Day: June 10, 2023

Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco and New Perspective Media (NPM) Group CEO and founder Karen Franco have agreed to help each other find ways to drive tourists from the Middle East to the Philippines by promoting medical tourism, halal travel, diving, arts, and culture, among others. In a meeting at the Department of Tourism (DOT) headquarters in Makati on June 5, the two engaged in discussions on the diverse range of tourism opportunities that the Philippines could promote in the Middle East, it was reported in the Filipino Times. Frasco thanked Remo for the invaluable insights she shared during the meeting, acknowledging their potential to aid the department in positioning the Philippines as a global travel destination and capturing the lucrative Middle East outbound travel and tourism market. She said the Philippines has been hailed as the top diving destination in the world by many organizations. The country, home to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, won the ‘Best Dive Destination’ during the Diving, Resort and Travel Show in Malaysia on Feb. 24-26, the ‘World’s Leading Dive Destination’ during last year’s World Travel Awards, and ‘Asia’s Leading Dive Destination’ from the same group from 2019 to 2022. Meanwhile, Remo congratulated the DOT for the well-deserved recognition of the Philippines as the Emerging Muslim-Friendly Destination of the Year at the esteemed Halal in Travel Global Summit 2023, held in Singapore on June 1. She also updated the tourism secretary on NPM’s forthcoming initiatives in the UAE, including the 10th annual Philippine Property and Investment Exhibition, as well as the upcoming 2nd Philippine Economic and Investment Summit, both slated to take place in Dubai on May 11 to 12, 2024. The twin events will feature the Philippine International Travel Fair to promote localities and destinations primed for tourism and investment, and realize the travel aspirations of the 192 nationalities in the UAE. Remo – who is also the publisher of The Filipino Times, the largest news media for overseas Filipinos globally – emphasized that overseas Filipinos serve as the most effective ambassadors of the Philippines to the rest of the world, as their highly regarded professionalism and friendliness create a profound impact on fostering positive perception about the country. Since Dec. 2023, the DOT has been incentivizing overseas Filipinos to invite tourists to explore the Philippines through the ‘Bisita Be My Guest’ (BBMG) program. These incentives include travel discounts and a chance to win a condominium and complimentary vacation trips. The meeting was also attended by DOT Undersecretary Shereen Gail Yu-Pamintuan, DOT Undersecretary Ferdinand ‘Cocoy’ Jumapao, and NPM Group Editorial Director Mark Nituma.

Source: Philippines News Agency

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is planning the use of high-end drones to boost its capabilities and strengthen border security. Spokesperson Rear Admiral Armando Balilo said using drones could save the PCG more time and fuel in the conduct of maritime patrols. ‘Kung kami ang masusunod, lahat ng districts ng Philippine Coast Guard, dapat magkaroon ng at least one drone (If we would have our way, all districts of the Philippine Coast Guards should have one drone each),’ Balilo said during the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City. He also gave a recap of the PCG’s trilateral maritime exercise with the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) and the United States Coast Guard (USCG) in Mariveles, Bataan on June 1-7. He said during the ‘Kaagapay’ drills, the PCG learned that the USCG has a large drone that can conduct surveillance activities in surrounding waters. The JCG is also using US-made surveillance drones. ”Yun ang wala tayo na noong nakita namin, talagang na-inggit kami. Talagang malaking bagay ito, malaking tulong ito. Imagine mo kapag nasa isang area kayo ng operations, mas mabilis na makaka-ikot ang drone (We also want to have that because we do not have one. That’s a big help. Imagine, if you are in the area of operations, the drone could man the area faster),’ Balilo said. He acknowledged that a modern drone is expensive but noted that its cost-effectiveness would outweigh the procurement of vessels because of its unmanned operability and high-security features. Balilo said the use of drones would make it easier to monitor the presence of foreign vessels and other unlawful maritime operations. ‘Kaya po in the future, halimbawa nasa base ka lang at ‘yung mga barko ay busy at merong ibang mga mission (when you are in the base and all the vessels are busy and have other missions), you can always conduct maritime awareness through drone. ‘Yun ang pinakamaganda (That’s the best thing that it could do),’ he said. Given its ‘limited budget,’ the PCG has yet to include the planned purchase of drones in the list of equipment that would be procured amid the ongoing efforts to modernize the Coast Guard, he said. Balilo, however, said several countries have expressed their intent to offer grants for the procurement of drones. He expressed optimism that drones are the ‘future of maritime patrol’ in the country. ”Yung ating tungkuling ginagampanan ay napakalaki. At kailangan nating madagdagan pa ang ating mga gamit para ang ating maritime domain awarenesss ay ma-sustain natin (We have a big responsibility. We have to procure additional equipment to sustain our maritime domain awareness),’ Balilo said.

Source: Philippines News Agency