Author Carlo Carrasco

Sea of Stars is an enjoyable RPG and you should play it on Xbox now!

January 5, 2024January 2, 2024carlocarrasco

Welcome back, fellow gamers, geeks, role-playing games (RPGs) enthusiasts and fantasy lovers!

In recent times, I completed my first playthrough of Starfield on my Xbox Series X and it lasted me over 220 hours of fun, discoveries and intriguing moments. Having played it so long, I will replay Starfield with a new playthrough only after Bethesda implements the next series of patches/updates (to refine the game) and release the planned downloadable content (DLC).

That being said, I finally started playing the inspired Japanese-style role-playing game (RPG) Sea of Stars on my Xbox Series X. Having played some hours of it, I can say that I am really enjoying Sea of Stars and I intend to finish it. Oh yes, Sea of Stars is available on Xbox Game Pass (XGP) right now!

*This is one of many great looking scenes composed of really fine 2D art style and pixel artistry in Sea of Stars.*

Developed by Sabotage Studio, Sea of Stars is a turn-based RPG with a strong retro feel that will remind you of past Japanese RPGs (JRPGs) like Chrono Trigger and Secret of Mana. The game follows the exploits of two Children of the Solstice who combine the powers of the sun and moon to perform Eclipse Magic, the only force capable of fending off the monstrous creations of the evil alchemist known as The Fleshmancer. Along the way, the two Children of Solstice start a quest joined by their friend and together they travel to different places encountering different inhabitants and engage in situations that only they can solve.

Having played Chrono Trigger, Secret of Mana, Final Fantasy IV, Final Fantasy VI and a lot of JRPGs from the so-called 16-bit era of console gaming, I can say that Sea of Stars is a very inspired game that has lots of elements common with the mentioned games (plus more) with regards to art style, gameplay, quests, music, character development and visual presentation. To put it short, the guys at Sabotage Studio took a lot of inspiration from the classic JRPGs to make something fun for this current console generation. I am having a lot of fun with the game which itself is available for Xbox Game Pass (XGP) subscribers to avail.

*An important meeting about to happen in the game.*

*This is just a part of the world map of Sea of Stars.*

In my experience and recollections from the past, Sea of Stars has visual style that is best compared with Chrono Trigger. Sabotage Studio really created a lot of nice looking 2D artworks and highly detailed sprites that made the new game look lively. With regards to the storytelling , character development and character expressions, the game has a wholesome tone that never felt childish. The tone as well as the humor made Sea of Stars comparable with several Japanese RPGs from the 16-bit age of consoles.

*You will encounter really interesting characters who will join your party as the game progresses.*

Sea of Stars is really fun to play and it is a great change of pace and style for me as I finished my Starfield playthrough which lasted more than 220 hours. This Sabotage Studio game will help ease my wait for the expected 2024 RPGs such as Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes and the Xbox-exclusive Avowed. As much as I hope to see past JRPGs like Xenogears, Breath of Fire and Lunar get remastered and released for Xbox consoles (and XGP), I know such possibilities remain uncertain and Sabotage Studio’s game easily fills the void. If you are looking for a Japanese-style RPG that is fun, nostalgic and visually pleasing, you can’t go wrong with Sea of Stars. Go for the game on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Windows PC and Xbox Game Pass now!

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Philippines attracts 5.45 million international visitors and generates P482.54 billion in revenue in 2023

January 5, 2024January 2, 2024carlocarrasco

The success of the Philippines attracting visitors from overseas and generating the related revenue in 2023 has finally been confirmed by the newly released numbers from the Department of Tourism (DOT): 5,450,557 international visitors and P482.54 billion (US$8.7 billion according to the foreign exchange rate of January 2, 2024) in tourism revenue, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.

For the newcomers reading this, the final 2023 statistics exceeded the declared targets of 4.8 million international tourists and US$5.8 billion revenue. For further comparison, the Philippines attracted 2.65 million international arrivals and over P200 billion in revenue for the year 2022. To say the least, 2023 is undeniably a successful year for Philippine tourism and it seems that the controversial blunder behind the “Love the Philippines” tourism campaign did not lead to a massive failure (which the enemies and haters of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., have been dreaming of).

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…

The Philippines welcomed a total of 5,450,557 international visitors in 2023, well above the 4.8 million target arrivals the Department of Tourism (DOT) earlier set for the entire year.

Of this number, 91.80 percent or 5,003,475 are foreigners while the remaining are 447,082 overseas Filipinos.

From January to Dec. 31, 2023, the country also generated an estimated PHP482.54 billion in international tourism revenue, more than double the receipts it recorded in 2022.

“My deepest appreciation goes to every tourism stakeholder, collaborative partner, and passionate contributor who propelled our shared aspirations forward. Under President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr.’s guiding vision and leadership, tourism has become a pivotal force driving our nation’s economic resurgence,” Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said in a statement Tuesday.

“These numbers speak very well of the performance of the tourism industry under the Marcos Administration,” she added.

She said the DOT will continue its work to “realize the vision of this administration to make tourism a catalyst for economic growth and resurgence.”

More than a quarter or 1,439,336 of the arrivals came from South Korea, retaining its spot as the country’s main source of international visitors.

This was followed by the United States with 903,299 tourists (16.57 percent) visiting the country; Japan with 305,580 (5.61 percent); Australia with 266,551 (4.89 percent); and China with 263,836 (4.84 percent). Ranking sixth was Canada followed by Taiwan, the United Kingdom, Singapore, and Malaysia.

Frasco said the 2023 visitor receipts also show that the tourism industry is “recovering faster than expected.”

The country’s 2023 international tourism receipts grew by 124.87 percent compared with the PHP214.58 billion estimated visitor receipts from 2022.

Before the pandemic in 2019, the DOT recorded PHP482.15 billion in international tourism receipts.

In 2023, the DOT’s marketing arm the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) generated PHP6.317 billion in total sales leads both from international and local business-to-business and promotional events.

While reintroducing Filipino destinations before the global tourism arena, the Philippines represented by Frasco last year was also elected Vice President of the 25th General Assembly of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), a prestigious global position last held by the country more than two decades ago.

She was also elected as chair of the Commission for East Asia and the Pacific, allowing the country to host the Joint Regional Meetings of the Committee for East Asia and the Pacific and South Asia in Cebu in 2024.

The Philippines in 2023 bagged at least 15 travel and tourism honors from prestigious award-giving bodies in diving, beach, cruise, culinary, retirement, and Muslim-friendly tourism, “a testament that the Philippines is indeed an emerging tourism powerhouse.”

“The extraordinary journey of Philippine tourism in 2023 saw the world express its love for the Philippines with our country’s rise to global prominence as the World’s Leading Beach and Dive Destination, and Asia’s Best Cruise Destination, among many other accolades,” Frasco said.

“The indomitable spirit of the Filipino has been globally acclaimed with the Philippines receiving the Global Tourism Resilience Award with our country seen as a benchmark for innovation amidst trials and challenges,” she added.

By 2024, the DOT targets 7.7 million international visitors, around 500,000 lower than the country’s pre-pandemic arrivals of 8.2 million.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the Philippines will be able to meet its declared 2024 target of 7.7 million international visitors and possibly generate between P600 billion to P700 billion in tourism revenue? Did anyone from the haters/critics of President Marcos and Secretary Frasco bother you to make you believe that Philippine tourism will fail because of the “Love the Philippines” campaign blunder that was so widely reported in the mainstream news media?

Going back to tourism, do you think the Philippines should have more international-level fashion shows, film festivals, worship conferences, food festivals, sports events and trade shows to make the nation more attractive to visitors from overseas?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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A Look Back at Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #1 (1993)

January 4, 2024December 30, 2023carlocarrasco

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the early 1990s and explore a part of the Valiant Comics shared universe through a tale of a very notable illustrated literature character named Turok.

I say very notable because Turok, an Indian (North American native), started in comics in the 1950s published by Western Publishing through its licensee Dell Comics. The comic book series Turok: Son of Stone started from 1956 until the early 1980s. In 1989, Valiant Comics was established by former Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Jim Shooter and business partner Steven Massarsky which was the result of a failed 1988 attempt to purchase Marvel Entertainment. In 1991, Valiant published Magnus: Robot Fighter and Solar: Man of the Atom as its early titles which is notable because both characters were licensed properties from Gold Key Comics (which itself was involved in the original Turok series).

Then in 1992, a newer version of Turok was introduced by Valiant Comics in the 12^th issue of Magnus: Robot Fighter and subsequently the character (along with established side-kick Andar) became involved in the Unity storyline which was Valiant’s first major crossover comics event. By the time Unity ended, the road was cleared for Valiant to further emphasize Turok for the modern comic book readers of the time.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #1, published in 1993 by Valiant Comics with a story written by David Michelinie and drawn by Bart Sears.

Early story

The story begins in Colombia (note: written as Columbia in the comic book) in South America in the year 1987. Deep in the forest, Turok performs a ritual believing that his spirit is getting cleansed and purified. He remembers the times when he and Andar discovered a land – filled with dinosaurs and other animals they never encountered previously – where time no longer held much meaning.

He and Andar got involved in an armed conflict with invaders who arrived with advanced technologies. The robot fighter Magnus then got involved and helped Turok and their side turn the tide of battle. Eventually a stunning phenomenon happened as a woman who called herself Mothergod appeared. Turok and Andar foolishly submitted themselves to her and soon, they started operating in her service with violence against those who opposed her.

After encountering Archer and Armstrong, Turok realized the error of his devotion to Mothergod and eventually joined forces with Rai, X-O Manowar and others who waged battle against her.

Back in the present, an intelligent, cybernetically enhance dinosaur attacks Turok…

Quality

*Very intense violence drawn by Bart Sears which reflected the high intensity of Turok’s fight with the dinosaurs.*

To get straight to the point here, when it comes to emphasizing a new version of Turok for comic book readers in the early 1990s, the creative team was quite successful in achieving that goal. By the time I reached the end of this comic book, Turok’s place within the huge shared universe of Valiant got established solidly and the Michelinie-Sears duo dramatized the Indian’s struggle (being lost in time and far away from where he belongs) in South America in the late 1980s.

Being lost in time and having to deal with deadly, intelligent dinosaurs brought not only the warrior within Turok but also the determine survivor in him as well. There is a good amount of character emphasis of Turok which served as an effective balance to all the spectacle (read: uncompromised bloody violence) the creative duo prepared. Instead of using thought balloons, you will read Turok’s thoughts through narration boxes all throughout which made an effective and interesting reading experience.

Considering his great skills in hunting and fighting, Turok is not really a super protagonist. He is as vulnerable as any other person and you will get to see him suffer and become so helpless, he has no choice but to avail of assistance from South American villagers who lived by the land but are themselves very vulnerable to the savagery of the intelligent dinosaurs. The symbolism regarding vulnerability as well as the ramifications of the Unity crossover on this tale is very strong. This is indeed very solid writing by Michelinie.

As for the art, Sears’ work here is very unique and his style on drawing people, monsters and locations made this comic book a visual standout among 1993 comic books. When it comes to the graphic violence, it is clear to me that Sears enjoyed the creative freedom he got and he really emphasized his imagination as to how gruesome violence caused by dinosaurs on human beings would be. That being said, there are lots of violent action scenes and images of physical damage (damage on the flesh specifically) that remain visually disturbing to this day.

Conclusion

*Very foolishly, Turok and Andar submitted themselves to a walking, evil idol. This should remind you that idolatry is both foolish and unholy.*

Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #1 (1993) works nice as modern portrayal of Turok and it succeeds in establishing his place within Valiant’s comic book universe thanks primarily to the Michelinie-Sears duo. Turok himself is not exactly an interesting protagonist to me but I can say it is the creators’ way of portraying him that makes the plot and the comic book work as an entertainment piece. I also liked the way Turok was emphasized as a character who got lost not only in time but also dimensionally lost as he has to live within a whole new world while focusing on survival as well as his desire to kill his rival Mon-Ark (the intelligent dinosaur). If you know your American pop culture history, you will realize that this comic book incidentally paved the way for the Turok video games (starting with 1997’s Turok: Dinosaur Hunter of Nintendo 64) that happened years later.

Overall, Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #1 (1993) is recommended.

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2024 business permit renewal processing in Muntinlupa City ongoing

January 4, 2024January 20, 2024carlocarrasco

UPDATE: Muntinlupa City officially extended the deadline to January 31, 2024 according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

Recently in the City of Muntinlupa, the City Government announced that it has formally launched on January 2, 2024, the annual processing of applications for business permits – both new and renewals) at the Muntinlupa Sports Center in Barangay Tunasan, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. As of this writing, the entire process will last until January 20, 2024, but an extension of the deadline might be declared as with prior years.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…

According to the city government, the renewal of business permits will be held from Jan. 2 to 20 at the Muntinlupa Sports Center.

Business owners can also apply business permits online through the Business E-Payment System (BESt).

According to the Muntinlupa Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO), the requirements for the renewal of business permits this year are:

1 BIR Monthly/Quarterly Payments for 2023 (photocopy and original)

– Form No. 2550Q/2551Q/2550M

– Form No. 1701Q/1702Q

2. Audited financial statements duly filed before the SEC/BIR (for the period covering two years prior) / Annual Income Tax Return

3. Previous Mayor’s Permit

4. Declaration of gross sales:

a. Notarized Certificate of Gross Sales for 2023

b. If financial documents are consolidated”

– Notarized certificate of breakdown of gross sales per branch for 2023

– 2023 Business Permits/Assessment from other LGUs

– Official Receipts/Sales Invoices/Journals/ POS Reports, etc. (if applicable)

c. Certificate of gross sales for 2023 from the mall admin (if business is located in the mall)

5. Others

a. Copy of 2024 cedula from head office (If business is a branch only)

b. Certification from market administrator (If business is located in Alabang Central Market)

c. Authorization letter and valid ID for representatives

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 plans to start a business locally, do you find the list of requirements intimidating? Do you think it is inevitable for the City Government to announce a deadline extension?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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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

BIR imposes 1% withholding tax on online merchants with annual earnings of over P500,000

January 3, 2024December 30, 2023carlocarrasco

Those who engage with selling online here in the Philippines and earn over P500,000 annually will have a new normal to live with as the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) officially imposed the 1% withholding tax on online merchants that are found qualified, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article. Take note that BIR had been targeting online sellers previously and the Department of Finance (DOF) asserted that online sellers should be subject to the same tax obligations as traditional brick-and-mortar business owners for the sake of fairness.

In the year 2022, the digital economy of the Philippines contributed P2.08 trillion, equivalent to 9.4% of gross domestic product. Of this, e-commerce had the highest growth at 26.5%, with its share to the economy reaching 20% or P416.12 billion.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has announced that online merchants with earnings amounting to more than PHP500,000 annually are now subject to a 1-percent withholding tax.

BIR Revenue Regulation 16-2023, issued last December 21, said the withholding tax will apply to one-half of the gross remittances by electronic marketplace operators and digital financial services providers to the sellers or merchants for the goods or services sold through their platform.

The BIR defines an electronic marketplace as a “digital service platform whose business is to connect online buyers/consumers with online sellers/merchants, facilitate and conclude the sales, process the payment of the products, goods or services through such digital platform, or facilitate the shipment of goods or provide logistic services and post-purchase support within such platforms.”

These include marketplaces for online shopping, food delivery platform, and platform for accommodation booking.

The BIR clarified, however, that the withholding tax will not be imposed if the annual total gross remittances to an online seller do not exceed PHP500,000.

The withholding tax shall not apply “if the cumulative gross remittances to an online seller/merchant in a taxable year has not yet exceeded PHP500,000,” the BIR said.

Sellers subject to a lower income tax rate pursuant to any existing law are also excluded.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the BIR made the right move? Do you think the imposition of the 1% withholding tax on online sellers (that made over P500,000 annually) will have a significant impact on e-commerce here in the Philippines? If you were planning to sell goods or services online, does the 1% withholding tax discourage you?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

LTO suspends license of controversial taxi driver

January 3, 2024December 30, 2023carlocarrasco

During the past Christmas season, it was widely reported in the local media that a certain taxi driver charged his passengers (foreigners) several thousands of Pesos at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) which was recorded on video which in turn became viral online. Very recently, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) suspended for 90 days the driver’s license of the controversial taxi driver, according to a news report by the Daily Tribune.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Daily Tribune news report. Some parts in boldface…

The Land Transportation Office has issued a 90-day preventive suspension on the driver’s license of a taxi driver caught in a viral video charging P10,000 fare to a foreign tourist at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

In the Show Cause Order issued to the driver of the taxi with license plate ABG 7845, LTO chief Atty. Vigor D. Mendoza II said that the driver was ordered to explain why no sanction would be imposed for violations of at least three provisions of the Joint Administrative Order 2014-01 for overcharging passengers, discourteous and arrogant to passengers and violation of the franchise.

Citing the result of the investigation, Mendoza said the taxi driver was identified as Arnel Acle.

“Under the guidance of Department of Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, we are now coordinating with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board on the sanctions that may be imposed on the operator of the taxi,” Mendoza said.

Bautista earlier disclosed that the entire fleet of the taxi company that owns the cab will no longer be allowed to operate at the NAIA as Mendoza also stressed that the incident was a clear violation of the law.

He added that the investigation they conducted led to the identification of the taxi through a CCTV and later resulted in the identification of the driver.

To recall, the taxi was seen in parking area of the taxi company in Valenzuela City and based on the statement of the operator after the video went viral, Acle told them that he would go on vacation in his province.

Acle, however, did not report for work since he last appeared to remit his earnings to the taxi owner on 19 December and is believed to have gone into hiding.

“We are now coordinating with the Philippine National Police and our local offices to locate this man,” Mendoza said.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the suspension issued by the LTO will send a strong message to errant drivers that they will be held accountable for their actions?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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People who sold firecrackers online arrested by PNP

January 2, 2024December 28, 2023carlocarrasco

During the past Christmas season, varied elements of the Philippine National Police (PNP) staged different operations that resulted in the arrests of people who engaged in the online selling of firecrackers, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has arrested five online firecracker sellers since Dec. 19 in separate entrapment operations, a police official said on Thursday.

In a statement, Col. Jay Guillermo, chief of the PNP-Anti-Cybercrime Group’s (ACG) Cyber Response Unit, said the entrapment operation stemmed from the directive of the PNP leadership to intensify its drive against the illegal manufacture and sale of firecrackers and pyrotechnic materials.

“My personal take on this is that these can be used by criminals. They can buy firecrackers with a huge amount of gunpowder and if you combine them all, they can turn into explosives. There is a need to regulate the sale of these firecrackers so that we can monitor who buys them,” he said.

Guillermo said ACG operatives contacted online sellers for the purchase of firecrackers during the conduct of regular cyber patrol.

He identified the suspects as Jaymar Sandoval, 22, and Eugene Macasaet, 23, who were arrested in an entrapment operation at Barangay San Ramon in Dinalupihan, Bataan on Thursday morning.

Seized during the operation were two bundles of kwitis (rocket), one sawa 1,800 rounds firecracker, one box piccolo firecracker, and three bundles of five colors with the total amount of PHP5,300

At around 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Victoria So, a female seller, met with the ACG undercover agent that resulted in her arrest in her house in Tondo, Manila.

Seized during the operation were a cellular phone, the marked money and 10 rims of prohibited firecrackers.

Two persons were recently arrested by ACG operatives in Caloocan City for selling firecrackers online.

Sabino Medenilla, 19, was arrested on Dec. 19, and Rodel Constantino, 39, was collared on Dec. 21. The suspects negotiated with ACG operatives posing as buyers of firecrackers.

Guillermo said the arrested suspects will be charged with violation of Republic Act No. 7183, or the “Act Regulating the Sale, Manufacture, Distribution, and Use of Firecrackers and Pyrotechnic Devices” in relation to Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

For this year, Guillermo said there were four police operations conducted that resulted in the arrest of 11 persons and seized PHP40,700 worth of firecrackers.

He discouraged the public from buying firecrackers sold online as this may endanger their lives.

Meanwhile, Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. called on local government units (LGUs) to strictly enforce ordinances banning the use of illegal firecrackers to minimize, if not totally eliminate injuries for the New Year revelry.

Based on DILG data, Abalos said at least 1,210 LGUs already have ordinances banning the use of harmful firecrackers in their respective localities.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think that it is indeed illegal to sell firecrackers online? Are you aware of your local government’s restrictions towards firecrackers?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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A successful 2023 for tourism in the Philippines

January 2, 2024December 27, 2023carlocarrasco

If you set aside all the politicking and hatred, you will realize that there is no denying that tourism in the Philippines (handled by the Department of Tourism under the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr.) turned out very successful over the previous year in terms of foreign tourist arrivals and tourism revenues based on the most recent statistics recorded as emphasized in the recent news article published by the Philippine News Agency (PNA). The exact and final 2023 tourism statistics should be revealed very soon.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…

As inbound and domestic travel gain momentum, tourism in the Philippines has seen a remarkable turnaround this 2023, breaching targets and continuing to generate employment to millions of Filipinos.

Based on the Department of Tourism’s (DOT) latest data, the industry already surpassed its target of 4.8 million foreign arrivals with over five million visitors recorded as of Dec. 12.

From January to November, the Philippines has hit PHP439.5 billion in foreign visitor receipts shooting past the 2022 figures of PHP208.96 billion.

This number also translates to a 95.85 percent recovery of the 2019 pre-pandemic international visitor receipts, when the country generated PHP458 billion for the same months.

As of Dec. 12, South Korea ranked first as the Philippines’ top source market with 1,341,029 arrivals, followed by the United States with 836,694; Japan with 285,655; China with 252,171; and Australia with 238,487.

Canada landed sixth place with 206,571, followed by Taiwan with 186,140, United Kingdom with 141,516, Singapore with 140,633, and Malaysia with 92,383.

“The performance of Philippine tourism this year has exceeded all expectations. And what these numbers would indicate is a robust economic growth,” Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said in her year-end assessment report.

Citing the country’s economic managers, Frasco said tourism this year has also emerged as one the “strongest pillars” of the economy, ranking second in terms of the source for growth.

“Notably, the number one source of economic growth is employment of which tourism also contributes in large number of over 5.35 million, in fact,” she said.

Roads, rest areas, flights – Since the beginning of the year, the DOT has been pushing for the construction of more rest areas and roads leading to tourist destinations across the country.

To date, the DOT and its infrastructure arm, the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), have launched ten tourist rest areas, with plans to build 18 more in 2024.

DOT’s collaboration with the Department of Public Works and Highways has also yielded 158 kilometers of tourism roads and an investment of at least PHP16 billion in tourism roads for 2023.

Frasco said the country has likewise recovered nearly 80 percent of its pre-pandemic international incoming seat capacity.

As of November 2023, there are over 1.4 million international seats available, vis-a-vis the one million recorded last year, and the 1.7 million recorded in 2019.

Frasco had also been meeting with stakeholders to relay Manila’s support for direct flights, including with France, the United Kingdom, and Italy.

Consistently ‘leading’ – The Philippines once again showcased the unrivaled charm of its beaches and underwater destinations to tourists from across the globe after bagging the World’s Leading Dive Destination and the World’s Leading Beach Destination awards at the prestigious World Travel Awards (WTA) 2023.

The country also net the Global Tourism Resilience Award for demonstrating “global leadership, pioneering vision, and innovation to overcome critical challenges and adversity while Manila was named the World’s Leading City Destination.

The DOT this year also introduced its new tourism branding “Love the Philippines” to emphasize that the Philippines has a lot more to offer than fun from its natural assets and history to its rich culture.

Along with the new campaign, the DOT sought to increase travel activities in other regions by helping them develop lesser-known tourism destinations.

The DOT launched various tourism initiatives such as the Philippine Experience Programs: Culture, Heritage, and Arts Caravan, which emphasized the country’s diverse cultural heritage and has so far staged four in Davao, Calabarzon, Bicol, and Western Visayas.

Better than expected – Leechiu Property Consultants (LPC) graded the industry’s performance as “better than expected,” saying the country’s focus on domestic travel also contributed to its resurgence in the face of “uncertainties” in key source markets such as China and Japan.

“Despite uncertainties in these external markets, the country’s focus on boosting internal tourism significantly bolstered the industry’s stability and growth,” it said.

For 2024, the DOT has set a modest target of 7.7 million foreign visitors, 500,000 less than the 8.2 million arrivals it generated before the pandemic

LPC Director for Hotel, Leisure, and Tourism Alfred Lay said South Korea has returned to about 72 percent arrivals while China only recovered 15 percent.

Lay said the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia were all in the “same boat” and have witnessed fairly low recovery rates from Chinese inbound guests but the country was still able to breach its 2023 target.

“Next year is going to be a pivotal year because where are we going to get those (2024) numbers? If the Chinese economic slowdown continues and the Japanese Yen stays where it is, maybe the Korean market will give us more but another two million more, I don’t think so,” he said.

“The 7.7 million is a very interesting target and I’m very interested to see what happens next year, to see if the Philippines has the ability to generate two million new arrivals,” he added.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? Do you think the 2024 target of 7.7 million foreign tourist arrivals is achievable even though there are uncertainties overseas that could affect the Philippines as a tourist destination? Do you think the DOT should focus more on encouraging locals to add to the tourism industry’s growth in 2024? When it comes to foreign visitor revenue, do you think the Philippines can attract P500 billion in 2024? Do you think the recent conflicts between the Philippines and China over the West Philippine Sea could negatively affect the inflow of Chinese tourists into the country this year?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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The New Year 2024

January 1, 2024December 31, 2023carlocarrasco

Happy New Year to everyone!

2024 is finally here. Whether you look back to the year that passed or look forward in the new year, never let anything nor anyone separate you from the Lord and His Word (the Holy Bible).

In my experience, 2023 was a very blessed year. The Lord blessed me when I visited Israel on a pilgrimage tour with my local church New Life Alabang. Together, we visited several significant sites in the Holy Land such as the Pool of Siloam, the Dead Sea, the Yardenit baptismal site, Hezekiah’s Tunnel, Caesarea Philippi, Nazareth, the Sea of Galilee and its region, and, of course, Jerusalem. Following God’s Word, I arrived in Israel to love and bless the Jewish people for the rest of my natural life. My support for Israel is uncompromising!

For those of you who enjoyed my Israel 2023 tour feature articles, I will be posting some more this year. As it was a blessing from the Lord, the Israel 2023 pilgrimage tour I joined was truly a blessing from Him and along the way I witnessed the Holy Bible come to life right there at the holy sites we visited. What was written in Matthew 6:33 is absolutely true!

*This image of the sun rising in the distance was from my early morning visit at the Dead Sea beach (Ein Bokek) during the Israel 2023 pilgrimage tour I joined. I took this picture.*

*This was me touching the pillar inside the Upper Room during the Israel 2023 pilgrimage tour. I’ll soon be posting new articles of Israel 2023 sites I visited.*

I am also thankful to the Lord for other blessings in the past year such as the establishment of a new business entity (my first-ever registered), the successful selling of comic books from my collection (click here to see more), the very anointed New Life Conference 2023 I attended, and the continuing reach of my official website and blog at www.CarloCarrasco.com

Speaking of my website, I am thankful to our Lord and also happy to share with you what was achieved in 2023. Over 136,000 hits (page views) worldwide were achieve in the past year with over 97,000 visitors worldwide recorded. The top f nations of hits and visitors are the Philippines, Cambodia, the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada. The 2023 numbers pushed my website’s lifetime hits to over 940,000 worldwide and I hope the figure will reach the 1,000,000 hits mark this year.

When it comes to newer developments online, I am thankful for the first-ever online donations the came in related to my website and I wish to thank all the donors for trusting my online publishing. Those who wish to donate can do so at https://carlocarrasco.com/donate/. Your donations will be very helpful in keeping my website and blog going.

January 4, 2024 will mark the 5^th anniversary of my website. Looking back to the day it all started – January 4, 2019 was a Friday – I am very happy with what was achieved with www.CarloCarrasco.com through the years. The blogging of local community developments, magnified news articles or reports, special features, Christian teachings, Christian music appreciation, entertainment pieces and other forms of content helped me achieve good connections (and the trust) of varied communities, organizations, businesses, local churches and many other people. My thanks to the Lord God for these growing achievements and connections, and I am also grateful to you readers, the local government units, the homeowners’ associations, local churches, the local news media outlets and other private entities your trust in my website and blog.

For 2024 and the future, I urge all of you readers to never lose faith in the Lord and keep living on with unwavering faith in Lord Jesus who is truly the hope of all nations! Keep moving forward with faith in Him and the Word of God. May the following scriptures below help you all…

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

John 8:12 (NKJV)

For God is one, and there is one Mediator between God and the sons of men—the true man, Jesus, the Anointed One.

1 Timothy 2:5 (TPT)

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”

John 14:6 (NLT)

For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.

John 3:16 (AMPC)

For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father [of Eternity], Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6 (AMPC)

Therefore, the honor that belongs to the Father he will now share with his Son. So if you refuse to honor the Son, you are refusing to honor the Father who sent him.

John 5:23 (TPT)

Always trust, honor and praise the Lord God as His love for the us the faithful children is endless and He made plans for each and every one of us which clearly means He will not abandon us. God’s mercy is real and His promises never fail. Learn from the scripture below…

Bless the Lord, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!

Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:

Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,

Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,

Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Psalm 103:1-5 (NKJV)

Always remember to maintain unwavering faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus to move on with the year 2024. Reject the evil ways of the world, push the idols out of the way, and reject religion, political correctness, wokeness, atheism and secularism so that you can clear your path of faith in the Lord and make room for Him in your heart. In addition, I request you all to pray for Israel to overwhelm its enemies, rescue the hostages and ultimately push back against the forces of evil. Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus!

Once again, Happy New Year!

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 12

December 29, 2023April 17, 2024carlocarrasco

Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?

I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.

#1 The 6-minute explanatory gameplay trailer of Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes – Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes, the upcoming Japanese role-playing game (Japanese RPG) set for a global release on April 23, 2024, was in the spotlight recently as publisher 505 Games released a 6-minute trailer that showcases and explain to gamers what to expect in terms of game play and features. What long-time gamers enjoyed so much about Suikoden and Suikoden II can find them also in Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes. Watch the whole trailer below…

#2 Lord Jesus lived as a Jewish man and NEVER was a Palestinian – There is so much chaos in this world and you can see that through the Palestinians (a displaced people whose leaders have long engaged in terrorism and hatred against Israel and the Jewish people) and their brainwashed supporters (the pro-Palestine freaks). In many parts of the world, a lot of pro-Palestinian believers (activists who are often rowdy, arrogant, violent and ignorant at the same time) kept shouting the big lie that Lord Jesus was a Palestinian (an overblown fantasy that spreads wickedness and deception). To push back against the lies of the pawns of the enemy (Satan), watch Israeli YouTuber Oren explain in detail the truth that Lord Jesus truly lived as a Jewish man, was born into an existing Jewish society and had Jewish people as His believers/followers (the early Christians).

#3 2023 Batman Returns reaction videos and more – For some time now, I’ve been watching varied movie reaction videos from YouTubers Ashleigh Burton, TBR Schmitt, Jen Murray and EOM Reacts. What I found very surprising was the fact that each of them published reaction videos of the 1992 superhero movie Batman Returns this year, and three of those videos were just weeks apart from each other. I posted those Batman Returns reaction videos below and I added two more related videos that should orient you about the movie.

#4 Get to know the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, Israel – This past February, I visited Israel on a pilgrimage tour. It was indeed the greatest overseas travel experience in my entire life as it was blessed and anointed by the Lord who answered my prayers to visit Israel to deepen my faith in Him. I also visited the Temple Mount in Jerusalem which is one of the most significant places to visit in the entire world. That being said, I posted below the Christian Broadcast Network’s Temple Mount special video and my personal video of my first-ever moments at the holy site.

#5 Pro-Palestine believer exposed as a LIAR! – The people who support the wicked causes of the Palestinians are clearly ignorant, misled, pretentious and dishonest. A lot of pro-Palestine people have posted videos on varied networks to spread lies and misinformation regarding history, and some of them are very young people (Generation Z) who clearly do NOT know all the details, who were fed lies by their Islamo-Leftists superiors and they are clearly not intelligent. The Palestinians are truly a displaced people and they were NEVER the indigenous people of the land of Israel! Watch the video below and enjoy.

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