[New post] Rundown: Underrated travel destinations for Filipino travelers

Planet Philippines (Full Attribution Below) posted: " Composite shows King Parakramabahu's palace in Sri Lanka, Namche Bazaar view point in Nepal, and Central Post Office, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (destination_srilanka/Instagram; Sebastian Pena Lambarri via Unsplash; Quang Pham Duy via Unsplash) Singapore," Planet Philippines UK Rundown: Underrated travel destinations for Filipino travelers Planet Philippines (Full Attribution Below) Feb 1 Composite shows King Parakramabahu's palace in Sri Lanka, Namche Bazaar view point in Nepal, and Central Post Office, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (destination_srilanka/Instagram; Sebastian Pena Lambarri via Unsplash; Quang Pham Duy via Unsplash) Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, and South Korea are a few of the most popular destinations for Filipino travelers. If you have already visited these countries and looking for new places to visit, here's a rundown of underrated tourist destinations, according to travel experts.  Nepal View this post on Instagram One of the recommendations of Philippine Travel Agents Association (PTAA) president Michelle Taylan is Nepal. This is where the world's tallest mountain is located.  If you don't have the guts to climb Mount Everest's peak, travelers can instead do the popular Everest Base Camp Trek.  Apart from the icy mountains, there are also UNESCO world heritage sites in this country that travelers may enjoy. These include Sagarmatha National Park, Chitwan National Park, Kathmandu Durbar Square, Bhaktapur Durbar Square, and Patan Durbar Square.  Tourists may also visit Nepal's temples such as Swayambhunath and Changu Narayan.  Sri Lanka View this post on Instagram PTAA president also named Sri Lanka as an underrated travel destination.  If you are interested in wildlife, you may visit Sri Lanka's Yala National Park, and Udawalawe National Park.  Other must-see places in this country are Dambulla Cave Temple, Arugam Bay, King Parakramabahu's palace, and Galle Dutch Fort, among others. Based on the Sri Lanka Development Authority report, 1,961 travelers from the Philippines visited Sri Lanka last year.  Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam View this post on Instagram Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam is an underrated destination, according to Philippine Airlines assistant vice president for Sales Marissa Dimaano According to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, the top tourist spots in the city are War Remnants Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, Saigon Central Post Office, The Reunification Palace, Nguyen Hue Street and City Hall, Ben Thanh Market and Cu Chi Tunnels. Bali, Indonesia View this post on Instagram If you want to spend a vacation on the beach, you may consider Bali, Indonesia.  Some of the most famous beaches in Bali are Kuta Beach and Seminyak Beach, Jungutbatu Beach, Jimbaran Beach, and Labuan Sait Beach, among others Dimaano said that Bali and Ho Chi Minh City are not as popular as Singapore and Thailand, even though these tourist destinations are just near the Philippines.  For local destinations, meanwhile, PTAA president urged travelers to visit Cagayan Valley and Marinduque.  These provinces are not popular among tourists because travel services are inaccessible in these areas, Taylan said during the press launch of the 30th Travel Tour Expo 2023 in Quezon City, last January 24. She also invited the public to visit the upcoming travel expo to know more about these underrated destinations and other exclusive travel deals. The expo will be held at the SMX Convention Center in Manila on February 3 to 5.    Comment Unsubscribe to no longer receive posts from Planet Philippines UK. Change your email settings at manage subscriptions. Trouble clicking? Copy and paste this URL into your browser: https://www.planetphilippinesuk.com/rundown-underrated-travel-destinations-for-filipino-travelers/ Powered by Jetpack

[New post] Rex Gatchalian gets DSWD post

Planet Philippines (Full Attribution Below) posted: " PRESIDENT Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has named Valenzuela City First District Rep. Rexlon "Rex" Gatchalian as the new secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). Gatchalian took his oath of office before Marcos in Malaca?a" Planet Philippines UK Rex Gatchalian gets DSWD post Planet Philippines (Full Attribution Below) Feb 1 PRESIDENT Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has named Valenzuela City First District Rep. Rexlon "Rex" Gatchalian as the new secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). Gatchalian took his oath of office before Marcos in Malaca?ang on Tuesday, January 31, the Presidential Communications Operations Office said. He was accompanied by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Interior Secretary Benjamin "Benhur" Abalos Jr., and Special Assistant to the President Antonio Lagdameo Jr. during the oath-taking ceremony. Gatchalian replaced Erwin Tulfo, who left his post last December after his appointment was bypassed twice by the Commission on Appointments over his libel conviction and his acquisition of American citizenship. Gatchalian, brother of Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian and Valenzuela City Mayor Weslie Gatchalian, supported Marcos and his running mate, Vice President Sara Duterte, in the 2022 elections. Get the latest news delivered to your inbox Sign up for The Manila Times' daily newsletters By signing up with an email address, I acknowledge that I have read and agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. A former three-term mayor of Valenzuela, he won various awards for his sterling leadership of the city. Gatchalian, 44, graduated with a degree in political science with secondary fields in marketing and psychology from the George Washington University in Washington, D.C. "Mr. President, thank you for giving me the opportunity to be able to serve the country in a much larger capacity," Gatchalian said on Twitter on Tuesday, after his oath-taking. "Valenzuelanos, the services of our Congress and district offices will not change," he wrote. "A caretaker will be appointed by the House of Representatives in the coming days." The DSWD welcomed the appointment of Gatchalian. "The DSWD workforce commits to work with the newly appointed Secretary in ensuring that the mandate of the Department is carried out effectively, efficiently and economically," the department said in a statement. "The DSWD community supports the President in appointing Secretary Gatchalian to lead the Department in its pursuit of compassionate public service with respect for human dignity, integrity and service excellence," it added. WITH ARIC JOHN SY CUA AND MOISES CRUZ Comment Unsubscribe to no longer receive posts from Planet Philippines UK. Change your email settings at manage subscriptions. Trouble clicking? Copy and paste this URL into your browser: https://www.planetphilippinesuk.com/rex-gatchalian-gets-dswd-post/ Powered by Jetpack

[New post] Consumers Should Avoid Buying Frozen Eggs, Says DOH

Jude Sagun posted: " Coco Ratta/Shutterstock MANILA, Philippines — Because of the possibility of microbial contamination, the Department of Health (DOH) has cautioned consumers not to buy frozen eggs. As the country battles with an egg shortage and rising prices, some " THE MANILA JOURNAL Consumers Should Avoid Buying Frozen Eggs, Says DOH Jude Sagun Feb 1 Coco Ratta/Shutterstock MANILA, Philippines — Because of the possibility of microbial contamination, the Department of Health (DOH) has cautioned consumers not to buy frozen eggs. As the country battles with an egg shortage and rising prices, some Filipinos have resorted to buying frozen eggs. A medium egg now costs between P8 and P9 each piece. "Ang itlog kapag na-subject sa extremes of temperature maaari po siyang mag-breed ng mga organismo na maaaring makasama sa ating katawan, may mga specific na bacteria na easily nako-contaminate niya ang itlog." DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire (When the egg is subjected to extremes of temperature, it can breed organisms that can be harmful to our body. There are specific bacteria that can easily contaminate the egg.) "Kaya kami po ay nagbibigay ng abiso at ng guidance para po sa ating mga kababayan, itong pong mga fine-freeze na mga itlog maaari pong makasama sa inyong health," she said. (That's why we are giving notice and guidance to our countrymen that these frozen eggs can harm your health.) Vergeire also adviced that while not all frozen eggs are contaminated, the danger of contamination is always present. "So iwasan po natin ano, let us sell these fresh eggs para po 'yun pong kinakain ng ating kababayan ay maging healthy pa rin," Vergeire added. (So let's avoid that, let us sell these fresh eggs so that what our countrymen eat will still be healthy.) However, Rex Estoperez, a deputy spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture, claimed that frozen eggs are safe to eat as long as they are stored properly. Comment Unsubscribe to no longer receive posts from THE MANILA JOURNAL. Change your email settings at manage subscriptions. Trouble clicking? Copy and paste this URL into your browser: https://themanilajournal.com/2023/02/01/consumers-should-avoid-buying-frozen-eggs-says-doh/ Powered by WordPress.com

[New post] Marcos OKs creation of Water Resource Management Office

Planet Philippines (Full Attribution Below) posted: " President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Wednesday approved the creation of a Water Resource Management Office (WRMO) to manage the country's water resources and respond to present environmental challenges. At a multi-sectoral meeting in Malaca?ang" Planet Philippines UK Marcos OKs creation of Water Resource Management Office Planet Philippines (Full Attribution Below) Feb 1 President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Wednesday approved the creation of a Water Resource Management Office (WRMO) to manage the country's water resources and respond to present environmental challenges. At a multi-sectoral meeting in Malaca?ang, Marcos tackled the importance of planning when it comes to water management as he stressed the need for a plan that will serve as a roadmap for waste management agencies. "Kaya nga kailangan sumunod sa plano (we need to follow the plan). That's why we have to strengthen the mandate of the Water Management Office. We have to bring them together so that they are all following the overall plan," he said. "So that whatever the relationship we come to with MWSS (Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System) and Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) and the Water Board, DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) and this new Water Management Office, it has to be cohesive in the sense that kailangan 'yung recommendation ng management office sinusundan (the recommendation of the management office should be followed)," he added. Marcos suggested that the WRMO's first action should be reducing the country's reliance on groundwater and deep wells as well as managing surface water supply. "That's as far as I could tell. We have sufficient... there's enough water in the Philippines hindi lang natin ginagamit, tinatapon natin (it's just that we are not using it, we are wasting it)," Marcos said. According to the Presidential Communications Office, an executive order will be crafted to enable the National Water Resources Board (NWRB), MWSS, and LWUA and the other water-related agencies of the DENR "to have a collaborative mechanism under the WRMO to implement water management programs." The WRMO will be under the DENR and will be a transitory body pending the creation of a Water Resources Department, the PCO said. The PCO also said the WRMO's main functions include formulating and ensuring the implementation of the Integrated Water Management Plan (IWMP), which will integrate various plans of different agencies. The WRMO is also tasked to champion the passage of a law creating an apex body; collaborate closely with all relevant agencies, including local government units, private sector, civil society, and the communities; as well as perform other functions under the DENR.--AOL, GMA Integrated News Comment Unsubscribe to no longer receive posts from Planet Philippines UK. Change your email settings at manage subscriptions. Trouble clicking? Copy and paste this URL into your browser: https://www.planetphilippinesuk.com/marcos-oks-creation-of-water-resource-management-office/ Powered by Jetpack