by anyajulia | May 13, 2009 | Headlines, Major Events, National News
The National Flag Days which will be observed starting May 28 until June 12 will be launched nationwide on May 25, 2009.
It is in the national flag where Filipinos can derive their nationalism from a perspective on how richly blest the country is with natural resources and the sacrifices the heroes gave for the welfare of the generations of Filipinos.
Republic Act 8491 “the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines”, states that “every year, from May 28 to June 12 (Independence Day), all offices and instrumentalities of government, business establishments, schools and private homes are enjoined to display the Philippine Flag throughout this period.” (PIA/ESS)
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by anyajulia | May 13, 2009 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
MAKE STRATEGIC areas across the country, especially Bohol and 7 other provinces, into tourism enterprise zones, this is one of the effects of the new law President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo signed last week in the heart of the country’s tourism super-region.
The move, which Bohol Representative Edgar Chatto and his counterpart at the Senate authored should make the Philippine tourism globally competitive and puts its as primary engine for investment, employment and national development.
Other than Bohol, other tourism zones to be established are in Cebu, Davao, Laguna, Cavite, Boracay, Palawan and Iloilo: all of these to foreign investors and tourists to visit places rich in history and culture, the law said.
Thus, it will spur the creation of jobs and open additional channels for the infusion of much-needed investments as well as give the people the power to pull themselves out of the economic recession, explains Rep. Chatto in media interviews prior to the signing,
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo signed May 12, the National Tourism Act of 2009 (Republic Act 9593) declaring a national tourism policy and attempts to integrate all tourism development efforts to boost the country’s competitiveness, he stressed.
This it does by strengthening the Department of Tourism (DOT) and its attached agencies to effectively and efficiently implement that policy and appropriate funds, he explains.
In fact, tourism Secretary Ace Durano admitted that the law lends DOT a “bigger jet engine so we can climb up. It provides us more capability and resources to make our tourism industry very globally competitive.”
The Cebuano tourism chair was referring to the provisions for setting up of a system of accreditation, standards-setting and classification to make the tourism industry globally competitive.
The Act declares tourism as “indispensable element of the national economy and an industry of national interest and importance, which must be harnessed as an engine of socio-economic growth and cultural affirmation to generate investment, foreign exchange and employment, and to continue to mold an enhanced sense of national pride for all Filipinos.”
The Act also reorganizes the Philippine Convention and Visitors Corporation (PCVC) into the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), a corporation responsible for the marketing and promotion of the Philippines as a global tourism destination by highlighting its tourism products and services.
It also reorganizes the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) into the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), a body mandated to designate, regulate and supervise tourism enterprise zones (TEZs) as well as develop, manage and supervise tourism projects in the country.
Both TIEZA and TPB gets P250M capitalization from the national government says the new law.
Meanwhile, the Duty Free Philippines (DFP) becomes Duty Free Philippines Corporation (DFPC), to run the tax-free merchandising system in the country. (rachiu/PIA)
by anyajulia | May 13, 2009 | Headlines, National News
Through the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Secretary Conrado A. Limcaoco Jr., the President directed the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) to assist and protect the interest of pre-need plan holders. Arroyo wanted SEC to determine the financial health of pre-need companies and ensure that these firms would meet their obligations. And government will prosecute wayward pre-need companies. (PIA-MMIO)
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by anyajulia | May 13, 2009 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
President Gloria Macagal-Arroyo signed yesterday (May 12) the “One Visayas Climate Change Covenant” with Visayan stakeholders. This was the highlight of the two-day One Visayas Climate Change Summit held at theImperial Palace Waterpark Resort Hotel, Lapu-Lapu City.
Arroyo stressed out that the environment can no longer take a back seat to economic development. The President also lauded the leaders of the three Visayan regions for their united stand against climate change and their initiative in convening the summit which aims to heighten public awareness on global warming and understand its causes. Arroyo also says that climate change is bad for the Philippine economy and particularly bad for the Visayan economy whose future is mainly anchored on eco-tourism.
The Tourism Act of 2009 which was also signed, will also contribute to efforts to reduce the effects of climate change by giving more teeth to the country’s tourism jobs creation policies which have strong environment protection component. (PIA-MMIO)
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by anyajulia | May 12, 2009 | Foreign Exchange, Headlines, Major Events
Secretary Ronaldo Puno of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Vietnamese Minister of Public Safety Le Hong Anh is set to hold exploratory talks in the area of transnational crimes.
The aforementioned officials will have talks focuses on reinforcing the ties between Manila and Hanoi, and in the fight against illegal drugs and international terrorism. They will also discuss the details of the implementation of certain aspects of the RP-Vietnam Action Plan for 2007-2010 that covers political, security and defense concerns and the Cooperation Agreement on the Prevention and Fight Against Criminal Activities (CAPFACA) between the two countries.
DILG Secretary Puno is in Vietnam May 10-15. This is upon the invitation of his counterpart, Vietnamese Minister of Public Safety Le Hong Anh. (PIA)
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