foreign visitors – Page 6 – Author Carlo Carrasco

Eight foreigners (suspected scammers) arrested inside Ayala Alabang Village

November 2, 2024October 24, 2024carlocarrasco

Recently in the progressive City of Muntinlupa, eight foreigners – seven Chinese nationals and one Vietnamese citizen – suspected for scamming got arrested inside a house in Ayala Alabang Village as a result of an operation by elements of the Bureau of Immigration (BI), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), according to a Malaya Business Insight news report.

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

SEVEN Chinese and a Vietnamese suspected as scammers were arrested in an operation in Ayala Alabang Village in Muntinlupa City, the Department of Justice said yesterday.

In a statement, the DOJ said the operation, carried out with the Bureau of Immigration, National Bureau of Investigation and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission, stemmed from information provided by residents and corroborated by intelligence regarding the presence of the foreigners in the posh village.

The DOJ said three Chinese were initially nabbed, two of whom were found to be overstaying in the country, while the other one could not present any documentation.

It said one of the three served for a time as a manager of a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub in Porac, Pampanga.

“Upon entry, there was a live computer operated by a Chinese individual. When read by an interpreter, the screen showed scripts used in a standard phishing scam,” the DOJ said, adding operatives also found a voice-over IP, an equipment usually used in telephone scams to avoid detection.

Four Chinese and the Vietnamese were later arrested.

The DOJ said four failed to present documentation and were considered illegally staying in the country.

“One Chinese national, though not lacking in documentation, is suspected to have harbored the illegal aliens in violation of immigration laws,” the DOJ said.

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 concerned that scammers from overseas could be living somewhere in your local community secretly doing illegal operations? Do you think that foreign POGO workers could be secretly staying in your village right now? Do you think the seven arrested Chinese nationals could be spies of Communist China?

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 engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

Rehabilitation of airport begins as government formally turns over NAIA operations to San Miguel-led group

September 19, 2024September 18, 2024carlocarrasco

The rehabilitation of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) has officially started as a result of the government’s recent turnover of airport operations to the New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC) which is a San Miguel-led group, according to a news report by GMA Network. To be clear, the government still owns NAIA and the operations will be handed back by the private group many years from now. Over P140 billion will be invested on managing and improving the NAIA.

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

The government turned over Saturday the operation of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) to the San Miguel-led New NAIA Infra Corp., setting in motion the rehabilitation of the Philippines’ main gateway.

In a news release, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said key officials of the agency and Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) handed over the airport to its new private operator during a ceremony at NAIA’s Terminal 3.

“The baton has been passed and now it is our turn in NNIC to carry it forward to the finish line,” said NNIC general manager Lito Alvarez.

Transportation Undersecretary for Aviation Roberto Lim expressed support to NNIC, saying the takeover would be a precursor to a world-class and modernized NAIA.

“Today, we celebrate the competitive spirit of the winning consortium, which brings financial muscle, management expertise, and the technical operations strength and experience of Incheon Airport,” said Lim.

The turnover of NAIA’s rehabilitation, operations, and further development to NNIC, formerly SMC SAP & Co. Consortium, is seen to boost the airport capacity to meet growing demand by handling more flights and passengers, while improving service quality and compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.

San Miguel-led NNIC is investing approximately P144 billion to manage and improve NAIA under a 15-year concession, extendable by 10 years, which would be contingent on meeting key performance targets.

The DOTr clarified that ownership of the airport will remain with the government. The agency said that at the end of the concession period, NNIC will return to the government the operations of NAIA.

The government signed the landmark concession agreement for the NAIA Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project on March 18.

Among the expected improvements in NAIA that the traveling public and other stakeholders can expect include expansion of the Passenger Terminal Buildings (PTBs), additional aircraft parking bays, increase in vehicular parking slots, installation of world-class systems and technology, more food and beverage (F&B) and retail options, more convenient land transport connectivity, among others.

Furthermore, flight delays and cancellations due issues with airport facilities are expected to be significantly reduced.

NNIC Chairman Ramon Ang said, “A world-class airport means more jobs, more tourists and a much more stronger and prosperous Philippines.“

The consortium is committing to modernize NAIA, increasing its capacity from 35 million passengers to 62 million passengers. Air traffic movement is also expected to be increased from 40 movements per hour to 48.

The rehabilitation is expected to generate at least 58,000 jobs for Filipinos.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think that the NAIA operations will improve under the San Miguel-led group? Do you think this will lead to improved travel efficiency, convenience and comfort for millions of air travelers in the Philippines?

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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Chinese nationals arrested by immigration authorities in province

June 11, 2024June 1, 2024carlocarrasco

Recently in the province of Batangas, elements of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) arrested seven China nationals who were illegally working in a quarry and one of them was found to have been petitioned by a fake company, 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…

Immigration authorities arrested seven Chinese nationals found to be illegally working in a quarry in Batangas province on Wednesday.

In a news release Thursday, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said the operation was initially aimed at apprehending a certain Wang Zhenglai, 34, who has a working visa but was found to have been petitioned by a fake company.

However, officers from the BI’s Regional Intelligence Operations Unit and the Taysan Municipal Police Station also apprehended six other Chinese men found to be illegally working in the same area.

They were identified as Wang Shou Min, 67; Gao Zhengyao, 47; Wang Yongshang, 31; Song Ke Wei, 33; Cai Wenbi, 33; and Huang Hai Min, 39.

Out of the six other foreigners, five were found to have a 9(g) working visa but were petitioned by companies located in Quezon City while one was found to be working with a tourist visa.

Further investigation also showed that Wang Shou Min was the mining company’s “big boss” and the father of Zhenglai.

Meanwhile, Commissioner Norman Tansingco reiterated that working visas are both company-specific and station-specific.

“Foreign nationals who possess a working visa but found to be petitioned by fake companies or caught to be working in other locations may face deportation cases,” the BI chief added.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Are you concerned that there could be more Chinese or other foreign nationals who could be illegally working on projects that are related with the Philippines’ natural resources? Do you think mainland China is trying to find way to infiltrate the mining, farming and irrigation sectors of the Philippines?

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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Philippines eyes high-spending tourists from America

May 9, 2024April 30, 2024carlocarrasco

As part of its pursuit to attract more foreign tourists and generate higher tourism revenue this year (click here and here), the Philippines is targeting tourists from the United States with the perception that they are heavy spending tourists, 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 Philippines targets to attract about 15 percent more inbound visitors from the United States, seeing the “highly valuable” market as a big contributor to the full recovery of the country’s tourism sector.

In 2023, at least 903,299 visitors from the US arrived in the Philippines, generating PHP35 billion in tourism revenue— the highest among the country’s top tourist markets.

“This (receipt) is 215 percent higher than the tourism receipts from South Korea, so this is how important the American market (is). While the arrivals are fewer, the contribution is bigger,” Philippine Tourism Director-Attache in New York Francisco Hilario Lardizabal said over the weekend.

Data from the Department of Tourism (DOT) showed that visitor receipts in 2023 reached PHP482.54 billion, with the US as the top spending market, followed by Australia with PHP17.74 billion, South Korea with PHP16.41 billion, Canada with PHP15.85 billion, China with PHP12.24 billion, and Japan with PHP10.02 billion.

In a briefing with visiting Filipino journalists on April 26, the official said the American market tends to spend more and stay longer in a destination.

In the Philippines, Lardizabal said the majority, or 55 percent of inbound travelers from the US are former Filipino citizens, whose main travel motivation is to visit friends and relatives.

“Filipinos from the US do go around the Philippines and stay longer in the Philippines, and mind you, they also spend a lot. Apart from the money they spend on travel, they sometimes also give out money to their relatives,” he shared.

Presenting the country’s planned promotion efforts for the entire year, Lardizabal is confident the Philippines would achieve 15 percent more of the 2023 arrival figure.

Lardizabal said the DOT was taking a multi-pronged approach to entice the market by forging partnerships, conducting more training for travel agents, joining B2B (business-to-business) travel trade events, and organizing curated familiarization tours.

Emerging trends – Before the pandemic, most US travelers to the Philippines were baby boomers, or those in the age bracket of 60 to 78, and Generation X, or those aged 44 to 59.

Citing a 2022 study, the majority of US travelers “showing interest in the Philippines” now are millennials or those born between 1981 and 1996, Lardizabal said.

“Iyon ang dapat natin bigyan ng pansin (That should be our focus), how do we address the needs and preferences of the millennials,” he said.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the Philippines should do more to attract American tourists?

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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Department of Tourism (DOT) chief Frasco vows to build more tourist rest areas (TRAs) nationwide

December 22, 2023December 19, 2023carlocarrasco

As the Philippines succeeded in attracting a lot more foreign tourists this year compared to 2022, the Department of Tourism’s (DOT) chief Christina Frasco aims to strengthen the nation’s tourism industry by establishing more tourist rest areas (TRAs), 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…

Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Frasco vowed on Monday to open more tourist rest areas (TRA) across the country to further boost the industry.

Frasco made the statement as she led the inauguration of TRA in Cebu province’s wildlife adventure capital.

In her speech, Frasco said the TRA in Cebu’s northern town of Carmen is the fourth in Cebu and 10th in the country and pledged to build 18 more of these facilities “all the way from Batanes to Tawi-Tawi.”

The opening of these TRAs would be realized through the partnership with the local government units (LGU) and private stakeholders.

Frasco said more mayors in Cebu have requested her mother, Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, to open the same facility in their respective areas, optimistic these would boost their local tourism efforts.

The Carmen TRA will be managed by the Cebu Zafari, a wildlife park that is home to over 1,000 animals of 120 species in a 170-hectare property.

“Gov. Gwen expanded the support beyond Cebu through her initiative to open TRAs in the sister province of Albay and Zamboanga-Sibugay,” she added.

Medellin, a sugarcane town also in Cebu north, is the first LGU in the Philippines to establish its own TRA. Other TRAs were inaugurated in Carcar City and Moalboal.

Like in three other facilities, the Carmen TRA offers various amenities, including a coffee shop, a pasalubong and souvenir store, a tourist information area, clean restrooms and free charging stations.

The souvenir shops not only sell local delicacies but also serve as a platform for Cebu’s micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to showcase their local products, providing them with additional livelihood opportunities and employment for the locals.

DOT-7 regional director Shahlimar Tamano said groundbreaking for TRAs in Bogo City, Dumanjug, Santander and Pinamungajan are in the pipeline.

“TRAs are precisely what we needed to promote tourism,” Garcia said in her remark during the inauguration ceremony at Carmen, citing complaints from local and foreign tourists that the Philippines lack restroom facilities for travelers.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think it makes sense for the DOT to establish more TRAs around the country to help the tourism industry? Do you think having more TRAs will be helpful in comforting tourists?

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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Philippines attracts 5 million foreign tourist arrivals, sets 2024 target at 7.7 million

December 18, 2023December 13, 2023carlocarrasco

With a few more weeks to go before 2023 finally comes to an end, the Department of Tourism (DOT) confirmed that the number of foreign tourist arrivals in the Philippines just surpassed the 5,000,000 mark and they raised the stakes even higher for 2024, according to a Malaya Business Insight news report.

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

After breaching 5 million in tourist arrivals as of December 12, the Philippines hopes to attract 7.7 million tourists in 2024.

Christina Frasco, secretary of the Department of Tourism (DOT) in her accomplishment report yesterday, said the Philippines has exceeded its 4.8 million goal when it logged 5.06 million visitors as of yesterday.

These tourists contributed P440 billion in receipts to the economy or more than double than the P209 billion recorded last year.

“In 2024, we are more than optimistic that we will once again reach our targets as we have proven in the past two years. For next year, we’re targeting 7.7 million international arrivals. I understand that this is not yet pre-pandemic numbers of 2019 at over 8.2 million international arrivals, but what I can assure you is that we will push as hard as we can and fully activate our convergences with other government agencies to reach this target and bring us closer to pre- pandemic numbers even as we grapple with many forces beyond our control globally and locally,” Frasco said.

Frasco also disclosed the DOT has proposed P5 billion infusion for the construction of new tourism roads in addition to the construction of tourism roads for 2024.

Frasco said recovery rate on arrivals to pre-pandemic of Philippine tourism is at 65 percent as of November, faster than the 62 percent average rate in Asia-Pacific as of September.

She said in terms of international visitor receipts, Philippine recovery is at 95 percent of the P458 billion visitor receipts in 2019.

This is a 267 percent increase versus the same period last year with a little over 2.6 million visitor arrivals in 2022. Tourism created over 5.35 million jobs which means that for every 100 Filipinos, 11 are employed in tourism related jobs.

According to Frasco, the Philippines has already recovered nearly 80 percent of its pre-COVID international incoming seat capacity.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Now that the Philippines has recorded more than 5 million foreign tourist arrivals, do you think there is still a chance for the figure to reach 6 million by December 31, 2023? Do you think the 2024 target of 7.7 million foreign tourist arrivals is achievable?

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 pending resurgence of sex tourism in the Philippines is a major concern for the BI

December 6, 2023December 4, 2023carlocarrasco

While the Philippines continues to attract more tourists from around the world (read the related post), the Bureau of Immigration (BI) is concerned about the pending resurgence of sex tourism in the country, according to a Manila Times news report. Already there have been reports of sex offenders from abroad who were intercepted by the local authorities.

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

THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) has expressed alarm over the likely resurgence of sex tourism in the country as indicated by the frequent arrival and interception of foreign sex offenders (FSO) at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and other major ports of entry.

Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said on Sunday that entry attempts by sex offenders into the country have become almost a “daily trend” and are not limited to the national capital Manila, but are also in provincial airports such as Cebu.

Tansingco also said that some unscrupulous groups or individuals could be promoting sex tourism, the practice of traveling to foreign countries with the intention of engaging in sexual activity in exchange for money.

“We will not allow that to happen. We are duty-bound to implement a provision in our immigration act that prohibits the entry of aliens convicted of crimes involving moral turpitude. We will not allow the entry of these undesirable aliens to pose a threat to our women and children,” Tansingco said.

He attributed the possible resurgence of sex tourism to the reopening of the country’s border after the pandemic.

“During the pandemic, there was an increase in online exploitation of women and children. When international travel resumed, the number of FSOs rose, which could show that the exploitation is being continued,” he said. “With the return of tourism, foreigners who intend to abuse our hospitality seem to be returning.”

“We warn these predators not to attempt to enter the country, as we have close coordination with different governments, who provide us information about sex offenders that might attempt to enter the Philippines,” he said.

Under the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940, those who have been convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude, which includes sex offenders, are ineligible to enter the country.

The Philippines is regarded as among the top 10 sex tourism destinations in the world. Others on the list are Germany, the Netherlands, Columbia, Thailand, the Dominican Republic, Spain, Kenya and Brazil.

Just over the weekend, BI frontline officers intercepted two more FSOs, identified as Mark David Scanlon and Richard Stuard Patterson, both Americans convicted of sexually molesting minors in the US. They arrived via separate flights at the international airports in Cebu and Manila.

Scanlon, 53, was intercepted after arriving aboard an Eva Air flight from Taiwan at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA), while Patterson, 33, was turned back upon arriving from Los Angeles via a Philippine Airlines flight at the NAIA 1 terminal.

Both passengers were sent back to their ports of origin hours after they were denied entry.

Information obtained by the BI revealed that in 2012, a court in Cook County, Illinois, convicted Scanlon on the charge of indecently soliciting a child over the internet.

On the other hand, Patterson was convicted in Oregon in May 2011 on the charges of sexual abuse in the second degree and sodomy in the third degree, where the victims were 15 and 13 years old, respectively.

Scanlon and Patterson are only two of the more than 150 foreign registered sex offenders (RSOs) who have been refused entry at the airports since January.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? Do you consider sex-related tourism a major issue for the Philippines’ standing in international tourism? Do you think that there are lots of suspected business joints within your city that could secretly be engaging in prostitution, pornography and human trafficking? What do you think should be done to prevent sex tourism from growing in the Philippines? Do you think that illegal sex-related activities involving foreigners here in the Philippines (for insight, click here, here, and here) are somehow attracting foreign sex offenders to come into the country?

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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PHILTOA commended by DOT Secretary Frasco for unwavering commitment to revitalizing Philippine tourism

September 1, 2023August 29, 2023carlocarrasco

Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA), the organization composed of tour operators and allied members that are actively involved in the advocacy of responsible tourism, was commended by Department of Tourism (DOT) Christina Frasco during their 4th General Membership Meeting (4th GMM) held recently at Crimson Hotel in Filinvest City, Alabang, Muntinlupa, according to a Manila Bulletin article. Specifically they were commended for unwavering commitment to revitalizing Philippine tourism.

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

The Philippine Tour Operators Association (Philtoa) recently hosted its 4th General Membership Meeting at the Crimson Hotel Filinvest City in Muntinlupa, with the Department of Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco as keynote speaker. Led by Philtoa President Fe Abling-Yu, the meeting also highlighted Bacolod City as the featured destination, with Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez in attendance.

Secretary Frasco commended Philtoa for its unwavering commitment to revitalizing Philippine tourism, highlighting the association’s promotion of inclusive tourism development in both established and emerging destinations.

“We recognize that there are several emerging destinations across the country that, if given the right assistance, attention, development, and promotion, have the potential to become key destinations, as far as tourism is concerned,” the tourism chief said. “This is why I’m very grateful to Philtoa, because their focus has not been our world-famous destinations alone, but also in giving opportunities to emerging destinations. This is reflective of true shared tourism governance, where the private sector mobilizes the industry to assist the government to ensure inclusive tourism development.“

With this, Bacolod City also took center stage at the 4th GMM as a growing “super city” with exciting advancements in tourism, including infrastructure, art, culture, and culinary experiences. Mayor Benitez highlighted upcoming projects such as the Bacolod Convention Center, which can accommodate up to 10,000 people for MICE events; the Bacolod Masskara Museum/Trade Center; and the Orange Project, a prominent art gallery. The renowned Masskara Festival, spanning three weeks, promises a vibrant celebration of sports, food, spirits, and festivities.

To further underscore its commitment to fostering partnerships and growth within the industry, Philtoa President Abling-Yu announced the upcoming 34th Philippine Travel Mart, scheduled from Sept. 1 to 3 at the SMX Convention Center Manila in Pasay City.

She stated: “We are grateful for the strong partnerships with the Department of Tourism, Tourism Promotions Board, Philippine Airlines, BPI, and our media partners. The 34th Philippine Travel Mart is not only a showcase of our country’s incredible destinations but also a celebration of our industry’s resilience and strength as a major contributor to the country’s growth and progress.”

The association also welcomed 10 new tour operators, an immigration services agency, and 15 hotel and resort properties, increasing the total membership to over 500.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Are you convinced that the PHILTOA deserves the commendation from the Tourism Secretary? Do you think that Philippine tourism will exceed its foreign tourist arrivals target by a wide margin before the year ends? What other activities or special events should the PHILTOA highlight to keep national tourism grow?

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

I Love Israel: Record-breaking number of Filipinos visited Israel this year

July 14, 2023July 12, 2023carlocarrasco

The Manila Bulletin recently published a news article about the record-breaking number of Filipinos who visited Israel this year citing the Ministry of Tourism’s data. To be clear, more than 19,000 travelers from the Philippines made it to Israel this year and I myself am one of them! I really am thankful to the Lord for the pilgrimage tour to Israel with my local church.

On my blog, I posted several Israel 2023 feature articles that include the Dead Sea, Nazareth Village, the Pool of Siloam, as well as nice commercial joints (click here, here, here and here) that were all tourist-friendly. I have yet to write about the Western Wall, the Temple Mount and other significant sites in the Holy Land.

Going back to the topic of this post, to put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news article. Some parts in boldface…

The Israel Ministry of Tourism vowed to make progress on issues of awareness and connectivity as it welcomed the “record-breaking” number of Filipinos traveling to the Holy Land this year.

Sammy Yahia, the director of the Israel Ministry of Tourism office in the Philippines, said this after the number of Filipino travelers broke its “all-time high” record, with 19,300 Filipino tourists traveling to Israel during the first half of 2023.

Data from the ministry showed that the figure was a “whopping growth” of 40 percent from the number of Filipino travelers in Israel during the same period in 2019.

In a statement, Yahia said the year 2023 has been outstanding so far for Israeli tourism, as he noted that the Philippines has always been an important market to them.

“2023 has been outstanding and by far the best year for Israel tourism in the Philippines,” he said.

“It has been an important market for us, and we see huge potential in the Philippine market,” he added.

With this, the tourism official vowed that the Israel Ministry of Tourism in the Philippines “will continue to make progress on the issues of awareness and connectivity.”

Filipinos can enjoy visa-free travel to Israel for up to 59 days, while Israelis can enjoy visa-free travel to the Philippines for up to 59 days.

Israel has been attracting tourists as it is known as the Holy Land. For Christians, Israel is where they celebrate their faith by visiting the birthplace of Jesus Christ, walking where He preached, sitting, and just watching modern-day scenes roll out along the sites mentioned in the Holy Bible.

Very clearly, the Lord blessed both Israel and the Philippines in multiple ways that go beyond tourism statistics. This reminds me about how grateful I am to the Lord for sending me to Israel with my local church’s pilgrimage tour group hosted by a great and very caring Israeli partner. I brought the Holy Bible with me many times to the Holy Land sites.

For the newcomers reading this, you will get the most out of visiting Israel when you are faithful to the Lord and when you seek His presence at the Holy Land. Always read Matthew 6:33 in the Holy Bible and read the many references about Israel in both the Old and New Testaments. That being said, read the holy scriptures about our Lord and Savior Jesus who was in such places like Galilee, Nazareth, Jerusalem, the Garden of Gethsemane, the Temple Mount and more.

On the aspect of travel and touring, there is so much to enjoy when it comes to shopping, dining and discovering new things and people there in Israel. I should also state that Jerusalem is the holiest city in the whole world and you will realize that when you make it there. Whatever blessings you received from God during your visit in Israel, always thank Him and honor Him.

To my fellow Filipinos reading this, I encourage you to accept the truth that Israel is the land God designated specifically for the Jewish people (read Genesis 35:10-12) and His command must be followed by all. If you want to be blessed further by the Lord, do so by loving and blessing the Jewish people (Genesis 12:1-3). I did my part when I was in Israel. Also, let me remind you all that the ties between the Jews and Christians are truly biblical!

If you truly believe in Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God the Heavenly Father wholeheartedly and you continue to be faithful, you should be aware that Christians are meant to stand united with Israel and love the Jewish people no matter what. You can do your part supporting Israel by donating to Christians United for Israel (CUFI). Do not forget to read the Holy Bible, then pray in tongues to the Lord in the privacy of your room with the door shut.

Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus! Always stand in support of Israel and pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

In ending this I Love Israel piece, posted below are Israel-related videos for your viewing pleasure and enlightenment.

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