News Briefs: August 17, 2019
Credit to Author: racosta| Date: Fri, 16 Aug 2019 21:10:47 +0000
Tourism receipts rise 17.57% to P245B
The country’s tourism industry generated some P245 billion in receipts from international visitors during the first half of 2019, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said on Friday. Data from the DOT showed a 17.57-percent increase from the 2018 figure. Tourists stay an average of 9.01 nights and spend $120.60 daily. Earlier, the DOT disclosed that 4.1 million foreigners have visited the country from January to June this year, indicating an 11.43-percent increase from 2018. “These economic numbers are exciting but the real purpose of why the government is working hard to push these numbers up year after year is for the Filipino people. At the end of the day, it is the number of lives changed for the better by tourism that would truly count,” the DOT statement quoted Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat as saying.—Jerome Aning
DOT officials told to submit to lifestyle check
Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat on Friday ordered Department of Tourism (DOT) officials to submit themselves to the lifestyle check being conducted by the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC). She said the DOT lauded the PACC initiative and looked forward to contributing to the report which is expected to be completed by year’s end. Upon her appointment as DOT head, Puyat implemented policy reforms to ensure a systematic and graft- and corruption-free operations of the DOT.—Jerome Aning
Palace reminds gov’t execs about travel rules
Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo reminded Cabinet members anew to comply with the existing directive banning government officials from going on travel junkets and limiting their use of business class airfare. The Palace official made the call after Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission commissioner Greco Belgica said they had been investigating three government officials for excessive foreign travels. Panelo cited Executive Order No. 77, issued last March, which set the rules and regulations for the travels of government personnel. The order requires government personnel to travel economy class but department secretaries, undersecretaries and assistant secretaries may travel in business class.—Julie M. Aurelio
De Lima warns public about fake video
Sen. Leila de Lima has warned the public about a spliced video posted online portraying her as having admitted to coddling drug lords. De Lima’s staff members informed her about the video, which she said was part of a campaign to discredit her because of her criticism of the Duterte administration. The video was taken from her Aug. 2, 2016, privilege speech about extrajudicial killings in the country.—Leila B. Salaverria
BI arrests South Korean fugitive wanted for fraud
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) recently arrested a Korean fugitive wanted for a fraud case in South Korea. BI port operations division chief Grifton Medina said Jang Hongsuk, 38, was arrested as he was about to leave for Seoul on Aug. 12. Medina said Jang arrived in February after he allegedly scammed his countrymen into giving him more than 8.2 million won (P355,000) sometime last year.—Jovic Yee