DOT to create Crisis Management Team

A crisis management plan is being prepared by the Department of Tourism (DOT) to ensure future tourists are safe in the Philippines and that unexpected incidents can be easily dealt with.

According to Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim, the proposed Crisis Management Team will be chaired by Planning and Promotions Undersecretary Vicente Romano III.

“We have learned a lot from the last crisis,” Lim said. “Now, we need to institutionalize the team, formulate a main plan and detailed quick-response manuals as well as earmark budgets to address emergency readiness and response, risk reduction and recovery contingencies.”

Lim attended a two-day workshop on Risk Reduction and Crisis Management, along with other DOT officials, tourism industry captains, and local security experts, to have a clearer view on how to handle future crises. The workshop was facilitated by Bert van Walbeek, Pacific Asia Travel Agencies (PATA) tourism marketing and crisis communications expert.

The Director of the Strategic Planning Office of the National Security Council (NSC), Dr. Lorenzo Clavejo, said that President Aquino ordered NSC to create a National Security Policy that will make the foundation in promulgating security concerns during his term

The completed plan will serve as an integral input to the ASEAN Crisis Communication Plan being put together by the member nations.

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BiyahengPinas.com thanks the source for this article:
Oiga, Jacky Lynne A. The Manila Bulletin. DOT creating team to address crisis. (Posted October 21, 2010) from
http://mb.com.ph/articles/283505/dot-creating-team-address-crisis

NorthPhil Expo helps tourism in North Luzon

Giving a boost to the tourism industry in northern provinces, an annual travel expo is continuing to gain local and international recognition with more prospects for investments in infrastructure and development of various travel destinations.

Managed by the Philippine Exhibits and Theme parks Corporation, the North Philippines (NorthPhil) Tourism and Travel Expo has been successfully teaming up with local government units in promoting domestic tourism and foreign inbound travel as well as the improvement of tourism policies and infrastructures.

According to the Department of Tourism (DOT) Region 3 Director Ronnie P. Tiotuico, the demand for government-funded infrastructure projects and private sector investments are “partly boosted by the annual NorthPhil Tourism Expo, warranting the development of more infrastructure projects and the influx of private sector investments in the tourism facilities.”

Admitedly, DOT says Luzon provinces really need stable infrastructure to make traveling more convenient between various tourism destinations.
With the theme “Go North! A Wellspring of Diversity,” this year's expo will be held as the SM City Clark from Nov. 12 to 14. The event is also a good venue for direct interaction between exhibitors in the tourism industry and visitors from local and foreign markets.

“[This] would give us an idea of the actual market requirements that should determine the industry’s product development goals and the government’s infrastructure development thrust,” Tiotuico said.

Some of the exhibitors in the expo are representatives from various travel destinations, products and services, provincial showcases, corporate booths that over tour packages, traders’ displays of arts and crafts, souvenirs, and many food delicacies.

For more information, you can email NorthPhil Expo at northphilexpo@gmail.com or visit their website at www.northphilexpo.com.

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BiyahengPinas.com thanks the following source for this article:
The Philippine Star. Tourism expo seen to spur infra projects, investments in N. Phils. (Posted 18, 2010) from
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=621791&publicationSubCategoryId=78

Double-digit growth for tourism in Noynoy's first 100 days

A report released by the Department of Tourism (DOT) shows a significant double-digit growth of 24.5 percent in the tourism industry for the month of July, successfully marking the first 100 days of the Aquino administration.

According to DOT, the increase proves that foreign nationals are more confident and enthusiastic in visiting Philippine islands among the Southeast Asian countries.

Tourists from China marked an increase of 60.16 percent on arrivals, while Taiwan had a 58.99 percent arrival increase, and 47.89 percent for Korea. DOT also noted significant increase on arrivals from the US, Japan, Hong Kong, and Australia.

Having registered more than a two hundred percent increase for arrivals in the same month, the Kalibo International Airport posted a growth of 226.49 percent with five regular chartered flights from Taipei, Shanghai, ang Korea. Other international airports in Cebu, Manila, and Clark also marked 32.63 percent, 20.67 percent, and 15.46 percent increases in visitor traffic, respectively.

Some of the tourism-related associations and attached agencies of DOT also registered substantial increase in income for the months of July to September 2010.

The Duty Free Philippines Corporation (DFPC) had an 8.67 increase or a total sales of P37.65 million in stores at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport, and NAIA Terminals 1, 2, and 3.

The Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA) had a total revenue of $7.75 million and has enrolled 931 retirees. Improving its programs and amenities, PRA now has four accredited retirement facilities, 10 private sector partners, and 16 individuals to assist in promoting the Philippine Retirement Program to potential enrollees.

On the other hand, the Intramuros Administration (IA) had a total collection of P9.96 million from rental of commercial areas, publication and souvenir sales, entrance fees and permits for the months of July and August.

Meanwhile, DOT aims for the formulation of the National Tourism Development Plan (NTPD) to provide a tourism development roadmap for both local and national government from 2011 to 2016. The department will also start the creation of tourism strategic plans for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Asia-Pacific Economic Conference (APEC).

Aside from this, DOT is also set to implement the National Tourist-Oriented Police for Community Order and Protection, together with the Department of Interior and Local Government, the Philippine National Police, and other local government units, to secure tourists and the different tourist destinations throughout the country.

One of the program's objective is to establish a stable team within PNP that will be responsible for the deployment of tourist-oriented police officers in frequent tourist spots, trainings and seminars for tourist police, and establishment of security and assistance post for tourists.

All of these are in line with DOT's ultimate objective of doubling the visitor arrivals to the country, from three million to six million by the end of Aquino administration.

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BiyahengPinas.com thanks the following sources for this article:
Oiga, Jacky Lynne, The Manila Bulletin. Tourism shows double-digit growth in Noynoy's first 100 days in office. (Posted October 8, 2010).

RP hosts first Dia del Galeon

In commemoration of the Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade, the Philippines is all set to host the first ever Dia del Galeon Festival 2010 from September 15 to October 15.

With UNESCO's proclamation that October 8 shall be celebrated as Dia del Galeon, the National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA) spearheads this month-long festival in honor of the Philippines active role in one of the most significant trade routes in history.

Together with the Baler 400 Steering Committee headed by Senator Edgardo Angara, the NCCA organized several activities, workshops lectures, and seminars to help Filipinos, especially the youth, to become aware of the history of Galleon Trade.

Some of the workshops include Spanish Dances, Literature and Language Workshops, and Playwriting Workshop. Lectures like Chinese Trade in the Philippines, Lecture Tour of Heritage Collections at the National Museum, and Overview of the Galleon Trade History and the People of the Galleon are also included.

Two other countries that were involved in the trade, Mexico and Spain, also took part in the celebrations and festivities of the commemoration.

"We would like to resurrect the central feature of our history with the Dia del Galeon Festival and reunite the three continents which participated in the exchange of goods and culture," said Sen. Edgardo Angara, chairman of the Dia del Galeon Steering Committee.

The festival officially opened with the arrival of the Andalucia, a replica of the Spanish galleon, at Pier 13, South Harbor, Manila last October 6. Guests are allowed to climb on board and view the Galleon Museum.

"We are hoping Manila Mayor Alfredo S. Lim will organize school children to visit the galleon," Angara said.

"When visitors come to see the galleon, they will see how sailors lived and how they worked. Visitors will feel like they are in the real galleon and not just a replica galleon. We hope that people will enjoy the experience," said Ignacio Fernandez Vial of Fundacion Nao Victoria.

Another staff from the Fundacion Nao Victoria said that everything in the galleon today is an exact replica of the original, except for the crew quarters where they added beds to it.

UNESCO has passed a resolution declaring a “global observance” would be celebrated every October 8 each year. Dia del Galeon Festival 2010 is supported by the NCCA, National Museum, Instituto Cervantes, and the Spanish Embassy.

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BiyahengPinas.com thanks the following sources for this article:
Ong, Czarina Nicole, The Manila Bulletin. RP Hosting 1st 'Dia del Galeon' (Posted September 16, 2010) from
http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/277409/rp-hosting-1st-dia-del-galeon

Lapena, Carmela, GMANews.TV. NCCA to Hold Dia del Galeon Festival in RP.
(Posted July 16, 2010) from
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/196257/ncca-to-hold-dia-del-galeon-festival-in-rp

National Commission on Culture and the Arts
http://www.ncca.gov.ph/about-ncca/dia-del-galeon/dia-del-galeon.php