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Editorial &
Publishing Consultant
President &
Managing Director
Editor
Managing Editor
Associate Editors
Writer/Reporter
Lay-out Artist
Account Executive
Credit & Collection
Circulation Staff
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Murray Hertz
Butch C. Bonsol
Agnes M. Abrau
Francesca L. Ortigas
Carmencita H. Acosta
C. Jude Defensor
Jacqueline L. Ong
Richard A. Ramos (Cebu)
Ronald I. Cruz
Vicky Araneta-Linsangan
Aldi Lozano
Narciso Lorete
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WHAT’S ON &
EXPAT is published weekly by
Expat Communications, Inc.
Suite 415 Manila Bank Building
6772 Ayala Avenue Makati City
Telephone Nos: (02)840-2996 • 812-0987 Fax No:
840-2988
Email: expat@pldtdsl.net
whatsonexpat@yahoo.com
Cebu Mailing Address: MJ. Cuenco Avenue
cor. C. Mina St., Mabolo, Cebu City
Telefax: (032) 412-8000
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Medical Tourism... from page 1 |
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competitiveness. Standards cannot be
compromised, she affirmed.
Hearing from Spas
Roa also observed that Cebu’s tour operators have not
marketed any spa package probably due to the
absence of DOT accreditation on the spas, travel
package and the hospital concerned.
In an earlier event, Alice Queblatin, past president of
the Cebu Association of Tour Operators, related
that her group cannot properly market such
packages due to the less-than-posh spa
facilities which cater mainly to the locals.
Examples are torn seat cushions, untidy attire
of attendants, stained towels, and the like
which easily turn off the very discriminating
foreign clientele who usually are a stickler for
cleanliness and upkeep.
In addition, spas are accredited by the DOT by way of
the presence of attendants who have passed the
qualifying exams as headed by the Department of
Health (DOH). These exams are held only twice a
year in Manila and not anywhere else in the
country.
Queblatin related that her group can only promote the
in-house spas and a handful of stand-along spas
which have easily passed the requirements and
standards of their finicky clientele. To cite a
few, these are the Mogambo Springs in Plantation
Bay, The Spa at Cebu, the Badian Island Resort
Hotel & Spa and the Chi Spa at the Shangri-La’s
Mactan Island Resort & Spa.
Roa also noted that nearly nine hospitals in Manila
have already been given the go-signal to plunge
headlong into the medical tourism field,
including St. Luke;s, Asian Hospital and the
University of Santo Tomas. Clinics can also be
accredited, she added. “Hospitals should be run
like high-end hotels equipped with all the
corresponding services and amenities. Cebu
should consult with Manila counterparts in order
to witness medical tourism in action and see
what specifically needs to be done,” she
reiterated.
The Other Side
But according to Jenny Franco, president of NAITAS-Cebu, or
the National Association of Independent Travel
Agencies, medical tourism is still feasible in
Cebu due to the availability of the personnel
and the equipment on hand. “Medical tourism
depends on the specific needs of the patient.
Example here is the case of the balikbayan
(Filipino returnee) who comes to the Philippines
for a dental check-up or an executive check-up
since such services are quite expensive in their
host country,” she said.
Franco, herself a registered nurse, explained further
that the concept of medical tourism need not
conform to
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AS THE KOREANS continue to pour
into Philippine shores in
droves, Tourism Secretary Joseph
“Ace” Durano believes that the
cultural differences between both
Koreans and Filipinos will gradually
subside and develop into something
more fruitful and positive in the
near future. Though he never
mentioned anything negative, it has
been observed that many Filipinos
experience culture shock by way of
the Koreans’ rather aggressive
manners, drinking habits and
patronage of their own kind.
In an exclusive interview with What’s On & Expat,
Durano has acknowledged that all
that is needed is some adjustment
and patience for both sides in order
that they might develop a better
understanding of each other’s
cultural traits. “A relationship
develops whenever two cultures meet.
This will require an adjustment
period in order that both parties
will learn to co-exist in a more
peaceful atmosphere,” Durano told
this reporter when asked about
certain traits of the Koreans.
He compared the Koreans back in 2000 onwards to the initial
wave of Japanese tourists to Cebu in
the 70s and 80s when both visitors
were first viewed in negative light
by some quarters of the local
populace for different reasons.
While the locals disliked some
Korean visitors due to their “rowdy”
behavior, the male Japanese tourists
of a few decades back were accused
of patronizing the so-called sex
tourism. But since then, the profile
of the Japanese visitor has long
evolved from the single male in his
40s to families, young ladies and
honeymooners—thus effectively
altering their connotation and image
in the public’s eye.
Many Japanese have also assimilated themselves to the Cebuano
lifestyle by marrying locals and
making Cebu their
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new home along with their newfound
families.
It was also pointed out that despite
the initial wave of Japanese
tourists a few decades back, nobody
in the industry could speak the
Nihongo, thereby resulting in a
language barrier between the
visitors and the locals. The
situation has since changed
drastically as hundreds of industry
frontliners such as tour operators,
licensed and unlicensed tour guides
and many locals have since learned
to speak the Japanese language to
cope with the demands of the market.
It is also a known fact that nearly all Korean visitors avail
only of the services of Korean
guides and travel agencies due to
the language barrier between them
and the locals. Many industry
practitioners express frustration
that they have often been left out
in the wave of Korean arrivals. At
the same time, it is also admitted
that the locals need to learn to
speak the Korean language in order
to get a slice of the market.
The Department of Tourism has not remained idle as they have
conducted numerous tour guiding
classes for Korean guides and held
Korean language courses for the
local stakeholders. Cebu is also
home to dozens of schools teaching
English to thousands of Koreans and
other nationalities who wish to
polish their English literacy
skills.
While other issues still have to be ironed out, Durano
reiterated that the meeting of two
cultures would always result in some
birth pains during the adjustment
process as some habits and traits
may not always meet whole-hearted
approval by the other party. But
with some measures taken to melt the
language barrier and professionalize
the industry, it is hopefully
expected that the Koreans would
likewise assimilate themselves into
the Cebuano community in the near
future. Better yet, both
nationalities have invested heavily
in the local economy, thus further
elevating Cebu as an ideal
investment in the region. |
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SMART
Launches
Enhanced Satelitte Link Services |
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SMART
Communications, Inc. (SMART) and global
mobile satellite communications provider
Inmarsat recently launched the new and
improved Smart Link satellite services
at the Rizal Ballroom of the Makati
Shangri-La Hotel.
The SMART-Inmarsat collaboration will expand Smart geographic
coverage area, which has an existing
reach spanning 11 million square miles
of Asia, |
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The ceremonial
toast is led by SMART Public
Access Group head Tina Mariano,
Inmarsat VP for Sales and
Marketing Perry Melton, PLDT and
SMART chairman Manny Pangilinan,
and PLDT and SMART president and
CEO Napoleon L. Nazareno |
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Manuel
V. Pangilinan noted that the partnership
would be especially beneficial for
Filipinos working overseas because it
would secure a wider coverage area to
include India, the Indian Ocean, the
Middle East, Africa and the Pacific
Ocean. “The launch of our enhanced SMART
president and CEO Napoleon L. Nazareno.
To support the services that go with |
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from Pakistan in
the west to Japan in the east,
and Indonesia and Papua New
Guinea in the south. The service
will support both voice call
services and data connectivity.
In his welcome address, SMART chairman |
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the
Inmersat satellite, SMART will
invest USD5 million to set up a
gateway facility and ground
infrastructure in Subic,
Zambales. |
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the typical notion that the patient
recuperate in an upscale hospital room.
One can also avail of medical services
in a respectable hospital minus the posh
amenities and later recover in a resort
or hotel just the same. This is medical
treatment minus the fancy surroundings
since Cebu’s doctors are just as
knowledgeable as their Manila
counterparts, she disclosed.
Class Differences
Franco cited the case of her Japanese client who
recently suffered from a stroke and is
recuperating in a plush resort in Mactan.
He continues to receive house calls from
various medical practitioners to monitor
his health situation.
She hinted that the typical medical tourism patient may
have been used to the elite services
rendered in other countries, thus the
reluctance to be treated in the usual
medical environment offered in all Cebu-based
hospitals. Such elite patients may not
feel at ease with the rather drab
hospital environs. In the same way, a
customer used to the ambiance of a four
or five-star hotel may shun a pension
house, though both establishments do
serve the purpose of temporary lodgings.
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“We can also customize packages in accordance to the
patient’s needs such as surgery, dental,
beauty treatments, etc. since no
hospital in Cebu offers a VIP wing as of
yet,” she bared.
A plus factor working for Cebu is that unlike Manila,
the resorts in Cebu are easily
accessible from the city proper. Charges
also vary greatly to suit a wide range
of budgets.
However, there are other ticklish issues such as the
overseas-based insurance companies which
refuse to cover their clients who travel
to certain countries. Visitors are
likewise scared to come to the
Philippines since the malpractice issue
has yet to be settled amicably between
the State and the citizenry.
While Cebu’s assets in certain aspects of medical
tourism still have to be fully
maximized, it may be wiser to let
development take its natural course
while slowly complying with
international standards and services.
What remains more important is that the
patient recovers just the same while
staying in an establishment of his or
her own choice while enjoying the
tropical weather and the warm nature of
the Queen City of the South.
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