TRAVEL EXPO TO PUSH ‘HIDDEN GEMS, EMERGING DESTINATIONS’

By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo @akosistellaBM

the BusinessMirror

to

Special crease in commodity prices slowed to 5.4 percent in June 2023.

Lower electricity rates, declines in the prices of meat, fruits, and fish items, the rollback in LPG prices, and the peso appreciation could contribute to downward price pressures during the month,” BSP said.

EMERGING destinations in Mindanao, Eastern Visayas, and Northern Luzon will be among those promoted by the Philippine Tour Operators Association (Philtoa) at its travel expo this September.

I n a recent news conference, Philtoa president Fe Abling-Yu said, apart from continuing to promote less-known destinations in Mindanao, the 34th Philippine Travel Mart is “going

Mindanao bizmen, chambers upbeat after Marcos lifts ‘state of lawlessness’ proclamation

to promote Borongan, Samar… as Philippine Airlines will now be flying there via Cebu. So we can sell Borongan and we can sell also the outlying destinations in Cebu, not necessarily Cebu City, as well as other parts of Samar.”

W hile there are no available flights there yet, Marinduque is also on Philtoa’s list of emerging destinations, she said, as well as Romblon, Quirino province, Isabela in Basilan province, Masbate, and Samal Island in Davao.

By Manuel T. Cayon @awimailbox Mindanao Bureau Chief

DAVAO CITY—Leaders of business organizations in Mindanao and foreign chambers described as timely and significant the lifting last week of a “national state of lawless violence” in Mindanao.

T hey said the lifting of the Presidential proclamation issued in 2016 would downgrade many international advisories against travel to Mindanao.

T he Mindanao Development

Authority (MinDA) announced on Monday that Malacañang has lifted Proclamation No. 55, which former President Rodrigo R. Duterte issued on September 3, 2016, to declare a “National Emergency on Account of Lawless Violence in Mindanao.”

Secretary Maria Belen S. Acosta, chief of MinDA, said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed Proclamation 298 lifting Proclamation No. 55 on July 25.

A ntonio Peralta, chairman of the European Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines-Southern Mindanao, said the move should