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Friday, March 16, 2018

Ticao Island: Tourists’ One Model to Depict (or Define) What an Exotic Tourist Destination Is



Wazzup Pilipinas!

From my conversations with foreign traveller-vacationers in the Philippines, most of them assert that they do not prefer checking in in luxury hotels, plush amenities, and five-star accommodations. What they crave instead are exotic places where calm and quiet blend with modern lifestyle.

I asked them what they exactly mean since it is understandable that once you book a travel package, the agent will naturally house you into somehow pricey bed and board. So, to drive their point, they pointed to my place, Ticao Island, as a model for that exotic that they mean. How is this so?

Well, in Ticao, you can find superb hotel-resorts. Some of these hotel-resorts are the only structures standing out in a village where they are located. One good example, Ticao Island Resort, is structured splendidly in a village called Tacdugan wherein those houses surrounding it are commonplace ones dwelt in by village folks who usually subsist on fishing as their source of livelihood.


Another is Altamar Resort just a few kilometres away from Tacdugan. It is an amenity whose concrete facilities are similar in design to those hotels in Metro Manila or urban cities. What makes it unique is that it is in a very quiet rural expanse; no hustle-bustle like those in urban places, no sound of heavy machines, no coming and going of roaring vehicles, no fuzz of busy people like those in the downtowns; just the peace of the serene rustic touch, or of the synonyms—rural, countryside, bucolic and idyllic.

So, these tourists refer to the Metropolitan luxuries that they no longer prefer. Ticao, according to them, is exotic in the sense that you stay here in an atmosphere of rural culture combined with modern living. In the downtown of San Jacinto, Ticao’s most progressive of four towns, you can avail yourself of facilities, amenities and commodities that the modern lifestyle can provide. There are also hotels down there, other cozy lodging houses and restaurants.

Much contrary to the old impression that lifestyle in an island is outmoded and behind the times (Oh! I hate this impression!), the lifestyle in Ticao is avant-garde and trailblazing. People here are mold in innovative and forward-looking culture.






Every day, Ticao is frequented by foreign and local tourists. Foreign tourists come from races such as English, Chinese, Germans, French, Koreans, Japanese and Americans, etc. When foreign vacationers in the Philippines arrange a tour package, most, if not all, travel agents always include Ticao as a journey point. Mr. and Mrs. Chris Fleckney, a couple from England, showed to me their itinerary folder listing their arranged destinations which include Palawan, Boracay and of course Ticao. Tourists come to Ticao for Manta Ray, for diving.

Most of the foreign tourists I came to have a conversation with affirmed that they came to know about Ticao by word of mouth from their fellowmen who have come here, bragging to them about their encounter of the island. Ticao, really, is getting famous around the world.








The next day November 14, after my photo-shooting tour of Ticao Island Resort and having had a good conversation with the English tourist couple Fleckney, I scooted to Batuan, Masbate, one-hour travel from San Jacinto. Inside Yuson Hotel and Beach Resort, I chanced upon a seminar being conducted by the Department of Tourism Region V (Bicol) in collaboration with the local government of Batuan. I didn’t have the idea there was that seminar. I asked permission to listen. Incidentally, some of the facilitators are known to me personally and professionally. Having shown and established my credentials as a writer, I was then invited to join the congratulatory panel during the awarding ceremony and to join the picture taking for posterity and advertisement.

It is obvious tourism in Ticao is really giving itself a bigger and bigger shot! Just look how the Department of Tourism is so much fixated on!

Written by Remigio Espares III

Skills of the Future: 10 Skills You’ll Need to Thrive in 2020


Wazzup Pilipinas!

Now, more than ever, industries are shifting even more rapidly than during previous decades. The taxi driver of today may not be able to have a job in tomorrow’s economy when transportation becomes so advanced that self-driving cars can rely on GPS and camera sensors alone to get passengers from point A to point B.

That brings us to the question: what skills of the future should a professional start learning today to secure a career in 2020 and beyond?


Nontechnical Skills for a Technological Future

Surprising as it may be, but experts predict that the most in-demand skills in the next few years are soft skills such as creativity, people management, and having sound judgment and decision-making. That’s because more and more jobs may be taken over by robots, but those that require creativity and emotional intelligence still need a human touch.

For HR managers, this may mean giving more consideration to people who may have weak technical skills on the surface but have the potential to grow and master the skills needed to become more successful in the future workplace.

Being aware of the skills that may not be as crucial at present can allow you to recruit people that can adapt to shifts in the industry, hence increasing retention and improving the growth of your organization.

Angela Lee and Mei Yamaguchi to Battle for One Women's Atomweight World Championship at ONE: Unstoppable Dreams


Wazzup Pilipinas!

The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), recently held a worldwide media conference call for ONE: UNSTOPPABLE DREAMS, featuring reigning ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion “Unstoppable” Angela Lee of Singapore and challenger, Japanese martial arts veteran Mei “V.V” Yamaguchi of Tokyo, Japan. Also on the call was Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship, Chatri Sityodtong.

Ticket information for ONE: UNSTOPPABLE DREAMS is available at www.onefc.com.

Angela Lee, ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion, stated: “With the help and support of my family, we got through (the accident) together. And I feel thankful for everything. I am so excited to be back in action. I’ve missed everything that comes along with competition -- the training and preparation, and of course, getting right back in the cage. I think fans are going to see a great matchup. I just want to go in there, do what I love, and the results will show.”

Mei Yamaguchi, ONE World Title Challenger, stated: “I am super focused on this match. It’s going to be a tough challenge for me, facing the champion. But I am confident in my abilities and I working hard to give my best performance. I’ve been training a lot, especially in jiu-jitsu. I’m now a black belt, so I think I’m improving a lot. At the same time, I have a new kickboxing coach, so we’re working very hard. I hope I can showcase some of those new skills.”

21-year-old “Unstoppable” Angela Lee of Singapore is considered one of ONE Championship’s most outstanding athletes. She captured the inaugural ONE Women’s Atomweight World Championship with an awe-inspiring victory over Mei Yamaguchi in 2016, and has since then defended the title successfully on two occasions. Lee’s beautiful combination of elite striking and grappling has proven to be a potent formula for success, as she has remained unbeaten in her career. In the most recent bout of an impressive run, Lee dominated top contender Istela Nunes, showcasing her wide array of skills despite suffering from illness. She is widely-considered on a global scale to be one of the biggest names actively competing in the sport. She is set to defend her title next against Mei Yamaguchi in a rematch at ONE: UNSTOPPABLE DREAMS.

35-year-old Japanese martial arts veteran Mei “V.V” Yamaguchi is a female atomweight standout and a former ONE world title challenger from Tokyo. She is the DEEP Jewels Featherweight Champion, and owns seven submissions and two knockouts in her 28-bout professional career. In 2016, Yamaguchi challenged Angela Lee for the inaugural ONE Women’s Atomweight World Championship in an epic showdown that would later win multiple ‘Bout of the Year’ honors from international media publications. In her last bout, Yamaguchi thoroughly defeated Gina Iniong of the Philippines to win impressively by unanimous decision after three rounds. Yamaguchi is now set to take on champion Angela Lee in a highly-anticipated rematch.

For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit www.onefc.com, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ONEChampionship, and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ONEChampionship.
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