Let San Carlos be Known

by: Mizpah Mijares

I have met various kinds of people from almost every part of the world; my work colleagues from Germany and Austria, my Twitter friends in the US and Australia, co-workers from all-over Asia, and my golden friends in Manila, and home.

I noticed the usual starter for any first conversations with anyone of them is, " Where are you from?", which I'd proudly reply with the most gorgeous smile, "I'm from Venus". That's my signature answer, followed with a chuckle and a little while reverts by saying, "I'm actually from San Carlos City in Negros".

Just observe the expression on their faces after this answer. It's empty, blank, void, it's basically, nothing. It doesn't ring them a bell, at all.

Some of them, after clearing the lumps on their throat, then asks, "What can we find in San Carlos?". And of course, with the God-given talent of eloquence further enhanced with my high school's excellent Public Speaking subject personally taught by our Principal, Mrs Cynthia A. Sanchez of Tanon College, who would have ever thought of a simple answer like this, "bountiful sugarcane plantation, and plenty of beautiful women".

You may laugh at how I promote my motherland, but pondering about it seriously, it's a wake-up call to our city.

Those questions could be logically accepted when asked by anybody from outside the country. Neither can I accept, nor ignore, when those words come out from another Filipino. Furthermore, I do find it annoying when asked by a fellow Negrosanon.

I grew up in this tiny place that has slowly and significantly improved over the years. I have witnessed the ups and downs of businesses in this Class C City. Apart from the Pintaflores festival as the rising mardi-gras of the South, that carries the city's banner to be acknowledged by the neighboring cities and municipalities; the Sipaway Island , is also making a name.

The food, and culture are nothing if not mediocre. Majority of the people are still hesitant to explore and face new challenges, embrace a new lifestyle, and lead a new direction towards greater heights for a booming city. San Carlos like a bomb, is ready to explode, but nobody is willing to detonate it. It's a shame when the people are still relying on the power of a Mayor, or the Government officials to drag them anywhere. It is a shame that the people believes the city could equal economical capability of other capital cities, but don't know how to do it, and some, would only shrug at the idea and walk away.

Why am I saying this now? Because I am proud of my roots, and I always will be! Nobody can challenge me on that. But to have traveled in other places, taught me something is missing in my motherland. As a child who grew up in the slums of Ylagan Street, just like any other ordinary children, I've always hoped for being able to contribute to my city. Having been blessed with years in my life that I managed to live gracefully, I tend to become impatient and the eagerness to share seem to be uncontrollable inside of me.

Let San Carlos be known.

Let's GO Original!

The Food, it might be the most underestimated, and yet, one of the most powerful tool to promote a place. We surely have heard of Bacolod Chicken Inasal, La Paz Batchoy and Pampanga's Best Tocino.

And here we are continuously promoting other places' products such as Pinasugbo, Piaya, Otap, Biscocho, that have long been famous to the consumers as a product of Bacolod, Ilo-ilo, and Cebu. Instead, why don't we publicize the long-time famous-but-not-considered delightful pork barbecue, the old-style rice-coffee (known as "sara-sara"), the "budbod with mangga" (glutinous rice cooked in coconut milk with mango), and many others that captivates the taste buds of every visitor of our place?

The Transportation. Today, 50% of the public transport of San Carlos is the tricycle, 30% remained to be the "pedicabs" or known as "padyak" in Tagalog, 20% is already composed of the buses, jeepneys, and vans for long-distance travels. In 1990, the ratio between pedicabs and tricyle is 2:1 and the figure has totally became the inverted ratio, and getting higher.

How ironic that we claim to celebrate the Pintaflores (tattoo and flowers) festival, but we hardly see flowers around the city. Not at least a henna-tattoo shop that could somehow show the world, " we walk the talk".

For some serious consideration, why don't we start decorating the pedicabs, and the tricycles with flowers all over its body just the way we would decorate them during Flores de Mayo, and "Parade of the Queens and Princesses" every Fiesta. Let's use the decorated and glammed up public utility vehicles for the commuters to enjoy and experience EVERYDAY. And yes, not just during Fiesta.

Take a look at how Malaysia did for their pedicabs. Believe it or not, the visiting foreigners are actually willing to pay ~250Php just to experience a one-time ride, for such a short distance.

A pedicab driver waiting for a passenger

These are just few of the ideas that could absolutely improve tourism in San Carlos. It doesn't take one to become the Officer-In-Charge to try these things. It only takes YOU, to start the change.

I did not write this article to insult the incumbent officers of the city. I respected these people, else, I wouldn't have voted for them.

I wrote this article, because I pay my highest respect to all the residents. And as a local resident myself, I only want for my motherland nothing but to experience a better life.