No regrets over losing Lim

The sudden resignation of Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim  came  as no surprise.

Lim has been the subject of attacks especially from private sector  tourism stakeholders over issues of competence and honesty.

At one time, he was referred to by President Aquino as one of the cabinet members who  gave  him a headache.

Some quarters point out that Lim  pales in comparison to  former Tourism secretary Ace Durano. I think Lim’s failure to provide a new marketing  logo for the Philippines and his “Pilipnas kay ganda” fiasco was the start of his self-destruction.  He refused to recognize members of the Tourism Congress, earning the ire of private sector players. He also advocated an “open skies” policy that failed to consider the lack of reciprocity that is  crucial to ensure fair treatment to domestic airlines.

Lim was considered very unpopular because of his failure to provide leadership to spur tourism in Cebu and the rest of the  country.  With Lim resigning and the end of AUgust, we expect the tourism sector to grow by leaps and bounds.

I had an interview with Lim’s no.1 critic consul general Bobby Joseph, who said that with Lim out,  the successor  will likely  get the support of all players in the tourism sector and pave the way for  better working relations between  the government and  private sector.

Hopefully with Lim’s exit,  we can regain the full  cooperation of the private sector to propel tourism in the Philippines. Good luck to whoever the president appoints as the next tourism secretary.

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The controversial art exhibit at the Cultural Center of the Philippines  provoked  passionate  sentiments about how it  mocked Christian  religious beliefs by mixing images  of  Jesus Christ with  bizarre appendages, including phallic symbols, on his face and body.

Those who were scandalized said the exhibit must be  closed because it  was an insult to Jesus Christ and the Christian world. Some recommended the filing of charges against  CCP board members, whose chairman Karen Flores resigned last week over the furor.

The CCP closed the exhibit citing  security reasons after getting threats and hate mail but some of its officers and  artists protested the closure as censorhip.

I think an artist should be circumspect in his or her exhibits and consider public sensitivities. Arists can exhibit anything at CCP provided it does not  cause a scandal to  Christian society. The artist mocked Jesus Christ in the name of artistry and freedom of expression. Now they are protesting.  I think their type of freedom of expression has no place in a society that is predominantly Christian.

The protesting artists knew  the exhibit would invite this kind of  criticism. Their protest is  irrelevant and has to do with  misplaced freedom of expression.

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The former First Gentleman and former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo are in the hospital facing serious health challenges  aside from  plunder cases in the Ombudsman’s Office.

GMA  underwent an operation to correct a dislodged titanium brace in her spine  but  an infection was discovered by  doctors during  the 7-hour operation. Mike Arroyo was just placed in the watch list by the Department of Justice, a restriction he is contesting before the Supreme Court. He is facing investigation for the sale of  his helicopter as a brand new aircraft to the PNP when in fact it was  used by the First Family during the 2004 election.

As the saying goes, “when it rains it  pours” for the once powerful couple.