फिलीपींस – Page 2 – आवारा मुसाफिर

Filipino artist fears longer struggle as Omicron stalls tourism pickup

December 1, 2021684 Views

Struggling Filipino artist Alberto Nunez was looking for a change in fortunes this week, until news broke of a new COVID-19 variant, which scuppered government plans to loosen restrictions and dashed his hopes for a long-awaited boost in business. Artists paint customized designs on t-shirts at a shop in Boracay Island, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Aklan province, Philippines, November 30, 2021. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez The Philippines on Sunday backed out of a planned reopening to foreign tourists after 21 months of border restrictions, citing uncertainty over the risks posed by the new Omicron COVID-19 variant that has triggered global concern. Nunez had sold paintings to tourists on the island of Boracay for over 17 years, typically earning $600 a week befo...

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Philippines to reopen to some foreign tourists from Dec 1

AWARA MUSAFIR BUREAU

November 26, 2021331 Views

The Philippines will reopen its borders to tourists from some countries on a trial basis from Dec. 1, its government said on Friday, as part of efforts to rebuild an economy hit hard by the pandemic. Foreigners vaccinated against COVID-19 from countries designated low risk by the Philippines will be allowed entry over an initial 15-day period, Karlo Nograles, acting presidential spokesperson, told a regular news conference. FILE PHOTO: A view of an empty beach is seen a day before the temporary closure of the holiday island Boracay in the Philippines. REUTERS/Erik De Castro “This is something we are doing step by step,” Nograles said, adding that the two-week window could be extended. The Philippines, popular for its white sand beaches and rich marine life, shut its doors to f...

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Philippines to reopen ‘soon’ to vaccinated foreign tourists

AWARA MUSAFIR BUREAU

November 19, 2021582 Views

The Philippines has approved a plan to allow entry soon to foreign tourists vaccinated against COVID-19, its tourism ministry said on Friday, following moves by other Southeast Asian countries to relax travel curbs. The coronavirus task force "approved in principle the entry of fully vaccinated tourists" from countries with low COVID-19 cases, the ministry said, adding that guidelines must be finalised. FILE PHOTO: A view of an empty beach is seen a day before the temporary closure of the holiday island Boracay in the Philippines. REUTERS/Erik De Castro The Philippines, known for its diving and thousands of tropical islands, saw an 83% drop in foreign arrivals last year, receiving nearly 1.4 million visitors, compared to nearly 8.2 million in 2019. Japan, South Korea and China ar...

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Philippines lifts casino ban in top tourist island Boracay

AWARA MUSAFIR BUREAU

August 28, 2021764 Views

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has lifted a moratorium on casino operations in the country’s top holiday island to generate taxes for its COVID-19 pandemic response, the presidential spokesperson said on Saturday. The firebrand leader has had a longstanding opposition to gambling, halting the construction of new casinos in the Philippines, one of Asia’s fastest-growing gambling markets before the pandemic. FILE PHOTO: A top view of the holiday island of Boracay in Philippines. REUTERS/Erik De Castro “The president has given his go signal allowing the operation of a casino in Boracay,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement. Casino operations in Boracay, the Philippines’ top tourist draw, should follow coronavirus restrictions and keep children away fr...

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Face masks add to sea pollution at popular Philippines dive site

AWARA MUSAFIR BUREAU

June 7, 2021994 Views

The coronavirus pandemic is adding a new unwelcome element to sea pollution off the town of Bauan, a popular dive site in the Philippines' Batangas province. Regular visitors and locals have reported a rise in the number of face masks and PPE shields being collected from the seabed. Filipino diver Arnel Vergara picks up a plastic trash buried under the sand during a scuba diving activity in Bauan, Batangas, Philippines, June 6, 2021. REUTERS/Peter Blaza "It might be because some people who get on the boat just loop their masks on one end and it comes off, or others just do not throw them away properly," said Arnel Vergara, a Filipino professional diver who has been diving in the area for the past decade. Carmela Sevilla, a resort owner and diving instructor, said the masks wer...