Travel expo slated in Davao City

By Ivy Tejano

Published Apr 23, 2026 10:53 pm

THE World Travel Expo 2026 from May 15 to 17 in Davao City is launched on Thursday, April 23, at Grand Regal Hotel. (Photo via Ivy Tejano)

DAVAO CITY – The Davao leg of the World Travel Expo 2026 will be held from May 15 to 17 at Ayala Abreeza Mall here.

WTE Managing Director Miles Caballero said 25 exhibitors from Visayas and Mindanao are participating and is part of their ongoing efforts to promote local and domestic destinations amid the crisis.

Caballero said the expo remains relevant despite the rise of online booking platforms as many properties reserve their best deals for face-to-face events and limited three-day sale periods.

She warned travelers to be cautious of online scams and check the Department of Tourism for accredited agencies.

Caballero said Davao City continues to draw visitors because many people see this city as one of the safest cities in the country.

"This sense of security helps offset the negative impact of broader political and economic concerns on travel demand," Caballero said.

Representatives of participating hotels pitched travel offers during the conference.

Domini Sebastian del Rosario of Grand Regal Hotel highlighted this city's diverse offerings, from urban scenery to islands and highland destinations.

Liza Gamo, president of the Davao Hotels and Resorts Sales and Marketing Association, said tourism is often one of the first sectors hit during crises. But Gamo said hotels here maintain stable occupancy driven by conventions and business trips and major pre-booked conventions remain on schedule.

Gamo said that Davao hotels continue to respond creatively to current challenges by offering competitive packages, flexible deals, and value-added promotions to attract more travelers.

Organizers expect the event to generate bookings, strengthen partnerships, and help sustain tourism activity in Davao and neighboring destinations.

With rising seas, Manila Bay reclamation projects may be risky

By Manila Bulletin Newsroom

Published Apr 24, 2026 12:05 am | Updated Apr 23, 2026 05:58 pm

The warning signs are here, measurable, and accelerating. New studies highlighted in an article published at the Yale School of the Environment reveal an alarming reality. Sea-level trends indicate that oceans are rising at a pace exceeding earlier projections, while the land beneath many coastal communities is sinking even faster. This convergence significantly alters flood-risk assessments, rendering traditional models increasingly unreliable. For an archipelagic nation such as the Philippines, where coastlines are lifelines, the implications are both immediate and profound. It is an urgent call to act.

Nowhere is this urgency more evident than in Manila Bay, where large-scale reclamation projects continue to advance. Marketed as engines of economic growth, these developments promise to generate commercial opportunities, attract investments, and support urban development. However, such potential benefits must be carefully weighed against the environmental and societal risks they may intensify.

Coastal reclamation inevitably disrupts fragile ecosystems. Mangrove forests, which serve as natural buffers against storm surges and coastal erosion, are frequently removed or degraded in the process. Beyond their protective function, these ecosystems sustain marine biodiversity and support fisheries that are vital to national food security. Their loss diminishes ecological resilience at a time when environmental pressures are rapidly intensifying.

In this context, it is crucial for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to expedite its Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA) and undertake a comprehensive compliance review of all reclamation initiatives within Manila Bay. Such an undertaking should extend beyond verifying adherence to existing regulatory frameworks. It must critically evaluate whether these frameworks remain adequate in light of emerging scientific insights on sea-level rise and accelerated subsidence.

A rigorous and forward-looking assessment should consider the aggregate effects of multiple reclamation projects, rather than evaluating them singlehandedly. The interaction of these developments may alter hydrodynamic patterns, exacerbate flooding, and further contribute to land instability. Incorporating updated scientific data into planning and decision-making processes is essential to ensure that policies reflect current conditions rather than outdated assumptions.

While the economic rationale for reclamation is valuable, it cannot supersede considerations of long-term safety and sustainability. The expansion of commercial districts may offer immediate financial returns, but such gains become questionable if these areas are exposed to increasing flood risks or structural instability. Development that compromises resilience ultimately undermines the very economic objectives it seeks to achieve.

The private sector, as a principal driver of these projects, must also assume a greater degree of responsibility. Sustainable development practices should be integrated into project design and implementation. This includes investing in nature-based solutions, supporting the preservation and restoration of coastal ecosystems, and maintaining transparency in environmental risk assessments. Economic participation should be accompanied by a clear commitment to environmental stewardship.

Nevertheless, the primary obligation rests with the government. As both regulator and custodian of public welfare, it must ensure that development initiatives are aligned with the broader interests of society. This requires a deliberate and evidence-based approach to decision-making, where thorough evaluation takes precedence over expediency. The consequences of insufficient scrutiny are far-reaching and, in some cases, irreversible.

Public engagement is equally vital. Citizens must remain informed and actively participate in discussions surrounding environmental governance. Advocacy for sustainable practices, support for conservation initiatives, and vigilance in holding institutions accountable contribute to a more resilient and responsive policy environment.

The Philippines now faces a critical juncture. The realities of rising seas and subsiding land demand a reassessment of how coastal development is pursued. Progress must be defined not solely by economic expansion, but by the capacity to safeguard communities and ecosystems against emerging threats.

The challenge is clear. Scientific evidence has advanced, and the risks are better understood. The responsibility now lies in ensuring that policy, practice, and public awareness advance accordingly.

Eala, Sonmez advance in Madrid Open doubles

Ralph Edwin Villanueva - Philstar.com

April 23, 2026 | 6:11pm

Alex Eala

(Alex Eala via Instagram)

MANILA, Philippines — On to the next. 

Alex Eala and Zeynep Sonmez are off to the second round of the Mutua Madrid Open doubles’ action after sweeping the pair of Hao-ching Chan and Fanny Stollar, 6-2, 6-2, Thursday afternoon (Manila time) in Spain. 

The Filipino-Turkish pair had a slow start, trailing 0-2 in the first set. 

But they strung together game after game, taking the first set 6-2.   

They continued on in the second set, going up 4-0, before Chan and Stollar held their serve and finally put themselves on the board, 1-4. 

Eala and Sonmez, though, held their serve, pushing themselves to the match point, 5-1. 

But Chan and Stollar kept themselves afloat with a crucial win in the seventh game, 2-5. 

The Filipina and Turkish tennisters, however, iced the match as they won the rally.    

Eala and Sonmez will face either the pair of Lyudmyla Kichenok and Desirae Kwarczyk, or the second-seeded team of Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend. 

The Filipina also barged into the next round of singles’ play after demolishing Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the first round. In the Round of 64, she will face Elise Mertens, who had a first-round bye.    

Does a car use more fuel when the air conditioner is on?

 

Erika Fernandez

 · 

Car LoverMar 29

Yes and no. And the full answer is more interesting than most people expect. The AC compressor is connected to the engine with the help of a belt, which means AC works only if the engine is running. When you switch on the AC, the compressor loads the engine significantly, and in order to compensate for the increase in load, the ECU orders the fuel injectors to spray more fuel, hence there is an increase in fuel consumption.

The compressor can require as much as 4 horsepower to power the AC system, which doesn't seem like much in normal driving conditions, but becomes an issue if you have a small engine or if you're towing a large load or accelerating fast. The smaller the engine in the car, the higher the fuel economy hit will be, as well as a noticeable loss of performance.

Here is where it gets more complicated though. The correct answer is really "it depends," because if you don't run the AC, are you driving with the windows down? Driving with the windows down creates turbulence and drag, and that uses more gas too, especially at highway speeds. At low speeds, around 50 km/h or less, there is not too much wind resistance, so having the AC on will use more fuel than simply opening a window. But once travelling at highway speeds, the wind resistance increases exponentially, and having a window open creates a lot more wind resistance than at lower speeds. At that point the extra wind resistance has a much more noticeable effect on economy, and it becomes more efficient to have the AC on.

In cars built in the last 15 years or so, the AC compressors are much more efficient than older cars. Around town, there will still be a little drop in mpg, but out on a steady highway drive, the aerodynamic drag of having open windows will cause a greater drop in mpg than having the AC on. Modern AC compressors are designed to get the system up to the correct pressure, then disengage so as not to waste fuel, so the pump will be running less often than most people assume. Keeping the windows closed when using air conditioning also reduces fuel consumption further.

The bottom line is that yes, the AC uses more fuel than driving with everything off and windows up. But if the choice is between AC with windows up versus no AC with windows down at highway speed, the AC is actually the more fuel efficient option. Keeping the AC off and the windows rolled up is most efficient, but since modern ACs use such little additional gas, most find the AC worth a slight decrease in range.

True or not?

 

 

CAREER DOUBTS

By

 Mindanao Daily News

 -

April 24, 2026

0

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Is it normal to have doubts about a career? In fact, reexamining our careers in midlife is not just normal—it’s a healthy and expected part of development. The idea that we should have everything figured out by our 30s (or even our 40s and beyond) is a myth that ignores how we evolve as people over time.

Career doubts often signal a need for growth, change, or a realignment of personal values, rather than just failure. To navigate this, proactively assess your situation by listing facts vs. feelings, envision your ideal future role, and discuss with professionals in similar fields. Common causes include lack of challenge, burnout, or misalignment with company culture.

You may experience doubts as soon as you start your studies simply because you do not know enough about the many career paths that are available to you …

Realize that doubt is a normal part of the achievement process. Doubt happens to all of us. Sometimes, you’ll set big career goals and then actively prevent yourself from achieving them. You may even get close to achieving these big goals, but then, right before you do, you’ll blow everything up.

Start conducting exploratory interviews. Attend industry conferences, and network with key organizers, asking one or two for their time to learn more about their own personal career path. Find a mentor from whom you can get direction, who can assess your strengths and interests and help you brainstorm new career paths.

Career is a rapid motion. A course of action. Sure! A professional conduct in life. Even a progress through life. Here we are! That means, a careerist is one, who rushes widely and makes his own personal advancement as well as his (or her) own aim in life!

What can we do, if “career doubts” won’t go away? First allow me to quote my bible, especially Jude (Watching out! Sounding an alarm!), who writes in the style of a teacher who is watching a freight train bear down on his student’s driver. Yes, bells ring out: “Be merciful to those who doubt.” (Jude :22).

My parents always wanted me to become a banker. So far so good. Why not? Maybe I would have been much happier in my job during those times. Maybe not? I wanted to be a journalist already at the age of 6… . Believe it or not.

The pressure “to be” (or later NOT TO BE – thank you Mr. Shakespeare!), started early in my life. Not only my parents, also my peers and teachers began to exert their influences on me. Yes, I even didn’t know yet where my inclinations lay. I only knew, I wanted to become a journalist… .

Suddenly being a doctor or a lawyer? Yes, I was interested in law and medicine at that time. I really got very lucky becoming an editor of German law magazines during my last 18 years in Germany. But I never became a lawyer – or doctor! Now, I would ask myself – who cares?

Fear of failure: Perfectionism and a fear of failure reinforce feelings of self-doubt. In a state of self-doubt, you may attribute your past successes to luck, downplaying your true abilities. (A term for this experience is imposter syndrome, which is when successful people feel unworthy of their wins.)

“The way that people pick up careers is incredibly  primitive,” said Nicholas Lore, founder of the Rockport Institute, a career coaching firm, and author of “The Pathfinder”. Strong tobacco, indeed. That’s why so many people are indeed dissatisfied with their jobs. I wanted to be a journalist, but mass communications wasn’t MY subject yet. Publishing house management – yes! Banker again? Once upon a time… .

Believe me, I always thought about a true calling for myself. Sure, people, whose careers aren’t the fight fit, often  feel like impostors, as Professor Robert I. Sutton, an organizational psychologist at Stanford University in Palo Alto, said. Very, very well said, Sir.

How about you, my dear reader of this column? Are you also placing too high a value on the external rewards of a job, like money, prestige and power? Of course, for many of us (most?) These things are indeed important. Hold on, please! The work you do and the skills  your opportunity  requires and the value of your work are really more vital to fulfilment. Paper work, or not… . You think you find a better career fit? Go ahead – but don’t expect that this is your life’s career!

I waited for my “better calling” (what a terrible term!) experiencing many even better and wonderful moments in life. I also experienced that what I did in the past had not been very much compatible to me, as what my parents thought… .

Meanwhile, I reached the age of 73. I am looking back. I still like to teach the new generation…

Ferocious Lady Bulldogs

 

BY LANCE AGCAOILI

APRIL 23, 2026

NU’s Arah Panique (right) attacks the UST defense on her way to a career-high night. —MARLO CUETO

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Filipino women volley pairs in tough brackets

National University clinched the No. 2 seed and a crucial bye in the first round of the step-ladder after rallying past University of Santo Tomas, 19-25, 23-25, 25-18, 25-18, 15-13, in the final elimination round playdate of UAAP Season 88 women’s volleyball tournament on Wednesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

In finishing second behind outright finalist La Salle, the defending champions also gained a prolonged break as the Golden Tigresses dropped into a tie for fourth spot with Far Eastern at 8-6 and both will figure in a KO duel for the right to play third-ranked Adamson in another you-or-me match.

That means more than a week of rest and recalibration—with the battle for the second title series slot slated for May 2—for the Lady Bulldogs, who are coming off two five-set games, the other a heartbreaking setback to the Lady Spikers over the weekend.