MANILA, Philippines – Responding to calls for transparency in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), the government launched on Thursday, November 14, an online tracker of humanitarian aid given by foreign countries and organizations. The Foreign Aid Transparency Hub (FAiTH) is "an online portal of information on calamity aid and assistance
LONDON—Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) resumed commercial flights to Europe for the first time in 15 years via Heathrow airport in London, the first of a small group of European cities that the airline plans to fly to by next year. In 2014, PAL intends to acquire a new gateway via Frankfurt in Germany, and also fly to Amsterdam, Paris and Rome. The maiden flight to London (PR 720) arrived at a little past 1500 GMT on Monday (11 p.m. Monday in Manila) and was welcomed by a traditional British water gun salute followed by a brief welcome ceremony at the Royal Suite, the salon at Heathrow airport that is used by British royalty, diplomats, politicians and VIP guests.
Thirty Filipino workers expelled from Saudi Arabia returned home yesterday and alleged they were abused amid a crackdown on illegal migrants in the oil-rich Middle Eastern kingdom. They were among an estimated 6,700 Filipino workers stranded in parts of Saudi Arabia where an amnesty for undocumented foreigners ended Nov. 3. “They treated us like animals,” said domestic helper Amor Roxas, 46, who burst in tears while narrating her ordeal.
Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno and former Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. extolled the late Chief Justice Andres Narvasa who was given full honors at the SC yesterday. During the necrological services for Narvasa, Sereno saw in the late Chief Justice “the humility of a truly great man.” She also said that he was a “truly caring man” who was “genuinely loved” by the employees of the court. Sereno added that Narvasa’s stay in the court was “marked with peace and warm relationships” with the employees.
MANILA, Philippines—The Philippines will have a tough time getting 10 million tourists each year by 2016 amid bad roads and unexpected setbacks, industry officials said Tuesday. To reach the ambitious target, double the five million visitors expected this year, arrivals would have to grow by 26 percent per year from 2014, former tourism secretary Narzalina Lim said at an annual Philippine business conference.