#PBBMSONA2022 MANILA- After two years of sparse crowds in popular attractions, the Philippines is slowly seeing the return of visitors and hoping for the tourism sector's rebound soon. Revitalizing the sector one of the hardest hit at the onset of the health crisis in 2020 is one of the Marcos administration's top priorities, seeking to transform it into a "major pillar" of economic growth in the next six years. Days before his first State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. instructed his Tourism chief, Christina Frasco, to introduce proactive policies and further improve tourism infrastructure to speed up the sector's recovery. At their July 12 Cabinet meeting,Marcos said he wanted local tourism-related infrastructure to be "at par" with top tourist destinations such as Singapore, recognizing the fact that tourism is a vital cog in the country's economy, supporting jobs in hotels, restaurants, resorts, among others. Pri
(PNA file photo) LEGAZPI CITY - Three notorious drug pushers were arrested during buy-bust operations in Camarines Sur on Tuesday. In an interview on Wednesday, Maj. Malu Calubaquib, Police Regional Office-Bicol (PRO-5) spokesperson, identified the suspects as Erwin Riason, 43, and Renato Bermundo, 50, both of Magarao, Camarines Sur. She said combined elements of the Magarao Police Station and Philippine National Police Maritime Law Enforcement Team (MARLET) Calabanga nabbed the two drug pushers at around 7:30 p.m. at Zone 1, Barangay Santo Tomas of the said town. Calubaquib attributed the success of the operation to the intelligence buildup conducted by the operatives and the help of informants in the community. "The suspects were monitored many times selling shabu that led to their arrest by the police who acted as poseur buy," she said. Seized from possession of the suspects was one piece of a heat-sealed transparent plastic sachet containing a white crystalline substance
DAVAO CITY - The Davao City Covid-19 Task Force has reiterated its call to the Dabawenyos to get their booster shots as the city logged 30 new cases of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) Wednesday. In a statement Thursday, Dr. Michelle Schlosser, the task force spokesperson, said the increase indicates a positivity rate of 6.3 percent, exceeding the acceptable positivity rate of 5 percent. Schlosser noted that the city's booster rollout has remained low as only 278,866 or 21.09 percent got their first booster shots from the 1,333,537 fully vaccinated individuals. She also pointed out that of the four deaths from June 26 to July 2, three were unvaccinated while the other one was vaccinated but had not received any booster shot. Schlosser urged Dabawenyos to visit the nearest district health center to avail of their missed, primary, or booster doses. To date, vaccination teams administer shots in the 18 district health centers of the city, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Mondays to Fridays. "
FARM SCHOOL.Red peppers are grown by learners at the Antique Integrated Farm School in Barangay Aningalan, San Remigio in this undated photo. Department of Education Schools Division of Antique Superintendent Felisa Beriong said on Friday (July 1, 2022) that she is looking forward to the support of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and incoming DepEd Secretary, Vice President Sara Duterte, for the farm school.(Photo courtesy of San Remigio LGU) SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique - An official of the Department of Education (DepEd) in Antique has expressed hope that President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. would support the farm school in the province and other parts of the country as these serve as good training grounds for the new breed of farmers. DepEd-Antique Superintendent Felisa Beriong, in extending her congratulations to the new President, said she was elated to know that he expressed his intention to temporarily head the Department of Agriculture (DA). "With Vice Pre
MANILA - Senators on Wednesday said Republic Act 11862 or the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act signed recently by President Rodrigo Duterte will boost the government campaign against human trafficking. Senator Imee Marcos, principal author of the measure in the Senate, thanked President Duterte for signing the new law, vowing to pass more economic measures in the incoming 19th Congress. "Salamat PRRD sa pagsuporta sa layunin ng batas na ito na mas maproteksyonan ang ating mga kababayan mula sa mapangahas at talamak na pangangalakal ng tao (Thank you PRRD in supporting the purpose of this law which is to protect our people from outrageous and continuing human trafficking)," Marcos said in a social media post. As a co-sponsor of the bill, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian also welcomed the signing of RA 11862, stressing the importance of giving law enforcers additional tools in running after human traffickers. "This is also an important step forward in protecting our chil