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The Sun
27-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Philippines deepens regional ties with Vietnam, Laos through expanded partnerships
KUALA LUMPUR: The Philippines is strengthening regional ties with Vietnam and Laos, as President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. held separate bilateral meetings with their leaders on the sidelines of the 46th ASEAN Summit in Malaysia on Monday, Philippines News Agency (PNA) reported. In his meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Marcos said the two countries are discussing the possibility of elevating their strategic partnership to a comprehensive strategic partnership. 'Our ministers are in discussion on the possibility of elevating the strategic partnership to a comprehensive strategic partnership. I believe there are already productive conversations between our two countries,' Marcos said, as quoted in a Malacanang news release. Pham acknowledged the progress in bilateral relations since Marcos' state visit to Vietnam in January 2024 and expressed hope that the partnership can be further elevated. Both leaders also discussed enhanced cooperation in trade, agriculture, food security, tourism, education, and cultural exchanges. Marcos extended his condolences over the recent passing of former Vietnamese President Tran Duc Luong. In a separate bilateral meeting, Marcos and Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen cooperation as the Philippines and Laos mark 70 years of diplomatic relations. The two leaders identified key sectors for deeper collaboration, including trade, education, defense, digital innovation, agriculture, skills development and tourism. Marcos also underscored the potential of expanding trade ties, noting Laos' rapid economic growth. Trade between the two countries has nearly doubled, from US$7 million in 2019 to approximately US$13.72 million in 2024. He raised the idea of establishing direct flights between Manila and Vientiane to further boost tourism and connectivity. Siphandone commended the Filipino community in Laos -- over 2,000 strong -- for their contributions in education, research and architecture. He also thanked the Philippine government for supporting Lao ministries through scholarships and language training. He welcomed increased Filipino investments in Laos' priority sectors, including clean energy, advanced technology, health services, and infrastructure. Siphandone extended a formal invitation for Marcos to undertake a state visit to Laos, signalling a forward-looking agenda for broader cooperation in the years ahead.
Euronews
13-05-2025
- Business
- Euronews
The Philippines is introducing a digital nomad visa. Are you eligible?
If you've dreamed of living and working in one of the many paradisiacal destinations in the Philippines, now might be your chance to make that dream a reality. The country is launching a new digital nomad visa, which will allow remote workers to stay for up to two years. President Bongbong Marcos announced the upcoming programme at the end of April. 'To further boost tourism and economy in the country, there is a need to establish a legal framework to facilitate the entry of digital nomads in the country, or foreign nationals who desire to temporarily stay in the Philippines while engaging in remote work activities for overseas employers or clients," he said. The initiative aims to boost tourism and strengthen the Philippine economy. Here's everything we know about the Philippines' digital nomad visa so far. Following the signing of the executive order by the president, the Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is now able to issue digital nomad visas. These are available to qualifying non-immigrant foreigners for an initial period of one year, with the option to renew for a second year. To qualify for the visa, applicants must: Additionally, applicants cannot be employed within the Philippines and must not pose any security threat to the nation. With 7,600 islands fringed with pristine beaches, energetic cities like Manila, and renowned surf spots like Siargao, the country offers plenty of attractive options for remote workers. 'With our unparalleled natural beauty, vibrant culture, and the warmth of the Filipino people, the Philippines stands ready to welcome digital nomads to travel, work, and thrive across our islands,' Philippine tourism secretary Christina Frasco told the Philippines News Agency. While applications aren't yet open, the programme is expected to launch in the coming months. The Philippines joins other popular destinations like South Korea, Italy, Japan, and Thailand in offering specialised visas for digital nomads. Expedia Group said Friday that reduced travel demand in the United States led to its weaker-than-expected revenue in the first quarter, and Bank of America said credit card transactions showed spending on flights and lodging kept falling last month. The two reports add to growing indications that the US travel and tourism industry may see its first slowdown since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic fuelled a period of 'revenge travel' that turned into sustained interest in getting away. Expedia, which owns accommodation reservation platforms and VRBO as well as an eponymous online travel agency, was the latest American company to report slowing business with both international visitors and domestic travellers. Airbnb and Hilton noted the same trends last week in their quarterly earnings reports. Most major US airlines have said they plan to reduce scheduled flights, citing a decline in economy passengers booking leisure trips. The US Travel Association has said that economic uncertainty and anxiety over President Donald Trump's tariffs may explain the pullback. In April, Americans' confidence in the economy slumped for a fifth straight month to the lowest level since the onset of the pandemic. Bank of America said Friday that its credit card holders were willing to spend on 'nice to have' services like eating at restaurants in March and April, but 'bigger ticket discretionary outlays on airfare and lodging continued to decline, possibly due to declining consumer confidence and worries about the economic outlook.' Abroad, anger about the tariffs as well as concern about tourist detentions at the border have made citizens of some other countries less interested in travelling to the US, tourism industry experts say. The US government said last month that 7.1 million visitors entered the US from overseas this year as of the end of March, 3.3 per cent fewer than during the first three months of 2024. The numbers did not include land crossings from Mexico or travel from Canada, where citizens have expressed indignation over Trump's remarks about making their country the 51st state. Both US and Canadian government data have shown steep declines in border crossings from Canada. Expedia Chief Financial Officer Scott Schenkel said that while the net value of the travel company's bookings into the US fell 7 per cent in the January-March period, bookings to the US from Canada were down nearly 30 per cent. In a conference call with investors on Friday, Expedia CEO Ariane Gorin said demand for US travel was lower in April than in March. 'We're still continuing to see pressure on travel into the US, but we've also seen some rebalancing,' Gorin said. 'Europeans are travelling less to the US, but more to Latin America.' Airbnb said last week that foreign travel to the US makes up only 2 to 3 per cent of its business. But within that category, it's seeing declining interest in the US as a destination. 'I think Canada is the most obvious example, where we see Canadians are travelling at a much lower rate to the US but they're travelling more domestically, they are traveling to Mexico, they are going to Brazil, they're going to France, they're going to Japan,' Airbnb Chief Financial Officer Ellie Mertz said in a conference call with investors. Hilton President and CEO Christopher Nassetta said the company saw international travel to its US hotels fall throughout the first quarter, particularly from Canada and Mexico. But Nassetta said he remained optimistic for the second half of this year. 'My own belief is you will see some of — if not a lot of — that uncertainty wane over the next couple of quarters, and that will allow the underlying strength of the economy to shine through again,' he said.
Forbes
30-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
The Philippines Is Launching A Digital Nomad Visa—Here's What Remote Workers Need To Know
The Philippines is the latest country offering self-employed and remote salaried workers from around the world the opportunity to stay longer—and spend more—as part of a visa program that became popular during the COVID-19 pandemic. Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has approved a digital nomad visa to allow foreign remote workers to stay in the Philippines for up to a year, with the option to renew for another year. Applications will begin within 60 days, the Philippines News Agency reported. Applicants must be at least 18 years old and be able to prove sufficient income generated outside the Philippines and have no criminal record and health insurance. Last year, the Philippines welcomed around 5.6 million international tourists, falling 23% short of its annual target of 7.7 million. In 2024, a number of Asian countries launched digital nomad visas, including Japan, Thailand, and South Korea. Last year, more than 18 million American workers described themselves as digital nomads—representing 11% of all U.S. workers and a jump of more than 147% since 2019, according to the MBO Partners 2024 State of Independence report. Over the past five years, travelers have encountered looser rules and less friction when visiting for extended periods in destinations around the world. Digital nomad visas—a modern alternative to traditional paper visas affixed in a passport—have become a popular economic tool for countries around the world to attract self-employed or remote salaried workers who are allowed to live in the country for a set amount of time, spending money and boosting the local economy without threatening the jobs of citizens. As of 2023, roughly half of the world's countries offered digital nomad visas for up to one year, according to a UN Tourism report that found roughly 40% of destinations exempt digital nomads from tax payments and 17% do not have minimum income requirements. There's less red tape, too—three quarters of destinations offering DNVs have online applications with processing times of less than one month. English is widely recognized as a second language in the Philippines, with the majority of Filipino adults able to speak and understand it. The cost of living is relatively low, even in cities, and internet penetration of around 90% as well as easy access to beaches. 'With our unparalleled natural beauty, vibrant culture, and the warmth of the Filipino people, the Philippines stands ready to welcome digital nomads to travel, work, and thrive across our islands,' Philippine Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco told the Philippines News Agency. 90 million. That's how many remote digital jobs there will be in the world by 2030, according to a World Economic Forum white paper published last year. In January, the United States slid to the 9th spot on the Henley Passport Index, a ranking of the world's passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa. America's ranking is suppressed by its lack of reciprocity. While American passport holders can access 186 out of 227 destinations visa-free, the U.S. itself allows only 46 other nationalities to pass through its borders visa-free, putting it way down the Henley Openness Index in 84th place according to the number of nationalities permitted entry without a prior visa. South Korea Is Launching A Visa Just For K-Pop Fans (Forbes) One Community. Many Voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts. Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space. In order to do so, please follow the posting rules in our site's Terms of Service. We've summarized some of those key rules below. Simply put, keep it civil. Your post will be rejected if we notice that it seems to contain: User accounts will be blocked if we notice or believe that users are engaged in: So, how can you be a power user? Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Please read the full list of posting rules found in our site's Terms of Service.
Barnama
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Barnama
Marcos Calls Pope Francis ‘The Best Pope' As Philippines Mourns
Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos speaks during his second State of the Nation Address in Quezon City, the Philippines, on July 24, 2023. -- Photo by Xinhua MANILA, April 22 (Bernama-PNA) -- Philippine President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr on Monday led the nation in mourning the passing of Pope Francis, delivering a heartfelt tribute to the late pontiff, whom he described as 'the best Pope' of his lifetime, the Philippines News Agency (PNA) reported. 'Pope Francis was something else. That's really sad. I love this Pope. The best Pope in my lifetime as far as I'm concerned,' Marcos said on the sidelines of a meeting in Malacanang, according to a Palace news release. His remarks came just hours after the Vatican confirmed the death of the 88-year-old pontiff. bootstrap slideshow Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina, led the Catholic Church for 12 years. He was widely admired for his humility, progressive views, and deep concern for the poor and the marginalised. In a separate statement posted on his social media accounts, Marcos said the Philippines joins the global Catholic community in mourning a spiritual leader who 'led not only with wisdom but with a heart open to all, especially the poor and the forgotten.' 'By example, Pope Francis taught us that to be a good Christian is to extend kindness and care to one another,' he said. 'His humility brought many back to the fold of the Church. As we mourn his passing, we honour a life that brought hope and compassion to many, inspiring us to love one another as Christ loved us. It is a profoundly sad day,' Marcos added. Pope Francis visited the Philippines, the largest Catholic nation in Asia, in 2015. -- BERNAMA-PNA
