mentioned that perhaps the battery I have allowed to go too low. It was true. Then asking for the amount I had to pay he said, "You dont have to pay me. It is simply information I gave and did a little test".
TOURIST FRIENDLY CULTURE
I wanted to know the secrets of this culture where "helping hands abound". First, is the economic situation of Palawan. One time I woke up early to go to mass. Hailing a tricycle in from of the hotel, I met a driver and his wife. His wife has a carinderia in the public market. Both of the couple were earning, they described their life as comfortable, able to send their children to high school and a local college. Moving around the city, I saw people who are busy earning a living. I did not encounter beggars, sleeping on sidewalks of city streets. This is a city where residents have livelihood.
CITY TOURISM OFFICE
Two, is the proactive City Tourism Office that has developed and ran training programs for these tourism front liners. The tryke drivers proudly show off their IDs and certificate of training. Their manners showed much dignity of people with competencies and skills that they can be proud of.
I admired the van tour guide who brought us to the underground river. He was aa hotel and restaurant management graduate, who understood that he would perform excellently in a job where he interacts with people. Hehad this ongoing conversation for our team of 8 tourists combining deep knowledge, interesting anecdotes, and a sense of humor. Then as the other person responsible for the boat in the underground showed us the stalactites and stalagmites, he encouraged through his descriptive language use of the imagination that makes you forget the smell of bats and agitated birds.
WILLINGNESS TO SERVE
Third, are the willingness of service people to help and share in the vision of the city. They had higher goals in mind like sustaining their jobs, concern for nature and keeping Puerto Prinsesa as a Paradise for tourists .
Going back to Manila, I read the story about the misused Malampaya fund for Palawan and how it did not benefit the intended beneficiaries. It was then I realized how important for Palawan to have leaders who practice "responsible governance" and the greatness of the advocacy of the Institute of Solidarity in Asia. It was also a reminder that Paradise is still in the state of becoming, it starts with the "helping hands culture" of Palawan.
[Tita Datu Puangco is the President and CEO of Ancilla Enterprise Development Consulting, an innovative provider of Enterprise and Organization Development solutions in the ASEAN region. These solutions include strategy planning and execution, leading change breakthroughs, managing corporate academies, executive assessment and coaching, value and culture development and setting up of human resource systems. For your letters/ feedback, kindly email tdpuangco@ancillaedc.com.ph or fax 5563394 or call 5563215/16/19. Also follow Tita on her blog titatalkstraining.blogspot.com]