The walled city of Intramuros continues to draw visitors amid the pandemic, registering 38,154 same-day guests or a whopping 132 percent increase from January’s 28,855 visitors. In a news release, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, also the Intramuros Administration chairperson, said the significant increase in visitors at the former Spanish stronghold reflects the “optimism and confidence in travel.” “With its vast open-space, lush gardens, and the strict implementation of health and safety protocols, Intramuros is an ideal site to visit in the new normal,” she said. The latest visitor figures were as of February 23. Under Covid-19 Alert Level 2, physical

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has ordered AlphanetWorld Corporation, which has been doing business under the name NWorld, to stop soliciting investments from the public without the necessary license. In an order issued February 23, the commission en banc directed AlphanetWorld to immediately cease and desist from engaging in the unlawful or unauthorized solicitation, offer and/or sale of securities until the requisite registration statement has been duly filed with and approved by the SEC. “NWorld is unlawfully engaged in the sale and/or offer of unregistered securities in the form of investment contract because it has no license to carry

US stocks plummeted to close Wednesday in the red as tensions concerning the Russia-Ukraine crisis escalated. At the closing bell, the Dow Jones was down 452.53 points, or 1.35 percent, to 33,144. The S&P 500 lost 74.56 points, or 1.73 percent, to hit 4,230 points. The Nasdaq fell 313.13 points, or 2.34 percent, to finish at 13,068 points. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday announced that Moscow was recognizing two Ukrainian breakaway regions, Luhansk and Donetsk, as independent states, followed quickly by sending troops to “maintain peace.” US President Joe Biden, in response, announced Tuesday the first tranche of sanctions

The province of Iloilo will launch its ‘People Power Resbakuna’ on Friday in celebration of the 36th Edsa People Power Revolution in connection with this year’s theme “EDSA 2022: Pagtutulungan Tungo sa Sama-Samang Pagbangon mula sa Pandemya.” “It is People Power Resbakuna because we have come to a point that we have already vaccinated our sectors; we started with A1 and if you remember our last launching was for the 5 to 11 (years old). Now, vaccination of the general community and we call it People Power Resbakuna,” said Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. in his press conference on Thursday.