No need to bring WPS issue before UN – Chinese o cial

by BERNADETTE E. TAMAYO ManilaTimes.net

BEIJING — A senior official from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said there is “no need” to elevate the West Philippine Sea (WPS) issue before the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

“All [diplomatic] channels are open,” the official said. The Chinese ranking official maintained that any issue between China and the Philippines can be resolved through peaceful means.

Sen. Ana Theresia “Risa” Hontiveros has called on the Department of Foreign Affairs to sponsor a resolution before the UNGA that will call on China to stop its harassment of Filipino vessels in the WPS.

Hontiveros joined the recent call of retired Justice Antonio Carpio to stop China’s aggressive actions within the WPS.

Sen. Francis Tolentino earlier voiced support for Carpio’s suggestion to bring the WPS issue before the UNGA to further internationalize the issue.

“The UNGA is the highest policymaking body of the UN. So, they can censure [a member], impose some penalty, or not allow a member to sit u PAGE 4 rice terraces in Indonesia, and sand dunes in the United Arab Emirates.

In deciding to terminate the contract for the new tourism campaign, the DOT cited its right “to change, suspend, or discontinue temporarily or permanently the contract at any time should [it] deem the agency incapable of [carrying out] the project.”

It stressed that no payments had been made to DDB, adding that it would “review standards of performance or lack thereof” should the agency submit a claim. u PAGE 2

Issues hounding DOT’s ‘Love the Philippines’ tourism video earn global attention

by JELINE MALASIG Philstar.com

ISSUES about the widely-talked-about video of the Department of Tourism used to launch the country’s new tourism campaign have earned global attention from different foreign news outlets.

The new tourism campaign of the Philippines made headlines after it was reported that the campaign video featured stock footage clips of locations from other countries such as Thailand, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates.

The clips were lifted from Storyblocks, a subscriptionbased stock footage website where users can access royalty-free clips, images and audio for creative projects.

The DOT launched the new tourism slogan “Love the Philippines,” accompanied by a campaign video last June 27.

Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco previously disclosed that the DOT spent P49 million for the entire study of the tourism campaign rebranding. This includes the creation of a logo and other components of this branding campaign.