‘Digitalization to boost PH tourism’

By Charles Dantes

THE Department of Tourism said the digitalization of travel in the Philippines will give the country a "fighting chance" at being competitive globally.

In an interview with Radyo Pilipinas, DOT Secretary Christina Frasco said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. intends to make the Philippines as a tourism and travel "powerhouse" through digitalization.

"Since the intention of our President

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The President said rapid industrialization and the continuous expansion of the economy are hurting the labor force in the country.

"When there is rapid industrialization and rapid expansion of the economy, there is a tendency to leave the labor sector behind and just exploit the labor sector,” Mr. Marcos said.

Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said they might be able to resolve the issue within the week.

The current minimum wage in the country varies from different regions.

The highest is in the National Capital Region which was P570 per day before the wage hike. The lowest is around P341 in the Bangsamoro region.

The Federation of Free Workers, for its part, welcomed the approved P40

President:...

From A1 is that we have managed to do, there is still a great deal more to do. We have to work smart, and we have to work well, and we have to be very conscious. We should not be insular and think that it is only the Philippines that exists,” he said.

“It is an ongoing process. Again, we have to bear in mind that the international situation has changed, in terms of trade, in terms of geopolitics. So, we are having to adjust to that. And now it is very clear that the most successful economies are those that are agile and resilient. And that I think we have put in place the basic elements in place to do that,” he added.

Mr. Marcos said he and his administration is working hard to reinvigorate the economy, noting that they are putting a premium on the agriculture sector which plays a vital role in the country’s

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He said House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez will sign the measure on Monday.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, however, claimed a "sneaky tampering" transpired.

"What they did with Maharlika is not usual. They changed the wording, amounting to changing the substance. Behind closed doors," Pimentel said.

Zubiri said they "just reflected the true intention of the provisions as reflected on the transcript of records."

“The enrolled bill that I signed in Washington DC is the truthful reflection of the intent of the members of Congress.

A true reflection of the transcript of records,” he added.

The Senate version of the bill, which was eventually adopted by the House of Representatives, included two sections on the prescriptive period.

The draft bill passed on the Senate floor provides a 10-year prescriptive period for crimes punishable under the measure, while another section provides for a 20-year prescriptive period.

Zubiri said this has already been fixed by merging the two sections and retaining the 10-year period for prescription.

“There was no malice or ill intent to tamper as they are saying," he said.

Earlier, National Treasurer Rosalia de Leon said the Marcos administration is open to striking joint ventures with the country’s richest Filipinos once the Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) becomes operational.

“We’re hopeful. We can also do some joint ventures with our conglomerates,

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"We will continue to study. Let’s see if there is a way we can do it without endangering the security of the Philippines," the President said.

"In principle, we would like to help... Filipinos are very helpful. But again we have to make sure that it is not something that will affect the lives of ordi- is really to open up the Philippines to the rest of the world to tourism and travel, his efforts are toward liberalizing pandemic-era protocols (and) digitalizing the experience of arriving in the Philippines," said Frasco. "As to the e-Travel, his (Marcos Jr.) wage increase, calling it a "small victory for our dedicated labor force." development. co-investments on infrastructure projects,” De Leon said. nary Filipinos," he added. directive to implement an electronic visa system has given the Philippines a fighting chance at being globally competitive," she added.

"While we recognize this development, the sentiment of disappointment is palpable among many of our workers. The increment falls significantly short of the more than P100 wage recovery that our labor force had been anticipating. It also fails to reflect the escalating cost of living in Metro Manila. As such, we stress that the struggle for a fair, living wage is far from over," the FFW said in a statement.

"The P40 increase is a start, but we have a long journey ahead... Let this serve as a stepping stone towards our ultimate goal—a P150 legislated wage hike nationwide," it added.

Wage Order NCR-24 covering the latest increase was approved by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board in the NCR in response to several petitions filed by various labor groups seeking an increase in the daily minimum wage due to escalating prices of basic goods and commodities.

He added that the government is doubling its efforts to attract more investments.

“The job ahead of us is to make structural big changes that we have instituted, to make them work and so we can see the results, not only in terms of statistics in the PSA (Philippine Statistics Authority), but also in the lives of ordinary people,” he said.

Mr. Marcos will mark his first year in office on Friday, June 30.

Speaker Martin Romualdez on Friday cited the major accomplishments of the President during his first year in office.

“The President did well on Year 1. Keep up the good work, Mr. President,” Romualdez said.

For Romualdez, the most notable accomplishments of the Marcos administration are in the areas of helping ordinary Filipinos, sustaining economic growth, promoting the country as an investment destination, and in foreign relations.

She assured the public that the soonto-be-formed Maharlika Investment Corp. (MIC) would properly evaluate each investment.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier the Palace would scrutinize the revisions in the MIF bill but promised to sign the measure as soon as he gets it.

De Leon said the MIC board of directors would craft investment and risk management strategies where the public could see the possible returns of the projects.

“It will go through a very rigorous screening process – what will be the returns and risks. There are also risk mitigating measures that would be identified to ensure that we can monitor and at the same time adjust all those risks,” she said.

“It will still pass through a procurement process. So, with that alone, we can see that it will be assessed thoroughly and that the investment we will venture into complies with the investment strategy that would be approved by the board,” she added.

Social security institutions such as the GSIS, SSS, Pag-IBIG, and PhilHealth are prohibited from investing in the MIF and the corporation.

In addition, no funding for social development projects, such as services, health care, and education, would be tapped for the MIF.

“An external auditor would be hired to also look into the operations and financial performance of the MIF,” De Leon said.

Seven members each from the Senate and House of Representatives would be assigned to the Joint Oversight Committee to monitor the viability and the financial performance of the MIC and the MIF, she said.

The President's sister, Senator Imee Marcos, earlier questioned what she described as the government's" lack of transparency" in handling the request.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said the proposal to assist the refugees was made in October 2022.

According to DFA Secretary Enrique Manalo, US President Joe Biden raised the request again in May when Mr. Marcos visited Washington.

Frasco said priority pillars are infrastructure, digitalization connectivity (whether by land, sea, or air), the equalization of tourism opportunities as well as strategic and strengthened partnerships with various public and private stakeholders.

In a separate interview, Frasco vowed to address issues hounding air transport in the country.

Frasco said the DOT will work

The new rates, which translate to a 7 percent increase from the prevailing daily minimum wage rates in the region, remain above the regional poverty threshold of P452 per day for a family of five.

The wage order is expected to directly benefit 1.1 million wage earners in Metro Manila.

About 1.5 million full-time wage and salary workers earning above the minimum wage may also indirectly benefit as a result of adjustments made by companies to correct for wage distortion. Retail and service establishments regularly employing not more than 10 workers and companies affected by natural calamities or human-induced disasters may apply for an exemption from the wage increase.

Barangay Micro Business Enterprises (BMBEs) are not covered by the minimum wage law.

The last wage order for workers in private establishments in the region was issued on May 13, 2022 and became ef-

He said the President did his best in trying to address the Filipinos’ daily-life concerns like rising consumer prices and lack of housing.

“Shortly after assuming office, he was confronted with spikes in the price of certain commodities like onions, which were selling for as much as P800 a kilo, and the basic staple rice,” he said.

Through a combination of measures, and with the help of Congress, the administration was able to bring down and stabilize the price of onions and rice, he said.

Romualdez said sustaining the country’s economic growth is another noteworthy achievement of President Marcos.

“The economy grew by 7.6 percent and 7.2 percent in the third and fourth quarters of 2022, and 6.4 percent in the first quarter of this year. Those growth periods were the first nine months of the Marcos administration. I sincerely hope we can sustain it,” he said.

He said the impressive growth during

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Earlier, the Department of Justice has offered a P3 million cash reward to anyone who can provide information on Bantag and Zulueta, who both remain at large despite the issuance of a warrant of arrest against them.

DOJ officer-in-charge Raul Vasquez explained that archiving the case was only part of the process.

“When an accused is not under the jurisdiction of the court, the prosecution or the trial cannot resume. The first crucial act is the fact that the accused is subjected within the jurisdiction of the trial court,” Vasquez said.

The DOJ official said failure to archive a case may cause administrative problems in the courts' dockets.

“Cases like that should not be delayed for a long time because it may affect the performance of the Court. So they archive it subject to revival,” Vasquez said.

Meanwhile, several accused pleaded guilty to lesser offenses and were sentenced by the court.

“Considering the pleas of guilty of the present accused, the prosecution was able to prove the guilt of all the accused present beyond a reasonable doubt,” the order said.

Photojournalist,...

From A1 with the Department of Transportation in presenting ways to improve the overall tourism experience in the country. fective on June 4, 2022. the President’s first six months in office was the result of the Chief Executive’s decision to reopen the economy despite the lingering threat of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gazan streets in Barangay Masambong when a silver Toyota Vios blocked their path as they were about to enter their residence at 3:50 p.m.

A man wearing a black jacket then got off the Vios and started firing shots, while another man fired from beside the suspect car before they fled toward Del Monte Avenue. A motorcycle rider was also seen serving as a lookout, authorities said.

The Abiad brothers and the minors -aged four, six, and eight -- sustained bullet wounds on different parts of their bodies along with Jeffrey Cao, 47, who was in the area during the incident. They were immediately brought to the hospital and later declared safe, police added.

In the past few months, netizens have been posting bad experiences with various airlines due to poor customer service and delayed flights.

On Tuesday, the government unveiled the country's new tourism slogan, "Love the Philippines," a way to encourage travelers to discover not only the country's top tourist spots but also vibrant communities and rich cultural heritage.

In a separate event earlier, Marcos tasked big businesses to help in the government's efforts to strengthen micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the country.

Speaking at the launch of the "Kanegosyo Center" of the Cebuana Lhuillier Group in Paranaque City, Marcos said the MSMEs are a huge part of the country's economy.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the global economy has fundamentally changed, the President said.

"And that is why we have to do different things now. And that’s why we were trying the basic concept behind this is that we are trying to create an ecosystem for startups and that is really what we are trying to do. We are trying to help small businesses who have a good idea,” said Marcos.

The President said that 99 percent of businesses in the country fall under the MSMEs category with around 63 percent of the labor force employed by it.

He added that multilateral financial institutions took note of the country’s economic expansion, which prompted the World Bank to upgrade its 2023 forecast from 5.4-5.6 percent to six percent.

The House leader emphasized that President Marcos actively promoted the country as an investment destination in his several trips abroad.

In these missions, the President likewise forged closer diplomatic, economic and cultural relations with the countries he visited, including the United States, he said.

“He has cultivated our ties with our old, reliable ally and partner, the US, and renewed bilateral discussions with China to uphold our interests in the West Philippine Sea and our exclusive economic zone,” he said.

The lower court said Mario Alvarez, Christian Ramac, Ricky Salgado, Ronnie Dela Cruz, and Joel Reyes pleaded guilty to the lesser offense of accomplice to the crime of murder. They were sentenced to a minimum imprisonment of six years to up to 14 years, eight months, and one day.

According to the court, they are also ordered to pay P75,000 as civil indemnity, P75,000 as moral damages, and P75,000 as exemplary damages to the complainant.

On the other hand, accused Alvin Labra, Aldrin Galicia, and Joseph Georfo pleaded guilty to the lesser offense of accessory to the crime of murder. They were sentenced to a minimum imprisonment of two years and four months to up to eight years and one day. The three were also directed to pay the complainant P50,000 as civil indemnity, P50,000 as moral damages, and P50,000 as exemplary damages.

Lapid was shot dead in Las Piñas City on October 3, 2022.

Villamor, meanwhile, died at the NBP on October 18. An autopsy conducted by forensic pathologist Dr. Raquel Fortun showed that his remains had a “history of asphyxia by plastic bag suffocation.”

Last week, the Las Piñas Regional Trial Court sentenced the three NBP inmates to two to eight years in prison as accessories in the Lapid killing.

The Masambong police station chief, Lt. Col. Resty Damaso, said a Lalamove rider witnessed the shooting.

Police are looking into the angle of Abiad’s involvement as a witness in the arrest of several drug suspects arrested by the joint forces of the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, which PTFoMS Undersecretary Paul Gutierrez also said in a Facebook post.

The QCPD is reviewing footage from closed-circuit television cameras in the area. Police also recovered 14 fired cal. 45 cartridges at the crime scene.

In a statement, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said it strongly condemns the act of violence targeting one of its media partners and his family. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

Sweet meth: P48m shabu concealed as truffle chocos seized at NAIA

By Joel E. Zurbano

GOVERNMENT agents on Thursday intercepted a Canadian drug mule who was caught with a baggage containing shabu worth more than P48 million at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

A composite team from the Bureau of Customs, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and NAIA Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group arrested the suspect Mary Jane Marais who tried to smuggle the seven kilos of shabu “concealed as Truffle Chocolate Balls inside her checkin baggage.”

Port of NAIA officials said the illegal drugs came from Mexico, and arrived at NAIA Terminal 1 from Narita via Japan Airline Flight No. JAL741.

The passenger's check-in baggage underwent rigorous screening, including Xray scanning, K9 inspection, and physical examination resulting in the discovery of 7,150 grams of shabu with an estimated value of P48.6 million.

The seized illegal drugs were turned over to PDEA for custodial investigation and initiation of inquest proceedings for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act and the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA).

‘US gov't aircraft has diplomatic clearance’

THE United States Embassy in Manila said on Thursday it has been coordinating with the Philippine government for the entry of any US government aircraft into the country.

“The Embassy coordinates with the Philippine government to receive diplomatic clearance for all U.S. government aircraft that enter the Philippines. We refer you to Philippine authorities for further information,” Acting US Embassy spokesperson Stephen Dove said in a GMA News report. Dove made the remarks after Senator Imee Marcos filed a resolution to investigate the reported unadvised landing of a US Air Force aircraft at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Monday. The Department of Foreign Affairs, however, said the aircraft had diplomatic clearance.

"[A] diplomatic clearance was issued to an aircraft of this type in relation to a bilateral defense cooperation activity,” DFA spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza said. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

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Philippines “does not have a quarrel with China.”

However, the former President said Huang stressed that if the Marcos administration “provides places where there can be an aggressive action toward China, the Philippines would always be a target.” Duterte, who had a policy of appeasing China despite its incursions in the West Philippine Sea during his term, questioned the government’s decision to grant the US government access to more military bases in the Philippines.

In April, the Palace identified four new sites for its Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the US, all located in the Luzon region — a move that China denounced. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

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2nd Regular Session of the 19th Congress on July 24.

Rumors said Zubiri will be replaced by Senator Jinggoy Estrada or Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda.

But both Legarda and Estrada denied the rumors, calling them mere gossip. Estrada on Monday said there was no such thing as a coup against Zubiri, who he said was backed by the "supermajority" in the Senate.

Senate Deputy Majority Leader JV Ejercito also denied the rumor, saying the senators are very satisfied with Zubiri's leadership.

Senator Juan Edgardo Angara, chairman of the finance committee, also denied any move to oust Zubiri, who he said was “well-liked.”

Senator Robinhood Padilla said nothing is lacking in the leadership of Zubiri. In fact, he sees him as strict with his fellow senators, especially if there are laws that need to be discussed and passed.

Senator Nancy Binay said intrigues such as these should not be entertained because they won't help the Senate.

"All I can say is that we are all happy and pleased with the current leadership, and we all attest that SP Migz has the trust and confidence of the members of the Senate," Binay said.