Cebu pension house owners form group

By Cebu Daily News

CEBU CITY, Philippines–Owners of pension houses and suites have organized themselves in a bid to upgrade the quality of rooms and facilities in Cebu.

“(We know) that pension houses play a vital role in Cebu’s tourism,” said Augustin L. Maramara, founding president of the Association of Pension Houses and Suites in Cebu Inc. (APHSCI).

Maramara said the continuous flow of tourists in Cebu makes hotel rooms in demand, often resulting in room shortage.

“DOT (Department of Tourism) projections tell us that more tourists are coming in. We better be ready. To keep them coming back, we need to give them a reason to stay. We don’t want to lose this chance,” said Maramara.

He said that with the high demand for hotel rooms, prices are also higher.

Maramara, however, clarified that they do not position pension houses as hotel competitors.

“We are targeting local and foreign tourists looking for good rooms at affordable prices,” he told reporters in an interview.

Rooms in pension houses are 50 percent lower than hotels at between P550 to P600 per room for single occupancy and P1, 500 to P2, 500 per room for double occupancy.

But to lure more tourists, low price is enough. Rooms and facilities have to refurnished, if not renovated, Maramara said.

Upgrading pension houses cost between P1 million to P5 million, he added.

“By upgrading facilities, creating good and affordable air-conditioned rooms, they (pension houses) can make more money,” he said.

The APHSCI is currently processing its registration and is scheduled to submit the necessary documents to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) within the month.

Its 10 founding members are D & L Apartelle, Apple Tree Suites, Casa Amigo, Essenes Pensionne, Casa Escaño Bed and Breakfast, NS Royal Pensionne, Casa Rosario, Palazzo Pensionne, Cebu View Tourist Inn and Verbana Pension House.

Another 15 pension houses have expressed interest in joining APHSCI.

Aside from their main advocacy of encouraging pension houses to upgrade their rooms and facilities, APHSCI will tie up with tourist destinations and pension houses in Central Visayas.

According to Maramara, the average occupancy rate of pension houses is 80 percent. Sixty percent of their guests are local tourists while 40 percent are foreigners ranging from Koreans, Europeans, Americans and Middle Easterns.

Initiated by Plantersbank four months ago, the APHSCI is the first move in the Visayas to unite pension houses and suites.

At present, there are 56 pension houses in Cebu, each with rooms between 25 to 50. Cris Evert Lato

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