Travel and Tourism

TACLOBAN CITY — Congressman Christopher Sheen Gonzales of Eastern Sama is proposing to establish a permanent Philippine-American War Memorial and Museum in Balangiga, eight years after the town’s bells were returned by the United States government. In a privilege speech, Gonzales said Balangiga’s role in the 1901 Philippine-American War deserves greater recognition and preservation. “Despite the immense importance of Balangiga …

Nearly 200 families displaced by the construction of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) in Bulacan were each provided P15,000 worth of sari-sari store packages by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) as additional source of income. Another batch of families will undergo livelihood training, bringing the total number of beneficiaries to 500. Each beneficiary received the “Ginhawa Pangkabuhayan Sari-Sari Store Package,” …

PH Resorts Group Holdings Inc. permanently closed Donatela Resort & Sanctuary in Panglao, Bohol, after foreclosure proceedings on the property. PH Resorts, the resort development arm of  Dennis Uy, said in a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, its wholly-owned subsidiary Donatela Hotel Panglao Corp. (DHPC) closed the hotel starting Sept. 30, 2026. Donatela Resort & Sanctuary, which has 11 private villas, …

Amidst increasing airfares, Philippine Airlines (PAL) will restore direct flights to Saipan, hoping that a surge in upcoming holiday travel will sustain influx of visitors on the route. PAL announced that Manila-Saipan flights will resume starting Oct. 25, giving Filipinos a direct route to the capital of the Northern Mariana Islands. The return of flights to Saipan follows the rise …

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) warned 19 ride-hailing platforms of sanctions such as suspension or cancellation of accreditation for failing to implement the newly approved fare increase for Transport Network Vehicle Service (TNVS) units. The LTFRB issued a show-cause order (SCO) directing the Transport Network Companies (TNCs) to explain in writing why their accreditation should not be …

The underground station of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) at the Clark International Airport (CRK) is now 73.29% complete, on target to government’s goal of partially opening it by end of 2027. Contract Package N-04 of the North-South Commuter Railway Extension (NSCR-Ex) Project, covering around 6.5 kilometers of rail track, reported 87.34% overall progress as of August, according to the …

Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia’s second national flag carrier, will increase its Manila-Riyadh service from four flights a week to daily operations starting this October. Riyadh Air starting operating the route last September 9. Osamah Alnuaiser, Riyadh Air Senior Vice President for Marketing and Corporate Communications, said, “The next concrete milestone is our planned increase from four weekly flights to daily …

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) intends to accelerate the upgrade of local airports nationwide to be able to lower airfares while accepting larger airplanes that can carry more passengers. Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said they are prioritizing runway extensions, particularly at airports where longer runways would allow airlines to operate larger aircraft capable of carrying more passengers. “For our new …

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Giovanni Lopez assured the House of Representatives that the LRT-1 Cavite Extension Project will finally be completed, with construction of the last two stations expected to begin before 2026 ends. Sec. Lopez told legislators DOTr expects to start construction of the remaining sections of the multi-billion-peso railway project within 2026. Rep. Mark Anthony Santos …

The House of Representatives recently approved the renewal of the franchise of Philippine Airlines for another 50 years. Lawmakers – 250 voting affirmative, three negative and one abstention – approved House Bill 10545, extending PAL’s legislative franchise originally under Presidential Decree (PD) 1590 to establish, operate, and maintain domestic and international air transportation services.  The franchise renewal provides PAL with …