May 052013
 
Q1 foreign tourist arrivals up

By Jocelyn R. Uy Philippine Daily Inquirer 4:10 am | Monday, May 6th, 2013 MANILA, Philippines—There were 1.27 million foreign tourists who visited the country during the first quarter of the year, setting the pace for the government to reach the 5.5 million mark for 2013, according to the Department of Tourism (DOT). The first-quarter visitor arrivals marked a 10.76-percent growth from the 1.15 million visitors recorded during the same period last year. “This marks the second time that foreign tourist arrivals breached the one-million mark in the first quarter,” the DOT said on Sunday. Records showed that Korea remained the leading visitor market, capturing 25.83 percent of the total inbound traffic, followed by the United States, with 186,064, or 14.63 percent, of the overall visitor volume. At least 114,269 visitors from Japan have been recorded from January to March, accounting for 8.99 percent of the total market share, while arrivals from China have reached 98,242. Rounding up the top five visitor markets for the first quarter is Taiwan, with 53,867 tourists. The country also enjoyed significant number of visitors from the following countries: Australia, 53,679; Singapore, 41,524; Canada, 38,486; Hong Kong, 36,005; United Kingdom, 32,475; Malaysia, 27,212; and Germany, 22,491. “Month after month, we bear witness to a steady upward performance and new record highs. This only means that the efforts of the department and its partners are bearing fruit,” said Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. “To achieve our 2013 target of 5.5 million and 2016 target of 10 Read More …

Apr 102013
 

MANILA, Apr 6 (Mabuhay) – Despite North Korea’s advice to foreign missions to consider evacuating their posts due to nuclear tensions, the Philippines still sees no need to raise its alert level in Korea as of Saturday morning. In a radio interview, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the situation at least in South Korea […]

Mar 032013
 
Potential markets for sugar exports cited

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines could potentially ship sugar to India, Korea, Indonesia and the Middle East, according to the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA). In an announcement on its website, the SRA said state-owned Philippine International Trading Corp. (PITC) has identified export opportunities for refined and raw sugar from these countries. PITC, established in 1973, is the only state-owned international trading corporation mandated to promote local export commodities especially those from small and medium enterprises and undertake bulk importation of strategic raw commodities to secure domestic supply and stabilize local prices. Only buyers from India and Korea have so far provided specifications. The SRA said PITC’s potential buyers from India are interested in procuring an initial 100 to 200 metric tons (MT) of refined sugar of S-30 and M-30 grade.  The volume may increase to 500 to 800 MT, expanding to between 1,000 to 1,500 MT by the second semester of 2013. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Buyers from Korea are interested in procuring 1,500 MT of refined white sugar per month. The sugar content per shipment should be 90 percent with a brightness of 19 to 20. Korean buyers are also interested in importing 12,500 MT of raw sugar monthly with a trial shipment of 3,000 MT to 5,000 MT. The Philippines intends to produce 2.356 million MT of sugar for crop year 2012-2013. The SRA is currently implementing measures to help farmers increase productivity and lower production costs ahead of the implementation of free Read More …

Feb 202013
 
2 Koreans, Filipino arrested for selling ‘carnapped’ vehicles in Cebu

By Chito O. Aragon Inquirer Visayas 6:10 am | Thursday, February 21st, 2013 CEBU CITY, Philippines—The police arrested two Koreans and a Filipino for alleged involvement in carnapping in Metro Cebu and recovered at least seven Hyundai Starex vans. The police identified the suspects as Korean nationals Kim Jae Young, 42, alias Leo Lim/Andy; Hong Seo Yong, 28, alias Luis; and Raphael Montilla, 27, alias Raprap, a registered nurse and a resident of Vista Grande, Barangay (village) Bulacao, Talisay City. Two of the vans were seized from the house of Montilla while five others were recovered along A.S. Fortuna St. and the streets in Maguikay highway and Cabangcalan, all in Mandaue City. Former Philippine Basketball Association player Ramon Fernandez and his wife, Carla, own one of the recovered vans. Chief Supt. Marcelo Garbo, chief of Police Regional Office (PRO-7) said the three allegedly belonged to an organized group operating nationwide. Chief Inspector George Ylanan, chief of Regional Operation Group (RSOG), an operating unit of Regional Intelligence Division (RID), said they first arrested Montilla at his home in Talisay City Tuesday afternoon after they received information that he was selling a Hyundai Starex van for only P40,000. When the RSOG operatives arrived at Montilla’s home, they saw two Starex vans parked there. The police asked for the certificates of registration of the two vehicles, but Montilla could not present any so he was arrested and taken to the RSOG office for questioning. During the investigation, Montilla admitted that two Koreans had Read More …

Feb 042013
 
BI deports Korean national facing drug case in his country

By Tetch Torres INQUIRER.net 2:57 pm | Monday, February 4th, 2013 MANILA, Philippines—The Bureau of Immigration has ordered the deportation of a South Korean national allegedly wanted in his country for robbery, extortion and illegal drugs. Immigration Commissioner Ricardo David Jr. identified the Korean national as Bang Gi II, 49. He was picked up by immigration agents at the Manila City Jail last Jan. 29 after a local court dismissed the kidnapping case against him. A summary deportation was issued against Bang after the Korean government canceled his passport. Lawyer Jose Carlitos Licas, BI intelligence assistant chief, said Bang is the subject of two arrest warrants for violating South Korea’s narcotics control act. He said the fugitive was charged with consuming the illegal drug called Philopon and for asking a fellow Korean national to smuggle from Manila more than 35 grams of the drug into Korea on Oct. 13, 2010. Licas also cited a report from the Korean embassy stating that on Aug. 26, 2009, Bang was convicted and sentenced to one-year imprisonment by a district court in Incheon, South Korea, also for possession of illegal drugs.