IT is not a secret that Thailand is one of the most tourist-friendly countries in Asia, making it one of the most preferred destinations for Europeans and Americans. Tourists would bring in their euros and dollars each time they visit Thailand making the baht one of the most stable currencies in the whole of Asia.
Baywalk's gimik spots are a lot more decent compared to Bangkok's rows of girlie bars, yet Baywalk attracts lots of foreigners and decent Filipinos alike who are seeking clean fun. Not many people are complaining but what [Manila Mayor Alfredo] Lim cannot accept is that the credit for transforming Baywalk from Lim's era of mugger-infested, smelly Roxas Boulevard goes to [former Manila mayor Lito] Atienza.
Too much for Lim to bear. Watch the stubborn old man waste all of Baywalk's worth. He simply doesn't care.
-- Tony Diaz, Karachi, Pakistan (via e-mail)
Old dogs never learn new tricks
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About Baywalk
How one can compare Manila's Baywalk with "girly bar" places in Bangkok. You would have to compare it with the similar places at former Ermita, which has been much less decent than such places in Bangkok. It's already a matter of culture and religion that Thais are more decent in the open. Their religion does not know the "go confess, pray, and all is forgiven".
That Thailand attracts more tourists is partly because it is much more worth the price than most oif what RP offers. And with the now so extremely blown-up Peso, RP becomes more unattractive. Ask foreign Travel Agencies why they offer so many Thailand tours but practically none to the Philippines. It was not so during the Marcos time when the Dollar rated only 8..14 but prices have been under control so that RP holidays have been affordable and enjoyable for tourists.
Now, there are places far in the provinces with daily rates up to 500 Dollar at a resort, a price which you cannot find even at really luxury places in Thailand, not even in Amerika. But still what one will get for such price is far below what one would get formuch less than half the price nearly anywhere in Asia. Just run the Peso high for a longer time and RP will lose more and more tourists and their Dollars and Euros. Even now, hotels and resorts offer discounts up to 70% because of not enough guests.
Mayor Fred Lim must have his own reasons for ordering the demolition of the stalls on Baywalk. I am not privy to the actual reasons but I could only guess that some are the reasons would be the following:
1. Obstructing the beauty of the Manila bay from motorists specially during the famous Sunset of Manila Bay in the early evening;
2. Attracting lawless elements of society such as pickpockets, muggers, pimps for prostitution, drug pushers and addicts and the like;
3. Facilitating of selling liquor even to minors in a public place;
4. Allowing the operation of illegal businesses that are not paying taxes and rentals to the city government (which I supposed is possible because of the commissions or lagays their operators give to City Hall Officials including protection money to the PNP operatives);
5. Keeping business away from the legal entertainment business in Ermita and Malate that otherwise would benefit from the tourists.
There is no point in comparing Manila to Bangkok. If Mayor Lim decided to eliminate this money making project of Lito Atienza, it is because he knows that "Man does not live by bread alone".
He wants everyone to enjoy their time at the Baywalk whether one has money or not.
This is damn right. Probably it's a matter of military/police pride in the side of Lim, but that will not in anyway justify the impact of what he'd decided to do with Atienza's baywalk -what will now happed to the people that lost their jobs during that "clean-up'? -That is the greater issue beyond the lost potential income from tourists and locals, let us remember that this comeback mayor fronts that he desires to give jobless Manileños something that will improve their livelihood, yet, he took it away from some.
I certainly agree that there are several businessmen who provided much needed employment to our kababayans in the Baywalk complex. I would guess that they all campaigned for the former Mayor Lito Atienza during the last elections.
I would say that majority of those that were financially benefitting from the baywalk enterprise of Atienza were mostly his friends who were getting a free ride by not paying taxes and rentals to the city treasury. This certainly is very wrong. Instead of making a big issue out of it, Fred Lim just decided to demolish them. I certainly doubt how many of these businessmen would pay the city all the money they owe the city government. I guess most of them would be nowhere to be found by now.
I agree with the fact that Lim's decision to remove baywalk was a complete fluke.People who damns the projects of the past Mayor certainly has either political issues against him (since it seems like it is a damn if you do, damn if you dont situation) or they are short sighted. Lim and his supporters don't seem to know the importance of development. I pity Manila now given the fact that the present Mayor serves his term without a vision except to ruin the projects of the past administration without actually thinking of its effects to his own consituents.
Also, if ever the people who worked in baywalk voted for Mayor Atienza is none of our business. With that kind of mentality, Manila's growth will definitely decline...
Oh please! Dont blame Mayor Lim for doing his job,the baywalk is a public place,it must be maintained a wholesome place for everybody to enjoy.There are plenty of places in metro manila for girls and booze.And for the foreign tourists,we are not promoting sex tourism in the philippines it is not our bread and butter unlike thailand.We dont need perverts posing as tourist in our country.
Check this site for pictures of Lim's version of Baywalk
http://tinyurl.com/yovg5h