MANILA – Tourists can access support from Korean-speaking agents beginning this month through the Department of Tourism’s (DOT) expanded Tourist Assistance Call Center (TACC). DOT said recruiting Korean-speaking support agents reflects its commitment to enhance services for travelers from South Korea, the country’s largest source of inbound tourists. Travelers can now receive direct assistance from a…
TOURISM BOOM. HKTB executive director Dane Cheng during the “Juan in a Million” reception at Shangri-La The Fort on Wednesday night (Feb. 5, 2025). It celebrates the one millionth Filipino tourist to Hong Kong. (PNA photo by Joyce Rocamora) By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora MANILA – The Philippines remains as a key tourism market for Hong Kong as…
BRUSSELS – The European Commission has criticized US President Donald Trump’s tariff imposts on three countries, saying they disrupt global trade and are harmful to all, and vowing to hit back if targeted. “The European Union (EU) regrets the U.S. decision to impose tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China,” an EU spokesman was quoted by local…
By Perla Lena ILOILO CITY – A medical expert has urged women to monitor their heart health during midlife, a crucial period for early intervention to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). In her discussion on cardiovascular issues during menopause, during the midyear convention of the Philippine Heart Association – Philippine College of Cardiology (PHA-PCC)…
By Liza Agoot BAGUIO CITY – A cardiologist at the Department of Health (DOH)-run Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC) recently said food intake contributes more than 50% to a person’s heart health, thus the need to watch what one eats. BGHMC’s Department of Internal Medicine expert, Dr. Karla Rhea Rillera-Posadas said at a recent “Kapihan” forum,…
LUMAGUI. PNA FILE PHOTOMore and more taxpayers now avail of the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s (BIR) e-services resulting in the hike of its e-payment collections which had breached the PHP2 trillion mark previously recorded. Data released by the BIR during the recent 2025 National Tax Campaign Kick-off at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay…
INT’L PARTNERSHIPS. Trade Secretary Cristina Roque delivers her speech at the Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum in the House of Representatives on Feb. 4, 2025. Also in the photo is Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum chairperson and former US Congressman Robert Pittenger. (Photo courtesy of DTI) The Philippines sees its expanding international collaborations, as part of its policies to strengthen trade…
BMI, a Fitch Solutions unit, expects consumer spending to continue to grow this year, driven by strong economic growth. “We hold a positive outlook for consumer spending in the Philippines, with an acceleration in real household spending growth — from 5.0% in 2024 to 5.3% in 2025,” BMI said in a recent report. “In real…
READING ACTIVITY. Learners from public schools in Albay participate in the World Read Aloud Day celebration organized by the Albay Provincial Library and Information Center (APLIC) at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Session Hall on Wednesday (Feb. 5, 2025). World Read Aloud Day is a global campaign that advocates for literacy and strives to make reading and writing…
VIRAC, Catanduanes – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) station here has recently prohibited small sea vessels from sailing in the northern and eastern coasts of Catanduanes. The PCG Station has issued an advisory suspending the venture of all watercraft with a gross tonnage of 250, fishing boats, and other small watercraft due to the strong gale-force winds…
