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DoT chief seeks Rotarians’ support for tourism projects
A partnership with the Rotary Club of Manila, along with other Rotary Clubs in the country can realize the government’s objective of transforming the Philippines into a tourism powerhouse in Asia. [caption id="attachment_179067" align="aligncenter" width="2430"] Department of Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, in her speech as guest speaker of the Rotary Club of Manila during the Club's weekly meeting at the Manila Polo Club last 31 August, said it was her ‘sincere hope that with the partnership of the Rotary Club, as well as its members and the captains of industry who contribute in one way or another to the project of nation-building, we can ensure that our country — through tourism — will have a more primary role in Asia as a tourism powerhouse.’[/caption] This was the call made by Tourism Secretary Maria Christina Frasco after presenting the stance of the tourism industry in the country before members and officers of the Rotary Club of Manila during the Club’s membership meeting at the Manila Polo Club last Thursday, 31 August 2023. Frasco reported that the efforts of the DoT, along with the whole-of-government approach ordered by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in implementing the department’s projects with an eye to restoring the glory of the tourism industry has resulted as of 30 August 2023 into 3.6 million international arrivals, surpassing the total number of international arrivals last 2022. The figure is already 75.92 percent of the country’s target of 4.8 million tourist arrivals this year. “Philippine tourism contributed 6.2 percent to our gross domestic product in 2022; it is being hailed by our economic managers as the second growth driver in the first six months of this year,” she said. By the end of 2022, Frasco said the tourism industry has contributed over P1.87 trillion to the Philippine economy as a composite of international and domestic spending, representing a 67 percent recovery since 2019. “Tourism also contributed over 5.5 million in tourism employment, an 11 percent share of the national employment, and also represents over 93 percent in recovery from 2019 data,” she added. Frasco also said that the rallying of Philippine tourism after the battering it got from the pandemic stands at 66.3 percent, higher than the 54 percent average recovery of ASEAN nations in 2022. As per tourism receipts, Frasco said the industry has already breached P285.9 billion as of 31 July 2023. Pillars of Tourism The Tourism secretary stressed that to give the Philippines a fighting chance at standing shoulder-to-shoulder with its neighbors in the ASEAN region, her department had crafted the National Tourism Development Plan 2023-2028, which does not only focus on the promotion of tourism alone but also in analyzing and understanding the essential pillars of tourism. Approved by President Marcos Jr. last May 2023, the NTDP provides a framework to guide the development and implementation of programs, projects, and activities towards a sustainable, innovative, inclusive, and globally competitive tourism industry. NTDP’s seven strategic goals include improvement of tourism infrastructure and accessibility; cohesive and comprehensive digitalization and connectivity; enhancement of overall tourist experience; equalization of tourism product development and promotion; diversification of the tourism portfolio through multidimensional tourism; maximization of domestic and international tourism; and strengthening tourism governance through close collaborations with national and local stakeholders. Putting the Plan into concrete action, the DoT hopes to have an accumulated total of 51.9 million tourist arrivals and 34.7 million tourism-related jobs in the country by 2028. Frasco said in terms of infrastructure, the DoT has partnered with the Department of Public Works and Highways to improve accessibility in the regions with tourism sites. “This is by constructing, rehabilitating and adding tourism roads leading to tourist destinations. This year, over 158 kilometers of tourism roads have already been constructed,” she said. Aside from this, Frasco said the DoT has also coordinated with the Department of Transportation in improving connectivity, primarily in the country’s gateways for the improvement of flights and tourist journeys. With this, Frasco said the country is starting to see robust recovery of connectivity in the country, including a 100 percent increase in flights in Clark International Airport; a 614 percent increase in flights in Kalibo International Airport; and over a 300 percent increase in flights in Mactan-Cebu International Airport, among other airports in the country. Moreover, she said they also partnered with the Department of Information and Communications Technology for the purpose of improving internet connectivity across 94 tourist destinations in the country. Connectivity in 47 of these destinations have already improved, according to Frasco. e-VISA Furthermore, Frasco said the DoT has engaged with other government agencies, namely the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Justice, the DICT, and the Bureau of Immigration for the streamlining of the visa application process, aiming to enhance convenience and accessibility for all international travelers, starting with Chinese visitors. Last 24 August, the DFA implemented the Philippine e-Visa system in Philippine Foreign Service Posts in China. The Philippine e-Visa will allow foreign nationals entering the country for tourism or business to apply for temporary visitor visas remotely through their personal computers, laptops and mobile devices. Other initiatives conceptualized by the DoT to improve the tourism experience include the “Hop in Hop Off” project; being part of the “Love the Philippines” tourism slogan; the “Philippine Experience”; facilitating a cultural tourism circuit development focused on heritage, culture, and arts to enhance current tour and domestic circuit offerings, which include Food and Gastronomy, Pilgrimage and Wellness, Living Cultures and Heritage, and an Arts caravan. In order to equip Filipino tourism workers, the DoT is set on training 100,000 of these workers and capitalize on the world-renowned Filipino hospitality. “We have already managed to train over 71,000 Filipino workers,” Frasco said. Optimistic “Frasco said the Marcos administration remains optimistic about tourism recovery and the resurgence of the nation. “Our numbers will indicate that tourism will continue to be a top economic driver that will provide massive employment and livelihood opportunities to Filipinos and our MSMEs,” she said. With the launch of the enhanced “Love the Philippines” branding, Frasco maintained that it would give the country a better opportunity to be reintroduced to the world. The post DoT chief seeks Rotarians’ support for tourism projects appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Exchange mutilated banknotes, coins through BSP’s Piso Caravan
MANDAUE CITY, Cebu — Do you have mutilated banknotes and coins? Have them exchanged with crisp bills and new coins through the Piso Caravan of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Visayas Regional Office. The BSP is encouraging the public to avail of the services being offered by its Piso Caravan Program on the second […] The post Exchange mutilated banknotes, coins through BSP’s Piso Caravan appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
SC eyes lawyers’ code launch
The Supreme Court will launch at the Manila Hotel the approved Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability — a set of rules on the ethical conduct and accountability of lawyers in the practice of law. In a unanimous vote by SC justices during their 11 April summer session in Baguio City, the CPRA was approved that amended the 34 -year-old Code of Professional Responsibility of lawyers. On Thursday, 13 April, the new rules will be launched officially during a program set by the SC at the Manila Hotel starting at 8 a.m. The launching of the CPRA will gather over 250 members of the judiciary and lawyers, prosecutors and other members of the legal profession and the academe. It is the culmination of the five-leg Ethics Caravan, a series of consultative discussions, held in the cities of Cebu, Davao, Naga, Baguio and Manila. During the Cebu City leg of the caravan, Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo emphasized the addition of “accountability” in the tile of the code “as a significant change reinforcing ethical commitment among lawyers.” The post SC eyes lawyers’ code launch appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Rio, Talisic rule Cebu leg of Philippine Scrabble Caravan
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Odette Carmina Rio and Lord Garnett Talisic emerged as the champions in the Philippine Scrabble Caravan Cebu Leg over the weekend at the Arts and Sciences Hall of the University of the Philippines (UP) Cebu campus. Rio ruled the open category, while Talisic topped the youth category in the tournament which […] The post Rio, Talisic rule Cebu leg of Philippine Scrabble Caravan appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Philippine Scrabble Caravan-Cebu unfolds Saturday at UP Cebu campus
CEBU CITY, Philippines — It’s all systems go for tomorrow’s Philippine Scrabble Caravan-Cebu Leg at the University of the Philippines (UP) Cebu campus. One of the organizers of the Cebu leg, Marilyn Abella, the head of the Cebu Scrabble Association (CSA) said that they’ve gathered around a hundred word wizards for the two-day competition. Professional […] The post Philippine Scrabble Caravan-Cebu unfolds Saturday at UP Cebu campus appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Philippine Scrabble Caravan invades Cebu on Jan 28-29
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Philippine Scrabble Caravan, one of the country’s biggest scrabble tournaments, will invade Cebu on January 28-29, 2023. The tournament will be held at the Arts and Sciences Hall of the University of the Philippines (UP) Cebu campus. The event is organized by the Unified Scrabble Association of the Philippines Inc. […] The post Philippine Scrabble Caravan invades Cebu on Jan 28-29 appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
More than 150 individuals apply for ‘gun license’
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Cebu City declares state of calamity in 28 mountain barangays due to el Niño
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CCLEX safety enhancements pushed after US bridge tragedy
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Holy Week 2024: Tabor Hill in Talamban, experience the authentic essence of Via Crucis
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Cebu Pacific books P8 billion profit in 2023
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Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. to hold Annual Stockholders Meeting
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Cebu bus terminals: 100,000 passengers expected on March 27
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Cebuano Larz Dawson first runner-up for Mister Tourism Universe 2024
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