Day: May 31, 2023

ZAMBOANGA CITY – The Department of Tourism (DOT) forged an agreement here Wednesday with the Department of National Defense (DND) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to boost Mindanao’s tourism industry. DOT Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco said the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the partner government agencies is in line with the vision of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to develop Mindanao through tourism. Frasco said Mindanao has many things to offer to tourists, both foreign and domestic, since it is rich in natural resources and cultural heritage. ‘This (Mindanao) is a land of promise, a land of diversity and rich cultural heritage,’ Frasco said in an interview here. For his part, DILG Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. called on local government units to formulate their tourism plans and collaborate with concerned stakeholders in promoting tourism developmental projects. Abalos said they will train more tourist police to be deployed in tourist destinations. ‘Through this convergence, the DILG commits to ensuring that our local policemen are properly deployed in tourist destinations,’ he said. The DND, represented by Undersecretary Angelito De Leon, has also vowed to prioritize the safety and security of tourists and assist in facilitating stakeholders’ involvement in tourism development projects. De Leon said they will integrate DOT programs in their promotional activities and help capacitate people’s organizations for community-based tourism initiatives, especially in indigenous cultural communities. ‘Together we will show to the world that the Philippines is not only home to pristine beaches, rich cultural heritage, distinct cuisines, and hospitable communities, but also a safe beautiful haven to explore and enjoy,’ he said. Frasco, meanwhile, expressed optimism that the Mindanao tourism industry will prosper considering that they have recorded some 2.1 million international arrivals since January this year. Last year, she said the country managed to achieve 2.6 million international arrivals, surpassing the target goal of 1.7 million. ‘Our top source market are the South Koreans, followed by the Americans, Australians, Canadians, and Japanese (in terms of tourist visits),’ Frasco said. The DOT chief further noted that domestic tourism is also flourishing as most flights and hotels are always fully booked. (PNA)

Source: Philippines News Agency

ILOILO CITY – Some 30,000 seedlings will be planted in various sites in Iloilo City and at Camp Pasica in the municipality of Dingle under the emergency employment program of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). The office of Iloilo City (Lone District) Rep. Julienne Baronda facilitated the employment of 3,600 youths from this city’s 180 barangays under the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program with regreening activity among their other tasks starting June 10 this year. ‘We want to help our youth cope with the current economic realities as we all recover from the pandemic. We have a menu of initiatives for them and this TUPAD program is among these,’ Baronda told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) in an interview on Wednesday. Of the 30,000 seedlings, 15,000 will be planted in the city while the remaining half will be at Camp Pasica, a 13-hectare Girl Scout camp located at Barangay Tanghawan in Dingle, in support of its rehabilitation program. ‘We have embraced environmental regeneration as an additional core advocacy because we understand many of the big challenges we face can be helped by re-greening our environment, by taking care of mother nature,’ Baronda said. A series of orientations have been conducted by the DOLE and the office of Baronda last week in preparation for the implementation of the program. The TUPAD program beneficiaries are entitled to a daily pay of PHP450 for services rendered ranging from 10 days on the minimum, up to a maximum of 30 working days. (PNA)

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA – The measure promoting the development of the country’s downstream natural gas industry hurdled second reading approval at the House of Representatives. During Wednesday’s plenary session, the chamber passed through voice voting House Bill 8456, or the proposed Philippine Downstream Natural Gas Industry (PDNGI) Development Act, which is a legislative priority of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. House Committee on Energy chair and Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco said the priority legislative measure aims to promote the role of natural gas as a safe, environment-friendly, efficient and cost-effective source of energy. Velasco further noted that the measure would be an indispensable contributor to grid security, especially with the entry of more intermittent renewable energy sources through the creation of favorable conditions for establishing the PDNGI. He pointed out that the Philippines still lacks a clear, comprehensive and integrated legislative framework that would serve as a pillar toward achieving the rapid development of the country’s natural gas sector. “The lack of such clear policies is detrimental to the thrust of the Department of Energy to attract foreign investors to invest in our natural gas potentials or importation or transmission of the same,” he said. He said the bill would promote the development of the Philippines as a liquefied natural gas trading and transshipment hub within the Asia-Pacific region. The measure mandates the Department of Energy to be the lead government agency responsible for the supervision and monitoring of the development of the PDNGI, and the regulation of the construction and operation of natural gas pipelines and related facilities for the transmission, distribution and supply of natural gas. Meanwhile, the Energy Regulatory Commission shall have the sole regulatory responsibility for establishing the rates and related terms and conditions of service for the transmission and distribution, regasification and supply of natural gas. (PNA)

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA – State-pension fund Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) launched a housing program, a low-interest loan product with flexible terms, and additional features on the GSIS Touch mobile app during its 86th anniversary celebration on Wednesday. GSIS President and General Manager Wick Veloso said these programs are in response to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directives. In his anniversary message, Veloso said the GSIS is focused on digitizing processes for the convenience of its members and pensioners. This is also the reason for the inclusion of the facial recognition feature in the GSIS Touch, which allows old-age pensioners, as well as those with disability, to complete their annual pensioners’ information revalidation (APIR) through their smartphones. “This eliminates the need for them to leave their homes and visit GSIS branches for the APIR process,” Veloso said. The President has tasked the GSIS to address the financial needs of its members by providing loans with affordable terms, thus, the Multi-Purpose Loan (MPL) was enhanced and renamed MPL Flex. “This loan product offers a longer and more flexible payment period, ranging from one to 15 years, at an affordable interest rate of 6 percent per annum. Eligibility conditions have been relaxed, allowing government employees who have served for only one month to apply for the MPL,” Veloso explained. The Pabahay sa Bagong Bayani na Manggagawa (PBBM) sa Pamahalaan Program, which seeks to help the government resolve the massive housing backlog of more than 6 million units, was also launched during the celebration. This program includes a rent-to-own scheme for GSIS’s 15,000 residential properties, an extension of the Housing Loan Condonation Program until 2025, and the construction of decent low-cost housing units for government workers. Veloso said the initial construction would focus on high-rise condominium buildings in the villages of Fairview in Quezon City, and Cogeo in Antipolo. He highlighted the importance of providing GSIS members, who have devoted their lives to public service, with the opportunity to own a house, noting that it is a dream shared by every Filipino. Another directive was to ensure that all government properties and assets are covered by property insurance, which is also in line with the GSIS’s mandate. Veloso also announced that the GSIS achieved a remarkable milestone, generating PHP6.8 billion in gross premiums written, the highest recorded figure in the organization’s history. This represents a 16 percent increase compared to the previous year, making GSIS the largest non-life insurance company in the country, with the General Insurance Fund worth PHP41.92 billion. Meanwhile, the President, who graced the celebration, thanked GSIS for its efforts, saying that ‘they align perfectly with my goal of enhancing government service.’ Created by Commonwealth Act 186 and Republic Act (RA) 8291 or the GSIS Act of 1997, the GSIS began its operations on May 31, 1937. It was created to provide social security benefits and insurance coverage to government employees. Currently, the GSIS serves more than 2.5 million members and pensioners, while fulfilling its mandate of safeguarding and protecting government properties through property insurance. (PNA)

Source: Philippines News Agency