Philippines - Manila - Awfully Disappointing

**indiej** · October 13th, 2011 04:54 PM

it's true although the opinion was based on a very small viewpoint. he could have tried to search for better places though i understand why he may not bother.

we could pick and watch a foreign city similar to a local one and compare year after year. could be done by somebody familiar with that foreign city. kahit hindi buong city kahit isang area lang. for people who don't know how much we're being left behind. whose point of comparison are only local.

**hachiroku** · October 13th, 2011 09:10 PM

Not really agreeing on what the blogger is saying. Specially on the part where he is not seeing any improvement in manila. I've lived in PI for 20+ years and I am now in the US. I've been going to back to PI this past 3 years. And every time I come back I always see improvements on the roads and buildings. And I think it's much easier to travel now than before.

The blogger also complain about the Discovery Suites. Although I haven't stayed there but why don't he try some other hotels. Yung mga hotels naman dito sa US hindi rin nagiimprove kung babalikan mo sila in 15+years. The point is bakit niya crinicriticize yung isang place then parang isinisisi na niya sa lahat. He even calls himself a wanderer but he is just staying in one place.

**blitz122805** · October 14th, 2011 12:04 AM

All true. I hope that we, especially those in power will take it constructively. Baka mamaya may Senator na naman na makikita sa TV na magdedemand ng public apology. Wala tayong mapapala sa pagiging pikon.

**blitz122805** · October 14th, 2011 12:15 AM

Originally Posted by compact

asb75 " Totoo naman lahat nang sinasabi sa blog, tulad ko isang OFW every year im paying OEC, property taxes & etc. Im quite dissapointed of how Manila turn out. Naiisip ko tuloy saan napupunta yun binababayad namin sa OEC? Doon na lang mayroon na dapat silang funds para maimproved man lang ang airport. But still nothing happens for the past 10 years."

Speaking of OEC, noong huli kong alis, yung isang duplicate nabigay ko kay misis para exempted na sya sa tax pagbalik nya dito sa Muscat, so, yung original ang binibigay ko sa immmigration, AYAW ba naman tanggapin at gusto daw e yung duplicate or else daw ay magbabayad ako ng 1500 tax.

Ano ba namang klaseng patakaran yun ng immigration, mas maganda ngang proof yung original kesa duplicate. Kung hindi ka ba naman manginginig sa galit, GRRRRRRRRRRRRR.

ah OEC! these TIEZA guys that collect the fee are idiots. Very unreasonable. They will find a way to make sure that you pay. Akala mo you have all the docs to be exempted pero hahanapan ka talaga ng kung ano ano. Parang may qouta sila at kelangan talaga maniningil. Probably one of the worst GOCC.

Sorry OT

**chua_riwap** · October 14th, 2011 01:44 AM

truth hurts. totoo naman lahat yang tinuran ni blogger.

pero mas gusto ko naman sa atin kesa sa ibang lugar, like india or sri lanka.
i've been there.

no comment na lang.

**shadow** · October 14th, 2011 10:14 AM

hinde rin puro sa gov't ang sisi, mga pinoy mismo walang disiplina eh. magtayo ka ng isang structure, kung hinde ka maglalagay ng 24 hr secuirty bababuyin yan.

kung kailangan pang maglagay ng sign na bawal tumae/umihi/magtapon ng basura dito ibig sabihin **** na talaga ang lugar.

**james00112233** · October 14th, 2011 11:30 AM

nakakalungkot nga but it is true sa lahat ng sinabi ng blogger... I've been here in Manila for more than 10yrs (studied and worked) and there is less improvement and more of a corruption...

**badsekktor** · October 14th, 2011 11:43 AM

Originally Posted by chua_riwap

truth hurts. totoo naman lahat yang tinuran ni blogger.

pero mas gusto ko naman sa atin kesa sa ibang lugar, like india or sri lanka.
i've been there.

no comment na lang.

lols! at least sri lanka's gov't got better healthcare programs compared to us.... Siguro we are at par with Sudan in terms of corruption and attitude..... less the oil....

Originally Posted by shadow

hinde rin puro sa gov't ang sisi, mga pinoy mismo walang disiplina eh. magtayo ka ng isang structure, kung hinde ka maglalagay ng 24 hr secuirty bababuyin yan.

kung kailangan pang maglagay ng sign na bawal tumae/umihi/magtapon ng basura dito ibig sabihin **** na talaga ang lugar.

hahaha! so true! dito lang sa opisina, pinaayos ni echiveri lahat ng drainage... in fact maayos yun pagkakagawa.... wala pang 1 year, yun mga grille ng drainage, tinungkab sa pagkakasemento at malamang binenta na.... hazard pa tuloy yun mga drainage...

**Monseratto** · October 18th, 2011 08:06 AM

I guess many onion-skinned pinoys are still in denial stage...

Manila, 'disgrace of Southeast Asia,' has world’s 'worst' airport - Nation - GMA News Online - Latest Philippine News

Manila, 'disgrace of Southeast Asia,' has world’s 'worst' airport
10/18/2011 | 12:18 AM

The “disgrace of Southeast Asia," as an Englishman recently described Manila in a viral blog entry, houses what a travel site just named as the world’s worst airport.

The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 topped the list of the world’s worst airports for 2011 on "The Guide to Sleeping in Airports," a site that annually assesses the quality of the world’s airports.

NAIA-1’s ratings rose from the site’s 2010 assessment that it was the world’s 5th worst airport and the worst only in Asia.

“Why? You will not be allowed to enter the terminal until three hours prior to your flight," the site said, adding that NAIA-1 “is in bad shape."

“Earlier this year, some bad press regarding the state of the airport made airport officials promise to clean its Terminal 1 toilets and provide running water and soap. Imagine... they actually had to ‘promise’ to offer this!" the site said.

“The Guide to Sleeping in Airports" also pointed out problems that recently plagued NAIA-1, including the collapse of its Bay 7 ceiling in May.

'Bribery and theft exist'

The woes of NAIA-1 go beyond poor facilities, the site pointed out.

“Forget about sleeping in this airport! You will not want to even close your eyes here! Bribery and theft exist," said the online guide, whose suggestion for budget travelers is to sleep in airports.

“Airport taxes are collected," the site explained, “but the money does not seem to go towards the betterment of the airport. Document holders have been told their papers are not correct, but a fee of x amount should clear up the matter."

It noted, however, that tourists “have better luck" in terms of facilities at Terminal 3. But the site also cautioned that NAIA-3 “has been deemed structurally flawed." It did not elaborate.

GMA News Online is trying to reach airport authorities as of this posting.

Blogger: Manila 'a dump'

NAIA’s poor ranking received media attention at a time when a blog calling Manila “a dump" was going viral in the Philippines.

The negative review of Manila came from Englishman Geoffrey James Quartermain Bastin, who claimed he has worked “on-and-off" in the Philippines since 1991 and tagged Manila as the “disgrace of Southeast Asia."

The effects of such negative publicity on Philippine tourism remain to be seen, amid Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez’s campaign for Filipinos to sell the Philippine brand through social media.

Earlier, Jimenez said the Philippines is not difficult to sell. “This is the most beautiful country in the world. One of the ten most beautiful countries in the world. There is no reason we won’t succeed," he noted. — With Paterno Esmaquel II/VS, GMA News