DOT: Philippines welcomes over 1.7 million foreigners

by Ghio onG Philstar.com

A TOTAL of 1,715,757 foreign tourists have arrived in the Philippines from January to April 22 this year, the Department of Tourism (DOT) announced as it continues to welcome travelers amid the government’s efforts to ease some travel restrictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Of this number, an estimated 320,294 visitors came from the United States, it added.

The agency has yet to provide complete figures of tourist arrivals.

or BBM-G program, a referral and incentive program, at the Philippine Travel Fair in Los Angeles, California.

The program aims to bring in more foreigners by tapping Filipinos, especially those based abroad, who have foreign spouses or friends. Those who will be able to bring foreign visitors can win condominium units, airplane tickets and holiday packages in select destinations.

changes [that have occurred],” the president said in a video interview over state-owned Radyo Pilipinas. Marcos particularly mentioned the 1951 Philippine-U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty and the 1999 Visiting Forces Agreement. u PAGE 2

Marcos witnesses ‘Balikatan’

2023 drills, hopes PH could benefit from enhanced cooperation with US

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday, April 26 expressed hope that the Philippines will benefit from the "enhanced cooperation" with the United States as the two countries' armed forces demonstrated the joint littoral live firing and sinking of a mock enemy vessel in the coastal town of San Antonio in Zambales, facing the disputed South China Sea.

The exercise, watched live by the President, was part of the annual Balikatan drills, which are scheduled to run until April 28 and involve more than 17,600 military personnel.

The President "witnessed the live-fire sea drills involving the sinking of an old Philippines Navy ship, hoping the country could benefit from enhanced cooperation with the United States," Presidential Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil said in a