Travel and Tourism

Congressman Mark Anthony Santos of Las Pinas, deputy majority leader at the House of Representatives, believes the creeping delay in the completion of the LRT 1 Cavite Extension Project can be attributed to the failure to finalize the proposed Right of Way Usage Agreement (ROWUA). Despite a directive from Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to resolve the project’s location of its last two stations, the Villar Group through its companies Fine Properties and …

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) revealed that 3,000 franchise slots are still open for electric vehicle (EV)-powered taxis for Metro Manila. While applications for available franchises are ongoing in other key cities, LTFRB allocated a total of 8,000 slots for Metro Manila. Joel J. Bolano, chief of the LTFRB technical division, said, “Nag-open tayo sa Metro Manila ng 8,000 (EV taxi units). Ang natitira na lang po ay 3,000.” Bolano said operators already granted franchises include Vietnamese ride-hailing company Green and Smart …

Mandaue City Councilor Carlo Fortuna wants the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to require transport network companies (TNCs) to include automaticdiscounts into their ride-hailing mobile applications for passengers who are senior citizen and persons with disability (PWD). The Mandaue City Council recently approved a resolution filed by Fortuna urging LTFRB to obligate TNCs to incorporate an automatic 20% fare discount in their system for senior citizens and PWDs as mandated by existing laws. Fortuna said these laws allow senior citizens and PWDs to enjoy a 20% discount on all public transportation, including transport network vehicles. But many ride-hailing …

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Cebu provincial government recentlylaunched the country’s first local-led service contracting initiative dubbed “Tabang Pangbyahe Program,” which has a P20 million allocation from the department. An agreement was signed by officials from DOTr, the Cebu local government and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board establishing the program which operatesunder the net service contracting model.  The national government through DOTr will release the allocated funds directly to the province, allowing eligible bus operators to benefit …

NLEX Corp. is intensifying efforts to mitigate the effects of flooding during the rainy season to prevent any expressway traffic congestion while safeguarding motorists. These efforts include clearing of drainage networks and preventive maintenance of water pumps and detention tanks in Balintawak and Paso de Blas in Valenzuela. NLEX extended its cleanup efforts beyond the expressway due to interconnection of …

The still unresolved congestion at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) is causing delays in the release of imported semiconductor materials and preventing the efficient turnaround of manufacturing commitments of Philippines. Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) president Ferdinand Ferrer reported that the rate of cargo shipments being cleared at NAIA within three days declined to around 76% this …

Filipinos planning to travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are reminded that issuance of visa upon entry is contingent on certain conditions. Only those holding valid visas, residence permits, or green cards issued by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Canada or New Zealand are eligible for the privilege. Filipinos who …

To encourage more domestic travel, the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association (HSMA) is offering discounted accommodation rates under government’s “Discover More to Love” domestic travel campaign. Supporting HSMA’s campaign are Cebu Pacific Airways (CEB) and Philippines Air Asia, and members of the Philippine Travel Agencies Association and Philippine Tour Operators Association, according to the Department of Tourism (DOT). HSMA President …

Hermanos Leisure Farm, the resort where two of the Ateneo men’s basketball team drowned, is not accredited with the Department of Tourism (DOT). Ma. Rica C. Bueno, DOT Undersecretary for Tourism Standards, Regulation and Human Capital Development said, “The resort is not DOT-accredited.” She added DOT regularly reminds the public to book only at accredited accommodation establishments. A DOT accreditation …

The Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) and Quanzhou Jinjiang International Airport in Fujian, China, are boosting each other’s efforts to add new air links and encourage tourism and investment flows between the two destinations, following the recent relaunch of Cebu-Quanzhou direct flights operated by Xiamen Air. MCIA said a working committee with representatives from the Chinese gateway agreed to a quarterly …