Marcos: PH determined to have more direct flights with India
The Philippines is looking to have more direct flights to and from India, President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. said Monday.
'We launched the visa-free scheme for Indian tourists last June. This will be complemented soon by the recovery of direct flights led by Air India,' Marcos said during a meet and greet with the Filipino community in New Delhi.
'We are determined to expand this to other carriers and to link other cities between the Philippines and India,' he added.
The President is in India for a five-day visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Beginning October 1, 2025, Air India will open its direct flights between New Delhi and Manila, the carrier had announced.
To recall, the Philippines also granted visa-free entry to Indian tourists.
Indian tourists will be able to stay in the country visa-free for 14 days, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)
The visa-free arrangement aims to increase tourism arrivals from India, which rose 12% in 2024 to nearly 80,000, according to data from the Department of Tourism. –NB, GMA Integrated News
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
GMA Network
2 hours ago
- GMA Network
DPWH-11 denies post linking delay of project in Davao City to politics
A social media post showing a large sign allegedly posted at the Maa Flyover project site in Davao City went viral after it claimed that the project was delayed due to political interference. The sign accused the Marcos and Romualdez administration of political pressure, which allegedly caused the delay of the project. It also alleged that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) failed to address the road right-of-way issues, withheld the budget, and showed sluggish action from its legal office. When GMA Regional TV One Mindanao visited the site on Saturday, August 2, 2025, no sign was found at the site. In a statement, DPWH-Davao (DPWH-11) denied the claims made in the viral post and clarified that the project is not being politicized. 'The claim that the project is being delayed due to alleged political issues involving the current administration is false and misleading,' DPWH-11 said. DPWH-11 said the Maa-Magtuod Flyover project has been fully funded since 2022, and the funds needed for the completion of the project have already been released. It added that civil works are ongoing at 82.5 percent. The agency explained that the project is facing minor concerns on road right-of-way involving a few properties and utilities. Most of these concerns have already been resolved while some are awaiting funds for settlement. 'As of now, four properties have been tagged as urgent for acquisition and are currently being processed by the office. The acquisition took time for these properties due to existing mortgage lien issues with their land titles. Yet, the office is actively coordinating with their respective mortgagee banks,' DPWH-11 added. DPWH-11 also coordinated with the Davao Light and Power Company and telecommunication companies for the relocation of the poles affected. DPWH-11 assured the public that the project remains a top priority. The government has allocated more than P1.4 billion for the project. The construction began in 2021 and is expected to be finished by 2026.
GMA Network
11 hours ago
- GMA Network
Marcos cites need to explore more cooperation with India amid changes in geopolitics, economy
President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. underscored Tuesday the need to explore more opportunities with India amid the changing geopolitical and economic state in the region. Marcos said this during the ceremonial reception accorded to him at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the official residence of the President of the Republic of India. He was welcomed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu. ''I want to build upon what we already have now, but certainly to explore the many opportunities that have arisen in the past two years because of the new technologies and the changing state of the global economy and the geopolitics around this thing,'' Marcos said. During his meet and greet with the Filipino community on Monday evening, Marcos said the Philippines is ramping up its relations with India, which is considered as the fourth largest economy in the world. ''In the coming days, our delegation will be engaging not only the government of Prime Minister Modi, but also India's biggest enterprises. We would like to see them invest more and generate more jobs back home,'' Marcos had said. He also announced that the two nations would inaugurate a strategic partnership, which means that the ''cooperation will intensify further and become even more impactful in many, many areas that we had not explored with India before such as defense, trade and investment, health, tourism, other areas.'' The President is on a five-day state visit to India and he will return to Manila on Friday, August 8. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
13 hours ago
- GMA Network
5 PH firms land on Forbes Asia's 'Best Under A Billion' 2025 List
Five Filipino companies were included in Forbes Asia's 'Best Under A Billion' 2025 list, which recognizes 200 publicly listed companies in the Asia-Pacific region with annual sales of over $10 million, but less than $1 billion. According to Forbes Asia, a total of 69 companies returned from the previous year, while financial services drove the entry of 18 companies onto the list, the beauty industry with 13, and other companies benefiting from the gathering momentum in the segments they operate. "With trade tensions looming over the Asia-Pacific region, growth is predicted to continue to slow, according to the International Monetary Fund. Despite these challenges, the annual Best Under A Billion list showcases businesses that remained resilient over the past year and, in many cases, thrived," Forbes Asia said. Below is a list of the companies from the Philippines: A. Soriano Corp. — $226M sales, $82M net income, $643M market value Has major investments in Phelps Dodge Philippines Energy Products Corp., which manufacturers wire and cable products; and Seven Seas Resorts and Leisure Inc., which owns and operates the Amanpulo Resort in Pamalican Island, Palawan. Apex Mining Co. Inc. — $254M sales, $76M net income, $687M market value Mine produces bullions containing gold and silver. All of its production, as well as incidental production of its wholly owned subsidiary Itogon-Suyoc Resources Inc., are smelted and refined by Heraeus Ltd. in Hong Kong. Converge Information & Communications Technology Solutions Inc. — $709M sales, $189M net income, $2.332 billion market value Offers fixed broadband internet services to residential and enterprise customers, and provides private data network solutions, cloud and collocation services, and other connectivity solutions to enterprises of varying size. Figaro Culinary Group — $97M sales, $11M net income, $65M market value Processes, manufactures, and packages food products, and establishes, invests, develops, operates, and maintains coffee shops and refreshment parlors, among others. Philippine Bank of Communications — $195M sales, $39M net income, $170M market value Offers basic commercial banking services such as deposit products, credit and loan facilities, trade-related services, treasury and foreign exchange trading, cash management services, trust and investment management services. The latest list was drawn from more than 19,000 publicly traded companies in the region, based on a composite score that considered factors such as debt, sales, and earnings-per-share growth over the most recent one- and three-year periods, as well as the strongest one- and five-year average returns on equity. They were also screened using qualitative criteria—excluding companies with serious governance issues, questionable accounting practices, environmental concerns, management problems, or recent legal troubles. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
