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Tourism, agribusiness need prioritization — PCCI
The country’s biggest congregation of business owners in the country, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the Marcos Jr. administration must focus on the industries of tourism and agribusiness as they provide opportunities to Filipinos. Apart from the two, PCCI president George Barcelon said other industries that need further push and support are IT-BPO and creative industries, manufacturing, mining, and mineral resources, considered to be ideal and attractive for local and foreign investments and could amplify the economic growth and competitiveness of the country. “Some of our neighboring countries in ASEAN have really moved fast over the past 10 years. We had been lagging them in terms of exports, investments, and trade and we could not afford to be in this situation, so we really need to review our policies for us to be attractive to local and foreign investors,” Barcelon said. He said this will be the center of discussions at the upcoming 49th Philippine Business Conference & Expo set this month, which will gather industry leaders and practitioners to provide insights and share some prospects in what an interesting discussion on policies and regulations could be to attract investors and stimulate investments in these sectors. He said tourism and agribusiness are low-hanging fruits that the government should seriously prioritize and develop as it provides many opportunities for Filipinos. In 2022, the tourism and travel industry only contributed 6.2 percent to the country’s GDP lower than 12.7 percent in 2019 prior to the pandemic. The latest data from the Department of Tourism said that from 1 January to 29 September 2023, a total of 4,005,465 visitors arrived in the country, bringing in a total of P316 billion in revenue into the government coffers and hiring 5.35 million Filipinos in tourism-related jobs. The Philippine agribusiness, on the other hand, contributed only around 8.9 percent to GDP in 2022 where in fact its contribution could actually reach 35 percent. The mining and mineral sector, meanwhile, was able to boost the country’s growth by P102B in 2020 during the pandemic while the manufacturing sector contributed 17.2 percent in 2022. “As the private sector takes the lead in mapping out plans for Vision 2050, we hope our government will focus its attention on harnessing these sectors and address the challenges that hinder the country’s economic growth. We have the competitive advantage to become a first world economy by 2050, we just have to do extra work to achieve it,” said Architect Felino Palafox Jr., who chairs the 49th PBC&E happening on 25-26 October at The Manila Hotel. This year’s conference carries the theme Vision 2050: The Philippines A First-World Economy. It will initiate discussions and gather insights from visionary leaders and policymakers on how the country, given its strategic location, natural and human capital resources, and the many advantages it has, can become one of the industrialized and developed economies by 2050. The two-day event will interestingly gather prominent business personalities, national and local executives, and international leaders. The post Tourism, agribusiness need prioritization — PCCI appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Post-pandemic scenario presents great opportunities for trade, says Swiss envoy
Europe should consider the "exciting" opportunities Asia has to offer due to exciting developments in the region, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recently said. In a statement from Malacañang released on Thursday, Marcos made the remark last Wednesday after the new Swiss Ambassador to the Philippines, Nicolas Brühl, presented his credentials in a ceremony at Malacañan Palace in Manila. "I think it is actually wise in terms of European countries, Switzerland included, to look to ASEAN, to look to Asia. Although there are other geopolitical disturbances, shall we say, but the opportunities are quite exciting," President Marcos said in welcoming in Brühl. "ASEAN leaders have come together to really strengthen the economic systems that we have in place, the weaknesses that have shown up during the pandemic. We're all trying to learn the lessons that the pandemic brought with it," he added. The President, who accepted the credentials of the Swiss envoy, said that he thinks the post-pandemic scenario presents a great opportunity for greater collaboration with the Philippines now understanding how the world works. The world doesn't work the same way that it did in 2019 and it is faring differently, Marcos said. "And so that's why I always value partnerships and alliances and agreements between countries. And I think (with) Switzerland, that has always gone very smoothly. Let's hope that it continues in that direction," Marcos told the Swiss ambassador. The Swiss ambassador said that the Swiss Foreign Ministry's Southeast Asia strategy proves that the region is of utmost importance and vowed to partner with it in the future. Last year's 65th-year celebration of the bilateral relations between the Philippines and Switzerland is already a good start, he said. The two countries celebrated 65 years of diplomatic relations in January 2022. The Philippines and Switzerland continue to maximize the benefits of the Philippines–European Free Trade Association Free Trade Agreement (PH-EFTA-FTA). The EFTA States, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland, signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the Philippines in Bern, Switzerland on April 28, 2016. The EFTA-Philippines FTA entered into force on 1 June 2018, for the Philippines, Norway, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland and on 1 January 2020 for Iceland. The FTA covers trade in goods, trade in services, investment, competition, the protection of intellectual property rights, government procurement, and trade and sustainable development. The post Post-pandemic scenario presents great opportunities for trade, says Swiss envoy appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Trudeau to be star witness in election meddling probe
The Canadian prime minister could be the star witness in his government’s investigation of alleged national election meddling by China, Russia and other countries. Justin Trudeau was asked by reporters in Singapore Friday on the possibility of him testifying in the case, he replied, “Willingly and with very much enthusiasm.” The prime minister, who was coming from the ASEAN Summit in Indonesia, added, “I think it’s important for Canadians to know exactly everything this government has been doing in regards to foreign interference, and to talk frankly about the challenges that we continue to face in our democracies around the world.” His statement came a day after Ottawa named an appeals court judge to lead the inquiry into the allegations surrounding federal elections in 2019 and 2021. Quebec Court of Appeal Justice Marie-Josee Hogue replaces the investigator who resigned in June. Trudeau faced pressure to explain how it first responded to the claims that Beijing sought to subvert Canada’s democratic process. Relations between Ottawa and Beijing hit a new low this year amid accusations of Chinese meddling in those elections and the attempted intimidation of Canadian lawmakers that led to the expulsion of a Chinese diplomat in May. Beijing has called the accusations “groundless” and responded by sending home a Canadian diplomat from the country’s consulate in Shanghai. The reported accusations included secret campaign donations and that Chinese operatives were working for Canadian candidates and lawmakers in an attempt to influence policy. WITH AFP The post Trudeau to be star witness in election meddling probe appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Phl to rely on rice imports from Vietnam, Cambodia
JAKARTA, Indonesia – The Philippines and Vietnam are working on a 5-year agreement to improve rice output and food security in the two Southeast Asian nations, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said on Thursday. During their meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit, the Vietnamese leader told Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that his country is ready to help the Philippines obtain food security and boost rice production. "Our two countries will conclude an inter-government agreement on rice trade so that our rice export to the Philippines will ensure food security in the Philippines," he told Marcos Jr. "We look forward to having a stable framework of cooperation on rice trade for a long period of at least (five) years," the Vietnamese official added. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh then said that Vietnam "will ensure" its rice production and told Marcos that the Philippines can also ensure imports from its neighboring country. Marcos Jr. then noted that his Vietnamese counterpart was ready to let the Philippines import rice as the Philippine leader acknowledged that food supply is a "main issue" in the Philippines. "In Asia, food supply is very much determined by rice and the prices," Marcos said. The Philippine president then expressed his optimism that both his country and Vietnam would have "very fruitful" arrangements. Rice imports from Cambodia In a separate bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Hun Manet here in Jakarta, Marcos opened up the possibility of sourcing rice from Cambodia to the Philippines. Marcos then asked for Cambodia's support in making things easier for rice importers so that there would be a steady rice supply after typhoons hurt rice production in the Philippines. Initially, business-to-business sales deals between Cambodian-based firm Khmer Foods company and rice importers in the Philippines resulted in the export to the Philippines of about 2,500 tons of rice in May this year. This was the first time the Philippines is importing a significant tonnage of rice from Cambodia after the passage of the Rice Tariffication Law in 2019, which liberalized rice trade in the Philippines and allowed private entities, instead of the government, to import rice from any country, subject to compliance with sanitary and phytosanitary requirements and import duties. Cambodian officials say that by 2024, they want to have a 1 percent share of the imported rice market in the Philippines. They have urged stakeholders to keep exporting rice to the Philippines and even increase the amount Cambodians export. *Aviation* With regard to civil aviation cooperation, both countries agreed to expand the direct flights between the Philippines and Cambodia given the improvements in the COVID-19 situation and easing of restrictions. “…I shall, as my homework when I get back, look into the possibility of our airline increasing the number of flights to other destinations in Cambodia that we would like to go to. This is something that goes both ways,” the President also said. The President also mentioned the cultural, educational, and people-to-people exchanges between the Philippines and Cambodia that could be enhanced further. “I’m very proud of our overseas Filipino workers and the teachers who have gone abroad and places. Many who’ve come from my part of the country and we have been able to assist our allies and our partners in terms of exchange of culture and the like,” Marcos said. The post Phl to rely on rice imports from Vietnam, Cambodia appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
CoC reveries
An aversion to table the West Philippine Sea conflict and speeding up the progress of the Code of Conduct, or CoC, between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, and China is very evident in the ongoing Summit in Indonesia. The maritime conflict is not even on the official agenda and will be tackled only through optional bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the yearly assembly, which is all under the wishes of China. ASEAN, thus, is pushing itself into irrelevance by acceding to the wishes of China and its cohorts in the regional bloc like Cambodia. Despite its existence as an Economic Community since its inception, with full integration envisioned in 2025, much of its aspirations, including being a cohesive body to advance the interests of its members, remain a pipe dream. The CoC would have been a stellar achievement, but it was described as a moving goal post for more than two decades. In the ongoing ASEAN meeting, all that host Indonesia was able to commit to was a three-year deadline to finalize a CoC. Another set of guidelines is, thus, expected after the Jakarta assembly instead of a pact that will bind all the claimants in the maritime conflict. The guidelines, moreover, will have to be endorsed by regional leaders during the ASEAN-China Summit that is scheduled later. The Philippines is not confident about a substantial progress in the CoC despite its being the most urgent matter to maintain stability in the region. An official of the Department of Foreign Affairs said the outcome of talks on the long-delayed CoC will be limited “to mere reporting of past discussions.” “At most, there will be a report on what happened during the last meeting in the Philippines of the joint working group on the CoC,” which hardly equates to progress. During the third round of CoC talks in Manila from 22 to 24 August, discussions were stuck on the contentious issues of whether or not the CoC would be “legally binding.” China has historically resisted a legally binding CoC, the reason for the existence of the non-binding 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, or DoC. In 2019, Foreign Minister Wang Yi indicated his optimism that a CoC would be completed within three years, or by 2022. It is now 2023. He also announced that China supported a CoC that had “binding force” and was “an upgraded and strengthened version” of the DoC. The discussions then came to a head due to the different perspectives among those at the negotiating table, which are the same obstacles blocking the resolution of the maritime rift. China has refused to recognize the Permanent Court of Arbitration award that the Philippines and other claimant countries use as a basis for their position in the DoC negotiations. In not recognizing the arbitral ruling and insisting on its historical basis for the territorial claims, China and ASEAN are not on the same page in the negotiations, meaning that hopes for an agreement are futile. Like what happened in the local context when the Communist Party of the Philippines sued for negotiations with the government and used it to consolidate its forces, China uses the CoC discussions as a delaying tactic to fortify its position. Its recent release of the 10-dash line, which was a rewriting of its territorial boundaries again based on historical data, proves China is not about to change its position. According to reports on the Summit, China will only support a legally binding code when its historical version prevails. Another term that China wants included in the negotiations is barring countries outside the region from interfering. It also wants economic activities at sea, including oil and gas development, “to be conducted in cooperation with companies from countries outside the region.” China also wants the CoC signatories not to “hold joint military exercises with countries from outside the region, unless the parties concerned are notified beforehand and express no objection.” The untenable conditions appear designed to prevent the CoC from ever coming into being. The post CoC reveries appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
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......»»
Phl-Korea FTA signed Sept.
The much-anticipated signing of a free trade agreement, or FTA, between the Philippines and the Republic of Korea will likely take place in September, the Department of Trade and Industry said on Monday. Trade Secretary Fred Pascual met with Minister Dukgeun Ahn of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy of Korea last Sunday, 20 August 2023, during the 55th ASEAN Economic Ministers held in Semarang, Indonesia regarding the economic deal. “Both ministers welcomed the conclusion of the PH-ROK FTA negotiations and agreed to work for its signing, preferably at the sidelines of the 24th ASEAN-Republic of Korea Summit in September 2023.” Supply chain deal In addition, “ the trade officials committed to working on a possible supply chain resilience cooperation to ensure stability and predictability of business operations, particularly in the manufacturing sector,” the DTI said. Further, the DTI said that in time for the celebration of the 75th Anniversary of Philippines-Korea diplomatic relations, both ministers are also considering organizing a Business Forum to further boost trade and investment relations. The two sides first started negotiating the FTA in June 2019 before concluding negotiations in October 2021. But its signing was stalled several times. Under the Philippines-South Korea FTA, South Korea will lift tariffs on 94.8 percent of Philippine products, while the Philippines will cut tariffs on 96.5 percent of South Korean products. Other areas covered by the FTA include trade in goods, trade remedies, rules of origin, customs procedures and trade facilitation, economic and technical cooperation, competition, and legal and institutional issues. The post Phl-Korea FTA signed Sept. appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PBBM to fly to Vietnam in January 2024
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is set to visit Vietnam in the first month of 2024, adding another state visit to his growing list of international trips. Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, currently on a four-day official visit to Vietnam, announced this in his speech in Hanoi at the 10th Philippines-Vietnam Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation. “President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recently finished his first year in office, and we have seen a remarkable display of trust and confidence between our two countries. We welcome the President’s recent sideline meetings with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in the last two ASEAN Summits,” Manalo said. “We also look forward to President Marcos’ state visit to Vietnam in January next year, where he and President Vo Van Thuong could meet to discuss how to raise our bilateral ties to even greater heights,” he added. The announcement came barely a week after Marcos went on a three-day state visit to Malaysia, a day after his second State of the Nation Address. According to the Presidential Communications Office, the president’s visit to Malaysia yielded up to $285 million worth of investment pledges. ‘Areas of cooperation’ Manalo said the Philippine government is also looking forward to discussing important areas of cooperation with Vietnam, particularly in maritime cooperation, trade and investment promotion, people-to-people exchanges, and cooperation in ASEAN and other multilateral fora. “I am also looking forward to exchanging views with you on pertinent regional and international issues, mainly on how we can promote peace and stability in the region and in the greater international arena,” he said. On Tuesday, the DFA chief expressed the country’s intent to forge stronger maritime cooperation with Vietnam in the South China Sea, where both countries are claimant states. “Our geographies and status as major littoral and claimant states in the South China Sea make maritime cooperation a vital point of interaction between our two countries, as economic and security partners. As in centuries prior, this body of water connects our peoples, despite some differences,” Manalo said. “Beyond its strategic significance, the South China Sea is the lifeblood of millions of Filipinos and Vietnamese people who depend on the sea for livelihood,” he added. He continued: “As maritime nations at the heart of this seascape, it is a given that we consider safe and secure seas and sound marine ecosystems as integral to the future of our peoples and our region.” Like the Philippines, Vietnam has overlapping claims with China over the Paracel and Spratly Islands, which remain the main point of contention between the two countries. The 9th Philippines-Vietnam JCBC was held in Manila in 2019, attended by then-Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. and Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and then-Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh. The post PBBM to fly to Vietnam in January 2024 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Fixing a broken tourism campaign
It’s really unfortunate that the country’s tourism campaign, instead of gaining love, had to suffer a loss after several fact-checking media outlets found out that the advertising agency, DDB Philippines, which created the launch video for the “Love the Philippines” campaign, had “cheated,” using stock photos and videos from other countries and represented them as being known tourist spots in our country. It was found that the DDB Philippines-produced “Love the Philippines” video merely used stock photos and footage taken from apps as analyzed by the fact-check team of Agence France-Presse. Shots of the rice terraces to showcase the communities in Banaue and Benguet, for example, were stock footage of Ubud, Bali, Indonesia. An aerial shot of sand dunes, which is a feature of the Ilocos, was identified as being in Cumboco, Brazil, while a guy driving a buggy over the sand dunes was an image of the dunes in the United Arab Emirates. DDB Philippines has since apologized, calling it an “unfortunate oversight”. The Department of Tourism, for its part, has canceled its tourism campaign contract with the ad agency, citing violations of the latter’s obligation under the terms of the contract. To be frank, I don’t think the mere cancellation of the contract with DDB Philippines will suffice to gloss over the mess the ad firm caused for the country and the tourism sector, both locally and internationally. We have to be aware of the damage and the opportunity loss this debacle has caused to our tourism sector and, conceivably, our economic growth. Travel and tourism, because of their strong linkages to other sectors, are an integral part of a country’s economy. This is specifically true for the Philippines where our growth comes primarily from services and consumption. The tourism industry stimulates growth in the accommodations sector. With strong tourist arrivals, investments in hotels, resorts, vacation houses and rentals, also grow. This leads to the creation of jobs in the construction and hospitality sectors, and also increases demand for local food, souvenirs and handicraft. Growth in the tourism sector also generates growth in the transportation and communications sectors. Tourism requires transportation services, such as airlines, ships and boats, taxis, rental cars and public transport. These in turn promote infrastructure development in airports, seaports, roads and highways. Economic models have shown us that tourism revenues increase government revenues and household income, generate employment opportunities, and therefore lead to economic growth. The vibrancy of our tourism should come naturally to us the way we Filipinos pride ourselves in being one of the most hospitable cultures in the world. Moreover, the tourism sector should be one of our strongest industries considering that it is services and consumption driven. Yet, we have continually failed to capitalize on this and we have remained a laggard compared to our ASEAN counterparts like Thailand and Malaysia. Thailand has been running its “Amazing Thailand” tourism campaign since 1999 and it is one of the most successful campaigns in the world. It simply features striking visuals of Thailand’s beaches, temples, and food. In 2019, before the pandemic, tourist arrivals in Thailand almost reached 40 million while the Philippines generated barely 10 percent of that, or less than 4 million. We truly must rethink our tourism strategy and align it with strategies that work for other ASEAN nations with which our country shares geographical and cultural features. As for the “Love the Philippines” campaign, I am not so confident that it is still salvageable given the taint of misrepresentation and bad faith. The post Fixing a broken tourism campaign appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PBBM eyes expanded Phl-Singapore trade, defense ties
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. is eyeing an expansion of the Philippines’ trade and investment relations with Singapore. This came after Marcos received the credentials of Singaporean Ambassador-designate to the Philippines, Constance See Sin Yuan in Malacañang Palace on Thursday. The President said the country shares a “deep-rooted history of collaboration and cooperation” with Singapore in various areas of mutual interest. “Our bilateral relations have flourished over the past five decades, encompassing trade and investment, defense and security, education, and cultural exchanges,” he said. [caption id="attachment_142200" align="aligncenter" width="525"] President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. welcomes the new Singapore Ambassador to the Philippines Constance See Sin Yuan during her presentation of credentials at Malacañang Palace on Thursday.[/caption] As co-founders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Marcos said the Philippines and Singapore have become partners in advancing key issues in regional and international fora, cognizant of the importance of maintaining ASEAN centrality amidst the shifting winds of geopolitics and great power rivalries. The active bilateral ties between both countries were also strengthened following the State Visit of Singaporean President Halimah Yacob to the Philippines in 2019, where both countries celebrated their golden jubilee of diplomatic ties. While Marcos visited Singapore last year. “Such high-level visits of our government officials attest to our flourishing ties and our high regard for Singapore as a bilateral and regional partner,” Marcos said. Marcos noted that the Philippines and Singapore's economic relations remain "robust" as the countries’ total bilateral trade has increased to USD 13 billion in 2022. Apart from this, Singapore remains the country’s largest source of approved investments amounting to USD 2.4 billion in the same year. Marcos also recognized the two countries' effective cooperation on defense and security—resulting in the successful combating of terrorism and national crimes for the past years. He recalled the signing of two Arrangements concerning the Regional Counter-Terrorism Information Facility as well as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. “Our increasing people-to-people ties continue to strengthen our bridges of understanding and friendship through cultural exchanges and capacity-building programs,” he added. See Sin Yuan, for her part, said the state visits hugely contributed to the boosting of Philippines-Singapore cooperation, in terms of financial technology, sustainability, and energy. “So, we’re keen to move forward on all these. You might also know that we are enhancing our defense cooperation,” she added. The post PBBM eyes expanded Phl-Singapore trade, defense ties appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Immerse in Taiwan’s theme parks
To achieve the goal of 320,000 visits from Filipino travelers this 2023, the Taiwan Tourism Bureau Kuala Lumpur Office and the Taiwan Amusement Park Association held a promotional conference in Manila on 2 June. It was participated in by 11 amusement parks, six travel agencies and three airline representatives from Taiwan together with some local travel agencies. According to pre-pandemic data, about 510,000 tourists from the Philippines visited Taiwan in 2019. The record comes second to Malaysia in the ASEAN region. Taiwan’s border has opened to tourists since 13 October 2022. Amusement parks in Taiwan highlight its diverse and rich culture in addition to the night market delicacies and famed tourist destinations. Chun-Jun Liao, chairman of the Taiwan Amusement Park Association, said that Taiwan’s diverse patterns of theme parks have a considerable high potential appeal to the international market. Elements such as Taiwan’s aboriginal culture, hot springs, flower viewing, shopping, and mechanical amusement facilities are a favorite of international travelers. Some of the Taiwan amusement parks that participated in the conference are Leofoo Village Theme Park, Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village, Janfusan Fancy World, Little Ding-Dong Science Theme Park, Yehliu Ocean World, Farglory Ocean Park, West Lake Resortopia, Atayal Resort, Sun-Link-Sea Forest & Nature Resort, Shangshun World and E-DA Theme Park. Well-known Taiwanese souvenirs brand Vigor Kobo and pineapple cake OhBear also took part in the festivities. [caption id="attachment_140291" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Yehliu Ocean World.[/caption] The post Immerse in Taiwan’s theme parks appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
The 5th ASEAN-China Media Week
2019 was the ASEAN-China year for media exchanges. In the same year, the ASEAN-China TV Week was held and then subsequently rotated in China as well as ASEAN countries every year, enjoining competent media authorities of ASEAN countries to co-host......»»
`Compete with all your heart,’ Go tells SEA Games-bound athletes
On Monday, 24 April, Senator Christopher "Bong" Go expressed his full support for Filipino athletes competing in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia as he attended their send-off ceremony at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City. The event was led by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. who encouraged the Filipino athletes to go for the gold and bring back the Philippines' number one spot in the Games. In an interview during the event, Go, as chair of the Senate Committee on Sports and a sports enthusiast himself, said he understands the value of sports in the lives of young Filipinos. "Nandirito po ako to support. Being a sports enthusiast, noon pa talagang mahilig na po ako sa sports," said Go. "And that’s one way of encouraging the youth to get into sports and stay away from drugs. Isa po ito sa pamamaraan na ilayo po natin ang ating mga kabataan sa iligal na droga. Get into sports, stay away from drugs, and keep them healthy and fit," he added. To help in this cause, Go shared that he sponsored and defended additional funding for the Philippine Sports Commission during its 2023 budget deliberation, particularly for grassroots sports development and in support of athletes joining international competitions. "Gaya noon, full support po ako sa ating mga atleta. Not only sa SEA Games, Asian Games, Olympics, full support po ako," he said. Go continued, "In fact, during the budget deliberation, ang budget po ng PSC less than P200 million. Ako po ‘yung nag-defend at nag-suggest ng dagdag sa pondo nila." "Nagdagdag po tayo ng P1 billion sa budget ng PSC including budget na po para sa Southeast Asian Games, sa iba pang mga grassroots program, not only sa international competition, pati sa local," he added. Particularly, the increase in the PSC's 2023 budget reflected in the General Appropriations Act is intended to support Filipino athletes in the 2022 Asian Games, 2023 Southeast Asian Games, and 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Furthermore, athletes competing in the ASEAN Para Games, Asian Indoor Martial Arts Games, World Combat Games, World Beach Games, Asian Beach Games, and World Beach Games will receive similar support. Portions of the funds were allotted for the country's hosting of the FIBA World Cup in 2023 as well as for several sports programs, such as Batang Pinoy, the Philippine National Games, and the grassroots program under the Sports Development Council. There are also funds allocated for the development of sports infrastructure across the country, as well as for advanced research and development in sports sciences and sports technology. When asked about his message to the athletes, Go echoed Marcos' words of encouragement, "Sinabi na rin po ni Pangulong Bongbong Marcos kanina, 'Go, go, go for the gold.' Ibig sabihin sana magtsa-champion po tayo. Ibalik natin ‘yung pagiging No.1 natin." Go reminded the athletes that the important thing is to fight and compete with all their hearts, as Filipinos are known for their passion and perseverance. Around 860 Filipino athletes, 76 reserved players, and 347 sports officials, medical personnel, and support staff will travel to Cambodia to compete in 608 events across 38 sports categories from 5-17 May. With the impressive performance of Filipino athletes in the 2021 SEA Games in Vietnam, where they brought home 227 medals, including 52 gold, 70 silver, and 105 bronze, the Philippines is poised to once again make a strong showing in the upcoming games. In the 2019 SEA Games, the Philippines hosted the event and emerged as the overall champion with 149 gold medals, 117 silver medals, and 121 bronze medals. The National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act, or Republic Act No. 10699, entitles SEA Games gold medalists to a P300,000 incentive, silver medalists to P150,000, and bronze medalists to P60,000. During the Duterte administration, Go advocated for additional benefits to medalists. An advocate for grassroots sports development, Go earlier authored and co-sponsored RA 11470, establishing the National Academy of Sports in 2020 as part of his vision to ensure promising young athletes can further hone their talents while getting quality education. The NAS is a government-run academy aimed at developing the country’s future athletes by offering quality secondary education with a special curriculum on sports for gifted young Filipinos who want to enhance their physical and mental capabilities in sports. The senator also filed Senate Bill No. 423, or the proposed Philippine National Games Act of 2022, to provide a structure for a more comprehensive national sports program, linking grassroots sports promotion to national sports development The post `Compete with all your heart,’ Go tells SEA Games-bound athletes appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
China Bank among top winners in ASEAN governance awards
China Banking Corp. again emerged as one of the top winners in the Philippines at the ASEAN Corporate Governance Scorecard Awards of the ASEAN Capital Markets Forum for the 2019 assessment year......»»
Ayala Land tops ASEAN Governance Scorecard
Ayala Land Inc. is once again recognized for its outstanding corporate governance practices by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Institute of Corporate Directors after being named one of the top publicly-listed companies at the 2019 SEC-ICD ASEAN Corporate Governance Scorecard Awards. The virtual awards ceremony was held on January 29, 2021......»»
Globe feted at ASEAN Corporate Governance Scorecard
Globe dominated the ASEAN Corporate Governance Scorecard (ACGS) in a virtual awarding ceremony held on January 29. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) with the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD) recognized Globe and other Philippine companies which excelled in the 2019 ACGS assessment......»»
ASEAN auto sales fell 32% to 2.14m units in 11 months
Automotive sales in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations dropped 32 percent in the first 11 months of 2020 to 2.14 million units from 3.14 million units in the same period in 2019, with the Philippines significantly contributing to the decline, data from the ASEAN Automotive Federation show......»»
Globe sweeps ASEAN corporate governance awards
Globe bagged coveted slots in all award categories of the 2019 ASEAN Corporate Governance Scorecard (ACGS) and is the only telecom company to do so among the listed firms in the six participating countries, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines. ACGS was introduced in 2011 in recognition of the corporate governance achievements […] The post Globe sweeps ASEAN corporate governance awards appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Du30 vows strong partnership with Asean, China
President Rodrigo Duterte vowed to remain a strong partner of China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, saying multilateral ties are necessary amid the prevailing coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) health crisis......»»
Duterte to ASEAN: Ensure vaccine access for all
Rich or poor, all nations must be ensured access to safe vaccines against the coronavirus disease 2019, President Duterte said yesterday as he called on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to work toward this goal......»»