Travel and Tourism

San Miguel Corporation (SMC) through the management of Metro Rail Transit Line 7 (MRT-7) denied they are responsible for the recent flooding along a portion of Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City. “Its facilities near Batasan Station on Commonwealth Avenue are not the cause of the flooding that occurred in the area,” according to a statement from MRT-7 Project Management Office. …

President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. formally launched the deployment of the Dalian trains at MRT 3, nearly a decade after government acquired the train sets. “This is the first day that these Dalian trains are finally in service — mula noong binili, hindi pa nagamit ito,” Marcos said as a Dalian train rolls by MRT-3 Santolan-Annapolis Station. The Philippines acquired 48 light …

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) wants to talk with state-run banks to explore possible financial relief for jeepney operators struggling to repay loans tied to the Public Transport Modernization Program (PTMP). LTFRB Chairperson Teofilo E. Guadiz III said the agency will initiate discussions with the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), Land Bank of the Philippines and …

HO CHI MINH, Vietnam – The Vietnamese affiliate of Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) is implementing a $1.5-billion project covering three districts south of Vietnam, its biggest undertaking this year. Officials of CII Bridges and Roads Investment JSC (CII B&R) said the company is poised to be handpicked by the Vietnamese government as the investor for the Ho Chi Minh …

The metro’s major railways are giving 50% discount to senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs), President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced as he launched the discount program at the MRT-3 Santolan-Annapolis Station. “Ang makikinabang  dito sa programang ito ay siguro mga 13 milyong senior citizen at saka 7 milyon na PWD,” Marcos told the crowd.  The 50% discount is available …

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) said government has eliminated an 11-year backlog in motorcycle plate production, in compliance to a directive from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to expedite the process. DOTr Secretary Vince Dizon said 5.4 million motorcycle plates were produced this year, effectively clearing the backlog that had accumulated since 2014. These plates are now being distributed to Land …

The Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) is pushing for the passage of two bills aimed at modernizing the shipbuilding and ship repair (SBSR) sector and improving the country’s ship registry, in line with global green and technological shifts. Pending at the 20th Congress are the SBSR Development Bill and the Philippine Ship Registry Bill which will close regulatory and financing gaps …

The ₱6-million penalty imposed by the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) against AirAsia MOVE, the online booking arm of Malaysia-based Capital A Berhad, for its alleged overpriced fares is “unfair,” according to the conglomerate’s chief executive Tony Fernandes. Fernandes said in a press conference the company has yet to pay the penalty to government. “I was taken a little bit aback …

The Philippines wants to double the number of airline seats on Philippine-Australia routes, ahead of a new round of air talks. The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) is meeting with its Australian counterpart to discuss a proposal to expand the number of seats between the Philippines and Australia. CAB executive director Carmelo Arcilla said the Philippines initiated the air talks, as …

More local seaports are lined up for upgrade or improvement under the public-private partnerships (PPPs) scheme, with 12 set to be turned over this year, according to the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA). The PPA is preparing to complete the PPP of 12 ports in Luzon and Mindanao as part of efforts to tap private resources for infrastructure management. PPA expects …