Summit of our patience
We do have some of the most beautiful places to visit, many of these natural wonders are now much recovered after an almost three-year break from tourism activities.
Daily TribuneWe do have some of the most beautiful places to visit, many of these natural wonders are now much recovered after an almost three-year break from tourism activities.
First, the good news: the Philippines bagged the much-coveted dive and beach destination awards at the 29th World Travel Awards held in Muscat, Oman on 11 November 2022.
Once again, we may glory in our country's dive portfolio that has retained its "four-year winning streak for the World's Leading Dive Destination title," as the Department of Tourism announced.
The Philippines topped the world's most recognized diving destinations, such as "the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, the Cayman Islands, Maldives, Fiji, Mexico, Azores Islands, French Polynesia, Galapagos Islands, St. Kitts and Belize," the DoT enumerated.
As for our beaches, need we say more? We bested the likes of "Maldives, The Algarve in Portugal, Jamaica, Galapagos Islands in Ecuador, and Turks and Caicos Islands," which the department listed as the previous awardees.
Several tourism partners also took home distinctions: Amanpulo as the World's Leading Dive Resort; City of Dreams Manila, World's Leading Casino Resort 2022; and Ascott Bonifacio Global City Manila, World's Leading Serviced Apartments 2022.
Nominated were DoT as the World's Leading Tourist Board this year, Siargao as the World's Leading Island Destination, and Intramuros as the World's Leading Tourist Attraction.
We do have some of the most beautiful places to visit, many of these natural wonders are now much recovered after an almost three-year break from tourism activities.
But how long will they remain pristine?
Our planet can no longer take further abuse. President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has pointed out environmental protection as a priority of his administration, a key part of his "economic transformation thrust."
For him, "immediate action" is needed "to achieve climate equity and justice," as well as "avert this collective disaster," he told an audience at his first United Nations General Assembly. He was referring to the effects of climate change and global warming, of course, the brunt of which the "most vulnerable countries" suffer the most.
The pressure is on for leaders of today's world, no doubt, and in the runup to the climate change summit this year, many sectors including youth groups have made their voices heard.
They all demand one thing: Serious action.
The 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference or Conference of the Parties is commonly referred to as the COP of the UNFCCC (UN Framework Convention on Climate Change), or COP27.
Held in Egypt from 6 to 18 November 2022, it has been trending for days as many young people have up about their concern for the planet they stand to inherit.
It being the 27th COP rankles among many as they think it has all been talk and not much action. The UN, however, assures that now is the time for climate action. COP27 "builds on the outcomes of COP26 to deliver action on an array of issues…"
Some may say too little has been done as it is already too late — but if no one listens to these voices, then it's a series of cyclone names reminding all of us to do so with their destructive force.