Run for your Life! The Marathon Craze in Cagayan de Oro

MEDICAL journals have written a lot about the benefit of running. It says runners have more energy than non – exercisers. It develops our endurance, a healthy heart and a healthy pair of lungs and stronger leg muscles.

Running can be done without much of the instructional manuals. If you can walk, you can run. If you run you can enter a 5K Race as easy as that. If you run a bit more, you can race for the 21 K. If you have the stamina and a regular runner, go for the 42 K and beat the records held by foreign runners competing in the Philippines marathon series.

The Kenyans runner today seems to be the best in this field establishing world records and even ruling the Olympics.

But any Tom, Dick and Harry can outrun them if we take the sports seriously. Everybody wants to have a healthy lifestyle, but sadly, not all people exercise. I myself just started taking up the sports yesterday when I learned of the generous prizes the organizers dangled to the runners of Cagayan de Oro City.

Purses are getting bigger and even without the attractive prizes; more people are running today from running errands, in paying for the electric bills and even the regular Sunday trip to the market. Thanks to the effort of Circle Production Group headed by Jeffry Ang organizer of the LKK Run and the Freedom Run next month. Jeffrey has sparked in the city the interest in running and has been bringing established runners to Cagayan de Oro coming up with the modern marathon tracking equipment, the stringent rules the carbo loading diets and the discipline that has brought improvement to the sports.

Running has also captured the interest of Pryce Gas, Chairman, Salvador P. Escaño, who has been in the forefront of the Liquefied Petroleum Gas business since the enactment of the Oil Deregulation Law. He has conceived the idea that every run is a journey. You will never know what you will find or what you will see unless you stay grounded on your feet and give a return of the business equities to the society.

Escaño, “Joy Joy” to his friends and SPE to his subordinates have advanced his foray of the LPG business in Luzon challenging the big four multinational oil companies in their own playground. He envisioned slicing 25% of the growing LPG market for his Pryce Gas Manufacturing Plant and distribution from Pangasinan down to Metro Manila with 35 Million Gas consumers at stake. The Northern Luzon area is an open field for market distribution of the LPG fuel for household and industrial consumption among the 18 Million of the population.

On June 7, 2012 at Pryce Plaza in Carmen Hill, Cagayan de Oro City, an important announcement of the biggest marathon event in Cagayan de Oro will be unveiled by Pryce Gas.

Jeffry and Joy Joy are both businessmen of different dimensions successful in their fields but have common agenda which is running for life.

Ped T. Quiamjot is one of the brilliant columnists of a local newspaper in Cagayan de Oro City and currently the General Manager of Pryce Plaza Hotel Cagayan de Oro.

A marketing mix of Women and Travel

Six months from now when year 2012 will complete its full calendar throttle, more executives will be disappointed by the things they were not able to do than by the things they have done. The things that we do in our life in one year are like a regular ship schedule that one must throw off the bowline and sail away from safe harbor.

Travel is one option a person or a family has to do either for a vacation or just gathering siblings together for the parent’s anniversary or a wedding of a friend or a relative. Most travels are women initiated. A woman makes effective decisions for travel planning, organizing meetings and event. Women are the best segment in the marketing process considered as target market.

Women travelers and event planners influence trends as they love to frequent hotels, Spa’s, restaurants and shops with their discretionary expense behaviors. Women’s income in the Asia Pacific region of 13.5% per capita percents has increased since 2010 compared to men who stood at 12.1%. There are more females in the world with growing income except in the Latin American nations.
Women’s status in many countries is altering with the historical roles of women, changing as their buying power grows with their perceived roles expand beyond caregiver and housewives.

More women are taking control in the European banking sector. In Germany, Argentina and Australia women are elected or chosen as top leaders. In the Philippines, the pharmaceuticals, BPO’s, advertising, politics and government are starting to feel the women power. It will not be far that another woman will rise to the Judiciary or even to the Presidency.

Female genders are more concerned about value and experience. They are more felt in government and recognized in the various industries.

Marketing to women decision makers maximized the function of sales. It is a demographic rich with imperatives whose influence and spending power continues to strengthen even in times of tumultuous economy.

Many hotels and resorts in the Philippines are maximizing their marketing efforts to female travelers by offering packages at their various properties. A Girlfriends Getaway package is available in Panglao, Bohol. In Badian Island south of Cebu, Badian Island Resorts and Spa sells their Spa Packages in Japan and Korea. It may be time for Siargao Island to catch up with “Surfers Paradise” packages.

In marketing to women, let us not use imaginary vocabulary that makes a woman’s life sound hurried or crazy. Maybe in Cagayan de Oro, let’s have the “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” rafting in the river. Or have you heard of women in travel. The airline industry should be a good sponsor by offering more discounts to women?

Ped T. Quiamjot is one of the brilliant columnists of a local newspaper in Cagayan de Oro City and currently the General Manager of Pryce Plaza Hotel Cagayan de Oro.

Saving lives: the climate change summit

THE weather phenomenon in Northern Mindanao is affecting
travel and tourism business in the region. In Butuan City last January 7, 2012, a commercial plane carrying the party of Vice President Jejomar C. Binay return to Manila in spite of entering already the Butuan air space.
Zero visibility was the reason. Low pressure area somewhere in the Pacific was pulling the cold air from the enter tropical convergence zone in Northern Luzon to the eastern part of Mindanao. The new weather pattern brings thick clouds and rains to the region. Early morning, heavy fogs envelopes Cagayan de Oro City.

Historically, In January of 2011, the total flights cancellations in Cagayan de Oro from Manila and Davao recorded 13 flights of the A320 types of aircrafts that were either diverted to Mactan Cebu or returned to Manila.
Smaller QA-400 air planes originating from Cebu managed to sneak in and came in delayed after seating for hours at the Mactan Airport waiting for clearance from the Cagayan de Oro control tower. Airline flights cancellations last year brings in losses to both airlines and destinations. The airline company in terms of fuel and back loads for their return flights to Manila. While the destinations, in terms of hotel revenues and transport business.
It also makes opportunities slip on the hands of businessmen. The total losses if quantified will amount to millions of pesos of failed transactions creating an impact to the local economy as a result of the slowdown of business.
The weather cycle is repeating this year with more powerful gusty winds that could develop into a tropical depression. A tropical depression, we all know, is a probable disaster that could bring death and destructions to government infrastructures and private properties.
Weather disturbance is not only inherent to Northern Mindanao. It is common to Northern Luzon and to the Southern Bicol region. Typhoons hit us an average of 22 cyclones per year. Flooding and continues rains even occurs in Central Mindanao in spite of the high mountain ranges that protects the fertile valleys. No one is safe anymore from the wrath of the weather. The disaster brought by Typhoon “Sendong” is just one of the painful examples. There could be more disasters in the future?
Some government officials were quick to align their strategies of governance. A weather climate mitigation summit is called for by Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel that will be funded by the government. The government agencies that are involved like the DENR, the DOST, Department of Agriculture and the DILG are expected to be at the forefront. In fact all government agencies and local government units must be involved to delineate their roles in saving life and protecting the economy.
Many government officials are also callous and insensitive to climate change disasters.
In Cagayan de Oro City a maverick Alderman sponsored a resolution to stop the hydraulic mining activities in the upper Barangays that empty its tributaries to the Iponan River. But before he could raise his arguments, his motion was voted out. Of course, he belongs to the minority party, what do we expect?
In politics, it’s wheeling and dealing. Scratch my back and I will scratch yours. Never mind if the residents of Pagatpat, Iponan were in rooftop flood water. Never mind if the adjacent communities, Bloomingdale, Westfield, Virginia Homes and Coca-Cola Village were in waist deep mud, all coming from the over flowing Iponan River. What causes the siltation of the Iponan River?
The Barangay Chairman himself, Capt. Anthony Brilleta and his Barangay Council passed a resolution after the 2009 flooding, urging City Hall to intervene and stop the Hydraulic Gold Mining in the upper delta of the Barangay Iponan. Did City Hall care?




Ped T. Quiamjot is one of the brilliant columnists of a local newspaper in Cagayan de Oro City and currently the General Manager of Pryce Plaza Hotel Cagayan de Oro. His column talks on various issues and concerns affecting the business sector and tourism industry.

Surfing Surigao

PLANNING a route this summer or escape in a romantic seclusion?
Stand on a surfboard in the oceans of Surigao. Unknown to many, the extreme sports of wave surfing has change the tourism landscape in Mindanao. From Siargao, General Luna and Lanuza down to Tandag, coastal towns and cities with hurdles of Speedo wearing adventurers ride the waves under the heat of the sun and at night simply stargazing with the elements of air from the breath of the Pacific Ocean.
Days ago, the CNNGO.com, came up with a No. 8 ranking for Surigao as the “world’s top 50 best surf spots”. A recognition that helps pumped the needed tourist receipts to the countryside.
As the sun dips out of sight, couples on the beach with Havaianas sandals and Project Rudy goggles splurges on San Miguel Light Beer and Barbecued Chicken making a leap of difference from what used to be a fisherman’s village.
Wave surfing take us to the next generation of world travelers with less cash on hand but carries a bundle of plastic credit cards to settle their holidays from their debit accounts in France, New Zealand, Australia or Japan.
These nations’ ranks among the loyal and regular new market niche for special interest groups attracted to the cocoon like waves.
We cannot wait for March till October having fun all summer long. Oceans, rivers and streams in the Philippines have all been touched by man. Stakeholders in Surigao are forewarned that development should be controlled as we learned a lesson in Boracay of overcrowding and stretching the island’s resources to the limit driving prices high.
It’s more fun, in the Philippines, if tourism is made simple and affordable. It’s even more fun if we prevent toothpaste and soap out in the oceans from turning into a bubble bath.
Surigao used to be a logging and wood processing coastal provinces. There are significant mineral deposits of iron ore and gold in Punta Tugas in Carrascal that according to the Mines and Geosciences Bureau is the largest in the hemisphere estimated to be three billion metric tons. That will turn the whole province upside down if allowed to be developed. God forbids a scenario of the remaining trees cut and uprooted bringing down chemical poisons floating out at sea threatening life on land. Mining footprint in Surigao has to be regulated.
Tourism initiatives in Surigao and the whole Caraga region is driven with enthusiasm and hard work by the diminutive Letty Db. Tan, the Regional Director of the Department of Tourism, Region 13. I have met the hard working lady who never gets tired of shuttling around the tourist destinations and the probable identified development area. She talks to investors and single handedly arrange business matching, a treat uncommon in the bureaucracy reaping rewards in terms of interests and growth in the region.
Arrivals in Surigao registered 145,739 in 2010, up from the previous year’s figure of 114, 324. For 2011, Surigao accounted 31.21% increase in arrivals with an estimated P4.372 Billion in tourist receipts as reported by the Office of the Governor, Gov. Sol Matugas. Resorts occupancies for a total of more than 600 rooms stood at 33.72%
Butuan City in Agusan del Norte which seats as the regional headquarter for all government agencies in Region 13, it is accessible daily by air from Manila with Cebu Pacific mounting three flights daily and one flight from Cebu City. Philippine Airlines and Air Express also have one flight each daily from Manila and Cebu. Another airport in Surigao City hosts various flights from Cebu and could land chartered Beach Craft or Q-400 type jet propelled air craft.
Recently down south, the private airport once operated by the Paper Industries Corporation of the Philippines (PICOP) in Bislig City in Surigao del Sur was activated to host a Cebu to Bislig flight of Mid Sea Air Express, a new player in the airline industry based in Cebu City.
On May 1-4, 2012, the Philippine Surfing Championship Tour will be launched in General Luna. The National Men’s Surfing Championship follows on May 5-9. By October, the 18th International Surfing Cup reels off with a bigger and larger contingents anticipated by the organizing committee. Marajao na pag-abut sa Surigao!


Ped T. Quiamjot is one of the brilliant columnists of a local newspaper in Cagayan de Oro City and currently the General Manager of Pryce Plaza Hotel Cagayan de Oro. His column talks on various issues and concerns affecting the business sector and tourism industry.

Competitive Index

THE 2011 Travel & Tourism Competitive Index is out from the data of the United Nations World Tourism Organization pulled from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
The Philippines rank almost at tail end occupying number 94 out of the 139 participating nations in terms of competitiveness. European countries, lead by Switzerland, France and Italy occupied the top three based on various index.
In Asia, Singapore and China leads. On travel and tourism regulatory framework, we were ranked No. 98 on a scale of negative 3.7 %. On business environment and infrastructure, we improved to No. 95 or a negative of 3.2%. We got an encouraging higher rating of No. 20 or plus 5.2% on price competitiveness.
While on cultural and natural resources, we rank No. 75 at negative 3.7%. This low rating should serve as a wakeup call to the mining and mineral explorations proponents.
We did poorly on safety and security at No. 109 or negative 4.1% with the hugging headlines of kidnapping and disturbing sensational crimes aggravated by the various travel advisories issued by foreign nations.
But it was on the ground transport that we got clobbered by the traveler’s index at No. 114 or negative 2.8% which showed some weakness to the PNoy government that should have a stop gap with the appointment of Sec. Mar Roxas to the DOTC. Ground transportation does not only speak of the modes of transport but on the general conditions of moving travelers by land. This covers infrastructures like good roads and bridges and traffic management.
Perhaps on infrastructures, the government realized the folly of their actions after withholding money for various public works improvement which the Department of Budget and Management released only early January 2012.
While on traffic management, we have made slow inroads, it’s still a daily grind in Metro Manila, Cebu and Davao City.
In our native language, we call it “kalandrakas”. Many cities in the Philippines like Cagayan de Oro and Baguio City have to go to the banks to finance their Flyovers in the City which were built on national highways.
A city government taking over the road jurisdiction of the Department of Public Works and Highways? The government funds which were not available in 2011 for public works brought down our competitiveness among the lowest 20’s in the 139 nations in the world.
The government logic in releasing the budget in the 1st week of January as priming the economy with P182 Billion infrastructures for 2012 is a positive acknowledgement that in did, we lost grasp of the economy which has already gone down with an anemic growth of 3.7% compared to the higher economic growth of 7.2% in 2010.
According to Mr. Benjamin Diokno of the UP School of Economics, “the lack of public funds for infrastructure and low government expenditures last year slowed down the economy”.
NEDA officials understood that but maybe the Budget Secretary has another economic interpretation to cover up for the weakness of Malacañang? The Competitive Index showed however that there is a good indicator of priming the economy which can spark tourism growth with foreign investments welcomed to the Philippines. On Visa requirements, we rank No. 3 on good policies and regulations. Hotel price index for foreign travelers stood at No. 15 or plus 10.05% in spite of fewer hotel rooms.
We rank No. 132 of the 139 nations having low capacities for hotel density per 1,000 square kilometers. It relates to a message clearly understood by big property developers like Ayala Land, Fil-invest, SM Prime and Megaworld to bankroll development for more international standards hotels.
Ayala Land’s Kukun Hotel is scheduled to open in the 3rd quarter of 2012 in Cagayan de Oro City with two more properties at the Bonifacio Global City and at the Abreeza in Davao City. On the pillar of human resources, the Philippines stood No. 69 or 11.03% on the quality of the educational system. We were No. 46 or 11.05% on the extent of staff training due to our English literacy.
But wait until you see some shocking and arbitrary revelations that shows, we are No. 1 out of the 139 nations with” HIV” prevalence which brings a negative of 11.09% or No. 83 on business impact of HIV/Aids lowering life expectancy to the rank of No. 87 or negative 11.10%. We are low on the pillar of health and hygiene, rank No. 127 or negative 4.04% on the resurgent of tropical disease like Dengue fever, Malaria and Leptospirosis plus the inadequacy of hospital beds. Don’t cry for me Argentina, on the scale of 1 – 10, where do we stand? This is for our government policy makers and our leaders to ponder to earn their mandate.


Ped T. Quiamjot is one of the brilliant columnists of a local newspaper in Cagayan de Oro City and currently the General Manager of Pryce Plaza Hotel Cagayan de Oro. His column talks on various issues and concerns affecting the business sector and tourism industry.

Can the Tourism stakeholders in Cdo crack the China market

Our future tourism market is full of opportunities, with the hotel room’s expansion in the city estimated to add an estimated 700 international standard rooms at the 3rd quarter of 2012 and with a new airport middle of 2013, emerging market potential from our traditional trade partners can be expanded.
In Cagayan de Oro City, aside from our corporate and local convention market, we have the Korean arrivals which rank as our top source of foreign business followed by the Filipino Balikbayan groups that includes Filipino expatriates working or living in some western hemisphere countries outside of the United States.
According to the Asia Travel Magazine, China travel figures continue to remain the strongest growing market in the past 12 years. The Peoples Republic of China (PROC) is sending 33% of their outbound tourist to South Korea and growing by 13% annually.
The Philippines is some 6 hours away from Korea and within the travel sphere of Mainland China.
The Chinese economy which is expected to overtake the United States of America in 2020 with a per capita income of USD 3000 ending 2011 compared to the United States USD 3,340.
China has a stronger growth pattern from 2008 up to 2010 which is forecasted to surpass the US due to a higher Chinese Population of 1.3 Billion, a factor in contributing to the GDP. Gross Domestic Product is the total market of goods and services produced by a country in a specific period of time.
It is divided among the countries personal consumption, investments, net exports and government spending. China achieved a higher growth pattern through a fixed value of their currency against the US Dollar and continuously undervalued their product cheaper thus “increasing” its export to the US and to the west.
Using this statistical support, building our capacity and knowledge on how the Chinese tourists behave outside of their country including the insights of their spending habits, tourism stakeholders could launched tour programs attractive to the young and old Chinese travelers.
Strong cultural ties and family trees of rich Filipino Chinese traced their roots to the Chinese mainland. Relatives from abroad come and visit Chinese communities in the Philippines.
Travel has brought the exodus of tourist filling up the hotel rooms in Manila during the Chinese New Year. Bus loads of Hongkong tourist crowd the Chinese Temple in Cebu during February.
The gambling Casinos in Laoag, Ilocos Norte and Sta Ana, Cagayan Valley are filled to the rafters with tourist from Chinese Macau.
In the far flung Misibis Resort in the Bicol Peninsula, Chinese tourist from Fujian Province frolic in the sun. Young vacationers and honeymooners are transported by All Terrain Vehicles (ATV) for a tour at the foot of Mayon Volcano or to the Cagsawa Ruins near Legaspi City.
Tourist destinations in the Philippines have peculiar interest that could be adequately handled by the professional guides trained by the Department of Tourism.
Tour guiding can be expanded by training Taxi Drivers and transport operators on foreign languages and the value of our cultures as well as honesty in dealing with foreigners.
Packages can be developed making use of the transportation and hotel accommodations as the revenue center. The land tours, food and sports activities make up the rest of the tourist receipts.
Some resort destinations have added Spa and health care as well as extreme sports among the attractions. In Cagayan de Oro City, tourism promotions must come under one roof with joint national and local tourism initiatives above the private sector.
Setting the tones and sound guidelines through an active Promote Cdo type body with regular budgetary allocations and policy recommending authority devoid of political colors or affiliations.
Modern cities have changed their paradigms on tourism from the expensive hosting of irrelevant beauty pageant into a market oriented business linkage through overseas travels and attendance to trade fairs.
Travel and trade gatherings leads to business opportunities. Travelers’ first come as a tourist the return next visit could be a prospective investment trip. The city of Cagayan de Oro cannot stand alone as a tourist destination; it has to partner with the province of Misamis Oriental that seat on a vast field of natural attractions and a potential location for eco-tourism and industrial development.
Much more, the province of Misamis Oriental cannot attract international attention without a city as the center of business with modern communications. The lifestyles and diverse cultural background of a city adds to the interest of travel.
Aside from the “Its more fun in the Philippines “DOT slogan, government has to build a level of preparedness to benefit from the growth of China. We cannot be a continuous buyer of Chinese made products but maybe a potential trading partner throught the opening of joint ventures.
Misamis Oriental has brilliant lawmakers now seating in Congress, they have the influence over their pears with a commanding more than 1.2 Million voters to include the City of Cagayan de Oro and Gingoog City, they can make or unmake any Presidential aspirant.
Our Congressmen can propose and work for the passage of a law opening more tourism zones, they can secure more infrastructure allocations to expand the roads and improve traffic management.
They can corner more power plant investors and market our industrial estate to business locators. Nothing is impossible if they can work together. They can even built a skyway from the Laguindingan Airport up to the western gateway of the City.
When these are realized, they can join hands and before the end of their terms, welcome “Nihao” our first batch of Chinese tourists. Tourism is a magnet for more investments. The private sector will built the facilities and many will follow with the banking sector providing the needed capital. Government has to lead in a class above their own.


Ped T. Quiamjot is one of the brilliant columnists of a local newspaper in Cagayan de Oro City and currently the General Manager of Pryce Plaza Hotel Cagayan de Oro. His column talks on various issues and concerns affecting the business sector and tourism industry.

Travel and accommodations in urban Cities

BUSINESS CLASS hotels are subjected to various evolutions starting from designs, locations and guests mix. Hotels in urban cities are built according to the aesthetics of their locations and are now regenerating in commercial mall surroundings with multiple functionality. New to the eyes are different architectural concept and green building features as well as integration to shopping centers cut off from nearby residential areas.
Staying in a hotel during business trips means much more than a mere necessity and hotels are now becoming image benchmarks for corporate decision makers.


Looking at today’s scenario, business class hotels are popping up along the Ortigas financial center in Mandaluyong, the Fort in Taguig, Madrigal Business Park in Alabang and up to the central business district of Ayala Center in Cebu. Soon, the Centrio Mall in Cagayan de Oro will open their Kukun brand of the Ayala chain of business class hotels not withstanding their other property at the Abreeza in Davao City which has a similar development.

Big property developers like Robinson Land of the Gokongwei Summit group have repositioned their Go Hotels in many major cities as the choice business class accommodations with their Cebu Pacific Air providing the carriage. Mr. Tony Fernandez’s Air Asia has embarked on the Tune Hotel concept of no frills business class hotels. Fil-Invests Land recently opened last October their Quests Hotel at the Archbishop Reyes corner Cebu Business Park intersection in Cebu City.
Another Radisson Blue of SM Prime is fast taking shape at the former Lanang Golf Club along J. P. Laurel Street in Davao.

We have to take notice of the business strives and as a Cagayanon’s should be proud of the fate accomplished by the Lim Ket Kai Group, in Cagayan de Oro City with a 224 rooms, Arch. Antonio Gozar’s glass inspired tower. Lim Ket Kai Hotel is a masterpiece design similar to his other hotel buildings creation in Hongkong and China. The hotel will open ahead of the Zealep – Riviera Hotel which will be managed by Genesis Hotels and Resorts of Señor Miguel Cerqueda of the Intercontinental and Manila Hotel legend. In 2004, this writer opened the resort division of the Genesis Hotels in Northern Luzon and when

Mr. Cerqueda checks in, it’s a celebration in the hospitality business.
A business class hotel needs to focus in running their properties in pristine conditions and operating using the best practices and industry standards. All activities in a business class surroundings needs to be directed at enhancing the guests experience and increasing the value of the properties through a sincere customers relations and great marketing.

Pryce Plaza of the property developer, Pryce Corporation, the first and only business class hotel in Northern Mindanao as of current date have survived the industry challenge and is now moving towards the all suites category envisioned by the owners.

What are the property owner’s expectations? Business class hotels are investment vehicles that allow shareholders to select professionally managed hospitality companies to manage the business and increase the property asset values. Experienced hospitality companies stay ahead of the curve and are familiar with the consumers’ trend. Developers are warned to stay away from direct management involvement as stakeholders taste and preferences may not be what customers want?

The business mix to bolster revenue determines the occupancy success. What are the expected customer’s age brackets? Their nationalities and demographics? What is in store for the hotel guests? Is it the comfort or the hardness of the bed? Are Wi-Fi facilities accessible to guests work stations and gadgets? Does the hotel provide fast breakfast services for guest’s convenience? Are the fitness centers in place?

There are many other factors in travel and accommodations that adds to business class ambiance, like airline bookings and confirmation through the web using debit accounts. Express check-in and checkout systems through credit card pre-swiping and clearing? Or maybe, a reliable concierge services for errands and the efficiency to provide top of the line transportations requests? Some properties have introduced their club membership that adds perks and reduced rates to regular clients.

Travel and tourism are influence by good local economics and business success that adds income to professionals and entrepreneurs alike. Young pharmaceutical executives who earns sales commissions from their marketing transactions or management consultants in the field of technologies or human resources servicing their out of town clients. These executive agrupations belongs to the business class hotels guests’ demographics and are the reliable partners in the business.
Know where they are coming from with their preferences and lifestyles and you have a guaranteed occupancy figures? For feedback, please email sbeverage@rocketmail.com.

Ped T. Quiamjot is one of the brilliant columnists of a local newspaper in Cagayan de Oro City and currently the General Manager of Pryce Plaza Hotel Cagayan de Oro. His column talks on various issues and concerns affecting the business sector and tourism industry.