Tag: holiday

President Marcos signs into law VAT refund for foreign tourists

President Marcos signs into law VAT refund for foreign tourists

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In a move to boost the Philippines’ standing in international tourism, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., signed into law the priority measure of providing Value Added Tax (VAT) refund for foreign 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…

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday signed into law a measure providing refund of Value Added Tax (VAT) for foreign tourists to attract more travelers and position the country as a “premier global shopping destination.”

Republic Act (RA) 12079 or the VAT Refund for Non-Resident Tourists will establish a VAT Refund System on locally purchased goods, Marcos said in his speech during the ceremonial signing in Malacañang.

Under the new law, tourists can claim a refund on the VAT for goods personally purchased at accredited retail outlets, provided these goods are taken out of the country within 60 days and meet a minimum transaction requirement of PHP3,000.

This initiative opens a new chapter in the Philippines’ tourism landscape, according to the President, allowing the country to compete with other tourism markets that attract tourists who are eager to take home authentic, high-quality Filipino products.

With the new law, an estimated 30 percent increase in tourist spending is projected which will benefit both large-scale industries and micro, small, and medium enterprises.

“These products tell our stories, and now, with the VAT refund, they will be able to be more accessible to global consumers, elevating once again our stature in the global market,” Marcos said.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? With the new law signed already, do you expect it to help the Philippines attract more foreign tourists as well as better spending from each of them during they stay in 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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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

Bureau of Immigration (BI) says tighter visa rules for Chinese tourists to help ensure national security

Bureau of Immigration (BI) says tighter visa rules for Chinese tourists to help ensure national security

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The government here in the Philippines are trying to balance the nation’s need of security and the gains from attracting foreign tourists. Specifically speaking, the spotlight is currently on the handling of visa requirements from Chinese tourists as the Bureau of Immigration (BI) made clear the need to help ensure national security, according to a GMA Network news report.

The BI responded to the statement of the Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) that tighter visa rules for Chinese nationals could harm the nation’s tourism as well as the businesses connected with tourist activities. Take note that criminal/illegal activities involving Chinese nationals happened many times here in the Philippines (click here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here).

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

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) said Sunday that tightening the visa requirements for Chinese tourists would also help the Philippines protect national security, considering the illegal activities involving Chinese nationals.

Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB, BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval explained that while tourism is very important to the Philippine economy, the government also needs to implement stricter measures to protect public interest.

“We also have to look into the national security issue, the safety of the country. Kung merong mga ilegal na ginagawa [if there are illegal activities], I think it’s also important to have strict measures kung may nakikita na tayo na kakaibang nangyayari [if we see anything different happening] or mga activities that are probably inimical to national security or public interest,” she said.

Sandoval made the remark in reaction to the statement of the Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) that tighter visa rules for Chinese nationals visiting the Philippines could “discourage tourism and hurt businesses.”

She said that the BI has always been strict in inspecting arriving foreign nationals, particularly those involved in illegal activities.

Several Chinese nationals have reportedly been involved in organized crimes such as human trafficking, prostitution, kidnapping, and fraud. Some of them were also linked illegally working for a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO).

This prompted the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to tighten the Philippines’ visa requirements for Chinese tourists amid a high number of fraudulent applications received in its embassy and consulates in China.

The DFA, however, ruled out ongoing tensions with China in disputed areas in the South China Sea as the reason for imposing more stringent visa measures for Chinese visitors.

Sandoval welcomed this development, saying it would add a layer of security in the Bureau of Immigration’s assessment of foreign nationals entering the Philippines.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you agree with the Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) that tighter visa rules for Chinese visitors could hurt Philippine tourism? Do you think that Chinese tourists could not behave themselves while they are in the country? Do you want visa rules on all Chinese visitors be tightened for the long-term? Did a Chinese national cause trouble in your local community lately?

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

Ambitious resort, casino and convention center to rise inside Subic Bay Freeport Zone

Ambitious resort, casino and convention center to rise inside Subic Bay Freeport Zone

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An ambitious resort, casino and convention center inside the Subic Bay Freeport Zone will rise in the near future, according to a news report by The Manila Times.

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

A world-class $300-million convention center, resort and casino will soon rise at the country’s premier freeport to further boost the tourism industry in the region.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Chairman and Administrator Eduardo Jose Aliño spearheaded the groundbreaking ceremony for the Subic Sun Convention Resort and Casino Inc. at the Bravo building compound of Subic International Hotel on Thursday, March 14.

“In a couple of years, the Ibis Styles and Mercure Hotels, which is affiliated with the Accor International Group, will be operating a world class integrated leisure and convention center in Subic Bay, which will be the very first integrated resort casino and hotel complex in the freeport,” Aliño said.

Subic Sun Convention Resort and Casino Chairman and President Pablo Edgardo Puyat, meanwhile, said the operations are anticipated to begin in 2025.

“Both the Ibis Styles Subic and Mercure Subic are in the company’s economy and midscale segments, respectively. Ibis Styles Subic is set to open in 2026 and is the first internationally branded hotel in Subic,” he said.

Ibis Styles Subic will offer 175 rooms and will feature amenities such as a swimming pool, meeting space, and a gym.

Ibis Styles is an economy hotel brand focused on in-style stays while the Mercure is a French midscale hotel brand, with both brands owned by Accor International Group. The Ibis Styles and Mercure Hotels are just part of the initial phase of the project.

Mercure Subic, set to open in 2026, will offer 250 rooms and be the second internationally branded hotel in the area. It is located adjacent to Ibis Styles Subic.

“A world-class integrated leisure and convention center will be constructed in progressive phases, encompassing a six-hectare property that will feature an integrated resort casino complex and five-star resort hotels,” Puyat added.

He said that aside from the convention center and exhibition hall, the area will also have duty-free shops, dormitels, carpark, hotel and recreation center, Americana complex, Americana seaside clubhouse, American country club, and the New Dragon Restaurant.

Aliño also said that the additional facilities inside the freeport will attract more tourists because they will now have luxury hotels to stay in.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction about this recent development? Do you think this development will help solve the lack of hotel rooms inside the Subic Bay Freeport Zone? Do you look forward to the announced amenities as well as new duty free shops?

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

Over 1.2 million international tourist arrivals in the Philippines counted (January 1 to March 5, 2024)

Over 1.2 million international tourist arrivals in the Philippines counted (January 1 to March 5, 2024)

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If the newest data about the 1.2 million international tourist arrivals released by the Department of Tourism (DOT) for the period of January 1 to March 5, 2024, is indeed true and accurate, then it looks like achieving the 7.7 million international tourist arrivals target for the Philippines for 2024 is doable. The DOT recently announced that that 1,227,815 international tourist arrivals (which includes both foreign tourists and Filipinos based overseas) were counted during the first 65 days of the year, 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 article. Some parts in boldface…

The Philippines is off to a good start in reaching its year-end arrival target after getting 1.2 million foreign visitors in the first two months of 2024 alone, the Department of Tourism (DOT) reported Thursday.

As of March 5, international tourist arrivals to the Philippines have tallied 1,227,815.

Foreign tourist arrivals took the lion’s share with 1,160,129 or 94.49 percent while overseas Filipinos make up the remaining 67,686.

Speaking at the Philippine Pavilion at the Internationale Tourismus-Börse (ITB) 2024 Convention in Germany, Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said this is 22.86 percent higher than the 999,390 arrivals received by the country in the same period in 2023.

“I would like to express my profound gratitude first to all our Philippine sellers who continue to champion Philippine tourism. As of today (March 5), the Philippines has received over 1.2 million international visitors, a robust indication of the future of Philippine tourism. Cheers to all the reasons to celebrate and Love the Philippines,” she said.

South Korea remains the country’s top source market for visitors, with 349,956 or 28.50 percent of the total, followed by the United States with 195,603 (15.93 percent), China with 85,876 (6.99 percent), Japan with 73,159 (5.96 percent), and Canada landing in the fifth spot with 50,555 (4.12 percent).

Australia took the sixth spot with 50,488 (4.11 percent), Taiwan with 42,955 (3.50 percent), the United Kingdom with 30,507 (2.48 percent), Singapore with 25,253 (2.06 percent), and Germany with 20,816 (1.70 percent).

In January, the country’s visitor receipts also grew by 4.84 percent to USD652.26 million from the USD622.14 million recorded in the same month last year.

By doing the math, 1,227,815 international tourist arrivals divided by the first 65 days of 2024 is equivalent to 18,889.46 per day. Multiply that by 366 days for 2024 (a leap year), the total would be 6,913,542 which is several hundreds of thousands of international tourist arrivals short of the declared target. The DOT and the rest of tourism industry’s stakeholders still have lots of work to do to ensure that more than enough visitors from overseas will come into the country and add to the nation’s economy. It should be remembered that the Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) and China Banking Corp. found the nation’s Philippine tourism recovery still lacking.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this latest development? Do you think the reforms and initiatives the Department of Tourism (DOT) executed last year are generating positive results right now? Did you notice the lack of Arab nations among the top markets of international visitors the DOT declared? Do you think there is enough momentum and time for the Philippines to be able to attract 7,700,000 international tourist arrivals by the end of the 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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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

The potential danger behind the promotion of the Philippines as an LGBTQIA+ tourist destination

The potential danger behind the promotion of the Philippines as an LGBTQIA+ tourist destination

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As many of you my readers should know by now, I blogged a lot about tourism in the Philippines, what the Department of Tourism (DOT) has been doing and what the nation has achieved with regards to attracting foreign tourists.

While DOT has been working very hard to make the nation a more competitive tourism destination in Asia in accordance to the master plan, I am concerned about the department’s involvement with promoting the Philippines as an LGBTQIA+ destination. In fact, I can say it is a big turn-off as it can lead to new incidents and criminal activities that will affect local societies which the stakeholders cannot anticipate.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article of September 28, 2023. Some parts in boldface…

The Philippine government on Thursday vowed to promote inclusive travel in its bid to position the country as an LGBTQI+-friendly destination in the region.

During the first Tourism Pride Summit in Makati City, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said the Philippines plans to implement programs and initiate government interventions to address the unique challenges that the community faces when traveling.

The summit, she said, is one intervention to spark conversation and give members of the LGBTQIA+ a platform where they can share experiences and suggestions on how the government can make travel enjoyable and safe for them.

“Under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., he seeks a tourism industry that is inclusive, where no destination and no stakeholder is left behind in the development of our country,” Frasco said.

“That is why in our effort to reach our hand of collaboration to the farthest reaches of our country, we reach out our hand of collaboration as well to the many sectors that are involved in tourism, especially and including the LGBTQIA+ community,” she added.

Frasco noted that LGBTQIA+ tourism presents vast opportunities for growing the Philippine tourism industry portfolio.

Citing data from the United Nations World Tourism Organization, Frasco said there are an estimated 36 million LGBTQIA+ travelers around the world.

“We recognize the strength of capitalizing on LGBTQIA+ tourism considering that it is a USD200 billion industry that’s only slated to grow at half a trillion dollar industry by 2030,” she said.

Obviously the DOT is determined to attract as many LGBTQIA+ foreign tourists as possible as well as their money so that it could help them reach their financial goals and add to the momentum to make the Philippines a major tourist destination by the year 2028.

If ever a huge influx of foreign tourists who identify themselves as homosexuals/transgender/bisexual/transsexual/intersex/non-binary arrive in the Philippines, there is the potential rise of criminal activities involving the acts of the LGBTQIA+ people in the country. Can they behave themselves? Already there is one local LGBT crime that resulted one death. Can you imagine the possibility of more crime happening as more LGBTQIA+ tourists arrived? Can these people really behave themselves?

I am not just talking about sex tourism but also potential violations such as rape, sexual harassment, sexual assault, theft, scams, molestation, kidnapping, murder and other incidents that LGBTQIA+ tourists could commit here in the Philippines as they know they are favored by the DOT. If these specific foreign tourists could add to crime while touring the country, then the “Love the Philippines” slogan of the DOT could end up having a very dirty reputation plus additional embarrassment for the entire nation.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction about the DOT’s drive to make the Philippines a more attractive destination for LGBTQIA+ tourists? Do you think the DOT continues to ignore the potential danger that LGBTQIA+ tourists could unleash on Filipinos while they tour the country? Did you encounter a homosexual foreign tourist who committed a crime or victimized a member of your local community? Does the majority of the youth in your local community express themselves as LGBT-friendly or even as LGBT rights activists?

Do you think that the Democrats in America, the Islamo-Leftists and woke activists could be funding LGBTQIA+ people to come to the Philippines for vacationing as well as executing secretive efforts to establish new activists among Filipinos who will blindly fight for LGBT rights in 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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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

PNP tells public to avoid scammers and transact only with legitimate companies when booking for travel

PNP tells public to avoid scammers and transact only with legitimate companies when booking for travel

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In recent times, the Philippine National Police (PNP) advised people to avoid scammers, protect their personal information and only transact with legitimate companies with regards to making arrangements for travel as the summer season approaches, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article. The PNP’s Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) noticed that scammers have been using digital methods and social media to deceive customers and take their money.

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

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Friday advised the public to ensure that they are transacting with legitimate companies to avoid falling victims to scams ahead of the summer travel season.

The PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) issued the warning due to the upward trend in vacation or travel accommodation scams last year.

PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo, citing ACG data, said from 39 cases in 2021 and 91 cases in 2022, the police recorded 313 cases in 2023. This year, the police has so far recorded 35 cases.

Criminals utilize social media and digital technology to impersonate legitimate establishments, offering online accommodation services at much lower rates than usual.

However, upon arrival, victims discover that their reservations do not exist in the establishment’s system.

“We would like to take this opportunity to warn and remind our public na mag ingat (to be wary). Katulad ng sinasabi natin (As we have been saying), this is not only limited sa mga (to) vacation scam. Pati nga ‘yung mga nagbebenta ng mga murang services, nagbebenta ng mga ano-anong produkto, mag-ingat tayo especially kung ang kapalit agad nun is magpapadala kayo ng pera without you not knowing kung sino ang mga iyon (This includes those offering cheap services, selling different kinds of products, let’s be wary especially if the scheme means you have to send money without you knowing who are these),” she added.

ACG director Maj. Gen. Sidney Hernia Director urged netizens to exercise utmost caution and refrain from providing personal or financial details online without verifying the legitimacy of the recipient.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction about this recent development? Do you think the scammers have been victimizing a lot of local travelers lately? Have you seen lots of enticing travel promos on social media that promised huge discounts? If you have been traveling lately, do you do your bookings online or over the counter with a travel agency?

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

Malacañang declares March 27 a special non-working day in Las Piñas City in celebration of dual anniversaries

Malacañang declares March 27 a special non-working day in Las Piñas City in celebration of dual anniversaries

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Recently in the City of Las Piñas, the City Government announced that the date of March 27, 2024, has been officially declared by Malacañang Palace a special non-working day in the city in connection with the dual anniversaries, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

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

The Las Piñas City government has announced that March 27 has been declared by Malacanang as a special non-working day in the city in celebration of its 117th founding and 27th cityhood anniversary.

Mayor Imelda Aguilar said Malacañang issued Proclamation 471 signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on Feb. 16 declaring March 27 as a special non-working day in the city.

Aguilar said the declaration was made to give residents full opportunity to participate and enjoy the celebration.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? How many members of your local community are aware of the city’s founding as well as the cityhood anniversary?

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 at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

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

March 1, 2024 is special non-working day in Muntinlupa City, State of the City Address by mayor set

March 1, 2024 is special non-working day in Muntinlupa City, State of the City Address by mayor set

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Recently in the progressive City of Muntinlupa, the City Government announced that March 1, 2024, will be a special non-working day locally in celebration of Muntinlupa City Charter Day, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. The mayor will deliver his State of the City Address on the said day.  

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 reminded the public that March 1 is a special non-working day in the city.

This is based on Republic Act 9191, approved on Feb. 21, 2003, or “An Act Declaring the First Day of March of every year as a Special Non-Working Day in the City of Muntinlupa to be known as the Muntinlupa City Charter Day.”

The city government will celebrate Muntinlupa’s 29th cityhood anniversary on March 1. Mayor Ruffy Biazon will deliver his State of the City Address on that day.

Muntinlupa became a highly urbanized city on March 1, 1995 when then President Fidel V. Ramos signed Republic Act 7926 or “an act converting the Municipality of Muntinlupa into a highly urbanized city to be known as the City of Muntinlupa,” which is also known as the “Charter of the City of Muntinlupa.”

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 very happy to see how much the city has progressed since March 1, 1995? Are you familiar with the history of Muntinlupa and how it formally became a city?

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 at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

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

BI reminds travelers that eTravel registration is free of charge and they should avoid scammers

BI reminds travelers that eTravel registration is free of charge and they should avoid scammers

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With renewed focus on the safety of travelers in mind, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) announced that registration with the eTravel system (electronic travel declaration system) is free of charge and people should avoid scammers who have been targeting travelers using fake websites, 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 Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Wednesday warned travelers against scammers purportedly charging fees for the electronic travel declaration system or eTravel.

Commissioner Norman Tansingco clarified that registration in the eTravel platform is free of charge, thus travelers should be wary of unscrupulous elements who charges fees from passengers via fake websites.

“The eTravel registration process is absolutely free of charge. We, therefore, advise the traveling public to register only in the government’s official website at https://etravel.gov.ph,” he said in a statement.

Fees allegedly collected from the passengers amount to between PHP3,000 to PHP5,000 when converted to peso as the fees charged by the scammers are usually in US dollars.

The BI chief urged the public to beware of the such fraudulent websites or entities which require any form of online payment.

Likewise, he asked them to report to the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) via its website at https://cicc.gov.ph/report/.

Tansingco issued the warning following reports of passengers at the airports who claim they have already registered in the eTravel platform and “paid” the supposed fees that were charged to them.

BI officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) have reported instances of many passengers who were surprised when informed that they have to register in the eTravel as the digital QR code they presented could not be accessed in the system.

“It is only when they encounter our officers at the airport that these passengers would realize they have been duped by these fraudsters and scammers in the internet,” he added.

The eTravel was launched earlier this year, and serves as the single data collection platform for arriving and departing passengers. It establishes an integrated border control, health surveillance and economic data analysis.

It is a joint project of the agency with the Department of Tourism (DOT), the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ), the Bureau of Customs (BOC), the Department of Health (DOH), the Department of Transportation (DOTr), the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the National Privacy Commission (NPC).

The project abolished the paper-based arrival and departure cards, as well as the quarantine form.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent report? Does this latest development make you feel safer to be online? If you had traveled overseas and came back home within the past six months, how was your experience registering with the eTravel system? Did you encounter any scammer online?

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

Philippine Tourism Awards (PTA) revived

Philippine Tourism Awards (PTA) revived

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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.

The application details for both recognitions may be accessed at https://beta.tourism.gov.ph/philippine-tourism-awards-3/.

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?

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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