Another way to lose moneyNext week, after Christmas, my wife Beng and I are flying to a southern city – I won’t say yet exactly where – for a short break from the stresses of the season. Even before the pandemic, the country lagged regional peers in foreign arrivals – 8.2 million foreign visitors – well below Indonesia’s 16 million, Malaysia’s 26 million, Thailand’s 40 million and Singapore’s 15 million. Moreover, foreign tourists remain concentrated in a few destinations: the National Capital Region and Central Visayas (home to Cebu) account for over 60 percent of total foreign overnight stays. Then come the fees: ‘local support’ fee, environmental fee, parking fee, toilet fee, shower fee... That’s why some foreigners call it Feelippines. Now we need BBM to treat this like flood control: another way to lose a lot of money aside from thievery is not to make it when we very well could.

Source: Philippine Star December 21, 2025 17:34 UTC