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Tough task ahead
Finance Secretary Ralph Recto has welcomed the Manila International Airport Authority board’s move to award to the San Miguel Corp-SAC and Co. consortium the contract for the rehabilitation of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the largest solicited public-private partnership project under the administration of President Marcos......»»
BI bars entry of three American sex offenders at NAIA and Cebu airports
Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Norman Tansingco said that three sex offenders were turned away by BI officers in the international airports of Manila and Cebu. Excluded last January 10 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) terminal 1 was American national Rolando Camama, 73, who arrived on board a China Airlines flight from Taipei. […].....»»
Michelle Marquez-Dee returns home
After her controversial stint at the recently-concluded Miss Universe pageant, Miss Philippines-Universe Michelle Marquez Dee has flown back home. Dee was met by adoring fans both inside and outside the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 when she arrived at around 7:02 p.m. on board a Philippine Airlines flight PR113 from Los Angeles, USA […].....»»
Japanese fugitive nabbed at NAIA
A Japanese man wanted in his own country for theft was arrested at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 as he was about to board a flight for Nagoya on Nov. 16, the Bureau of Immigration said yesterday......»»
BI reminds departing aliens to settle fees; arrests high-profile Korean fugitive
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Wednesday advised all foreign travelers who are leaving the country during the upcoming Undas holiday break to comply with their immigration departure requirements early to avoid unnecessary queuing at the airport on the date of their departure. BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco reminded registered foreigners who are studying, working, or living permanently in the Philippines that they can obtain their special return certificate (SRC) or re-entry permit (RP) prior to departure at any of the various BI's district, field, satellite, or extension offices nationwide. While foreign tourists who have stayed in the country for more than six months may also secure their emigration clearance certificates (ECC) before departure, Tansingco said securing the required permits early will decrease queueing time by half, as they will not have to line up at the BI’s airport cashiers anymore. The BI chief added that with the complete elimination of all COVID-related travel restrictions, the bureau is anticipating a spike in passengers at all international airports in the country, especially at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), this upcoming December, and this time they are also experiencing a big increase in the volume of New Year's Day travelers. During this peak season, the bureau reminded all travelers that other immigration services are also available online via the BI’s e-services portal at e-services.immigration.gov.ph. Tansingco shared that the bureau also has a one-stop shop (OSS) facility located at NAIA Terminal 3 in Pasay City, where departing aliens may also secure the said documents. He also reiterated previous reminders for passengers to arrive at least three hours prior to their flight and go straight to immigration after check-in. The BI is confident that its operations will be smoother this holiday season as it has deployed additional immigration officers and assigned a rapid response team as well as mobile counters for immediate deployment as necessary. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, 24 October, BI agents detained a South Korean wanted person who was allegedly part of a major narcotics ring that smuggled contraband into Korea from the Philippines. Commissioner Tansingco identified the suspect as Choi Sun Hyeok, a 56-year-old male who was arrested at his residence in Bgy. Lahug, Cebu City by the BI Fugitive Search Unit (BI-FSU) operatives. The BI-FSU operatives were armed with a warrant of deportation, which Tansingco issued pursuant to a summary deportation order that the BI Board of Commissioners issued against Choi in 2017. Tansingco said that Choi would be immediately deported to Seoul, South Korea after the bureau had secured the necessary clearances for his departure. According to the South Korean government, Choi was tagged as a high-profile fugitive, as he is believed to be a member of the so-called MS Alliance syndicate that facilitates the illicit transport of narcotics to Korea. A red notice for his capture was also issued by Interpol this year after an investigation confirmed that he was in the country. According to Interpol’s National Central Bureau (NCB) in Manila, Choi is the subject of a warrant of arrest issued by the Changwon District Court in Korea, where he is charged with violating his country’s narcotics control act. Investigators have also established that this year alone, Choi’s accomplices in the syndicate managed to smuggle into Korea more than 265 grams of methamphetamine by concealing the drug in their underwear. It was gathered that the passport of Choi, who will be committed to the BI detention facility in Taguig City, was already revoked by the Korean government, thus making him an undocumented alien. Choi's name was also placed on the BI blacklist to prevent him from re-entering the Philippines. The post BI reminds departing aliens to settle fees; arrests high-profile Korean fugitive appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
59 OFWs seek Lebanon exit
At least 59 Filipinos in Lebanon have expressed a desire to be repatriated amid the escalating tension between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah, the Philippine Embassy in Lebanon said Monday. Hezbollah is another Islamist militant group that controls the southern part of Lebanon. It has launched rockets into the northern part of Israel, which has fired back. “On Sunday morning, when we held our meeting with Filipino community leaders, we received 59 applications,” Philippine Ambassador to Lebanon Raymond Balatbat said in a television interview. This developed as the Philippine government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, placed Lebanon under Alert Level 3, or voluntary repatriation. According to the DFA, there are an estimated 17,500 Filipinos in Lebanon, 67 of them residing on its southern border. Balatbat said only three of the 67 Filipinos on the southern border have asked to be repatriated. Since the surprise attack by the Palestinian Sunni-Islamic extremist group Hamas on Israel on 7 October, which left 1,400 Israelis dead, scores of foreigners have also been killed, including four Filipinos. Meanwhile, a total of 24 overseas Filipino workers, comprising the third batch of repatriates from Israel, arrived Monday afternoon at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3. The repatriates — 21 women and three men — came from Israel via Abu Dhabi on board Etihad Airways flight EY424. Migrant Workers Officer-in-Charge Hans Leo Cacdac assured all the repatriates of support from the government to ease their displacement and facilitate their reintegration. Two Filipinos shared on Monday their traumatizing experience during the attack of Hamas in Israel. Tersita Malapo, 35, of Baao, Camarines Sur, a caregiver for eight years, said she and other Filipinos were about to go to church when they heard a siren. “On Saturday morning, we were about to go to church in Jerusalem because we go to church every day off. Suddenly, we heard a siren. After a while, there was news that rockets were being launched from Palestine. We were so shocked,” Malapo said. She said that because of the bombings a loud noise like the banging of a door made her nervous. “That feeling that you always hear something, your feeling of nervousness is increasing. When a door slams, you think something has exploded. In Israel, there is an explosion anytime of the day. It explodes even without a siren. When there’s a bombing, our house and bomb shelter vibrates,” she said. Gerald Caniban, 35, of Iloilo City, a caregiver for five years, said he was asleep when he heard the sirens. “It was an overwhelming experience. I was in Tel Aviv that morning. I was sleeping with my girlfriend when we heard the alert on my phone. It was Saturday, our day-off. After a few minutes, we heard sirens all over Tel Aviv,” Caniban said. He said he did not have peace of mind and described the situation as a terrible nightmare. The post 59 OFWs seek Lebanon exit appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Domestic aviation rebounds this year
The local aviation industry, which was badly hit by the global health crisis, is seen to achieve full recovery this year. This was according to the International Air Transport Association in a recent forum organized by the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines. During the Aviation Forum last week, Yuli Thompson, area manager for the IATA in Southeast Asia, said the Philippines and the rest of the Asia Pacific region’s aviation market is swiftly recovering and seeing a consistent rise in terms of growth in international and domestic travel. Thompson said passenger traffic trends for international flights in the Philippines were logged at 75 percent of 2019 levels as of June 2023. As for the Asia Pacific passenger forecast, Yuli maintained that domestic travel will fully recover in 2023, while international travel will occur sometime in 2026. Further, Asia Pacific will be seen to lead in traffic growth in the next 20 years. “However, overcoming current challenges riding on the current momentum, and meeting full recovery will require strong interventions from all players in the aviation sector,” he said. Infra investments For his part, Cebu Pacific Air chief executive officer Michael Szucs emphasized the need to invest in infrastructure, citing that “Philippine carriers will need to quadruple in size to cater to growing demand.” In her keynote speech, Secretary Grace Poe urged stakeholders to support necessary infrastructure investments, especially following the air system glitch incident earlier this year. The senator called for the acquisition of a new Communication, Navigation, and Surveillance/Air Traffic Management. Poe also recommended the hiring of a third-party maintenance provider for the CNS/ATM system. “It is my hope that the government, the private sector, and other stakeholders can work together and collaborate on air transport projects which will not only generate economic growth but also provide our people with excellent and affordable public services that can improve the quality of life for all,” she said. Also filed by Poe is Senate Bill 1121 which proposes the creation of a Philippine Transportation Safety Board. Under the directive of the current Marcos administration, Department of Transportation Undersecretary for Aviation and Airports Roberto Lim highlighted the government’s key priorities, including aviation safety and strengthening of learning institutions. Lim further noted the agency’s priority of strengthening the Civil Aviation Training Center and engaging with the private sector as close partners for Air Transport Skills Training and Development. “If we are able to train our air traffic controllers, we would not only meet our own requirements, but the requirements of other countries. We can develop this on an institutional basis,” said Lim. Open up the industry Kurt Edwards, director general of the International Business Aviation Council, also raised the fact that much could be gained “by opening the industry and making it more known to people.” In terms of managing safety risks, Captain Manuel Antonio Tamayo, director general of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, shared initiatives to advance safety capabilities in the aviation sector through the State Safety Program. The program employs a risk-based approach to regulations, capacity building and integration of a new organizational structure for monitoring and evaluation. Meanwhile, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista stressed that the DOTr’s goal to rehabilitate the Ninoy Aquino International Airport through a public-private partnership agreement, which he said, will present a “landmark opportunity for economic growth, improved infrastructure, and a world-class travel experience.” Added Bautista, “We are also developing regional airports, such as the unsolicited proposals for the operations and maintenance of the Bicol International Airport, Bohol-Panglao International Airport and Laguindingan Airport.” The post Domestic aviation rebounds this year appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Hawaiian child porn convict denied entry
The Bureau of Immigration reported that an American national who was previously convicted for crimes against children in his country was denied entry to the country. BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco identified the passenger as Ronald Huy Young, a 54-year-old male, who was excluded on Sunday (1 October) after arriving at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 on board a Philippine Airlines flight PR101 from Honolulu, Hawaii. Tansingco said that Young was denied entry by the BI officer at NAIA for a violation of the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940. Under the said law, foreign nationals who have been previously convicted of crimes involving moral turpitude are inadmissible in the country. According to the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center records, Young pleaded guilty to first-degree electronic enticing of a child. He was listed on the state’s sex registry and given a 10-year prison sentence by Hawaii’s first circuit court in 2008. The BI chief reiterated that aliens with records of sexual crimes are not welcome to the country. Tansingco said that the law is very clear in its intent to protect Filipinos from foreigners who might be engaged in sex tourism and may prey upon the vulnerable. Any aliens with such criminal records are barred from entering the country. The post Hawaiian child porn convict denied entry appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Travelers benefit from MIAA’s STAR program
The Schedule and Terminal Assignment Rationalization program of the Manila International Airport Authority is having a favorable effect on travelers at Ninoy Aquino International Airport. The program maximizes the use of the four NAIA terminals starting December 2022 with terminal reassignments for a few airlines. NAIA Terminal 2 has been set aside entirely for domestic flights, in contrast to NAIA Terminal 4, which only accommodates turboprop aircraft. Only NAIA Terminals 1 and 3 are now used to process international flights. MIAA officer-in-charge Bryan Co said that in places like NAIA Terminal 1, where all of Philippine Airlines’ international flights are now listed as serving foreign destinations, passengers have confirmed the convenience and comfort they have felt as a result of the changes. The relocation of Customs, Immigration, and Quarantine employees needed for international flights from NAIA Terminal 2 to NAIA Terminals 1 and 3 resulted in a reduction in wait times. MIAA is now able to increase NAIA Terminal 2’s capacity from 7.5 million to 10 million passengers annually while exclusively serving PAL, AirAsia and Royal Air’s domestic flights as a result of the removal of CIQ infrastructure, including counters and x-ray machines. A senior citizen who was waiting to board her PAL flight PR 2671 to Calbayog shared, “Mas naging accessible, easier to find, and less traffic because of the Skyway (and NAIA Motorway) coming here. Napaka-spacious ng Terminal 2. Mas naging advantageous sa mga senior ones na kamukha ko.” Passengers can now choose from a broader variety of restaurants and retail establishments at NAIA Terminal 3, the largest of the four terminals and home to international airlines, as well as Cebu Pacific’s domestic operations. They also have more time to shop duty-free. With NAIA Terminal 4 now serving purely turboprop flights for Cebgo, AirSWIFT Airlines Philippines, and Sunlight Air, domestic passengers also experienced more streamlined departure and arrival procedures. A passenger who booked Cebgo flight DG 6619 to Naga shared, “The last time I traveled to Davao using the old airport, there were a lot of people. Now, it took me around two to three minutes, and I’m here. It’s so fast. It’s probably been around six years since the last time I used the domestic airport. It’s improved by about 50 percent, and there are a lot of stores. I haven’t experienced any trouble coming in. I’d probably rate it at 10.” The post Travelers benefit from MIAA’s STAR program appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Five groups target NAIA takeover
Five companies have signified their intention to take over the operations and management of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport or NAIA a few weeks after the Department of Transportation or DoTr opened the bidding for the P170.6-billion project. In a text message to the Daily Tribune on Wednesday, the DoTr confirmed that five potential bidders have bought bid documents for the project. As of 13 September, the interested companies include San Miguel Corp. or SMC, Spark 888 Management Inc., and Asian Airport Consortium. Two others who submitted bids — Manila International Airport Consortium or MIAC and GMR Group — have previously vied for the NAIA rehabilitation. MIAC is composed of Aboitiz InfraCapital, Inc., AC Infrastructure Holdings Corporation, Asia’s Emerging Dragon Corporation, Alliance Global — Infracorp Development Inc., Filinvest Development Corporation, and JG Summit Infrastructure Holdings Corporation along with Global Infrastructure Partners. Super consortium in running In 2018, the government awarded the Original Proponent Status for the NAIA rehabilitation to a “super-consortium” formed by seven of the country’s biggest conglomerates: Aboitiz InfraCapital Inc.; AC Infrastructure Holdings Corporation; Alliance Global Group Inc.; Asia’s Emerging Dragon Corporation; Filinvest Development Corporation; and JG Summit Holdings Inc. and Metro Pacific Investments Corp. It was, however, terminated. Thus, Megawide Construction Corp. and partner GMR Infrastructure Ltd. also submitted an unsolicited proposal to upgrade and rehabilitate the highly congested NAIA. Despite the substantial progress, the much-needed NAIA rehabilitation was back to square one after the previous administration also rejected the proposal. According to the MIAA, the Megawide consortium failed to convince the government of its financial ability to support the project. Meanwhile, the SMC., an Asian conglomerate led by businessman Ramon S. Ang, is currently taking on the P740-billion New Manila International Airport in Bulacan. Award out by December Previously, the DoTr conveyed that the contract may be awarded to the winning bidder as early as December if the government stays on schedule. The National Economic and Development Authority or NEDA, chaired by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., approved the solicited bid to privatize the operations of NAIA. NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said the project will help address the long-standing issues at the country’s main air hub such as congestion and limited aircraft movements that usually cause inconvenience to passengers. The DoTr and the Manila International Airport Authority submitted a joint proposal to the NEDA Board to privatize the operations and management of NAIA within 15 years. The project is expected to improve the overall passenger experience and increase the current annual passenger capacity of NAIA to at least 62 million from the current 32 million. Previously, Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista floated the possibility of closing down the airport — only if nearby airports become operational. Bautista explained that the government can have the option to close NAIA if airports in adjacent provinces like Cavite and Bulacan are ready to accommodate the travel-hungry tourists in the country — both local and international. “If there will be new airports, then the government can decide to close the Manila International Airport or MIA because it can be a valuable government asset. On the other hand, it is possible to continue its operations because of its prime location in the Metro,” Bautista told reporters. “So yes, it is possible to close, it is also possible not to close MIA,” he added. Bautista also assured that in case the airport continues its operations, SMC’s Bulacan Airport can still drive up profits despite the competition. The post Five groups target NAIA takeover appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
RSBS revisited
All it required, inherent vulnerabilities notwithstanding, to “screw up” the Armed Forces of the Philippines-Retirement and Separation Benefits System, was a meeting of minds between the Chief of Staff of the AFP and the Secretary of National Defense. In short, it was a classic case of “partners in crime” — what one administered, the other approved. Under Presidential Decree 361, the CSAFP administered the RSBS through a board organized by himself, subject to the SND’s approval. There was a nine-man Board of Trustees that the CSAFP appointed, from its president down. PD 361 stipulated that the retirement benefits of retiring AFP personnel would be paid out of annual congressional appropriations for the AFP. Per the proviso, when the payment of retirees’ pensions exceeded P100 million in any year, the excess would be paid out of the RSBS funds. After the initial seed capital of P200 million had been given to RSBS, no further sums were appropriated/paid into RSBS. No Congress — across the terms of Presidents Corazon Aquino, Fidel Ramos and Joseph Estrada — initiated appropriations for the RSBS pension system. Since then, the retirement benefits for retiring AFP personnel were included in the regular annual appropriation for the AFP in the General Appropriations Act. Under PD 1656 dated 21 December 1979, 5 percent of the monthly base pay of AFP personnel was to be deducted as their compulsory contribution to their retirement fund. RSBS thus became an investment company mandated to “provide perpetually the cash requirement for the retirement benefits of military personnel on a self-sustaining basis.” However, the yearly cash requirement for the retirement benefits shall come from the annual general appropriation for the AFP until “perpetual self-sufficiency of the funds is attained as determined by actuarial evaluation.” The truth, however, was that the national government continued to fund the annual pension requirement for retired and retiring military members to which the RSBS contributed nothing or ever took up the burden. Apparently, the only “statutory obligation of the RSBS was to return the compulsory contributions of members of the AFP upon retirement.” What was quite strange was that RSBS was allowed to use the contributions of AFP personnel to generate investment revenues that were tax-exempt, without paying compensation for its use. It was a good thing that on 25 February 1992, a standard operating procedure provided for a “grant” of 4 percent interest per annum on members’ contributions compounded yearly effective January 1992 and it was tax-exempt. Again, effective in January 1996, the tax-exemption granted to members’ contributions was increased to 6 percent per annum compounded annually. These compulsory contributions constituted a continuing significant source of investible funds. For example, the aggregate total of members’ contributions returnable upon members’ compulsory retirement at year-end 2002 stood at P3.5 billion. However, the yearly inflow of members’ contributions in the last five years (1998 to 2002 inclusive) was around P2.5 billion. Apparently, RSBS aggressively went into real estate investment and portfolio loans to new companies. It also plunged into heavy short-term borrowing to expand these two-fold pursuits. The 1997 Asian Financial Crisis that precipitated a drop in real estate values in the country affected RSBS, resulting in losses over the years 1998 to 2001, not to mention the interest expense over the same period due to short-term borrowings which may well have run to P1.8 billion (1997 to 1999). The Senate Committees on Accountability of Public Officers and Blue Ribbon did a joint inquiry on alleged anomalies at RSBS where it was found that “very extensive real estate acquisitions by RSBS were attended by massive overpricing.” The initial report came out on 21 December 1998 and the final one on 20 May 1999. Verily, the Senate committee reports, together with the principal findings and recommendations of the fact-finding commission on the RSBS problem, were well documented and instructive to policymakers. Ideally, an AFP Service and Insurance System must be insulated from the reach of both the CSAFP and the SND, lest the vicious cycle recur. (Note. The RSBS was dissolved by Executive Order 590 on 31 December 2006.) The post RSBS revisited appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Serve with dedication, integrity, gov’t workers told
Supreme Court Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo strongly reminded those in government that “public service is demanding but it is rewarding when done with utmost dedication and integrity.” “It is only through this that we will realize that all the long hours we put in, all the sacrifices that we and our family have endured, have all been for a higher meaning and purpose,” Gesmundo said. “No matter what our position, when we do our work well, we do something good for the public,” he added. Gesmundo and the other justices of the SC lauded CA Presiding Justice Remedios Salazar-Fernando for exemplary work during her 70th birthday on 1 September, her retirement age. Gesmundo hailed Salazar-Fernando for her exemplary work in the various institutions she had served in her long and storied career in government. Joining Gesmundo on the occasion are Supreme Court Associate Justices Ramon Paul L. Hernando, Amy C. Lazaro-Javier, Henri Jean Paul B. Inting, Samuel H. Gaerlan, Jhosep Y. Lopez, Japar B. Dimaampao, Jose Midas P. Marquez and Antonio T. Kho Jr. PJ Salazar-Fernando, or “PJ Mids” as she is fondly called, began her 50-year service to the public as a law clerk in the Supreme Court. She went on to serve as a supervising presidential staff in the Presidential Management Staff of the Office of the President. She then returned to the Judiciary with her appointment as Municipal Trial Court Judge of Sta. Rita, Pampanga in 1983 and served as Acting MTC Judge of Lubao the following year. President Corazon C. Aquino appointed her Chairperson of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in 1987 and served as an Assistant Secretary of the Land Transportation Office in a concurrent capacity in 1991. PJ Mids was appointed Commissioner of the Commission on Elections in 1992. She returned to the Judiciary again with her appointment as an Associate Justice of the CA on 25 May 1999. On 25 November 2020, she was appointed Presiding Justice by President Rodrigo R. Duterte. The post Serve with dedication, integrity, gov’t workers told appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Third-country recruitment still prevalent — BI
Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco on Sunday lamented that third-country recruitment for overseas Filipino workers is still prevalent. According to Tansingco, third-country recruitment refers to the recruitment of OFWs to transit to another nation, typically after their visas have expired. He emphasized the risks of third-country recruitment for OFWs as the Philippine government would have no record of their relocation to another country. Tansingco also shared the case of five deported passengers from Moscow, Russia, who arrived on 1 September at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 on board an Oman Air flight. The deportees, who were in their 30s and 40s, four females and a male, shared the challenges they faced in Russia. The male deportee arrived in Russia to visit his OFW wife as a tourist but ended up staying longer owing to the pandemic. One of the four female victims left the country as an OFW, with valid overseas employment certificates, to work as a nanny in Russia but remained there despite the expiration of her contract. The other three female victims were OFWs in Hong Kong; they were recruited to transfer to Russia upon the expiration of their contracts. Tansingco also said that while third-party recruitment is beyond the scope of the BI, they deem it necessary to share with the public the stories that they encountered at the airport. He said OFWs should always protect themselves from exploitation by ensuring to have proper documentation whenever they work abroad. The post Third-country recruitment still prevalent — BI appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Phl welcomes first visitor with E-visa
On Saturday, 2 September the Bureau of Immigration welcomed the first holder of the Philippine Electronic Visa, who arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport. It can be recalled that the Department of Foreign Affairs launched last month an e-visa system that allows foreign tourists to apply for their temporary visitors’ visa online. According to the Bureau, the E-visa system is an initiative of the national government to attract more foreign visitors to the country post-pandemic. Earlier, the DFA announced that the soft launch of the system was conducted in Shanghai, China. The first E-visa holder was a mother-daughter tandem who arrived at NAIA Terminal 1 on board a China Eastern MU211 flight from Shanghai, China. The BI shared that the DFA had a series of meetings with the bureau to ensure that the e-visa was integrated into the BI’s e-travel system as part of the BI’s efforts to streamline its procedures and expedite the process through fewer paper-based documents. BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco and DFA Office of Consular Affairs Assistant Secretary Henry Bensurto Jr. personally welcomed the arrival of the first e-visa holder. The BI also said that they are expecting an increase in the number of passengers during the ‘ber’ months, following the re-opening of the country’s borders and the massive promotional campaigns of the Department of Tourism. The post Phl welcomes first visitor with E-visa appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
BI welcomes first e-visa holder
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) welcomed the first holder of the Philippine Electronic Visa (E-visa), who arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), on Saturday, 2 September. BI said that it can be recalled that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) launched last month an e-visa system that allows foreign tourists to apply for their temporary visitor visas online. According to the Bureau, the E-visa system is an initiative of the national government to attract more foreign visitors to the country post-pandemic. Earlier, the DFA announced that the soft launch of the system was conducted in Shanghai, China. The first E-visa holder was a mother-daughter tandem who arrived at NAIA Terminal 1 on board a China Eastern MU211 flight from Shanghai, China. The BI shared that the DFA had a series of meetings with the bureau to ensure that the e-visa would be integrated into the BI’s e-travel system as part of the BI’s efforts to streamline its procedures and expedite the process through fewer paper-based documents. BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco and DFA Office of Consular Affairs (OCA) Assistant Secretary Henry Bensurto Jr. personally welcomed the arrival of the first e-visa holder. The BI also said that they are expecting an increase in the number of passengers during the ‘ber’ months, following the re-opening of the country’s borders and the massive promotional campaigns of the Department of Tourism.- The post BI welcomes first e-visa holder appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Pork’s different strokes
Efforts have begun in the House of Representatives to raise the Motor Vehicle Road Users Charge or the Road Users Tax after President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. identified the levy as a main source of precious funds. The eagerness of the members of the House to comply with the proposal to hike the tax makes people wary. Proceeds from the tax are the favorite source of legislative pork. Albay Rep. Joey Salceda’s bill indicates the MVUC which ranges from P120 to P4,000 will be raised to between P2,080 and P10,400 for cars, depending on their gross weight. Under the proposal, the MVUC will be increased by a fixed rate yearly until 2025, and by 5 percent from 2026 onwards. Salceda is looking at collecting P151 billion more in revenue from 2024 to 2027 through the higher MVUC. The higher collections should be earmarked for road improvements which is under the Department of Public Works and Highways after President Rodrigo Duterte signed a law abolishing the graft-tainted Road Board. The disposition of the MVUC sparked the feud between House members and the Department of Budget and Management during the initial years of the Duterte term after then Budget Secretary Ben Diokno refused to release the MUVC proceeds until the Road Board was dissolved. Moreover, the late former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III exploited the RUT funds using them as leverage to get House members to impeach former Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez and to obtain the legislators’ approval for his political agenda, such as a measure seeking to postpone the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao election to allow Noynoy to place his appointees in the Muslim region. The Road Board had an unusual collection setup that practically freed its state audit, making it a perfect “cash cow” as termed by some senators. Gutierrez was impeached overwhelmingly in the House after Noynoy first dangled the pork barrel, saying through his House allies that those who would vote against the impeachment would not receive their pork barrel while those who signed the measure would get a P20-million bonus taken from the Road Board.Later, Gutierrez, knowing that she was in a losing situation, resigned from her post despite her having a guaranteed term. She was replaced by Noynoy’s favorite associate justice, Conchita Carpio-Morales, who carried out the yellow brand of selective justice. Gutierrez had displeased Noynoy when she dismissed the case against former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in connection with the P729-million fertilizer fund scam. Former Chief Justice Renato Corona Jr. was also ousted through impeachment and the leverage used, in turn, were the DAP funds. It was ironic that Noynoy’s allies vowed to abolish the Road Board, which under the law that created it, had full discretion on its use. Its disposition was beyond the scope of the Commission on Audit since the RUT was not part of the budget. Former Sen. Franklin Drilon, for instance, said the body would be abolished by the Senate despite the House allies of former President Arroyo’s withdrawal and eventual rescinding of the bill that sought to terminate the anomalous 2001 creation. Congressmen turned the RUT proceeds into a source of fast money through collusion with Road Board officials. Since the DPWH is now the custodian of the funds, attention must also be directed at the agency in the proper disposition of the MUVC proceeds. Increasing the audit-free funds plus the recently discovered P215 billion in insertions in the budget through the generic flood mitigation projects exposed maneuvers to pilfer public funds. The post Pork’s different strokes appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Traffickers ask victims to feign sickness
The Bureau of Immigration at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport reported the interception of a female victim of human trafficking on 17 August. The victim, whose name was withheld in compliance with anti-trafficking laws, attempted to board a Philippine Airlines flight bound for Thailand at NAIA Terminal 1. However, she was intercepted by members of the Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section. I-PROBES said that during secondary inspection, the officers noted numerous inconsistent statements, and the victim later admitted that she was actually recruited to work as a household service worker in Lebanon. She confessed that her recruiter instructed her to feign sickness so she could use a wheelchair. The victim also said that she was instructed to delete all their conversations on her mobile phone with her recruiter. The said victim added that her recruiter promised her that if her Lebanon visa was not approved, she would be shuttled to Hong Kong to look for a possible job. BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco reaffirmed his earlier warning against unlawful recruiters and human traffickers. Tansingco said that these traffickers will go to great lengths to convince prospective workers to leave illegally because they earn a lot from their recruitment. The BI chief added that once the workers encounter distress, their recruiter will disappear. The victim was immediately referred to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) for assistance and further investigation against her recruiter. The post Traffickers ask victims to feign sickness appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Overstaying Chinese arrested in NAIA
The Bureau of Immigration at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 reported the arrest of an overstaying Chinese national who attempted to leave the country on 9 August. In the report given to BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco, the arrested Chinese national was identified as Dai Jun, a 27-year-old who attempted to board a Philippine Airlines flight bound for Hong Kong, but the BI-NAIA officers noticed that his name was in the BI’s derogatory records. Tansingco said that the passenger’s name was registered as a hit upon presentation of his passport to their primary inspection officers. Verification with BI records reveals that Dai’s name has been included in the BI’s blacklist since 2021. He was likewise the subject of a watchlist for overstaying and violations of the conditions of his stay. Upon confirmation of his identity, immigration supervisors deferred his departure and arrested him immediately. Now Dai has been transferred to the BI Warden Facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City, pending his deportation. Meanwhile, Commissioner Tansingco ordered the immediate cancellation of visa for a Chinese national who was recently arrested by the NAIA-AIDIATG at the NAIA Terminal 3 for possession of illegal drugs and live ammunition. NAIA-AIDIATG identified the Chinese national as Qian Qiang, 52 years old. The post Overstaying Chinese arrested in NAIA appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Congress earmarks funds NAIA infra projects
House Committee on Appropriations Vice-chairperson and Makati City Representative Luis Jose Angel Campos Jr. on Sunday announced that the Ninoy Aquino International Airport is set to receive some P2.8 billion for infrastructure projects. Campos disclosed that also included is the P1.2-billion budget for the acquisition of a new traffic management system following the New Year’s Day breakdown that disrupted hundreds of flights. He said that the P1.2 billion in the proposed 2024 budget was allocated for the communications, navigation, and surveillance-air traffic management system which seeks to improve the efficiency of the country’s main gateway. “We are counting on the new CNS-ATM system to optimize airspace and airport efficiency, reduce flight delays, and improve travel experience,” said Campos in a statement. “Our hopes are high that the new system, once installed and fully functional, could potentially increase airport capacity to accommodate more flights in the years ahead,” he added. The move comes as Department of Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista in January cited the need for a backup system, as the current system in use estimated to be worth P13 billion — is already in its midlife. Last month, the National Economic and Development Authority Board chaired by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., opted to push through with plans to privatize NAIA through a solicited bid with the upfront payment cost now being studied and initially estimated at P30 billion. In June this year, the DoTr and the Manila International Airport Authority submitted a joint proposal to the NEDA Board seeking a private concession to invest and improve the NAIA for 15 years. The NEDA Board approved the 15-year concession period, with the option to renew for another 10 years based on a performance review, and should the two new airports — the New Manila International Airport in Bulacan and the Sangley International Airport in Cavite — be delayed. Before this, the Manila International Airport Consortium in April submitted an unsolicited proposal to take over NAIA, but this was deemed “de facto closed” when the government opted for a solicited bid. At present, NAIA’s terminals service over 40 million passengers versus its 32-million annual capacity, with 38 to 40 landings and takeoffs made per hour. The post Congress earmarks funds NAIA infra projects appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Trafficking victims intercepted
The Bureau of Immigration on Tuesday reported that its operatives have intercepted three individuals believed to be victims of human trafficking at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Operatives from the Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section reported to BI commissioner Norman Tansingco that the three men — who were all in their early to mid-40s and late 30s — initially claimed to be tourists on board a Cathay Pacific flight bound to Hong Kong from the NAIA Terminal 3 on 5 August. Reports said that the men pretended to be employed by a construction business in the country and were traveling for a vacation. However, after conducting an interview, operatives from the agency learned that their final destination was Ethiopia for employment. The victims confessed that they were promised high-paying jobs but were instructed to pose as tourists as they were immediately turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking for assistance in filing cases against their recruiter. Tansingco is urging the public to report any suspicious activities of individuals who are involved in human trafficking to the IACAT or the BI. He also stressed that the agency will not tolerate this crime and will do everything they can to protect the public from being exploited by those syndicates. The post Trafficking victims intercepted appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»