Recently agents of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) located and arrested a South African national in the province of Albay for overstaying in the country by at least a few years, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA article. Some parts in boldface…
Immigration authorities arrested an overstaying South African national in Albay province.
In a news release Monday, Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Norman Tansingco said operatives from the regional intelligence operations unit nabbed Benjamin Michael Theron in an operation along Sikatuna Street, Brgy. 13 Ilawod West, Legazpi City on Jan. 24.
The foreigner was the subject of a mission order issued by the BI chief after receiving a complaint from Theron’s former partner, saying he was causing disturbance in the community.
A check on Theron’s records showed he has been in the country since 2018 and is already overstaying after his visa expired in 2021.
Another foreign national who presented himself as Theron’s employer, attempted to interfere with the operations but eventually yielded after seeing the mission order against the suspect.
BI intelligence division chief Fortunato Manahan Jr. said any individual who conceal, harbor, employ or give comfort to overstaying foreign nationals may face sanctions for violation of the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940, which prohibits harboring of illegal aliens.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent report? Are you concerned that there could be overstaying foreigners living within your local community? Do you think the BI is doing a good job locating and arresting illegal aliens?
Recently the Philippine Star published a news report revealing that electric bike (e-bike) crashes in Metro Manila reached a total of 556 with Quezon City having the most number of such crashes at almost 100.
While the report was published almost a month ago, the details are still relevant as more people are discussing the disadvantages of e-bikes (note: this includes the electric tricycles or e-trikes) which until now remain unregulated under the Land Transportation Office (LTO). Here in South Metro Manila, the e-bike crashes in the cities of Las Piñas, Parañaque and Muntinlupa combined for 90.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Philippine Star news report. Some parts in boldface…
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Thursday said that there were 556 crash incidents of electric bikes (e-bikes) in Metro Manila in 2023.
According to LTFRB’s data sent to reporters, the e-bike crashes in the National Capital Region (NCR) resulted in 281 instances of property damage, 273 non-fatal injuries and two fatal injuries.
Crash incidents peaked in August 2023 with 64 cases, while the (lowest) recorded (total) to 26 cases in November 2023.
Quezon City posted the highest number of incidents among cities in the NCR with 96 e-bike crash cases. Of these, 42 are recorded as property damage with 54 non-fatal injuries.
Following Quezon City in the total number of crash incidents are these areas:
Marikina- 72
Taguig- 71
Manila- 52
Parañaque- 46
Makati- 39
Caloocan- 36
Pasig- 36
Las Piñas- 29
Pasay- 22
Muntinlupa- 15
Mandaluyong- 14
Valenzuela 11
Pateros- 7
San Juan- 7
Malabon- 2
Navotas- 1
In November 2023, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) proposed the mandatory registration of e-bikes, saying that only registered e-bikes should be allowed to use public roads.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent report? Are you convinced that by design, electric bikes and electric tricycles were not really made to be safe for its drivers and passengers when traveling along major roads? Are you convinced that e-bikes and e-trikes are so slow moving, they made the flow of traffic on major roads worse? When do you think the LTO will come up with major reforms needed to have all e-bikes and e-trikes regulated and registered? Have you reached out to your city’s council members to have all electric bikes banned from traveling on major roads? Did you spot any e-trike in your city driven by minors recently?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Recently in the progressive City of Muntinlupa, the City Government of Muntinlupa announced that its total revenue collected in 2023 reached P6.4 billion which is an improvement of over 3% over the 2022 revenue, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…
The Muntinlupa City government collected P6.4 billion revenue in 2023, translating to a higher collection efficiency rating.
According to the City Treasurer’s Office, the P6.4 billion revenue is higher by P200 million compared to P6.2 billion collected in 2022.
The 2023 revenue translated to a 100.98 percent collection efficiency rating for the Muntinlupa City government.
City Treasurer Erwin Vibora said the higher revenue was realized through the strict implementation of local taxation and fiscal policies.
“The strategies used by the City Treasurer’s Office – Muntinlupa City to meet or exceed the targeted income is through strict implementation of local taxation and fiscal matters of the Local Government Code or Republic Act No. 7160 and the Revenue Code of Muntinlupa, following the policy and guidelines of Local Treasury Operations Manual (LTOM) of the Department of Finance – Bureau of Local Government Finance, existing laws and ordinances,” said Vibora in his report.
He said offices that achieved high revenues for the city government are: Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO) – P2.4 billion, City Treasurer’s Office – P2.3 billion, Colegio de Muntinlupa – P108 million, City Engineering Office / City Building Office – P57.5 million, and City Zoning Office – P34.2 million.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City, are you delighted with the higher revenue collected by the City Government for the year 2023? Do you consider Muntinlupa’s City Government to be transparent with regards to collections and financial transactions?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Recently at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), two foreigners who were tagged as wanted for crime got arrested by immigration officers in separate occasions before they could leave the country, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
Two foreign fugitives wanted in their countries for ciminal offenses have been arrested at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) before they could take their flights abroad.
Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Norman Tansingco identified the two fugitives as Chinese national Zhao Yaxin, 33, and Moroccan national Badr Ettachi, 32.
“They will undergo deportation proceedings as a consequence of their status as fugitives from justice and afterwards we will expel and ban them perpetually from re-entering the Philippines for being undesirable aliens,” Tansingco said in a statement issued on Sunday, Feb. 4.
Zhao and Ettachi are now detained at the BI’s Warden Facility located in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City, he said.
Citing reports from the BI’s Border Control and Intelligence Unit (BI-BCIU), Tansingco said that Zhao and Ettachi were separately intercepted by immigration officers at NAIA Terminal 3 last Jan. 27 and 28, respectively.
He said that Zhao, who was to depart for Guanzhou, China, is “one of 34 Chinese nationals whose deportation was sought by the Chinese government due to their involvement in illegal online gaming operations.”
“A warrant of detention was reportedly issued against Zhao and his cohorts by the Chanqing Hechuan distict public security bureau in China,” the BI said.
In the case of Ettachi, the BI said the Moroccan was “accused of pocketing US$60,000 intended for the salaries of seafarers and workers of a shipping vessel that was entrusted to him for delivery by a friend of the owner of the firm responsible for disbursing the said payroll money.”
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the BI is doing a good job intercepting undesirable foreigners?
In what is clearly another effort to emphasize tourism in the Philippines and encourage stakeholders to be more active, the national government announced the revival of the Philippine Tourism Awards (PTA) which will recognize achievements and achievers in tourism, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news report. Some parts in boldface…
The national government is set to recognize the country’s outstanding travel stakeholders through the revival of the Philippine Tourism Awards (PTA) this year.
The Department of Tourism (DOT) launched the 2024 PTA, which is envisioned to become the “highest and most prestigious citation” in the Philippine tourism sector.
Tourism Secretary Frasco said the PTA will recognize hotels, resorts, destinations, local government units, tourism front-liners, homestays, MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) venues, and other tourism stakeholders who continue to promote sustainable travel and the Filipino brand of service excellence, among others.
“It is important for us to give these awards and recognition because it encourages the continuous increase in quality of tourism services. It fosters excellence in ensuring the services to our tourists as well as encourages healthy competition among our destinations,” she said in an interview during the PTA launch at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay on Friday.
The inaugural PTA will have two major categories this year: the Philippine Tourism Pillar Awards and the Philippine Tourism Industry Awards.
The Philippine Tourism Pillars Awards will be accorded to pioneers and institutions who have made noteworthy contributions to the rise of tourism in the country.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Tourism Industry Awards will be a periodic national recognition program for both the private and public sectors involved in the development and promotion of Philippine tourism.
Application for the Tourism Pillars Awards is until March 8 while submission for the Tourism Industry Awards will be accepted until March 30.
Application is free of charge, the DOT said.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the tourism industry of the Philippines has more than enough participants and tourism-oriented activities to justify the holding of the PTA? If you are managing a tourism-related business, how important are awards for you?
Recently in the progressive City of Muntinlupa, a memorandum of agreement (MOA) was signed by officials of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) and Filinvest Malls inside Festival Mall in Filinvest City which should enhance voter accessibility through the local implementation of the Register Anywhere Program (RAP), according to a social media post by Festival Mall dated February 7, 2024.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the social media post of Festival Mall. Some parts in boldface…
In a move to enhance voter accessibility, Filinvest Malls becomes the first mall chain to sign a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), launching the Register Anywhere Program (RAP) during a contract signing ceremony at Festival Mall on February 7, 2024. Tristan Las Marias, President & CEO of Filinvest Land, Inc., and COMELEC Chairman George Erwin Garcia, solidified their commitment to RAP during the ceremony.
Operational from February 12 to September 30, 2024, RAP will establish registration sites in key Filinvest Mall locations, including Festival Mall (Alabang), Main Square (Bacoor), Fora Mall (Tagaytay), and IL Corso (Cebu). This initiative seeks to enhance the efficiency of the voter registration process, prioritizing accessibility and community involvement. These locations have been strategically selected to ensure easy access for diverse communities.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City who happens to need voter-related registration soon, would you avail of the RAP service at Festival Mall? Do you think the agreement between Filinvest Malls and COMELEC will make a huge impact with current voters as well as aspiring voters?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
In the 2024 edition of the ASEAN Tourism Awards held recently in Laos, the Philippines won big as three cities and more than twenty stakeholders won honors, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news report. Some parts in boldface…
Three cities and 21 tourism stakeholders from the Philippines have been recognized during the 2024 ASEAN Tourism Standard Awards in Vientiane, Laos.
The awarding ceremony was one of the activities in the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2024 which ran from Jan. 22 to 27, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said in a news release on Wednesday.
The cities of Baguio in Benguet, Ilagan in Isabela, and Tabuk in Kalinga were awarded as the ASEAN Clean Tourist City, the Department of Tourism
According to ASEAN Tourism Standards, these are the areas where the flow of visitors and where cultural, natural and/or man-made attractions exist.
Prime Properties Pearl Farm Beach Resort, Club Paradise Palawan, Bohol Beach Club, Seda Nuvali, and The Forest Lodge at Camp John Hay won the ASEAN Green Hotel Award.
This citation is given to hotel industry players whose operations are based on the achievement of sustainable tourism through environment-friendly principles, human resource development, resource consumption reduction, and local community involvement.
About 15 Philippine venues were given the ASEAN Meeting, Incentive, Convention, Exhibition (MICE) Venue Awards granted to physical spaces with quality facilities and impressive services, designed and provided for MICE activities with purposes for meetings, exhibitions, and events.
The major criteria for the awards encompass the standards of physical aspects, venue management, and people working within venues that competitively meet the requirements of MICE travelers. It is divided into three categories: room, exhibition venue, and event venue category.
Properties Bai Hotel Cebu, Clark Marriott Hotel, Hilton Clark Sun Valley Resort, Princesa Garden Island Resort & Spa, Seda Hotel Nuvali won the meeting room category; World Trade Center Metro Manila (Manila Exposition Complex), SMX Convention Center Manila, Cordillera Convention Hall by Baguio Country Club, Isabela Convention Center (ICON), and Iloilo Convention Center won the exhibition hall category; and Palacio del Sur by Marcian Group, Jpark Island Resort & Waterpark Cebu, Infinity Garden by Baguio Country Club, CAP-John Hay Trade and Cultural Center, Princesa Garden Island Resort and Spa by Modern Asia, Inc. were named as the winners for the event venue category.
Meantime, Palawan-based property Daluyon Beach and Mountain Resort was named as a lead partner for “Enchanting Gastronomical Sabang Delights, Beach Forest and Caves” under the ASEAN Sustainable Tourism Awards.
Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said the winners made not only significant revenue contributions but also employed millions of Filipinos.
“These achievements reflect not only the excellence and dedication that you have put in with the development of tourism but also contribute significantly to the overall advancement and sustainability of the ASEAN tourism industry,” she said.
A total of 192 ASEAN Tourism Standards Awards were given to the member countries.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Are you delighted with the many awards the Philippines won at the ASEAN Tourism Awards? If you are running a local business that benefits from the inflow of tourists, does this development encourage you to move your business deeper into the tourism industry? Do you consider the Philippines more competitive with its Southeast Asian neighbors when it comes to tourism?
As far as the chief economists of the Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) and China Banking Corp. are concerned, the recovery of Philippine tourism is still lacking and a lot more needs to be done which includes relying on tourists from China, according to a BusinessWorld news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the BusinessWorld news report. Some parts in boldface…
THE RECOVERY of the tourism market lags the rest of the region due to infrastructure constraints and the slow rebound of visitor arrivals from China, analysts said.
Michael L. Ricafort, chief economist of Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., said the Philippines’ tourism performance was lagging even before the pandemic.
“There has been a lot of catching up since the pandemic and also even before the pandemic with other ASEAN or Asian neighboring countries,” Mr. Ricafort said in a Viber message.
“This is largely due to infrastructure constraints that limit the capacity of airports and accommodation and MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, & exhibitions) facilities to cater to a much larger number of foreign tourists,” he added.
Mr. Ricafort said upgrades are needed to airports, particularly the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), which will share future traffic to and from the capital with the Bulacan and Sangley airports.
“There is a need as well as for integrated tour packages that will be cheaper and more convenient to attract more foreign tourists,” he said.
“There is also a need for more mass transport systems such as railways that are integrated into major airports to make it more convenient for local and foreign tourists to travel,” he added.
China Banking Corp. Chief Economist Domini S. Velasquez said slow growth can be attributed to geographical constraints and absence of Chinese tourists.
“The Philippines lags behind its other ASEAN neighbors in terms of tourist arrivals, which can be attributed partly to geographical constraints, as the country cannot be accessed by land,” Ms. Velasquez said in a Viber message.
“However, another factor contributing to the below-target numbers, especially during the pandemic, is the absence of Chinese tourists,” she added.
Before the pandemic, China was the country’s second top source of international arrivals after South Korea. However, China only ranked fifth last year.
South Korea remained the top source of international visitors accounting for 26.41%, followed by the US (16.57%), Japan (5.61%), Australia (4.89%), and China (4.84 %).
“The sluggish growth and high unemployment in China have hindered the phenomenon known as “revenge travel,” wherein Chinese tourists typically exhibit strong travel demand. As a result, the expected influx of Chinese tourists has been limited,” Ms. Velasquez said.
Mr. Ricafort said the Philippines has strong potential in further growing the tourism economy with much room to improve in many elements of the product offering.
“The tourism business is low-hanging fruit that can generate more business, employment, and other economic activities as a major source of growth or a bright spot for the economy,” he said.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you agree with the analysts’ findings as to why Philippine tourism is still lacking and what should be done to improve it? Do you think the Department of Tourism (DOT) should focus more on attracting tourists from other nations instead of depending so much on China? What do you think are the five biggest problems of Philippine tourism right now? Do you think the DOT should be more active in promoting local film festivals, fashion shows, sports events and food tours to foreigners?
Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!
In this edition of the Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) series, we will examine print ads from the 1980s and 1990s that caught my attention and I will explain why these are worth look back at.
For the newcomers reading this, Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) looks back at the many print ads of games (console, arcade, computer and handheld) that were published in comic books, magazines, flyers and newspapers long before smartphones, social media, the worldwide web and streaming became popular. Back in the old days, many gamers trusted the print media a lot for information and images about games.
With those details laid down, here is the latest batch of retro gaming print ads for you to see and enjoy…
1. Popeye multiplatform print ad
A fine example of promoting the Popeye video game on multiple platforms visually.
During the early 1980s, an arcade game based on Popeye was released and it became a hit with gamers who lined up and inserted coins to play. That game, which had three stages, was eventually ported by Parker Brothers to multiple platforms of Atari, ColecoVision, Intellivision, T.I. and Commodore.
The print ad you see above is a classic display of how one particular game appeared as a multiplatform release. The screenshots showed different versions of the Popeye game on multiple Atari platforms plus the others. See how different the game looks on each platform? The level of visual details and elements varied from one another as each machine had different specs that Parker Brothers had to adjust to. This is a fine example of promoting one game for different machines for those who love video games.
2. Kool-Aid Man Video Game print ad
I never got to play this Kool-Aid Man video game.
Remember Kool-Aid? For the newcomers reading this, Kool-Aid was a very popular product line of flavored juice drinks sold in powdered form. I myself used to mix Kool-Aid with ice-cold water and enjoyed drinking it. In 1954, a promotion of Kool-Aid with a touch of entertainment happened by highlighting the character Kool-Aid Man (famously known as the walking and talking pitcher filled with Kool-Aid juice). In later years, the Kool-Aid Man was often shown breaking through walls saying the line “Oh yeah!”.
The Kool-Aid Man gained tremendous attention as a pop culture figure in the 1980s when a new series of advertisements and promotions happened branching into video games and even comic books. The above print ad was a clever move to promote Kool-Aid as a drink as well as a video game for the Intellivision and the Atari 2600 consoles. Even if you were not too fond of video games in the 1980s, the Kool-Aid game ad would still make you think about the drink. Clever and entertaining!
3. Zombies Ate My Neighbors game print ad
I saw the 2-page ad many times in comic books and video game magazines.
Going into the 1990s, Konami’s print ad of the video game Zombies Ate My Neighbors (for Super Nintendo Entertainment System and Sega Genesis) appeared a lot in the comic books I read when I was much younger. Having seen lots of horror movies – including zombie flicks – the ad easily caught my attention not because of the screenshots but because of the visual style used. For one thing, there was this 1950s America-inspired imagery on the photo of the scared woman with three zombies slowly approaching her. As for the game itself, there were plenty of small-sized screenshots that had lots of interesting details and pixel art (note: 3D polygons in video games were not yet common back then) which gave me a clear idea that it was a humor and horror-laced 2D adventure. Not only that, the text descriptions combined with the fake quotes added zest into the presentation. After having examined all the details carefully, I really felt like Zombies Ate My Neighbors would be a fun-filled game to play on the SNES.
4. Lunar: The Silver Star print ad
With anime artwork used, it was easy to have the impression that the original Lunar game was based on an existing anime series or movie.
In the early 1990s, Game Arts developed and released the Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) Lunar: The Silver Star on the Mega CD platform in Japan which in some ways was also a technological breakthrough – the game came with full motion video (for short videos), animated images, and CD-quality sound (that really made the soundtrack lively to listen to). After achieving critical and commercial success in Japan, the game was picked-up by Working Designs to be localized and released in the North American market for the Sega CD (the American counterpart of the Mega CD) platform. In promoting the game for American Sega CD owners as well as American gamers in general, a print ad highlighting anime images with five screenshots and only a few words was published on both comic books and magazines.
Even though Lunar: The Silver Star’s core concept was never described in the ad, the anime imagery was still eye-catching and the chosen screenshots gave viewers a preview of the gameplay and the animated images. That being said, it was no surprise that gamers who happened to be a bit interested in anime noticed the print ad. At the same time, the ad gave some gamers the impression that Lunar was a game based on an existing anime franchise. This approach on game advertising was daring and it happened at a time when Japanese RPGs had a limited audience among gamers in North America.
5. Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete print ad
In the 2nd half of the 1990s, a remake of Lunar: The Silver Star was released in Japan titled Lunar: Silver Star Story for Sega Saturn (1996), Sony PlayStation (1998) and Windows PC (1998). While it still maintained the 2D visuals for presentation, gameplay and exploration, the remake had smooth anime sequences, new artworks, better sound effects and music. Working Designs pounced on the opportunity to localize the game in America for PlayStation and released it in 1999 with the title Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete. Not only did Working Designs work hard on localizing the game (the English dubbing and singing of the game’s songs were meticulously done), they released it with a very lavish packaging with the dedicated fans and collectors in mind.
By looking at the above print ad that magazines published, Working Designs highlighted the positive feedback quotes from EGM, Gamers’ Republic, PSM and Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine to convince gamers Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete is a great game. While the screenshots showed what kind of eye candy gamers could expect, Working Designs made sure that they would know that the lavish package includes 4 discs (2 game discs, 1 music CD and 1 CD that had video documentary of the making of Lunar), a full-color map in the form of a cloth, and a hardbound art book and instruction manual.
Considering the dynamism of the Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete print ad and the game’s packaging, I can only speculate that Working Designs had to do it aggressively because the gaming landscape changed dramatically as 3D polygonal graphics became the standard while lots of other Japanese RPGs from different publishers were released in 1999 (including the sequels Suikoden II and Final Fantasy VIII) and many of them had more elaborate game designs and visual presentations. Eventually market forces and unfortunate business events led Working Designs to closing down permanently in 2005.
6. Star Wars: Jedi Arena print ad
Remember when Luke Skywalker tested his lightsaber skills with the floating Seeker in the 1977 movie?
Back in the early 1980s, Parker Brothers was very active releasing games on the Atari 2600 console which my family had. At that same time, Star Wars was very popular (and without the wokeness and identity politics garbage of Kathleen Kennedy and woke Disney) and any new game based on the sci-fi franchise was something to be excited for. In the above print ad of Star Wars: Jedi Arena, an artwork showing the iconic her Luke Skywalker testing his lightsaber skills with the floating Seeker ball was displayed and located between Luke’s legs is a monitor showing the screenshot of the game. Looking at the text description, Parker Brothers creatively focused on the aspect of the Jedi way of using the lightsaber interacting with the Seeker ball. Having played the game myself, I can say the ad was creative and pretty much captured the core concept of the game.
Recently in the province, agents of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) arrested three Chinese nationals for visa-related violations, according to a news article by the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news report. Some parts in boldface…
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Friday reported the recent arrest of three foreigners in Ligao City, Albay for visa violations.
In a statement, BI intelligence division chief Fortunato Manahan Jr. said the case originated from the information from the Bureau’s Legazpi District Office against Chinese nationals Li Xiaodong, Shi Jiazhu, and Shi Yushuang, who were arrested last Jan. 24 for violating the limitations and conditions of their visas.
Verification of their records revealed that the foreigners, who initially underwent biometrics scanning for health reasons, were actually employed in different Metro Manila companies, which is clear violation of their visa limitations.
The foreigners were found by the intelligence agents to be working at a hardware and merchandise companies despite their visas.
“Our intelligence efforts, combined with effective operations, ensure that visa violators are identified and apprehended promptly. This operation underscores the importance of strict adherence to visa conditions,” Manahan said.
The three were transported to the BI Main Office in Intramuros in Manila for proper booking procedures, medical examinations, and legal disposition.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Are you concerned that there could be even more Chinese nationals here in the Philippines engaging in illegal activities? Are happy that immigration officials arrested the foreigners for violating their visa limitations and conditions?
Author Carlo Carrasco 