PH reopens borders to foreign visitors, shows the world how

by Manila Bulletin

The Philippines has shown the international community it can be decisive and brave enough to lead in the reopening of borders, even as bigger and more prepared economies chose to continue shutting down theirs.

But the reopening is not without safeguards, the government calibrates this move, initially allowing only the entry of fully vaccinated tourists from 157 visa-free countries.

This move augurs well for the devastated tourism industry, the hardest hit in the country. Tourism was just starting to flourish in the country and foreign tourists were just discovering our unique features when the pandemic hit and put the Philippines in a constant balancing act between health and livelihood.

The government has also ramped up vaccination drives. In fact, the tourism industry boasted of high vaccination rate of its frontliners.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) reported that as of the first week this month, 92.51 percent or 317,892 out of 349,534 tourism workers have received their COVID-19 jabs.

Tourism destinations with 100 percent vaccination rate among its tourism workers include: Baguio City; Aurora; Palawan towns Coron, El Nido and San Vicente; Puerto Princesa City, and Camiguin island. The DOT offices are also facilitating the roll-out of booster shots for eligible tourism workers.

On a regional basis, the National Capital Region (NCR) registered the highest coverage for tourism workers with 99.91 percent vaccination rate.

In addition, the number of infections in the country has been on a declining trend. Projections showed, COVID-19 cases could further go down to a very manageable level 1,000 to 2,000 cases by the end of this month and less than 500 in the NCR by Valentine’s Day. Remember, we came from an alarming rate of over 30,000 daily cases in the first month this year.

Indeed, the number looks good.

The private sector has also thrown its full support for the government decision despite admitting that it takes a lot of effort to get their engines running again after almost two years of dormancy. Already, some sectors in the industry are shooting for government financing lifeline.

During the pandemic, most hotels had been tapped as quarantine facilities for long staying guests, OFWs, and BPO workers. With the lifting of quarantine restrictions, hotels are gearing to shift to their primary business operations and cater to leisure tourists.

Although tourism players do not expect immediate return of foreign tourists in at least the next two months, they, too, declared their readiness to welcome visitors. But, definitely, tourists are sure to come back within the year.

Tourism facilities, including events venues, are cooperating by not raising their rates. All they want is to bring the volume back to the pre-COVID level in 2019, revenues can wait.

What is important is to build the confidence that we can reopen safely by strictly enforcing health and safety protocols because the virus is here to stay. We have to live with the virus.

By being able to build the confidence means continued reopening that should translate to more jobs and more revenues.

When God would test our faith

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

REMEMBER that gospel episode where a Greek woman begged Christ to drive the demon out of her daughter? (cfr. Mk 7,24-30) That is one clear instance when God can test us to see if we really have faith in him or not. There’s always that possibility that when our initial petition is not granted, we would immediately get turned off and give God a cold shoulder. We have to be wary of this possibility.

As it turned out, when Christ at first told the woman not to bother him since he was not sent to people like her, using a rather derogatory expression of not giving the bread intended for the children to the dogs, the woman still insisted by saying, “Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s scraps.” At this, Christ relented and granted the woman the favor she was requesting.

Yes, God can test our faith, and he wants our faith to get even stronger when we are faced with impossible predicaments in our life. We should not miss the chance to make our faith grow even more.

When we are hounded by some persistent defects, weakness, temptations and sin, we should never lose sight of the fact, a happy truth of our faith, that there is always hope for us. St. Paul has reassured us that where sin has abounded, God’s grace has abounded even more. (cfr. Rom 5,20) 

God never tires of forgiving us and of giving us more grace to make us grow spiritually, that is, to grow more in love for God and others. What we can do with the reality of the persistence of evil is to take advantage of it to get closer to God and others. 

Yes, we may be always hounded by evil, temptations and sin, but let’s learn the art of converting them into occasions to go to God more closely. And that’s when, with God, we can manage to derive good from evil.

On our part, we just have to be humble enough to accept this fact of life, and more, to go to God to ask for forgiveness and help every time we feel the sting of evil in all its forms. It is pure pride when we refuse to acknowledge this fact of life, and more so, when we refuse to go to God for forgiveness and help.

We cannot deny that evil, temptations and sin will always hound us. But let’s always remember Christ’s reassuring words to us: “In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (Jn 16,33)

God never loses battles, even if in our human standards, things may look like a loss or a defeat. But the victory of God in the end is supernatural that goes way beyond our human and natural standards.

And so on our part, if we are made to suffer not only for a while but rather for a long while or even up to our own death, we should not worry, because if our faith is strong, if we continue to stick with God, the final victory is assured.

While God can give us the immediate relief or solution to our problems, it can happen that he grants us the favor after a long while, or even after our death. We should see to it that we continue to be with him by letting our faith grow even as we go through all the trials and sufferings in life.

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

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

Toni Gonzaga-Soriano unfollows Instagram friends

 Toni Gonzaga’s Instagram profile as of Feb. 9, 2022

by Stephanie Bernardino, Manila Bulletin

Actress-singer Toni Gonzaga has unfollowed her celebrity friends on Instagram.

As of Feb. 9. Toni is only following 22 accounts on IG, including her husband Paul Soriano, son Severiano Elliott, sister Alex Gonzaga, and mom Pinty Gonzaga. Others are the official accounts of her businesses.

After 16 years, Toni bid goodbye to her reality show “Pinoy Big Brother” hours after she hosted the proclamation rally of presidential aspirant Bongbong Marcos and running mate Sara Duterte. The “PBB” management also released its statement.

Prior to Toni’s confirmation, Kapamilya reporter MJ Felipe already broke the news.

MJ wrote on Twitter: “THIS JUST IN: According to a reliable source, Toni Gonzaga will no longer host Pinoy Big Brother. No formal resignation but source said Toni has voluntarily endorsed the main hosting job to Bianca Gonzalez.”

“Pinoy Big Brother,” more popularly known by its abbreviated title “PBB,” is the Philippine version of the “Big Brother” reality game show franchise. The show first aired in 2005 and Toni was among the original hosts alongside Willie Revillame and Mariel Rodriguez.

Some believe Toni’s departure from the show has something to do with her appearance as host of BBM-Sara proclamation rally held at the Philippine Arena, Tuesday. Several ABS-CBN executives have expressed disappointment on Toni.

On the other hand, Toni’s hosting stint UniTeam’s proclamation rally ignited viral memes.

PH ready to welcome foreign tourists – Puyat

Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat speaks during the virtual recognition of Women Champions of Sustainability hosted by The Conrad Manila on August 16, 2021. (Screengrab from Conrad Manila’s YouTube video)

by Bernie Cahiles-Magkilat, Manila Bulletin

Government and the tourism private sectors declared the Philippines is ready to accept fully vaccinated foreign tourists from 157 visa-free countries starting Thursday, Feb. 10, even as hotel owners are asking for financial assistance to restart operations.

“We are as ready as we can be,” said Tourism Secretary BernadetteE Romulo-Puyat said at the Kapihan Sa Manila Bay virtual forum along with other key tourism stakeholders on Wednesday.

“These are exciting times for Philippine tourism. We have been ready since 2020; with the significant dwindling of new COVID cases, the Department of Tourism (DOT) can now push forward with our plans and programs for the full recovery of the Philippine Tourism industry. Those among you who follow developments in the travel and tourism sector know that tomorrow, February 10, we will begin the next chapter in the road to recovery,” said Romulo-Puyat

Benito “Bong” Bengzon, former DOT Undersecretary and executive director of the Philippine Hotel Owners Association, welcomed the country’s reopening, stressing this would provide them a lifeline after experiencing heavy financial losses almost two years into the pandemic.

However, Bengzon emphasized that the next 6 to 12 months would be difficult for the hotel owners as they restart and reopen operations. Thus, he raised the need for “financial assistance to tie us over the next 12 months.”

Bengzon said that many of their member hotels are reporting single-digit occupancy and are banking only on quarantine guests.

In the same forum, Jojo Clemente, president of Tourism Congress of the Philippines (TCP), said he does not expect foreign tourist arrivals immediately or in the next two months although he believes that tourists are coming back within the year.

“We have done our best to anticipate all kinds of situations as we reopen,” he said.

But just like Bengzon, Clemente emphasized that reopening operations after almost two years of almost dormant activity “takes a lot of effort to get it running.”

With that, he said, they are also coming up with various scenarios.

“But we are confident we are on the right path to see the light,” he said.

 

For his part, Walid Wafik SM Hotels and Convention Center (SMHCC) Senior Vice President and General Manager, also declared their readiness to accept foreign tourist arrivals and are looking forward to welcome domestic tourists and bookings at their convention centers.

Wafik, however, stressed the need to always observe and enforce health and safety protocols for the meeting, incentives, conferences & exhibition (MICE) sector. He urged “not to let our guards down, our safety protocols will be in place.”

He said that MICE organizers are beginning to block dates for their annual events, signaling the reopening of this sector.

Wafik said that SMHCC will not raise rates even if the past two years had been very painful for them as they incurred revenue loss and half of their staff gone.

He stressed that that raising prices is the last thing they would do in this time. What is important, he said, is to bring back confidence of the domestic market so the industry can bounce back to the pre-pandemic level.

The priority for SMHCC, he said, is “to go back to the 2019 volume wise, revenue will come later.”

But in terms of readiness, Wafik said that their nine hotels and 7 convention centers are ready to move forward.

“We have accepted losses and dealt with manpower and staffing to keep everybody onboard and engaged,” he added.

 

Meantime, Puyat-Romulo said that quarantine hotels operate at 67 percent capacity. She said that hotels and tourist accommodation facilities are expected to enjoy higher capacities of as much as 80 percent under Alert Level 2.

According to the DOT- National Capital Region (DOT-NCR), there is a 68 percent or 37,348 occupied rooms in Quarantine facilities consisting of 418 hotels operating with 55,150 rooms, as of February 7. These hotels cater to the unvaccinated travelers completing their quarantine period, long staying guests, OFWs ready for departure, and BPO employees.

As much as 76 quarantine hotels have submitted a Letter of Intent to shift to regular hotels and cater to leisure tourists.

“I am excited about the prospects of a healthy rebound in tourism for a good number of reasons: the high vaccination rate among our tourism workers, the public health safeguards and guidelines that have been put in place and the number of new tourism circuits that have been developed,” she said.

As of February 4, the DOT said that 92. 51 percent or 317, 892 out of 349, 534 tourism workers have received their COVID-19 jabs.

Tourism destinations with 100 percent vaccination rate among its tourism workers include: Baguio City; Aurora; Palawan towns Coron, El Nido and San Vicente ; Puerto Princesa City, and Camiguin island. The DOT offices are also facilitating the roll-out of booster shots for eligible tourism workers.

On a regional basis, the NCR registered the highest coverage for tourism workers with 99.91 percent.

4 Mindanao regions ‘high risk’ for Covid-19

By: THIRD ANNE PERALTA-MALONZO, SunStar

FOUR regions in Mindanao remain under “high risk” for coronavirus disease (Covid-19), while the country as a whole stayed under moderate risk, Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque III said on Monday, February 8, 2022.

In his report during President Rodrigo Duterte’s Talk to the People Address Monday evening, February 7, Duque said they are continuously monitoring the Covid-19 situation in Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region and Soccsksargen due to the continuous increase of infections.

He said the National Capital Region (NCR), Cordillera Administrative Region, Western and Central Visayas, Calabarzon, Ilocos, Cagayan Valley and Central Luzon were at moderate risk classification, while Eastern Visayas, Bicol, Mimaropa and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao are under low risk.

Duque said the country’s positivity rate is currently at 22.2 percent from 50 percent during the peak of Omicron-driven surge in the middle of January.

From February 1 to 7, the national average daily reported cases declined to 8,138 or 52 percent as compared to the 16,896 from the previous week.

The two-week growth rate is at negative 61 percent, while the average daily attack rate is at 11.36 per 100,000 population.

“Ibig sabihin nito ay talagang bumagal na ang kalat ng Covid-19 (This means that the transmission has slowed down),” Duque said.

The country’s healthcare utilization rate (HCUR) was further downgraded to low risk from moderate risk in the previous week, with bed utilization at 37.29 percent and intensive care unit (ICU) occupancy at 40.90 percent.

Duque said the HCUR in Davao Region, Zamboanga Peninsula, Caraga and Western Visayas remain at moderate risk.

He said the ICU utilization in Davao Region, Soccsksargen, Caraga, Western Visayas and Cagayan Valley is under close monitoring.

Stricter and holier than God?

 

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

YES, we have to be wary of our tendency to be stricter and holier than God himself. This happened among many of the Pharisees in the gospel who made laws, and interpreted and applied these laws according to their own understanding, without referring them to God. (cfr. Mk 7,1-13)

Of course, in their case, some excuse can be made since they could not believe that Christ was the God who became man precisely to show us “the way, the truth and the life” proper for us.

As a consequence, they became rigid in the application of their laws which, by the way, cannot fully capture what is truly good and proper for us, since we are governed not only by human laws but also by a supernatural law.

Remember Christ asking the Pharisees about the sabbath law: “Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? To save life, or to destroy?” (Mk 3,4) In another instance, Christ was asked why his disciples did not follow the tradition of the elders…” (cfr. Mk 7,5)

To which Christ responded by saying, “Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me…You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.” (Mk 7,6-8)

We have to be wary of this danger which we may call as the new pharisaism that is manifested in many ways—like the tendency to legalism and formalism, developing a legal system that is animated by what is called legal positivism, etc.

There is also what is called as the pharisaical conscience where grave sins are minimized while matters of little importance are magnified. Such conscience tends to be very judgmental and leads one to assume a “holier-than-thou” attitude. Even in the area of psychology, this tendency is shown in what is called Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) where rigidity reigns supreme.

Pharisaism drips with sanctimoniousness and self-righteousness, a funny caricature of authentic holiness. It is an ugly bag of all violations of charity, often disguised as defense of justice and human rights. 

It is a collection of false reasons and rationalizations not based on faith, hope and charity. It’s more interested in pursuing one’s self-interest than in a genuine concern for the common good, and much less, in giving glory to God. It thrives in an environment of gossips, rumor-mongering and mob rule.

We have to be most wary of the dangers of pharisaism that can come to us anytime and in very subtle ways. When in our pursuit for truth, justice and beauty, we become judgmental and rigid, less patient, understanding and merciful towards others, we can be sure we are falling into the hands of a new pharisaism.

When in our legitimate pursuit for greater knowledge, power and fame, we do not make the corresponding conversions of heart and are unwilling to suffer for others, this new pharisaism is setting in.

Now that we are in an election campaign season, these manifestations of pharisaism come aplenty. Candidates and their followers are often pictured in black-and-white. They are portrayed either as saints and angels who cannot do any evil, or the devil personified who cannot do any good at all. There is so much mudslinging and bashing, creating a very toxic environment among us.

We need to have God always in our mind and heart to avoid this common danger of pharisaism.

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

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

A step closer to a better Sitio Tagbawi

Monkayo, Davao de Oro---Education has always been a priority of Governor Tyron Uy’s leadership in Davao de Oro, and for the next few days, another one (1) unit, two (2) classroom buildings will rise in the far-flung Sitio Tagbawi, in Brgy. Rizal, Monkayo.

Schools in highly urbanized areas are typical institutions, but for people in far-flung communities, it's an opening for more opportunities. The eradication of insurgency also brought major changes in the hinterlands, and for Sitio Tagbawi, it will be a game-changer.

Situated in higher grounds, four tribes reside in Tagbawi and its neighboring communities; the Mangguwangan, Dibabawon, Manobo, and Mandaya tribes.

In the year 2017, Sitio Tagbawi withdraws from supporting the communist group and was one of the pilot communities to benefit from the Oplan Pagbabago Program of the provincial government of Davao de Oro. Now that the presence of communists were totally banished from their area, development began to spur. 

Schoolchildren will no longer traverse kilometers as the learning institution will be brought closer to them. Two (2) more sitios; Little Depot, and Upper Pasian will also benefit from the project; a product of  PLGU-Davao de Oro’s culture of ‘bayanihan’ through “Bayanihan Sa Paaralan Program”, wherein volunteers from the Department of Education, 25th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army, employees of the provincial government and other private partners go hand-in-hand for its completion.

A total of eighty (80) students are currently enrolled in the school, all from the three sitios with more or less three-hundred (300) households.

More projects are underway for Tagbawi. Sooner, a solar dryer and a water system project will be utilized by local farmers in the area, and transportation of local produce will be of comfort after the completion of a farm-to-market road. The provincial government initially targets to accomplish and turn over the school building with complete facilities on March 4, 2022. (JA, PAO-IPRD, photos by J. Cadiz)

DILG chief: Not yet time to make booster shots mandatory

By: THIRD ANNE PERALTA-MALONZO, SunStar Manila

DEPARTMENT of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año said on Monday, February 7, 2022, that making coronavirus disease (Covid-19) booster shots mandatory is not yet timely, as the primary series remains to be the government’s priority.

“Sa ngayon, hindi pa ‘yan napapanahon. Ang ating priority pa rin, yung pag-vaccinate ng primary series (It’s not yet timely. Our priority is still to give the primary series),” he said in a television interview.

“Kung hindi natin uunahin ang mga ito, yung bawat isang tinuturok nating mga booster ay kawalan ng opportunity para mabakunahan sa primary series (If we will not prioritize this, the dose we give as booster is a lost opportunity for those who have not yet received the primary series),” he added.

Earlier, Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion said the National Government should consider making booster shots a requirement for entry in business establishments, particularly in Metro Manila.

As of February 4, a total of 59,819,868 individuals have completed their Covid-19 vaccination with 60,659,350 have received first dose.

The Department of Health said 8,011,994 persons who have completed their inoculation already got their booster doses.

In Metro Manila, Año said 565,880 were still unvaccinated.

Meantime, Año said they have received the inventory of unvaccinated individuals from 12 out of the 17 regions in the country.

He said it will be used as the government’s guidance in deploying vaccine doses.

“Karamihan dito nasa lugar na malalayo, so ito rin ang magiging strategy natin kung paano mapaaabot ang bakuna rito (Majority of these are those from far-flung areas, so it will be part of our strategy on how to deliver the vaccines to these areas),” he said.

The DILG earlier instructed barangays to prepare a list of unvaccinated individuals in their areas of jurisdiction. (SunStar Philippines)

Do Latinos and Filipinos look alike?

Nelson Agelvis

Life coach, college counselor, college professor, English teacher, magazine editor, photographer, Venezuelan travel expert & more

I’m Latino (Venezuela) and I have been to the Philipines. In general, Latinos and Filipinos don’t look alike but many—millions—do, because the original indigenous Americans, from Alaska to Patagonia, are of Asian (Siberian and Polynesian) origin. And Filipinos are a wild mix of Asian, Polynesian, with some European (Spanish) and even some with African (the Aetas). If you look at the indigenous tribes of the Amazon, of the highlands of Peru and Bolivia, of the Southwestern United States, of Northwestern Canada, they look like many Filipinos. Many Filipinos actually look less Asian than many Amazonian indigenous people. Visiting the Philipines, I was surprised at how many Filipinos look like many Latin Americans from Peru to the Caribbean. The Filipinos of Aeta origin look like any Latin American from the coastal cacao-growing towns along the Caribbean. The Lumad, Badjaos, Igorot, etc. also look like some Latin American indigenous groups.

Anyway, the average Filipino looks more Southeast Asian while the average Latin American does not. But even though you could perfectly differentiate a group of 100 random Filipinos from a group of 100 random Venezuelans/Colombians, you will find some that are similar. Look at the current and former Miss Philippines. Their faces are like those of millions that you’ll find in Colombia/Venezuela. You put those girls in a Venezuelan/Colombian gym working out and nobody will ever think that they are not local girls.

And here are Philipinos of Aeta origin. There are millions of Latinos that look like them too (Would you guess they are Filipinos?).

Conclusion: Average Filipinos (not Miss Universes and not a remote tribe), have high Southeast Asian DNA (China, Malaysia, Polynesia) while Latin Americans have high indigenous (Native American) and European DNA (Spain, Italy, Portugal). So I can’t say we “look alike” but many—millions of us—do. Anyway, look like us or not, Filipinos are part of the Hispanic world from the Iberian point of view (Spanish colonial origin). They are our Asian cousins.

What is the impact of overseas Filipino workers to the Philippine economy?

 

Bisaya

Barok and Takya Blog | Bisaya Podcast

Overseas Filipino workers are a vital part of the Philippine economy. They contribute billions of dollars to the economy each year, and they play a critical role in supporting their families back home.

The money that overseas Filipino workers send home helps keep many families afloat, and it has a ripple effect throughout the economy. When families have more money to spend, they put it back into the local economy, which helps to create jobs and support businesses.

Overseas Filipino workers are an essential part of the Philippine economy, and they make a huge difference both for their families and the country as a whole. Thank you for your question!