OVP to open more satellite offices next year—Duterte

Published November 16, 2022, 1:49 PM

by Raymund Antonio, MB

Vice President Sara Duterte announced on Wednesday, Nov. 16, the planned opening of three more satellite offices of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) next year to make its services and programs more accessible to the people.

Vice President Sara Duterte delivers her message after the Office of the Vice President (OVP) signed the memorandum of agreement with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) on Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022. (Raymund Antonio/MANILA BULLETIN)

The OVP has seven existing satellite offices in Bacolod, Surigao del Sur, Cebu, Davao, Tacloban, Dagupan, and Zamboanga. 

Its central office is housed at the Robinsons Cybergate Plaza in Mandaluyong City.

Duterte said they could open one to three satellite offices depending on how these could be funded from the OVP’s budget. 

“I-assess lang namin kung gaano ‘yung budget namin, paano niya ma-accommodate ‘yung (We only have to assess how much is our budget, how can it accommodate) one to three satellite offices,” she said in a media interview.

On Tuesday, Nov. 15, the Vice President met with the OVP satellite managers to discuss the concerns of their respective offices.

OVP satellite office in Cebu City (Photo from Inday Sara Duterte/Facebook)

“There was a discussion na dapat maglagay ng (that we should open a) satellite office sa (in the) eastern side ng (of) Luzon,” she noted. 

“Meron pang mga areas sa (There are areas in) Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao na walang kami (that we don’t yet have) presence,” the official added.

Duterte cited those in need from Isabela who had to hire a jeepney to go to the OVP’s Dagupan office.

The OVP will open satellite offices based on the demand in a particular area of coverage.

“Ang nangyayari ang tao ang pumupunta dun sa (What happens is that the people go to our) satellite offices namin so iyon ang tinitingnan namin kung saan magiging parang i-divide (that’s what we’re looking at, maybe divide) geographically iyong (the) areas ng (of) coverage ng (of) satellite offices making it more easier para mga kababayan natin (for our fellowmen),” she said.

Palace moves Araw ng Kagitingan, Bonifacio Day to new dates; Jan. 2 is special holiday

Published November 16, 2022, 1:32 PM

by Betheena Unite

The dates of some regular holidays for 2023 have been changed, Malacañang announced on Wednesday, Nov. 16.

Proclamation No. 90

Through Proclamation No. 90 the following regular holidays were moved to another date:

• Araw ng Kagitingan – April 9 (Sunday) to April 10 (Monday)
• Bonifacio Day – November 30 (Thursday) to November 27 (Monday)

January 2 was also added as an special non-working day.

Other regular holidays and special non-working days previously declared through Proclamation No. 42, which was issued in August 2022, will remain unchanged.

According to the Palace, the changes were made to encourage domestic travel and increase tourism expenditures.

“There is a need to adjust these holidays pursuant to the principle of holiday economics wherein a longer weekend will help encourage domestic travel and increase tourism expenditures in the country,” the proclamation stated.It also explained that adding January 2 to the list of special non-working days is “in consideration of the Filipino tradition of visiting relatives and spending time with their families for this occasion.”  

Remittances sustain growth as expats help ease inflation's sting

Ramon Royandoyan - Philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines — Money sent home by Filipinos overseas inched up in September as they rushed to support their families weathering the impact of expensive consumer prices.

Remittances coursed through banks inched up 3.8% year-on-year to $2.84 billion in September, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas reported Tuesday. This, however, was slower than 4.3% recorded in August. 

Year-to-date, cash remittances amounted to $23.83 billion. 

Remittances are considered the lifeblood of the consumption-dependent Philippine economy. Money sent home by overseas Filipinos augment their families’ income here. 

These remittances are also crucial sources of dollars for the country. Remittances amounted to $31.42 billion last year, expanding 5.1% compared to the 2020 haul. The collections slightly missed the central bank’s forecast of 6% growth, but the BSP hopes remittances would rise this year.

That said, the surging dollar trend has left the peso sinking to new lows, which convinced many this will benefit families of overseas Filipinos. But that has not been the case as a strong dollar trend is only adding fuel to painfully high inflation that’s squeezing household budgets.

Domini Velasquez, chief economist at China Banking Corp, attributed the growth in September remittances to three economic events.

“The increase in pace in the growth in cash remittances were likely driven by 3 factors: better economic outlook in some of the host countries such as the US, ASEAN, and the Middle East; high domestic inflation may compel overseas Filipinos to help out more in terms of sending money from abroad; and OFs may want to take advantage of a weak peso,” she said in a Viber message.

BSP data broken down showed 41.7% of cash remittances in the first nine months came from the United States, while the rest came from Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Canada, Qatar, Taiwan, and South Korea.

Remittance from land-based workers grew 4.1% year-on-year to $2.25 billion in September. Sea-based workers sent $590 million, inching up 2.4% on a yearly basis. 

Velasquez cited that opportunities in remittance-rich countries such as the US and other parts of Asia, and the Middle East will offset the decline recorded in money sent by Filipinos based in Europe.

“The move towards full face-to-face classes in November will also bring in more remittances towards end of 2022,” Velasquez said, as expats send more money to their families to pay for tuition fees.

“Lastly, we might see more holiday remittances as Filipinos will likely celebrate with looser restrictions this year compared to last (e.g. physical company/school Christmas parties),” she added.

PH is world’s top beach, dive destinations

by Jun Marcos Tadios

The Philippines bagged the highly-coveted World’s Leading Dive Destination and the Leading Beach Destination for 2022, the Department of Tourism (DOT) announced on Tuesday, Nov. 15.

DOT Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said the two awards were given during the 29th World Travel Award (WTA) held in Muscat, Oman. 

“These global victories for the Philippines evince the unparalleled beauty of our country and the distinct warmth of the Filipino people,” said Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco.

“We sincerely thank the World Travel Awards and everyone from all over the world whose vote of confidence is timely as the Philippines fully opens its arms to welcome tourists to our shores,” she added.

To date, the Philippine dive portfolio continues at its four-year winning streak in world recognition.

The Philippines bested the world’s finest diving destinations like the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and other distinguished islands like the Cayman Islands, Maldives, Fiji, Mexico, Azores Islands, French Polynesia, Galapagos Islands, St. Kitts, and Belize.

As the leading beach destination, the Philippines also topped other beaches globally, including previous awardees such as Maldives, The Algarve in Portugal, Jamaica, Galapagos Islands in Ecuador, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Meanwhile, three partner tourism of the DOT also bagged recognition at the WTA: the famous Amanpulo (World’s Leading Dive Resort 2022); City of Dreams Manila (World’s Leading Casino Resort 2022); and the Ascott Bonifacio Global City Manila, as the World’s Leading Serviced Apartments 2022.

The DOT was also nominated as the World’s Leading Tourist Board this year, as well as Siargao as the World’s Leading Island Destination and Intramuros as the World’s Leading Tourist Attraction.

The 29th World Travel Awards gathered the best travel and hospitality industries from its regional awardees across Asia, the Caribbean, Central America, Europe, the Indian Ocean, the Middle East, North America, Oceania, and South America.

Earlier this month, Palawan was also hailed as the Most Desirable Island in the world, and Cebu has nominated Most Desirable Region (Rest of the World) at the 21st Wanderlust Travel Awards in the United Kingdom (UK).

The Philippine Tourism Board, through the Philippine Department of Tourism-Central Visayas Office, also placed 6th among hundreds of entries in the Wanderlust Sustainability Initiative Category for its Dive7 Program. 

In September, the Philippines topped Asia’s leading dive, and beach destination, while the historic Walled City of Intramuros was Asia’s leading tourist attraction at the World Travel Awards (WTA) in Vietnam.

Earlier this year, Conde Nast Travel (CNT) also named the Philippines among the 40 most beautiful countries worldwide, specifically citing the remarkable cave system of the Puerto Princesa Underground River, the mysteriously uniform Chocolate Hills of Bohol, and the panoramic views of the Banaue and Cordilleras Rice Terraces.

Time Magazine also named Boracay as one of the 50 World’s Greatest Places of 2022.

“These Awards are a source of inspiration for us in the Department of Tourism to work even harder as the Marcos administration ushers in the resurgence of the tourism industry as a major pillar of economic growth and source of livelihood for millions of Filipinos,” Frasco noted.