National News

Cebu City—Sinulog sa Sugbo, dubbed as the country’s biggest festival, is more than just a crowd-attracting event, it also allows tourists to immerse themselves “in an experience that transcends the ordinary”, according to Department of Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco. The tourism chief, who graced the event as guest of honor, also described the festival … Read more

Manila, Philippines—One of the country’s crown jewels, Palawan, bags another prestigious accolade, this time as one of the Trending Destinations in the World for 2024 on Tripadvisor, the world’s largest travel site for travel deals and reviews. This latest recognition comes on the heels of Palawan’s back-to-back global citations in 2023 as one of the … Read more

The Marcos administration has established 131 specialty centers nationwide as of December 2023 and allocated PhP11.12 billion this year for more specialty centers in different parts of the country, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said. “Noong August 24, 2023 pinirmahan ko ang Republic Act No. 11959 known as the Regional Specialty Centers Act. Ito’y mga … Read more

Manila, Philippines—The tourism landscape in the Philippines is poised for a prospective uptick in the year ahead with the anticipated series of extended weekends throughout 2024. Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco of the Department of Tourism (DOT) has expressed her optimism, citing these elongated breaks as a potential catalyst for a substantial boost to the country’s … Read more

Manila, Philippines—The year 2023 is a win for the Philippine tourism industry as it welcomed more than five million international visitor arrivals from January 1 to December 31, 2023, recording more than PHP480 billion in international tourism receipts, according to Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco. According to the monitoring data of the … Read more

The Marcos administration will implement several measures to halt the entry of funds from abroad to finance terrorist activities, an official of the anti-money laundering body said on Tuesday. Matthew David, the Executive Director of the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) Secretariat, told a press briefing in Malacañang on Tuesday that there are three action items … Read more

Philippine troops, backed by airstrikes and artillery fire, killed 11 suspected Islamic militants near a hinterland village in the country’s south, authorities said Saturday, in one of the military’s bloodiest anti-insurgency offensives this year. The military launched the offensive Friday after receiving intelligence about the whereabouts of suspected leaders and armed followers of the Dawla … Read more

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has issued a proclamation granting amnesty to members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), a rebel group that has been fighting for autonomy in Mindanao for decades. The proclamation, signed on November 22, 2023, covers MNLF members who have committed crimes in pursuit of their political beliefs, such as … Read more

Manila, Philippines—The Department of Tourism (DOT) celebrates the inclusion of Clark International Airport (CRK) as one of the world’s most beautiful airports this year, earning the prestigious Prix Versailles, the World Architecture and Design Award of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).   “This accolade not only reflects the aesthetic grandeur of … Read more

VOA News, MANILA — Japan and the Philippines announced Friday the start of negotiations for a defense pact that would allow troops to be deployed to each other’s territory, a move analysts say is largely prompted by China’s increasingly aggressive behavior in disputed waters. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. … Read more