Tourism will help fast-track our economic recovery and growth

by Manila Bulletin

The country witnessed in the past few weeks a flurry of events related to tourism. Just a few days ago, the Philippine Travel Exchange or PHITEX tallied a record-breaking ₱172 million in business sales leads in just two days. PHITEX, now in its 21st year, is the biggest government-led travel trade event organized by the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB). Alongside it, the 6th World Travel Expo was being held in another hotel and also recorded robust sales and attendance. Based on these two separate events, there is so much optimism in the coming months, especially in 2023, for the pandemic-battered tourism industry.

Before these two events, stakeholders gathered in a “Philippine Tourism Industry Convergence Reception” where the President made his message clear — that his administration is committed to revitalize the tourism industry.

“It became very clear that as we transform our economy, one of the possible and high potential drivers for the transformation for the economy was tourism and the reason is we in the Philippines have been so fortunate to have been born in this very beautiful country. Even more so, we have been so lucky to be born to such beautiful people,” the President said. To his credit, the President was up and about as an unofficial “tourism ambassador” as he led in various events that will help promote and publicize the country not only to international travelers, but also to domestic tourists. 

The President spearheaded the ceremonial lighting of the San Juanico Bridge, the first of its kind in the country where a bridge will feature an aesthetic light and sound show. It is touted as the newest tourism drawer, an attraction that will repurpose the bridge not only as a vital link between Samar and Leyte, but as a catalyst to help boost local tourism around the area.

Over the weekend, the President also joined the MassKara Festival in Bacolod City, highlighting the message that the country is “reemerging from a crisis.”

“The pandemic is fading away. We are learning to manage it… it is now time for us to go back to work, to go back to our normal lives, to remind ourselves of all the opportunities that were before us before the pandemic,” he said, noting that the MassKara Festival signaled not only the opening of Bacolod City, but more so the country to tourists all over the world.

Stressing the vital role of tourism in our economic development, the President’s latest vlog also suggested that Filipinos must “explore, travel, and discover the beauty of the Philippines.” 

“Please remember that every trip and travel inside our beautiful Philippines will help in our (economic) recovery,” the President said. He also noted that the coming weekend — a long one due to the declaration of Oct. 31 as a non-working holiday — is an opportune time to join our families to discover the countryside.

He added: “From the beginning, we have already identified tourism as one of the key drivers to revitalize our local economy. We can create more jobs if we develop our tourism sector.”

So, what is there for us to do? Time to pack our bags, check our cars (or the bus schedules), book a hotel or resort online, and just go as every peso that we spend for local enterprises is a peso that will help lift up their lives, their communities, and ultimately, our country. 

32M scam and spam SMS blocked

By Francis Earl Cueto, Manila Times

GLOBE Telecoms on Monday said they were able to block 32.2 million scam and spam text messages with clickable links in just two weeks after enforcing its measure against all person-to-person SMS with links.

In a statement, Globe said that the figure covered September 28 to October 13 when it started enforcing the measures, which resulted in blocking 2.4 million SMS with clickable links on average every day within that period.

"The amount of text messages with clickable links we blocked within just about two weeks shows the staggering number of spam and scam SMS that disrupt and threaten customers every day. This is empirical proof that our security measure was warranted," Anton Bonifacio, Globe's chief information security officer, said.

Globe implemented this measure in response to growing concern over escalating spam and scam messages, particularly those containing mobile users' full names.

The statement also said that Globe has logged a new record in blocked spam and scam messages, with a total of 1.3 billion from January to end September. This exceeds the 2021 total of 1.15 billion.

Under the new security measure, all person-to-person SMS with clickable links from all networks are blocked.

This has forced fraudsters to find new ways to craft their scam messages, showing that the blocking measure has been effective.

"We reiterate our call on our customers to remain vigilant as fraudsters will continue to find ways to circumvent measures that aim to thwart them. Do not engage with SMS from anonymous sources making enticing offers," Bonifacio said.

Globe has spent $20 million or P1.1 billion to date to step up its spam and scam SMS detection and blocking system.

FDA warns vs 'toxic' cough syrups

By Kristina Maralit October 25, 2022 

The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) on Monday echoed an earlier warning by the World Health Organization (WHO) against four "substandard" cough syrups for children.

The WHO tagged the cough syrups manufactured by India-based Maiden Pharmaceutical Ltd. under the brands Promethazine Oral Solution, Kofexmalin Baby Cough Syrup, Makoff Baby Cough Syrup and Magrip N Cold Syrup as unsafe for consumption because they contain "toxic ingredients."

The warning was issued following the death of 66 children in the West African country of Gambia last September.

In its advisory, the FDA said the four brands contain diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol which are considered as contaminants and toxic to humans.

Consumption "may result in abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, inability to pass urine, headache, altered mental state and acute kidney injury which may lead to death," it said.

Plastic recycling remains a ‘myth’: Greenpeace study

by Agence-France-Presse

WASHINGTON, United States — Plastic recycling rates are declining even as production shoots up, according to a Greenpeace USA report out Monday that blasted industry claims of creating an efficient, circular economy as “fiction.”

Pixabay

Titled “Circular Claims Fall Flat Again,” the study found that of 51 million tons of plastic waste generated by US households in 2021, only 2.4 million tons were recycled, or around five percent. 

After peaking in 2014 at 10 percent, the trend has been decreasing, especially since China stopped accepting the West’s plastic waste in 2018.

Virgin production — of non-recycled plastic, that is — meanwhile is rapidly rising as the petrochemical industry expands, lowering costs.

“Industry groups and big corporations have been pushing for recycling as a solution,” Greenpeace USA campaigner Lisa Ramsden told AFP.

“By doing that, they have shirked all responsibility” for ensuring that recycling actually works, she added. She named Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Unilever and Nestle as prime offenders. 

According to Greenpeace USA’s survey, only two types of plastic are widely accepted at the nation’s 375 material recovery facilities.

The first is polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is commonly used in water and soda bottles; and the second is high density polyethylene (HDPE), seen in milk jugs, shampoo bottles and cleaning product containers.

These are numbered “1” and “2” according to a standardized system in which there are seven plastic types.

But being recyclable in theory doesn’t mean products are being recycled in practice.

The report found that PET and HDPE products had actual reprocessing rates of 20.9 percent and 10.3 percent, respectively — both down slightly from Greenpeace USA’s last survey in 2020.

Plastic types “3” through “7” — including children’s toys, plastic bags, produce wrappings, yogurt and margarine tubs, coffee cups and to-go food containers — were reprocessed at rates of less than five percent.

PH to require eArrival card for airline passengers starting Nov. 1—Palace

by Betheena Unite, MB

Malacañang announced that the use of electronic arrival (eArrival) card for passengers will be implemented in the country’s airports starting November 1.

OFWs at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Ali Vicoy/ MANILA BULLETIN)

The scan-and-go system, the Palace said, will ensure ease of travel for incoming travelers and at the same time, protect the public from Covid-19. 

“Starting November 1 this year, the Bureau of Quarantine will require all inbound travelers to have an e-Arrival Card within 72 hours prior to their departure from their country of origin,” it said in a statement on Monday, Oct. 24.

Arriving travelers should register for an e-Arrival Card prior to their departure via onehealthpass.com.ph or by scanning the QR code indicated in the poster released by the Department of Health (DOH).

The DOH issued the advisory as the Bureau of Quarantine transitions from the One Health Pass (OHP) to the eArrival Card to streamline arrival requirements for travelers.

Malacañang further said that the adoption of the eArrival Card will make entry to the Philippines more convenient for travelers as it removes unnecessary information fields present in the previous OHP system. 

PSEi back at 6,000 level on bargain hunting

by James A. Loyola, MB

The local stock market climbed back to the 6,000 level as investors picked up bargains in anticipation of upcoming economic data and corporate earnings reports.

The main index added 45.23 points or 0.76 percent to close at 6,028.79 as the Services sector led the advance while the Mining and Oil counter lagged behind. Volume was thin at 406 million shares worth P3.48 billion as gainers beat losers 91 to 76 with 55 unchanged. 

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“Philippine shares started the last week of October solidly, as investors stateside are going to have a handful of eco data to keep tabs on this week,” said Regina Capital Development Corporation Managing Director Luis Limlingan.

He added that, these include “PMI data on Oct. 24, New Home sales for Sept. on Oct. 26, GDP and Durable Goods Orders print on Oct. 27, and Personal Income reading on Oct. 28.“

Philstocks Financial Assistant Research Manager Claire Alviar said “The local bourse went up amid bargain hunting while investors await the third-quarter earnings results. Moreover, the government’s announcement that it is prepared to defend the peso from falling to 60 levels against the US dollar boosted the sentiment.” 

She noted that, “Wall Street’s positive performance last Friday also influenced the market’s movement. However, market participation remains weak.”

Love makes little things great

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

MAKE no mistake about it. As long as things are done with love, no matter how small, ordinary and mundane they are, they can be transformed into something great, even to the extent of acquiring a supernatural, divine value. Indeed, the greatness of divine life offered to us can be found and developed in the little, ordinary things that comprise the major part of our earthly life.

This after hearing clearly what Christ said: “What is the Kingdom of God like? To what can I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in the garden. When it was fully grown, it became a large bush and ‘the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.'” (Lk 13,18-19)

Reiterating the same idea, he continued to say: “To what shall I compare the Kingdom of God? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch of dough was leavened.” (Lk 13,20-21)

Yes, heaven can be reached and experienced to a certain extent even while here on earth when we do things with love, that is, when we offer them to God who loves us first and expects us to love him in return. The secret is to join in the dynamic of divine love that God offers us, as shown to us and shared with us by Christ himself.

We have to be most wary of our common tendency to do things just to meet our own interests and to satisfy our own personal desires that have nothing to do with God or making God only as a prop, a disguise. In other words, when we would fall and get trapped in our own world of self-indulgence.

We might appear to be doing good, but unless they are done with true love, with true self-giving that is inspired by God’s love and that leads us to it as well, that good is at best only apparent. At its worst, they are a danger, a sweet poison. Sooner or later, the bad effects and consequences of that apparent good would appear. We would get spoiled, we hardly can go the distance, we would be prone to hypocrisy.

We really need to continually rectify and purify our intention in whatever we do. We should see to it that we do them with true love, never afraid of whatever cost and sacrifices may be involved, knowing that doing things with true love will always give us joy, peace and perseverance. We are never short-changed when things are done with love.

Of course, doing things with true love would require effort and sacrifice, especially considering our weakened and wounded condition here on earth. It would require sincerity in all our actions, always guarded against the tendency to project certain appearances and images without the proper substance and spirit of love.

Given the many developments of our times that can easily lend themselves to the dangers of hypocrisy, inconsistency and the like, we have to continually examine our conscience to see if we are still driven by true love or are falling already into the clutches of hypocrisy, etc.

We can always know that we are motivated by true love because we would always feel happy and secure, and always motivated and zealous even if we encounter problems and difficulties along the way. That’s when we can already have some traces at least of the Kingdom of God here on earth.

* Chaplain Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE), Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

Boost local tourism, Marcos urges Pinoys

By Kristina Maralit October 24, 2022 

PRESIDENT Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. encouraged Filipinos to start visiting the country's tourist sites to help speed up the recovery of the local tourism sector.

In his weekly vlog posted on his official Facebook page Sunday, the President said tourism is one of the country's major job generating and revenue earning industries.

"I will not stop encouraging you all to visit our beautiful tourist spots," he said in Filipino.

"Let's start this Undas (All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day). One reason why I declared October 31 a special non-working holiday is so that we will have more time to spend with our families and plan our vacation," he said.

Tourism can revitalize the economy because improving existing tourist spots and developing new ones will open more businesses, which in turn will provide more local employment opportunities, he said.

Marcos said he has tasked concerned government agencies to step up efforts to improve accessibility to areas with a high potential for tourism.

"The more that they are accessible, the more people will be enticed to visit and pour in money to the provinces," the President said.

Last week at the Philippine Tourism Industry Convergence Reception, Marcos pledged all-out support for efforts to boost the tourism sector.

Citing the report of Tourism Secretary Cristina Garcia Frasco that the Philippines has attracted around 1.6 million foreign travelers since the country eased the screening of arriving passengers last February, he directed various government agencies to work closely with the Tourism department in building new infrastructure, rehabilitating and improving existing tourist destinations and discovering new ones, upgrading sea and airports as well as public transportation, and securing tourists.

DoT redefines key strategies

Ease of travel and better facilities, the President pointed out, will lure more local and foreign tourists alike to see the sights which will generate not just jobs and income for Filipinos but also "reintroduce" the Philippines to the rest of the world.

Marcos reiterated that "now is the best opportunity" for the country to be a tourism hub with its vast, rich natural resources and best asset — the Filipino workforce.

"We in the Philippines have been so fortunate to have been born to this very beautiful country. And even more so, we have been so lucky to be born to such beautiful people. This is something that we can show the world, and immediately, this will come to help on the preoccupation. At the very beginning, we always talk about jobs, we always talk about employment," he said.

"We must immediately do all that we can to make sure that these assets that the Philippines has must be used to bring jobs to people, good jobs to people, to bring visitors to our country," he added.

Marcos pledges to reboot tourism

To further streamline the processing of returning overseas Filipinos and foreign travelers, the government has replaced the One Health Pass (OHP) with the much simpler eArrival card.

Before the eArrival Card, travelers had to register for the OHP a few days before their arrival and accomplish the electronic Health Declaration Checklist (eHDC) on their day of departure.

Unnecessary information fields such as the traveler's occupation and educational attainment have been removed to speed up the registration process.

PTAA: Collaboration key to recovery

Tourism-related fields were likewise significantly cut by half — from 20 items under the OHP to now less than 10 items in the eArrival card.

Upon providing their travel details, personal information, health declaration and vaccination details on the eArrival Card website: www.onehealthpass.com.ph, travelers will be issued with a unique QR code which they will present to Bureau of Quarantine officers at their destination airport in the Philippines.

Rebooting a country’s brand: Marga Montemayor-Nograles and TPB

by Philip Cu Unjieng

Nurturing and enhancing a brand is nothing new to Marga Montemayor-Nograles. It’s not only written in her blood, but it is part of her DNA. Growing up, she would watch her mother promote their Davao hotel and restaurant, and do work with a number of the indigenous tribes of Mindanao.

Marga also put up her own fashion brand, Kaayo, in 2017. A brand that has strong elements of sustainability even before the word became a buzzword here. It champions artisan communities of handloom weavers and revive what was then an endangered textile sub-industry. The success of Kaayo over five fruitful years is testimony to Marga’s determination, resourcefulness, and her business and marketing acumen.

As the new Chief Operating Officer (COO) of our Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), Marga will have a new brand to shepherd to success. This time, it’s not an apparel line or artisanal craft, but our country, the Philippines. In particular, Philippine tourism. And it’s a challenge she welcomes! 

I’ve known Marga for decades now, so there’s no beating around the bush or sugar-coating between us. I point out the fact that pre-pandemic, while we would always talk encouragingly of year-on-year rising foreign visitor figures, the sad truth is that we would come in a weak sixth among eight ASEAN nations. Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Singapore rank above us, and it’s only Cambodia and Myanmar we would have an edge on.

While we’re already up by 86 percent from 2021 figures and exceeded the conservative 2022 targets with three good months still to come, let’s also accept that 2021 was a pandemic year. So my question is what are we planning to do differently that can see us gaining on those countries above us? Vietnam only opened their country to foreign visitors in 1997, yet rapidly shifted from an agrarian economy to a service economy.

Marga replies, “I agree, let’s always be realistic. We can be confident and optimistic but let’s not hide from the truth. Before we can talk about comparatives, it’s clear we have to work from within and fix what we can identify are real issues with Tourism here. Infrastructure, for one, is still very much a problem, as our airports make up the first impression visitors will have of our country.”

“We’re now coming out of the shadow of the pandemic situation that hounded us for more than two long years. We’re recovering, can enjoy face to face activities, and the 2022 figures are already a big feat that we should rally behind, and be hopeful about. With belief in ourselves and a positive outlook, we must move fast to make up the lost ground.” 

A strong calendar of promoting tourism here is slated to keep Marga busy over the next months. There’s the ongoing Phitex, then London and Berlin fairs. There’s also a Dive Fair in Florida, and Marga is bullish about MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) to jumpstart visitor arrivals. These are the conventions and multi-dimensional tourism-related events such as those centered on medical tourism, global-travel influencers, and regional trade fairs. As can be gleaned, it’s about creating a multitude of cost-efficient and diverse touch points with the global community of travelers, and ensuring the Philippines will be top of mind.

In my opinion, it’s a great strategy—as there are so many types and niches of tourists and visitors. Whats essential is that we’re perceived as accessible, convenient, and value for money spent. Marga also talks of sustainable tourism—of how in the Philippine scenario, one aspect of this is strategic partnerships. By making the Philippines an attractive proposition to global hotel and resort chains, we’re saying, “It’s a beautiful country and opportunity, help us take care of it. Come visit and help make it better.”

This all ties in with what our president has been saying, that tourism should be one of the big drivers of economic recovery. There was a time when tourism represented up to 12 percent of our GDP, and there’s no reason we can’t attain, and even exceed that, in the near future.

For Marga, one way to reach that goal is to unearth hidden gems, promote new destination for travelers. From what I understood, this means that the likes of Boracay, Cebu/Mactan, Bohol, and even a revived Siargao, can be seen as givens in attracting visitors. It’s now important that we properly develop and promote other areas.

Siquijor as a wellness destination and retreat, is a high priority. Then there’s Dumaguete with it’s diving and snorkelling, and five-star accomodations. The Davao to Bukidnon highway has such stellar activities as strawberry-picking, an ATV (All-Terain Vehicle) trail, and quaint restaurants. Vigan to Laoag is the Northern Luzon “gem,” and there are Calabarzon offerings that take you from Tagaytay, Cavite, and to Laguna. It’s about packaging and marketing these destination so that a variety of options are now made compelling reasons to return to the country time and again.

The Philippine brand is a strong value proposition that needs to be nurtured. It should be experiential—the weave you wear, the food you taste and crave for, the memories that are created. The brand is uniquely ours, and each and every Filipino should be a living Ambassador to this collective aura. We are rich in culture and traditions, and we should be proud of them and celebrate them. It’s now a matter of story telling, and making the world aware of these riches. 

With her wealth of experience, her history of doing her best and the utmost, and the genuine love for our traditions, culture, and people that she shares with husband Karlo, Marga is the ideal person to lead the TPB at this particular juncture. Her success is our success, and I know she’ll literally unearth each rock and pebble to make that success happen.

Marcos: Covid-19 is fading away; ‘it’s time to get back to work’

by Argyll Cyrus Geducos, MB 

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said that while the past few years have been difficult for everyone, it is time for the people to return to their normal lives as the Covid-19 pandemic is now “fading away.”

President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. (RTVM Screenshot)

Marcos said this in a welcome luncheon at the MassKara Festival in Bacolod City on Sunday, October 23. 

In his speech, the President recognized that the celebration was important as it signals that the situation was slowly returning to normal and in time for the Christmas season.

“It is a good thing to remind people that the pandemic may have been difficult, the pandemic really put us through the wringer, but we are back,” he said.

According to the President, the pandemic is now “fading away,” and Filipinos are now learning to live with it.

“The pandemic is fading away. We are learning to manage it, and now it is time for us to all go back to work, to all go back to our normal lives, to remind ourselves of all the opportunities that were before us before the pandemic,” Marcos said. 

“Now, after that, we have normalized the situation a little bit, then it is time for us to go back to all of those endeavors that we were undertaking before the Covid hit,” he added.

President Marcos said the celebration of the MassKara Festival allows Filipinos to show the rest of the world what they can do.

“It is time for us to go back and exercise once again, show once again the Filipino resilience, the Filipino resourcefulness, the Filipino industry, the Filipino talent,” he said.

“Ito ngayon ang MassKara Festival ay isang pagdiriwang hindi lamang sa pagbubukas ng Bacolod kung hindi sa buong Pilipinas (The MassKara Festival is a celebration of not just the opening of the Bacolod, but of the entire Philippines),” he added.

The MassKara Festival began in 1980 following a series of sugar crises suffered by Bacolodnons and Negrenses. Specifically, the crisis was caused by the oversupply of sugar in the international market, which caused world sugar prices to drop.

The colorful smiling masks in the festival symbolize their resiliency and unity despite challenges and problems