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Travel agencies group warns about cheap, illegal operators
The Davao Travel Agencies Association (DTAA) has issued a warning about unregistered and illegal travel and tour operators in their area. These operators have been found to be offering travel and tour services without proper licensing, leading to issues such as lack of refunds, scheduling problems, and other travel arrangement discrepancies. Pia Partoza Montano, a travel agency owner and Vice-President for the Travel and Tours Sector of DTAA, emphasized the prevalence of these unauthorized operators, particularly in inbound tourism, and the challenges in monitoring and regulating them due to their large numbers. Montano also highlighted the potential risks associated with using these unregistered agencies, as they may offer cheaper rates but could lead to problems in case of incidents. To address this issue, the Department of Tourism-Davao (DOT-Davao) has introduced a QR code system to help the public verify the legitimacy of travel agencies by accessing data on authorized and registered operators. The DOT-Davao encourages travelers to transact with accredited enterprises to ensure the quality and reliability of their travel arrangements. Currently, there are at least 109 registered travel and tour agencies in Davao City under DOT-Davao's accreditation. The DOT-Davao also provides information on the requirements for registration and renewal for travel agencies on their official website. This warning serves as a reminder for the public to be cautious and discerning when engaging with travel and tour operators to avoid falling victim to unauthorized and illegitimate services......»»
10th ID bashes Canadian gov’t for travel advisory vs Mindanao
The 10th Infantry Agila Division (10ID) of the Philippine Army criticized the Canadian government for issuing a travel advisory against all parts of Mindanao, which includes their area of responsibility. Major Mark Anthony Tito, spokesperson for the 10th ID, emphasized that the regions under their jurisdiction are peaceful and free from terrorism and violent threats, contrary to the Canadian embassy's advisory. The division oversees 12 provinces, seven cities, and 72 municipalities in various parts of Mindanao. Tito expressed bewilderment at the basis of the travel advisory, asserting that the Canadian government lacks awareness of the actual situation on the ground. He highlighted the peaceful nature of the entire Davao Region throughout 2023, with no recorded incidents of terrorism or insurgency. Despite the exclusion of Davao City from the advisory, Tito noted that the region would still be impacted. The Canadian embassy's advisory warned its citizens to avoid visiting Mindanao due to ongoing terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, high levels of violence, and encounters between rebel forces and government security authorities. Specific provinces and regions were singled out for caution or non-essential travel, including Northern Mindanao, Soccsksargen, and Eastern Mindanao. Contrary to the advisory, the 10th ID has been actively weakening and eliminating guerilla forces within its jurisdiction as part of the Philippine Army's efforts to establish an insurgency-free zone. In fact, on October 27, 2023, the Davao Region celebrated its first anniversary as an insurgency-free region in the Philippines. This dispute has led to other related stories, including the Chamber's intention to engage in discussions with the Canadian government regarding the travel advisory, as well as refutations from the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) and celebrations of the Davao Region's insurgency-free status by the Regional Peace and Order Council. In summary, the 10th ID vehemently opposes the Canadian government's travel advisory, citing the peaceful and secure nature of the regions under their jurisdiction, and highlighting the significant strides made in eradicating insurgency in the Davao Region......»»
Holidays in Cebu, Laguna areas declared
President Marcos has declared Jan. 15 and Feb. 6 as special non-working holidays in San Pablo City, Laguna and Consolacion, Cebu, respectively......»»
SEC-Davao advises timely submission of requirements for amnesty payments
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Davao Extension Office is reminding corporations who have participated in the amnesty program to ensure timely submission of required documents by January 31. Failure to comply will result in forfeiture of payments and incurring additional penalties as outlined in SEC Memorandum Circular No. 20, series of 2023. Non-compliant corporations must submit their latest General Information Sheet (GIS) and Annual Financial Statement (AFS) through the SEC Electronic Filing and Submission Tool (eFAST). Meanwhile, suspended or revoked corporations should submit their petitions along with necessary documents to the Extension Office via email at secdavao@gmail.com. For more information, applicant-corporations can contact SEC Davao Extension Office at 0932-973-8791. It is important to note that the Commission is planning to implement a substantial increase in basic penalties for late and non-filing of reports post-amnesty period, with penalties potentially increasing by up to 1,900 percent......»»
P3-M damage reported in school building fire
The Davao City Police Office (DCPO) reported a devastating fire at F. Bustamante National High School in Tibungco, Davao City, on January 14, causing an estimated P3 million in damages. The fire affected 14 rooms, with nine being totally damaged and one partially damaged. The Bureau of Fire Protection-Davao (BFP-Davao) struggled to contain the blaze, which lasted for two hours. Fortunately, there were no reported casualties or houses affected despite the school's proximity to a residential area. Investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing. This incident adds to a series of school fires in the region, with three state-owned schools destroyed in 2023. The BFP-Davao and Team Davao Rescue have responded to over 15 fire incidents in the first and second weeks of January 2024, indicating a significant increase compared to the same period in 2023......»»
Classes suspended in Davao City, three Davao provinces amid heavy rain
Classes in all levels are suspended in Davao City, Davao del Norte, Davao de Oro, and Davao Oriental today, January 16, following heavy rains and bad weather conditions brought by the shear line weather......»»
Davao Oriental under state of calamity
The entire province of Davao Oriental has been declared under a state of calamity following the impact of the shear line, allowing the provincial local government unit to access its Quick Response Fund for rehabilitation efforts. The unanimous resolution was approved during a regular session in Sangguniang Panlalawigan, based on comprehensive assessment and recommendation from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and Governor Niño Uy. This declaration is crucial for providing emergency aid to the affected constituents and enforcing price control on essential items. Rapid Disaster Assessment and Needs Assessment reports indicate that around 63,337 families are affected, with 645 families and 1,830 individuals currently displaced and in evacuation centers. The damages in agriculture, fisheries, and livestock are estimated to be significant. Several municipalities have already declared a state of calamity, and the entire province is yet to announce its final assessment on the value loss in agriculture. This declaration aims to expedite rehabilitation and recovery plans to restore normalcy in the affected areas......»»
Groups urge to include placemaking in planning for public spaces
The push for placemaking in planning for public spaces was emphasized by various groups during a recent forum in Davao City. ATTY. Mark Peñalver, executive director of Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (Idis), stressed the importance of incorporating placemaking in public space planning to not only enhance the physical environment but also to promote inclusivity. He highlighted the exclusion of certain sectors in existing public spaces and emphasized the need for stakeholders' input and acknowledgment of their stories in the planning process. Dr. Derlie Mateo-Babiano, an associate professor in Urban Planning Assistant, described placemaking as a means to transform places into spaces that people will cherish. She emphasized the significance of engaging the community in the planning process to understand their cultural, environmental, and other needs. Peñalver also cited a successful placemaking project in Davao Executive Homes, which catered to children, the elderly, and individuals with special needs, demonstrating the positive impact of placemaking. Furthermore, Peñalver advocated for the institutionalization of placemaking in the Comprehensive Land Use Plan and other development plans in Davao City. He highlighted the potential of placemaking to ensure that government projects are beneficial to the community. Architect Harold Delima, co-convenor of Placemaking Davao, discussed ongoing workshops with various demographics to integrate placemaking into the city's development. The groups involved are hopeful that placemaking will become a fundamental aspect of public space planning in Davao City, aiming to create inclusive and community-centered environments......»»
7 dead after Davao City Mayor Duterte declares war vs. drugs
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 26 March) – Two more drug suspects died in separate buy-bust operations in Toril District here before dawn Tuesday, after they allegedly resisted arrest, a police official said. This brought the number of fatalities to seven since Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte declared a “war” on illegal drugs last March […].....»»
LPA affects 394 families in Davao de Oro, Davao Oriental
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 31 January)— A total of 394 families or 1,411 individuals in the provinces of Davao de Oro and Davao Oriental have been affected by the trough of the low pressure area (LPA) which brings in rains in several parts of Mindanao, according to the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD)-Davao. Franz […].....»»
DSWD-Davao raises child feeding budget to P21
The Department of Social Welfare and Development-Davao Region (DSWD-Davao) has increased its budget for the Supplementary Feeding Program to P21 per child, up from the previous P15 allocation. Kyla Denise T. Pamat, a nutritionist dietician at DSWD-Davao, shared in a radio interview on Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) on January 26, 2024, that the enhancement is a result of a budget insertion in 2023. The 13th cycle targets 122,400 children in Davao Region, with five local government units (LGUs) already initiating the feeding program, while others are in the procurement process. The program focuses on children aged two to four in child development centers and supervised neighborhood places, providing hot meals (rice and viand) for 80 days and alternative meals (pancake, nutribun, and fruit salad) for 40 days during the 120 feeding days. Additionally, selected LGUs with a prevalent number of underweight children receive milk feeding for the entire duration. The 12th cycle showed an 82.27 percent improvement in the weight of underweight children, reducing their number from 4,567 to 784 after the 120 feeding days. Pamat highlighted its alignment with Republic Act 11037, also known as the Masustansyang Pagkain Para sa Batang Pilipino Act, and encouraged LGUs, communities, and parents to support the program for continuous improvement......»»
DOLE-Davao vows to strictly monitor compliance of employers with new wage order
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 11 March) – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) – Davao Region vowed Monday to strictly monitor the enforcement of the daily wage increase in the area, warning non-compliant employers they could be meted hefty penalties with possible imprisonment. DOLE-Davao director Atty. Randolf C. Pensoy told the Kapehan sa Dabaw that the Regional […].....»»
HIRING | Project Team Lead
Duty Station: Davao City, Davao del Sur, Philippines (relocation will not be provided) Application Deadline: 15 March 2024 Type of Contract: Fixed-Term, Full-Time Reporting To: Programme Manager Expected Duration of Engagement: Until December 2026 Expected Start Date: 1 April 2024 Background Mindanao Institute of Journalism (MIJ) is a non-stock, non-profit organisation founded by, and composed […].....»»
Davao Metro Shuttle declines offer to manage bus system
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 24 March) — The Davao Metro Shuttle Corporation has declined the offer of the City Government of Davao to operate the Davao City Public Transport Modernization Project (DCPTMP), a public mass transportation project that will replace the jeepneys with buses, an executive of the bus company said. In an interview at […].....»»
Davao City Council moves hearing on traffic-causing road construction works
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews – 26 March) – The Davao City Council rescheduled to Tuesday, April 2, the second hearing on the suspended road construction works in the locality after key officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) – Davao region failed to show up Friday. The DPWH-Davao key officials are reportedly in […].....»»
DMW-Davao hails citizens vigilance for foiled illegal recruitment in Davao City
ACTING on a Dabawenyo’s information of an alleged illegal recruitment activity on its official Facebook page, the Department of Migrant Workers-Davao Region (DMW-Davao) endorsed the report to the National Bureau of Investigation-Southeastern Mindanao Regional Office (NBI-Semro) leading to a criminal investigation of three reported illegal recruiters last March 2, 2024 in Toril, Davao City by the City Prosecution Office......»»
‘P7 billion senior high vouchers went to non-poor’
Aside from around 19,000 “ghosts” or undocumented students receiving government assistance, more than P7 billion was spent on non-poor beneficiaries of the senior high school voucher program (SHS-VP), according to Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian......»»
DPWH tallies 268 gov’t and school buildings partially destroyed in Hinatuan quake
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Davao Region reported that a total of 268 school and national government buildings were partially destroyed by the magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur on December 2. The estimated damage amounted to P108,497,894.84 for school buildings and P1,899,365.60 for national government buildings. The damages included cracks on walls and falling debris such as ceilings. According to Engr. Alexander Turingan of DPWH XI, there were no reported damages in Davao Occidental and Davao del Sur. Franz Irag, Office of Civil Defense (OCD) XI operations head, emphasized the importance of addressing damages to school buildings, which also serve as evacuation centers during calamities. Dean Ortiz, spokesperson of DPWH XI, highlighted the agency's focus on national roads and bridges, clarifying that they will respond to requests to inspect private and government buildings. Architect Kashagar Toghyani, officer-in-charge of the Office City Building Official (OCBO) of Davao City, urged private building owners to promptly engage professional engineers to assess structural integrity, especially for buildings housing more than 10 individuals. He emphasized the necessity of fire inspections and transparency with building occupants to ensure their safety. The recent earthquakes did not affect government buildings in the Davao Region, and DPWH is committed to conducting thorough assessments and ensuring the safety of buildings and their occupants in the aftermath of the quake......»»
Aboitiz-led Apo Agua starts supplying water to Davao City
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 10 January)—Consumers here can expect better supply as the P12-billion Davao City Bulk Water Supply Project (DCBWSP) of the Aboitiz-led Apo Agua Infrastructura Inc. has commenced operations on December 1, 2023, three years after the completion target. In a joint statement released by the Davao City Water District (DCWD) and Apo […].....»»
Only 5 barangays in Davao City have active anti-mosquito disease task force
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 18 January)—Only five out of 182 barangays in Davao City have an active Barangay Mosquito-Borne Viral Disease Task Force. Dr. Thomas Miguel Ababon, head of the City Health Office, said at the iSpeak media forum at City Hall Thursday that mosquito-borne task forces in the city “seems difficult to sustain” despite […].....»»