Travel writers pick favorite rainy day getaways in PHL

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Aug 242015
 
Travel writers pick favorite rainy day getaways in PHL

Gray clouds, dreary skies, occasional showers, and strong gusts of wind…all these may not paint the picture of the ideal vacation. But with 7,107 islands in the Philippines, there’s bound to be at least one good destination to visit even during off-peak season—and travel lovers know where to go. Read on to discover travel writers and bloggers’ favorite places to visit during the rainy season. Cagayan de Oro for water-based activities “The best place to visit in the Philippines during the rainy season is Cagayan de Oro, Misamis Oriental,” says Bryan Arevalo, creative director of Travelife Magazine. Armed with his camera, Arevalo has hiked, trekked, ziplined, swum and dived all over Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. In CDO, he says, “Fresh local fruits such as suha, durian, lanzones, and mangosteen are bountiful during the rainy season. Whitewater rafting and kayaking are at its most adventurous and most exciting during the rainy season. ”Edgar Alan Zeta-Yap of travel blog EazyTraveler.net agrees. “Cagayan de Oro and nearby Iligan are exciting destinations for the rainy season: CDO [for] its water-based outdoor activities such as whitewater rafting and river trekking, while Iligan has beautiful waterfalls such as Maria Cristina and Tinago, as well as relaxing spring resorts. CDO also celebrates the Higalaay Festival, a vibrant religious and cultural celebration, during late August.” Naga for nature and the food Mt. Isarog, Naga City [via GMA News] Naga City in Camarines Sur offers a range of activities you can enjoy even during the rainy season, says Kara Read More …

Internet voting for OFWs opposed for lack of security

 News
Aug 232015
 
Internet voting for OFWs opposed for lack of security

Philippine Daily Inquirer By: Jocelyn R. Uy, August 23rd, 2015 09:15 PM An election lawyer urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec), on Sunday, to scrap plans of employing Internet voting technology for overseas absentee voting (OAV) in the May 2016 balloting in the absence of clear-cut rules on such a scheme. Laywer Romulo Macalintal said for the May 9 elections in next year, the Comelec should just stick to the existing mode of voting for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) since some provisions of the Overseas Voting Act of 2013 were vague. “Definitely, the election body should wait for clearer provisions of the law allowing Internet voting and its mechanisms,” Macalintal told reporters, citing that under the law, the Comelec has been merely allowed “to explore” Internet-based technology for OAV. He also raised possible security issues—such as the safety of the ballots and the real identity of online voters—should the Comelec push through with pilot-testing online voting for OFWs citing “the culture of elections” in the country. “It would take time for Internet voting in our country to be accepted knowing especially that losers would always cry that they were cheated. So, they won’t ever trust such a system of voting,” said the election lawyer. Earlier, the Comelec said it would decide by December 1 as to the mode of voting for OFWs, who have been scheduled to cast their ballots for the 2016 presidential elections beginning April 9 until Election Day. Last week, the Department of Foreign Affairs called on Read More …

BOC: No hike in balikbayan box tax but strict checks to continue

 News
Aug 232015
 
BOC: No hike in balikbayan box tax but strict checks to continue

Philippine Daily Inquirer By: Jocelyn R. Uy, August 23rd, 2015 08:55 PM Defending its move to be more meticulous with balikbayan boxes entering the country, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) said on Sunday, it was not after overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) or their hard-earned “pasalubong” (homecoming gifts) for loved ones but after smugglers or “riders” who have been sneaking in contraband through fake consignees. In a statement issued on Sunday by the BOC public information and assistance division, the bureau also clarified that it was neither increasing taxes on the balikbayan boxes nor trying to impede existing processes. “We are not after the OFWs or their pasalubong to their families. We are after the smugglers who have resorted to using the balikbayan boxes and consolidated shipments to smuggle contraband in the country through fake consignees or insertion of smuggled boxes or goods, otherwise known as riders, in consolidated shipments,” it stated. It also advised families or relatives of OFWs getting “severely tampered” balikbayan boxes or those with missing items to report such cases to the bureau for assistance. “Let us know so we can properly help you,” it said. The BOC issued this statement after several lawmakers lambasted its plan to clamp down on balikbayan boxes on suspicion that these were being used as a smuggling channel while huge containers and smuggled luxury cars continued to enter the country under the noses of bureau inspectors. The BOC estimates that an average of 1,000 containers of balikbayan boxes (400 boxes per Read More …

Petition vs BoC rules on balikbayan boxes gets 67k signatures in 2 days

 News
Aug 232015
 
Petition vs BoC rules on balikbayan boxes gets 67k signatures in 2 days

INQUIRER.net By: Aries Joseph Hegina, August 23rd, 2015 04:50 PM SCREENGRAB from Change.org A Change.org petition calling for Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago to stop the Bureau of Customs (BoC) from implementing stricter inspections on balikbayan boxes of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) has been signed by more than 67 thousand people in a span of two days. The petition, which is entitled “STOP Philippine Customs to Impose Tighter Rules for Balikbayan Boxes,” was launched by a certain Julius Lajara who claims that he is based at the United Arab Emirates. “A lot of OFW were being affected of the customs to impose tighter rules for balikbayan boxes and will also put additional tax on it. We all know how much corruption is happening in customs right now. We cannot deny it. Add to that they are aggresively telling that they have the rights to open boxes, if something is missing after the inspection we have the rights to report it to the authorities. Who is the authorities they are saying? Even if that happen and we report it we all know that there will be no good output,” Lajara said in his petition. The petition has been signed by 67, 235 supporters as of 4:50 p.m. on Sunday. Lajara wants to gather 75,000 signatures for his petition. “This is just another way of corruption. We OFW work so hard for our family and Customs will just take that away from us,” said a certain Jelyn Bernales who signed for the petition. Read More …

Japan helps Filipino returnees get jobs

 News
Aug 222015
 
Japan helps Filipino returnees get jobs

Philippine Daily Inquirer By: Tina G. Santos, August 23rd, 2015 06:53 AM FILE PHOTO The Embassy of Japan in Manila will hold a job fair for returning Filipino nurses and caregivers on Aug. 28 in Taguig City. Japan has been accepting Filipino nurses and caregivers under the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (Jpepa). The job fair will benefit returnees who were not able to take the Japanese licensure examination and those who had opted to return to the Philippines after their job term in Japan. In a statement posted on the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) website, the Japanese Embassy said that around 400 Filipino nurses and caregivers had returned to the Philippines. “They have experienced working in a hospital or care-giving facility in Japan under direct supervision of Japanese staff, and have obtained superior knowledge and skills in this field. They have also been educated in basic Japanese through the language training provided by the Japanese government and living in Japan for three to five years,” the embassy said. The embassy holds an annual job fair with Japanese companies and medical institutes in the Philippines to help returning Filipino nurses and caregivers further utilize their skills and experiences acquired in Japan and to strengthen Japan-Philippines relations. Last year, around 50 Jpepa returnees and 26 companies participated in the job fair. Many Japanese companies in some sectors like construction and service were in need of Japanese-speaking Filipino staff. As a result, some returnees were hired as company nurses, interpreters and office Read More …

DFA confirms 2 Pinoy Mers cases in Saudi Arabia

 News
Aug 222015
 
DFA confirms 2 Pinoy Mers cases in Saudi Arabia

Philippine Daily Inquirer By: Niña P. Calleja, August 23rd, 2015 06:32 AM Department of Foreign Affairs building. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has confirmed that two Filipino nurses in Saudi Arabia had been found positive for the dreaded Middle East respiratory syndrome (Mers). Assistant Secretary Charles José, the DFA spokesperson, said in a text message on Saturday the two nurses were being treated in the intensive care unit of a hospital in Saudi Arabia. “The hospital management has assured the Philippine embassy the Filipino nurses were being provided the best medical treatment available,” José said. The hospital, where the two Filipinos work, is “well-equipped with comprehensive treatment and facilities for Mers cases,” José added. He did not give details but assured the public the Philippine embassy was monitoring the new Mers cases and was in constant contact with the Filipino community in Saudi Arabia. The outbreak of Mers—which causes severe acute respiratory illness marked by fever, cough and shortness of breath—was first reported in 2012 in Saudi Arabia and has since infected more than 1,000 people, killing hundreds, according to the World Health Organization. South Korea experienced a Mers outbreak from May to July with 186 confirmed cases. Latest Customs hit: Hands off OFW boxes of goodies Ninoy’s ‘dying’ words strike bitter(t)weet refrain AFP, NPA step up war on YouTube Malacañang assures protocols in place for OFWs in South Korea Recommended Chicago hosts first national ‘Capampangan’ convention Fil-Am kids learn about Filipino culture in Bellflower, Calif. Read More …

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