Author: malaysiang

TACLOBAN: The Department of Tourism (DOT) regional office is searching for more sites in the region that can accommodate more tourists who are part of a cruise.

DOT Eastern Visayas regional director Karina Rosa Tiopes told the Philippine News Agency Tuesday that they are particularly looking for mainland beach areas in the provinces of Samar, Northern Samar, and Eastern Samar that have long and unexplored coastlines and can accommodate 1,000 to 2,000 cruise ship passengers.

‘They want an area where the water is clear and snorkeling is good. They are not even looking for extravagant facilities. They just want a functional toilet facility,’ Tiopes said.

‘They are looking for a Boracay-like experience but with fewer people,’ she said, referring to one of the best beaches not just in the country but the world.

Eastern Visayas has been part of the cruise tourism industry since 2013 through German company Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ MS Europa, which carries around 400 tourists to Kalanggaman Island in Palompon, Leyte.

Since then, the region has become a regular port call for smaller vessels used on expedition cruises carrying around 100 to 600 guests.

Among the destinations frequently included in the cruise itinerary are Kalanggaman Island and Cuatro Islas in Leyte province, Limasawa Island in Southern Leyte, and Capul Island in Northern Samar.

Newly included places are Padre Burgos in Southern Leyte; Canigao Island, Tacloban City, and Palo in Leyte; Maripipi and Sambawan in Biliran; and Biri Island in Northern Samar.

‘The growth of cruise tourism is not only measured by the number of cruise calls. It may be one cruise ship visiting several destinations in the region,” Tiopes added.

This year, the cruise ship that will bring tourists to Eastern Visayas is the Coral Adventurer of Coral Expeditions, a pioneering Australian cruise line.

Source: Philippines News Agency

Hanoi: The National Wage Council has proposed to the Government a 6% increase in the regional minimum wage, equivalent to 238,000 VND per month on average, starting from July 1.

The increase, which was agreed by all 16 members of the council after two negotiation sessions in 2023, was suggested in the context that more than 18,300 new businesses were established and return to the market each month, and the number of orders rose quarter by quarter.

According to the proposal, the wage will be lifted to 4.96 million VND (203.42 USD) per month in Region 1; 4.41 million VND in Region 2; 3.86 million VND in Region 3 and 3.45 million VND in Region 4.

Region 1 covers the urban areas of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City; Region 2 encompasses the rural areas of Hanoi and HCM City, along with major urban areas in the country such as Can Tho, Da Nang and Hai Phong; Region 3 covers provincial cities and the districts of Bac Ninh, Bac Giang and Hai Duong provinces; and Region 4 comprises the rest of the country.

Currently, th
e wage varies from 3.25 – 4.68 million VND per month depending on regions. Meanwhile, with the 6% rise, the minimum hourly wage will reach 16,600 – 23,800 VND.

Once approved, this will be the second time in four years that the regional minimum wage has increased in early July, after an adjustment on July 1, 2022 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a practice over the past 10 years, the regional minimum wage usually increases on January 1.

Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Le Van Thanh, who is also Chairman of the National Wage Council, said that the 6% rise is a harmonious level, showing the sharing of difficulties between employees and employers.

The increase date proposed by the council is from July 1, which coincides with the time for the implementation of wage reform in the State sector, providing time for businesses to prepare plans and resources for the scheme, he said./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

MANILA: Eastern Visayas recorded an increase in cases of influenza-like illnesses and dengue fever in January, prompting the Department of Health (DOH) to remind the public to observe preventive measures.

DOH 8 (Eastern Visayas) information officer Jelyn Lopez-Malibago, in a media interview Tuesday, said 968 cases of flu-like illnesses associated with fever, cough, and sore throat were recorded in the region from Jan. 1 to 27, higher than the 541 cases in the first four weeks of 2023.

Similarly, dengue cases rose to 614 in January from 406 cases recorded in the same month last year.

Dengue fever, an illness caused by the bite of an infected Aedes aegypti mosquito, is marked by the onset of sudden high fever, severe headache, and pain behind the eyes, muscles, and joints.

‘This season of ‘amihan’ (northeast monsoon), a continuous influx of heavy rain is expected in various parts of Eastern Visayas. Because of this, we remind the public of the health risks associated with it, such as the possible increase o
f cases of these diseases here in the region,’ Malibago said.

To prevent influenza-like illnesses, the DOH reminded the public to minimize contact with a person who has cough and influenza, avoid crowded places, cover the mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing to prevent the spread of the virus, wash hands frequently with soap and water, have adequate rest, increase intake of oral fluids and nutritious foods, and take paracetamol for fever.

As part of dengue fever prevention, Malibago advised the public to apply the ‘4S’ strategy — search and destroy mosquito-breeding places, seek early consultation when signs of dengue occur, secure self-protection methods, and support fogging and spraying only in hotspot areas where an increase in cases is registered for two consecutive weeks to prevent an outbreak.

Source: Philippines News Agency

CAGAYAN DE ORO: The provincial government of Misamis Oriental has collaborated with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to adopt food-drying technology, a first in Mindanao.

In a statement on Tuesday, DOST 10 (Northern Mindanao) Director, Dr. Romela Ratilla, said the memorandum of agreement (MOA) signed between the agency and the provincial government would implement the use of a Mobile Modular Food Processing Facility (MMFPF).

“Misamis Oriental is an agriculture province, and we know that the project will be in good hands with our governor and also the support of our provincial agriculture officer,” Ratilla said.

The MOA covers the deployment of the drying module developed and designed by the DOST Industrial Technology Development Institute and housed inside a 32-foot van.

The MMFPF, also known as “FoodtrIP,” is a good manufacturing practice-compliant food processing facility on wheels, allowing flexibility and accessibility to develop viable commercial products from local vegetables, fruits,
and crops, especially when there is a surplus.

FoodtrIP will also open the facility to farmers, cooperatives, and other producers to access the facility.

DOST-10 and the provincial government will work together to operate the MMFPF to provide technical services for a sustainable and effective operation.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: The Employees’ Compensation Commission (ECC) has restored the three-year prescriptive period to file Employees’ Compensation (EC) claims.

Based on ECC Board Resolution 24-01-02 made public Tuesday, the prescriptive period for all EC claims applications with either the Social Security System (SSS) or the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) has been reinstated effective Jan. 18 this year.

“Claimants are again given three years from the time the cause of action accrued to file their applications for EC claims with the SSS and GSIS,” the ECC added.

The Commission noted that EC claims cover any work-related contingencies such as sickness, injury, or death.

Private sector workers may file their applications with the SSS, while GSIS are ready to accept applications from government employees.

‘This means that the running of the period for the filing of claims for compensation due to work-related contingencies such as sickness, injury, or death, has resumed,’ it said.

Under Presidential Decree 626
, EC claimants are given three years from the time the cause of action accrued to file their applications for EC claims with the SSS and GSIS.

The law also said that in case of sickness, the counting of three years shall start from the last date of confinement, whether singular or multiple confinements. In case of accident and death, counting starts from the date of the accident or death.

The prescriptive period for the filing of EC claims was suspended when the country was placed under a state of public health emergency due to the coronavirus pandemic, in compliance with Proclamation 922 issued by former president Rodrigo Duterte in 2020.

The state of public health emergency was lifted under Proclamation No. 297 signed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in July 2023.

ECC is an attached agency of the Department of Labor and Employment that provides benefits to workers in the event of work-related sickness or injury which resulted in disability or death.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Tuesday said it is updating its electronic database of farmers and fisherfolk who are estimated to be around 10 million.

In a news release, DA Undersecretary for Operations Roger Navarro said the agency had an initial list of 1.4 million of these stakeholders in the Registry System for the Basic Sectors in Agriculture before the update started.

‘We were supposed to finish this update last year but we have so many islands to cover,’ Navarro said.

He added the DA will mobilize some 16,000 staff nationwide to fast-track the delayed collection, update and validation of the personal and farm data of stakeholders – farmers, farmworkers, fisherfolk and agri-youth.

It will also request assistance from local government units in the data collection and verification.

The registration and update on records and profiles would determine whether the estimate on the population of the stakeholders is correct and identify individuals truly deserve assistance from the agency.

Navarro said farmworkers should not be included in the DA’s list of beneficiaries as they do not own the farm or crops.

‘Since farmworkers are only seasonally employed in farms, they should be in the list of other government agencies like the Department of Social Welfare and Development for proper handling,’ he said.

‘We have to make a distinction between a farmer and a farmworker. This will allow us to cleanse the list for better use of our resources,’ he added.

In 2022, the DA started the improvement of its management information system to enhance monitoring of projects and interventions, and to facilitate real-time recording of agri-fishery information.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu-Laurel Jr. has issued two memoranda that outline the latest parameters for the registry update.

Tiu-Laurel endorsed the digitalization project to improve efficiency in DA’s operations, project implementation and monitoring.

He is also considering the establishment of an agricultural statistics office to enhance DA’s
ability to manage demand and production of food, maximizing returns to farmers, and minimizing importation.

Source: Philippines News Agency

ILOILO: Sailing enthusiasts are invited to take part in the 51st Paraw Regatta Festival, a cultural celebration of the oldest traditional craft event in Asia and the largest sailing event in the Philippines, paying tribute to Ilonggos’ seafaring skills.

During the media launch Monday, Paraw Sailing Events chair Dr. Roberto Somosa said they have confirmed participants from as far as Boracay Island and some will come from Iloilo coastal towns and Guimaras.

The Iloilo Festivals Foundation Inc. (IFFI) is also looking at increasing the prizes because mounting a paraw costs up to PHP150,000.

‘We are talking about that. Hopefully, next year, since we are talking of additional categories, it can help bring back more participants,’ he said, as he recalled having 85 participants during the 41st year of the festival.

Last year, 48 paraws joined the main sailing event, a race among sailboats with outriggers covering an almost 30-kilometer stretch from the waters in Villa Arevalo District, this city to Guimaras, and b
ack to Villa.

It is dubbed the ‘search for perfect wind’ because sailors use their maneuvering skills while passing designated markers amid the strong wind to reach their finishing line.

The Paraw Regatta is among the major celebrations in Iloilo together with the Dinagyang Festival and the Chinese New Year.

Somosa said they are thinking of including a slalom competition, with a shorter race course.

The plan is to have a women’s category and a junior category for 12 to 16-year-olds.

‘We will start at the grassroots. This (paraw sailing) is a skill that has been passed from generation to generation. It is about one’s ability to find the perfect wind and direct your sail to get the right angle to propel your boat forward,’ Somosa said.

The pre-registration is on Feb. 12-23. Forms are available at the IFFI office, at the back of the Kerr and Co. building.

The festival highlights will be on March 1-3.

Source: Philippines News Agency