Monthly Archives: February 2012

MANILA, Philippines—After more than a year of talks with Hong Kong officials and travel executives, Philippine tourism officials are optimistic that a black travel advisory against the country would soon be eased or lifted.“We are seeing the finish line,” Tourism Assistant Secretary Benito Bengzon Jr. told reporters on the sidelines of a local travel industry conference in Makati City [...]

MANILA, Philippines—A total of 876 overseas Filipino workers have been repatriated from Syria since March 2011, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said. The last batch of Filipino OFWs in Syria who availed themselves of the government’s mandatory repatriation program arrived in Manila on Thursday.“The Philippine Embassy in Damascus continues to assist thousands of Filipinos [...]

MANILA, Philippines — Three distressed overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) were provided with financial and livelihood assistance by the Villar Foundation. Cynthia Villar, managing director of the Villar Foundation, personally handed the airfare, financial and livelihood assistance to OFWs Umbai Ulama, 34, from Cotabato City; Abdul Jalil Sinal, 30, from Marikina City and Nawila Babon Haron, from [...]

MANILA, Philippines — The bodies of three Filipina overseas workers who died in Beirut, Lebanon have been flown home to the Philippines.Lucy Bombales, Juvelyn Concon and Mary Ann Davatos were among the 27 people who died after an old building in Beirut collapsed last January 15. Their remains were sent home to the Philippines this [...]

A Greek-owned bulk carrier with 21 Filipino seafarers that pirates seized in the Arabian Sea last Thursday arrived off Somalia’s coast over the weekend.The MV Free Goddess arrived near Garacad in Mudug Friday but has not yet anchored, news site Somalia Report said.”According to local officials in Mudug, the vessel, which carries a crew of [...]