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Intramuros is Asia's leading tourist attraction: 2020 WTA MANILA – The historic walled city of Intramuros has emerged as Asia's leading tourist attraction in the 2020 World Travel Awards, besting such world-class landmarks as India’s Taj Mahal and the Great Wall of China. This is the second time the Philippine destination won the title after getting the award in 2016. Trailing Intramuros in this year's awards are the Angkor Temples in Cambodia, the Borobudur Temple Compounds in Indonesia, the Ha Long Bay in Vietnam, the Sengan-en and Shoko Shuseikan Museum in Japan, Victoria Peak in Hong Kong, the Tokyo Imperial Palace in Japan, and the Terracotta Warriors and The Forbidden City in China. Four years since its 2016 WTA Asia's Leading Tourist Attraction title, the walled city has not only maintained its grandeur but also features several improvements, which, for the Intramuros Administration (IA), may have contributed to its recent win. From 2017 to 2019, Intramuros strived to revitalize its pocket parks and plazas, such as the Plaza Sto. Tomas, Plaza Roma, President's Gallery, Juan Luna Monument, Legazpi Monument, Plazuela de Sta. Isabel, Plaza de España, Gomburza Monument, and Plaza de Armaz. Plaza Sto. Tomas used to be riddled with vendors and illegal street provisions. Now, its streets have been cleared for tourists and the general public, the vendors are properly organized, and the plaza is well lit and secured. "We also put effort to renew and establish old and new attractions in Intramuros for the tourists. The two general projects were the renewal of Fort Santiago, offering a revitalized perspective for the world-renowned gate, and the opening of Museo de Intramuros," the IA said. After being left in ruins for decades, Fort Santiago was reconstructed in phases starting 2011 and was completed in April 2019. Before the pandemic, the Museo de Intramuros inside the old San Ignacio Church, offered ecclesiastical insights for museum aficionados, stretching back to the early Christianization of the Philippines.
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Walled city of Intramuros
The Manila Cathedral located inside Intramuros (Pre-pandemic photo by DOT/Denison Manuel) In the years beyond, the IA said it wants tourists – and local businesses alike – to look at Intramuros and imagine a "vibrant future" not limited to cobblestones and old churches but an old city breathing a brand new life. Metro Manila is still under general community quarantine (GCQ) but the IA is prepared should the region shift
to modified GCQ and eventually allow leisure travel. "We have adopted the SafePass and also further recalibrate our existing sites to comply with the health and safety protocols. We will wait for the proper guidelines to be issued," IA Administrator Guiller Asido told the Philippine News Agency. (PNA)
“We consider the senators as vital partners, allies and friends, and we thank the Senate leadership for this productive meeting,” he added. During the meeting, the legislators agreed to come up with a common legislative priority plan for the next five months following the agenda set by President Rodrigo Duterte himself during his fifth State of the Nation Address. Part of the President's agenda are the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act, Financial Institutions Strategic Transfer Act, Rural Agricultural and Fisheries Development Financing System Act, and the bill creating the Department of Overseas Filipinos. “The President, in his remaining years as our Chief Executive, can rely on Congress to help him fulfill his promises to our people before his term ends,” Velasco said. “We take seriously his call to put an end to systemic corruption, and we will work together with our fellow lawmakers to come up with legislation to help our overseas Filipino workers, farmers and fisherfolk,” he added. At the same time, Velasco said the House also urged the Senate to prioritize the passage of the proposed Magna Carta of Barangay Workers Act to assist frontliners in the barangay, as well as the proposed Internet Transactions Act aimed at protecting consumers in their online transactions amid the pandemic. The House last October 27 submitted its version of the proposed 2021 General Appropriations Act to the Senate, which Velasco believes the two houses will be able to pass before the year ends. “The House and Senate leaderships were both in agreement that the national budget should be approved as soon as possible,” he said. Velasco is expecting that both the Senate and the House will work harmoniously on the budget bill as well as on other proposed measures to help the country quickly recover from the pandemic. “We have a good working relationship with the Senate, and everyone is united,” he said. “We are confident that we can pass responsive laws that will help our countrymen rise above this pandemic before the year ends," he added. (MNS)
IN 2017... FROM PAGE 2 ments, or Revenue in 2017. Just as Wholesale Trade is the largest sector in total sales in the United States, it was also king in 32 states in 2017. Wholesale Trade also saw the largest increase in sales from 2012 to 2017 in 22 states. Retail Trade was the top sales growth sector in 12 states. Florida retail sales were up $59.3 billion between 2012 and 2017.
Where certain industry sectors rank high: Manufacturing was the top sector in shipment in 11 states. It grew the most in Alabama, South Carolina and Tennessee. (South Carolina gained the most, up $39.4 billion.) Retail was tops in five states (Hawaii, Maine, Nevada, New Hampshire and New Mexico). In Nevada, total retail sales in 2017 were $45.1 billion, the largest of these five states. Mining ranked highest in Alaska, ($12.3 billion) and Wyoming ($12.8 billion). Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services was the top sector in revenue in Washington, D.C. ($37.2 billion). Health Care grew the most in eight states led by Louisiana, where it in-
creased by $6.7 billion. Construction saw the largest increase in revenue between 2012 and 2017 in Colorado ($24.4 billion), Kansas ($4.7 billion), and Nevada ($8.3 billion) Professional Services went up in D.C. ($5.4 billion) and New Mexico ($2.5 billion). Mining saw the largest increase in North Dakota ($4.1 billion).
Who Is Hiring and Where in 2017? While wholesale trade may be king in terms of sales, health care rules in terms of employment. This sector employed the most people in 41 states in 2017, with over 2 million working in this sector in California alone.
Top employment sectors by state:
Professional Services employed the most workers (108,016) in Washington, D.C., and Virginia (470,265) in 2017, Administration and Support was tops in Florida (1.7 million workers) and South Carolina (276,277). Accommodation and Food Services was the largest employer in two tourism-dominated states: Hawaii, (112,743 workers) and Nevada (319,584). Retail was largest employer in New Hampshire (96,591 workers) and Utah (153,633).
Manufacturing was the largest employer in Indiana (496,083) and Wisconsin (455,538).
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Sectors that gained the most employees:
The Utilities sector was one of the smallest employer sectors in the United States (with only 658,384 workers nationwide), yet businesses in this sector reported the highest average annual payroll per employee of any sector in 2017 in 33 states. Management was tops in eight states (Figure 8). Finance and Insurance was the highest payer in Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Massachusetts and New York; New York led the pack, paying an average annual payroll per employee in this sector of $194,713. Mining reported the highest average annual payroll per employee in Alaska, New Mexico, and North Dakota (Alaska was tops at $106,347). Information was tops in California ($158,169), and Washington ($161,569) and Wholesale was the leader in Delaware ($104,444). None of these data would be possible without the millions of U.S. businesses that respond to the Economic Census and other Census Bureau business surveys.
Health Care employment grew the most in 22 states, with Texas gaining the most (253,913) employees. Administration and Support gained the most employees in nine states. Florida added the most (516,706) workers (Figure 7). Accommodation and Food Services sector saw the greatest employment growth between 2012 and 2017 in 10 states. Georgia added 73,246 workers, the biggest gain in this sector during this period. Manufacturing was the largest employer in Indiana and Wisconsin in 2017, and this sector gained the most employees in Indiana and Michigan (43,570 and 68,307 employees, respectively).. Professional Services gained the most employees in Massachusetts (55,291), Minnesota (45,670), and New Mexico (12,520). Finance gained the most (7,682) in Delaware. Other Services gained the most employees (14,774) in the District of Co-
Average Annual Payroll per Employee in 2017
Andrew Hait is an economist at the U.S. Census Bureau.
