Honda Cars PH now under new leadership

Rie Miyake now leads Honda Cars Philippines Inc. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

HONDA Cars Philippines Inc. (HCPI) is now under the helm of Rie Miyake, succeeding Masahiko Nakamura who just completed his tour of duty in the country. Nakamura-san will assume a new post in Honda Cars Korea effective April 1, 2023.

Prior to her assignment in the Philippines, Miyake held different management posts at Honda Motor Co. Ltd. Headquarters in Japan and handled overseas markets such as North and South American countries. Through the years, she gained expertise in automobile sales, parts export, logistics, and business planning operations. Most recently, she was in charge of the Export Planning Department of Honda's global automobile business.

Miyake will be key to the expansion of Honda's business, particularly in steering the company toward carbon neutrality for all products and corporate activities. One of Honda's corporate long–term goals is to achieve 100–percent electrification of its automobiles by 2040.

"As we embark on this fresh journey, I want to assure you — the times may have changed so much, but Honda's commitment as the power of dreams has only grown through the years. Please watch out for new technologies to be launched very soon, including HEV (hybrid electric vehicle) that doesn't just have a hybrid emblem, it truly delivers. We will also continue to improve our sales and after–sales operations to give our customers more joy throughout their vehicle ownership," said Miyake.

The ceremony also gave the outgoing president the opportunity to show his gratitude for the support he received. Nakamura also expressed his confidence that Miyake's leadership will further drive the company to achieve higher levels of growth and success.

"Thank you very much for your continued support of HCPI. The past three years have been challenging, but we also learned so many things. What I will remember more is how we all worked together and came out better than before. I am thankful for the dedication of Honda associates and our business partners. We will continue to improve keeping in mind our purpose," Nakamura, for his part, said.

7,030 personnel tapped to secure Holy Week in Davao region

 

PROVINCIALNEWSMINDANAO

BY ANTONIO COLINA IV

Apr 3, 2023 9:32 PM

  

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DAVAO CITY – A total of 7,030 security personnel will be deployed in the Davao region to ensure the safety of the people during Holy Week.

Major Eudisan Gultiano, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office (PRO)-Davao (Region 11), said on Monday, April 3, they are composed of 3,700 police officers, 330 augmented personnel from the Bureau of Fire Protection and Armed Forces of the Philippines, and 3,000 force multipliers from the advocacy group of the PRO-Davao.

They would be deployed to 304 places of worship, 140 thoroughfares, 70 transportation hubs, 165 commercial areas, and 292 places of convergence.

Police Brig. Gen. Alden B. Delvo, PRO-11 chief, said they would do their best to ensure a peaceful and orderly observance of the Holy Week.

He reminded passengers to come to transportation terminals early and avoid wearing expensive pieces of jewelry.

Police Major Catherine dela Rey, spokesperson of the Davao City Police Office (DCPO), said police here are ready to secure churches as early as Palm Sunday as the security sector anticipates droves of devotees who will attend Mass.

She said people should expect stricter enforcement of security measures during Holy Week processions and other activities that would draw huge crowds in churches here.

“The churches are coordinating with their respective police stations to prepare deployment of security personnel,” she said.
Aside from churches, she said police are also implementing strict security measures in terminals, tourist spots, and even malls.

BI places personnel at NAIA, other int'l airports under heightened alert for Holy Week

BY JUN RAMIREZ

  

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has placed its personnel at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and in other international ports under heightened alert status in anticipation of a large influx of passengers during the Lenten break.

“We are bracing for a surge in the volume of passenger who are expected to travel in and out of the country during the Holy Week, thus we have to alert our border control officers for any eventuality that may arise during this period,” said BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco.

The BI chief said they also fielded more than a hundred additional immigration officers to the NAIA to augment the number of manpower manning the immigration booths in the arrival and departure areas.

“This will ensure that our services to the traveling public are not interrupted even if there is a sharp increase in passenger volume," he added.

Tansingco said he  instructed the bureau’s terminal heads in the airports to implement stricter measures in screening passengers and deter any attempts by human trafficking syndicates to take advantage of the occasion in spiriting their victims out of the country.

BI port personnel were also ordered to be vigilant in screening arriving foreigners to make sure that no unwanted aliens are able to slip into the country.

The BI’s electronic gates are fully operational at the NAIA which allows digital processing of arrivals for as fast as eight seconds per passenger.

The BI foresees a far bigger number of travelers who will enter and exit the country during this year’s Lenten break in light of the country’s reopening of its borders after the lifting of Covid-19 travel restrictions.

Statistics show that passenger arrivals at airports now averages between 30,000 to 32,000 daily, compared to only 6,000 last year.

The number is expected to increase to around 40,000 during on Maundy Thursday onwards.

How to rebook flights amid Cebu Pacific ‘super pass’ glitch

By

 Catalina Ricci S. Madarang

 

(image from https://www.cebupacificair.com)

Redeemed flights from a promotional sale of a budget airline are not refundable, but they can be rebooked.

This rule was stated in the guidelines of Cebu Pacific Air‘s “Super Pass” sale that was the subject of complaints from travelers last weekend.

Cebu Pacific on March 31 rolled out its CEB Super Pass, a massive voucher sale of discounted ticket prices, ahead of the Holy Week season. 

The vouchers are supposedly offered on that day only from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

“Redemption Period: Mar 31, 2023 – Apr 23, 2024, travel period: Apr 7, 2023 – Apr 30, 2024,” the post reads. 

Right after it rolled out, however, the airline received numerous complaints from travelers on its social media accounts.

Complaints include glitches experienced on Cebu Pacific’s booking platform, additional charges and no confirmations about the vouchers they purchased.

CEB’s policies on rebooking/refunding

The CEB Super Pass is a single-use voucher that offers travelers to choose and redeem flights for only a P99 base fare.

On its FAQs page, it was stated that additional fees will still depend on the “destination such as but not limited to, taxes, surcharges, and airport fees all of which will be collected upon redemption.”

The vouchers are also neither refundable nor transferable once travelers redeemed them with their flights.

“Flights redeemed using CEB Super Pass are non-reroutable, non-transferable, non-refundable and cannot be converted to a travel fund,” the website said.

Instead, passengers who used the pass for their flights are given the option to rebook.

“Flight changes can be made up to two hours before the scheduled time of departure, subject to availability and fare difference if any, and all other applicable fees,” Cebu Pacific said.

Passengers will also be given rebooking options in case of flight cancelations.

“In the event of flight delays, schedule changes, or flight disruptions, you will be provided options based on the existing flight disruption policy of the airline,” the guidelines read.

CEB Super Pass vouchers can also be forfeited from the passenger.

Here are the following conditions for voucher forfeiture:

• Failure to redeem the CEB Super Mass within the specified redemption or travel period
• Missed the scheduled flight

For rebooking flights that are not canceled by the airline, here are the following steps to make booking changes:

1. Log in to your account at https://bit.ly/MyCebuPacificMB.
2. Search for the specific flight under “My Bookings” then click the “Manage” button.
3. Choose “Change Flight” to select new travel dates, then follow the succeeding instructions to complete your rebooking.

Response to complaints

Following the slew of complaints, at 8 p.m. on March 31, the management of Cebu Pacific issued an apology to its passengers.

It assured those who have purchased the vouchers that they will work on addressing the glitches and other concerns they have received.

“PASSensya! We are sorry for any inconvenience you may have experienced while booking with us today, and we truly appreciate your continued patronage. Once volume normalizes in the next 24 hours, we will be happy to assist you with your concerns through m.me/cebupacificair ,” Cebu Pacific wrote.

In the meantime, the local carrier asked travelers for patience and understanding while waiting for their confirmation emails.

“Guests with vouchers on hold will be sent their confirmation emails within the next 24 hours. We hope for your patience and understanding, and rest assured our teams are working hard to resolve customer concerns,” the carrier said.