The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) will kickstart its refreshed motorcycle tourism program next month, picking up the pace amid the pandemic to regain the public’s confidence to travel again. Called the Philippine Motorcycle Tourism (PMT), the TPB-led program seeks to attract motorcycle sports enthusiasts and rides as a potential tourism niche market. “We are pushing our boundaries to come up with even more safe and creative ways to set the tourism industry and all those who depend on its path to recovery. (The) PMT showcases the interesting culture and heritage sites, shops, restaurants, and other tourism products all over the

The local government here has relaxed its requirements for inbound travels of fully vaccinated individuals effective immediately. Executive Order 125-A released by Mayor Jerry P. Treñas on Tuesday evening said returning city residents, authorized persons outside of residence (APORs), returning overseas Filipino workers (ROFs), and non-APORS from Negros Island traveling for essential purposes no longer have to present a negative result of the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test to secure the Safe, Swift and Smart Passage (S-PaSS). Instead, they only need to submit the electronic copy of their vaccination card and certification from the city/municipal or provincial health office

Malacañang on Wednesday expressed confidence that lawmakers, especially those who are seeking reelection, will prevent a reenacted budget for 2022. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque issued the statement during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum, when quizzed if he thinks the ongoing word war between President Rodrigo Duterte and other senators criticizing the government’s coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) response efforts would lead to a reenacted budget next year. “I don’t think so. Let’s talk about brass politics. It’s not to the welfare of reelectionist congressmen and senators to have a [reenacted] budget,” Roque said. In his prerecorded Talk to the People

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año on Tuesday said the agency is ready to file charges against 2022 election candidates found to be paying “permit-to-campaign” to terrorist groups, including the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF). In his report during President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s Talk to the People late Tuesday night, Año reminded all candidates that giving financial assistance and political support to terrorists CPP-NPA-NDF, Abu Sayyaf group, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, and other related groups is “strictly” prohibited under Republic Act 10168. “Ang pagbabayad ng permit-to-campaign o permit-to-win sa

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Wednesday revealed that Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte made a last-minute effort to persuade him to run for senator despite her decision not to join the presidential race in the 2022 national elections. “I will reveal for the first time that on the last day of filing, Mayor Sara called me and she in fact said that I should run, she was persuading me to run,” Roque said in an interview at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay news forum hosted by Marichu Villanueva. Roque previously said he will only run for senator if Sara will

At least a PHP50-billion budget is needed per year to meet the country’s housing demands for Filipinos, according to Department for Human Settlement and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary Eduardo del Rosario on Wednesday. During the Laging Handa press briefing, del Rosario said the DHSUD is determined to address the issues of informal settler families (ISFs), particularly those residing in the danger zones and other flood-prone areas to reduce casualties during calamities. Del Rosario cited the challenging part in fulfilling their task of providing decent and safer houses to ISFs due to budget constraints. “Actually, we requested about PHP70 billion na