ANCHORS OUT. Seabourn Encore, the first cruise ship to visit the Philippines after the Covid-19 pandemic, arrived and docked at the Puerto Princesa City seaport in Palawan province on Thursday (Feb. 9, 2023). The city government expects more cruise ships to visit and contribute greatly to the tourism industry. (PNA photo by Gerald Ticke) PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan - This city's tourism industry has received a major boost with the arrival of the first cruise ship in the country after three years due to the pandemic. Seabourn Encore docked at the Puerto Princesa City seaport on Thursday morning, signaling the return of cruise ship tourism since the onset of the Covid-19 health crisis in 2020. The ship which came from Singapore carried 512 passengers and 482 crew, 200 of whom are Filipinos. Department of Tourism-Mimaropa Regional Director Zenny Pallugna said the return of the cruise ship tourism is a welcome development as it is expected to aid the recovery of the country's eco
DAYCARE WORKERS.Some 438 Child Development Workers (CDWs) in Davao Oriental receive performance incentives in a form of cash from the provincial government on Dec. 9, 2022 during the CDW Provincial Congress held in Mati City. The provincial government extended around PHP2.7 million in total as incentives.(Photo from DavOr PIO) MANILA-The Senate Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development on Wednesday decided to schedule a second hearing on the proposed measure seeking to professionalize the Child Development Worker (CDW) or Daycare Worker occupations. Senator Imee Marcos, who chairs the committee, said the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the federation of daycare workers (DWs) should be invited on the second hearing to explain the current setup in the administration of Daycare or Child Development Centers in the country. Initially, the committee was able to find out from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) that as of 2021, a
Sen. Loren Legarda(File photo) MANILA-Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda wants tower sites to be built near Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDA), Indigenous communities and other upland areas to boost the government's program of digitalization and internet connectivity in the country. In a meeting with Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Undersecretary Anna Mae Yu Lamentillo, Undersecretary Angelo Nuestro and Assistant Secretary Philip Varilla at the Senate of the Philippines on Wednesday, Legarda laid out her plans. She cited her home province in Antique, where 40 percent of the population use Globe and Smart connectivity, where their tower sites are concentrated in central areas. This year, Legarda proposed that Wi-Fi sites will be installed in the province, with more to follow in the coming years. Around 18 towns in Antique will undergo digital advancements to make public services easier, faster and more efficient. Legarda, pr
MANILA - The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday said it will summon the security agency that employed personnel who allegedly encamped within the vicinity of the Masungi Georeserve in Rizal due to alleged violations. In a press briefing at Camp Crame, PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said six security guards of the Sinagtala Security Agency who were inspected by the Rizal police at the site on Sept. 17 failed to present registration of their firearms. "The Regional Civil Security Unit (RCSU) 4A (Calabarzon) found out that the security officers failed to present firearms registration of 12 shotguns and two revolvers, prompting the team to confiscate them," she added. Fajardo, however, said further verification showed the firearms have a valid registration with the PNP's Firearms and Explosives Office (FEO) until 2024. "However, that will not (spare) the security agency as it will be made to explain how come the security officers failed to bring with them
FARM SCHOOL. Farmers in Apayao visit a banana plantation in Flora town on Wednesday (Sept. 14, 2022) as part of requirements for their enrolment in the School-on-the-Air's banana program of the Department of Agriculture-Cordillera. Marfel Joseph Fontanilla, subject matter expert during the farm visit, showed the proper way of enhancing the plants through natural fertilizers and producing clean planting materials to attain quality and yield. (PNA photo by Liza T. Agoot) CONNER, Apayao - The Department of Agriculture (DA) expects a boost in the production of quality bananas in Apayao with government support pouring in for the industry. Eleanor Camut, DA-Cordillera's High-Value Crop Program assistant coordinator, said the School-on-the-Air program on banana farming in Apayao aimed to capacitate the farmers already producing the dollar-earning commodity that is potentially a significant source of income. The program provides farmers training on integrated pest management, value-add