Travel agents could receive cash incentives for each participant of a cultural and heritage sites local tour they serve, under a new scheme that aims to promote the development of tourism products with cultural and heritage tourism elements. The three-year "Cultural and Heritage Sites Local Tour Incentive Scheme" was launched on Thursday until November 30 next year. Eligible travel agents may apply for up to HK$400 cash incentives for each participant of a cultural and heritage sites local tour it serves. There are two versions of cash incentives, depending on the itinerary arrangements. To complement the application criteria of the advanced version of cash incentives, the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong will collaborate with the Hong Kong Tourism Board to organise free docent training courses for tourist guides.

Double-barreled approach deployed to stabilize pesoMANILA, Philippines — The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has committed to maintain its double-barreled response to ensure orderly foreign exchange market condition and reduce excessive short-term volatility in the exchange ratThe Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has committed to maintain its double-barreled response to ensure orderly foreign exchange market condition and reduce excessive short-term volatility in the exchange rate. “Similar to other currencies, the peso remains heavily influenced by the aggressive policy tightening by the US Fed,” she said. “The approach has been to smooth out excess daily volatility rather than defend a specific level or trend of the peso. We believe that the double-barreled response of the BSP was appropriate to ensure orderly market condition and reduce excessive short-term volatility in the exchange rate market,” Sicat said. The BSP official pointed out that the central bank is always ready to participate in the foreign exchange market to ensure orderly market conditions and reduce excessive short-term volatility.

DOTr unveils major projects up for PPPTransportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said the Marcos administration has to cut its financing for several large-scale projects, as the government rebalances its cash flow after spending hard for pandemic measures. MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) yesterday rallied investors to take part in some public-private partnership (PPP) projects to ensure that big-ticket infrastructure are delivered, as the government faces a widening budget deficit. As such, Bautista called on the private sector to review the menu of PPP projects available for them. For one, Bautista aired his willingness to privatize at least 10 regional airport projects after his agency received just P2.49 billion for aviation development for 2023. We are, therefore, actively pursuing the PPP scheme to complete a number of these projects,” Bautista said.

The Pilot Scheme on Community Care Service Voucher will also increase the maximum number of vouchers from 8,000 to 12,000. Those who can receive home support services will increase from 9,000 to 11,000. Allowances for elderly caretakers under the Community Care Fund will be regularized and subsidies will be raised. However, those who attend must serve in the social welfare sector for at least three years after graduation. Rehabilitation Alliance Hong Kong suggested that the Labour and Welfare Bureau and the Social Welfare Department formulate a policy to protect the well-being of carers by periodically replacing them with temporary staff to give them some "breathing space."

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu explained how the new light public housing scheme work and stressed the government also cares for local talents, as he spoke to reporters Wednesday evening in a forum on his maiden policy address. Lee said that the government introduces the light public housing (LPH) scheme to fulfil citizens' urgent housing needs and believes that shortening the waiting time for public housing will bring them hopes of becoming a homeowner. According to government sources, authorities have already targeted six plots of public and private land, and the light public housing scheme construction will commence next year. It is understood that the light public housing units will be equipped with a separate toilet, bathroom and cooking area, as well as air-conditioners and water heaters. Tenants will be charged a rental of 10 percent off that of traditional public housing units.

Romblon town to turn waste into hollow blocks and cement bricksIn this photo posted on June 30, 2022, police personnel clean up along the shore of Banton, Romblon. ROMBLON, Philippines (Romblon News Network) — The Department of Science and Technology MIMAROPA, through its Romblon Provincial Office, has turned over to the local government of Banton a machine that can turn waste plastic and glass into additives for cement bricks and hollow blocks. The local government also received training on how to use the shredded plastic and crushed glass materials from the machine as additives in producing cement bricks and hollow blocks. Cement bricks and hollow blocks with plastic and glass additives are durable, which makes them ideal for making plant boxes and pavements to improve the aesthetics and functionality of the island. Engineer Jerome Gacu of Romblon State University and Anthony Libuton — owner of a DOST-assisted hollow blocks-making business — served as resource persons for the training.

MindNation launches app to make mental health care more accessible in the PhilippinesOne in 2 Filipino employees are struggling with mental health concerns. MANILA, Philippines — October is World Mental Health Month, a reminder that we all need to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and increase efforts to make mental health care more accessible. But due to the many barriers to proper mental health care such as stigmatization, lack of awareness and poor accessibility to mental health services, people do not know when, where or how to go for help. Introducing the MindNation appTo address the need for accessible mental healthcare, MindNation created the MindNation app, a one-stop shop for your holistic well-being needs. Download the MindNation app for FREE on Google Play and the App Store or get it through the official website http://mindnation.com/app.

Customs seized 76kg of suspected methamphetamine worth HK$46 million hidden in cargo containing electric transformers last Thursday, marking the third case of its kind this year. According to Lam Kai-shan, senior inspector of the customs' cargo examination unit, officers inspected an air cargo consignment, declared as carrying transformers, arriving from Mexico en route to Australia via Hong Kong at the airport. Yet, officers raised their suspicions after an X-ray scanning, which revealed the poor structure of the transformers and missing parts, including coils. Officers also found signs of welding and uneven painting on the surface of the transformers, drawing speculations that the transformers were not the products of some big brands. Lam said the drug syndicate took advantage of the complicated structure of the transformers and carefully hid the drugs inside to confuse law enforcement officers.

Hong Kong’s Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced in his Policy Address on Wednesday to promote the city’s sports and leisure activities. “The Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau will map out a 10-year development blueprint for sports and recreation facilities which will provide about 30 diversified facilities by phases,” he said. He added the government will continue to enhance professionalism in the sports sector and develop sports as an industry, noting that a project of the Hong Kong "M" Mark System will support hosting at least 10 major international sports events in the city each year. He mentioned the government will promote eco-tourism and plan to develop about 1,000 hectares in the southern part of Lantau for eco-tourism or recreation uses. “Events of weekend bazaars will also be held in the fourth quarter this year across the city,” he said.

The man who launched a legal challenge to the government's attempt to invalidate 20,000 vaccine exemption certificates on Tuesday won a High Court appeal against the Legal Aid Department’s decision to deny him public funds in the case. Following the court decision, the Legal Aid Department turned down Kwok's application for public funds in the case on the grounds that he is not directly affected because he has received three doses of the Covid vaccine. Kwok also confirmed that a woman who holds an exemption certificate - who he previously said would join in - will not be involved in his legal fight. The jab exemption certificates allow people who are not fully vaccinated to enter premises such as restaurants. Read more: Jab waiver challenger on his own after bid for legal aid denied

The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced on Tuesday that seven sports centers managed by the office will gradually reopen for public use starting from November 1, after they were no longer needed for anti-epidemic purposes. The seven centers include Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park Sports Centre, Harbour Road Sports Centre, Boundary Street Sports Centre No. 2, Hiu Kwong Street Sports Centre, Java Road Sports Centre, Sai Wan Ho Sports Centre, and Lai Chi Kok Park Sports Centre,Click here for the timetable for the reopening. Members of the public can reserve the fee-charging facilities of the venues according to their booking commencement dates via the Internet booking services of Leisure Link, counter bookings and self-service kiosks, or via the Booking Offices of the District Leisure Services Offices during office hours.

Index heavyweights drive markets higherLikewise, the broader All Shares index gained 20.89 points or 0.66 percent to finish at 3,198.63. MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine stock market advanced yesterday, with the benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange Composite index (PSEi) closing 65.58 points or 1.11 percent higher at 5,970.33. Likewise, the broader All Shares index gained 20.89 points or 0.66 percent to finish at 3,198.63. Analysts from Philstocks Financials said interest in index heavyweights, especially SM Investments Corp. and SM Prime Holdings, helped lift the bourse into the positive territory. Asia’s main markets had struggled overnight but Europe’s STOXX 600 made a 0.5 percent early gain as both the pound and UK government bonds rallied in London.

Learn how to prepare bid documentsMANILA, Philippines — The Government Procurement and Policy Board regularly release compliance regulations that will boost the efficiency of procurement and bidding for consulting services. Whether you are doing government to government (G2G) or government to private transactions, you must update yourselves to these changes. The rules mandate all government entities and prospective bidders to use the revised bidding documents for the procurement of consulting services. Failure to successfully conclude procurement projects are normally due to faulty crafting of the TORs and requirements in the bidding documents, while the disqualification of bidders are attributable to inability to align their bidding documents with the Philippine bidding documents (5th Edition). Learn from expert practitioner, lawyer Zoilo Andin Jr. who is a seasoned lecturer, senior consultant, and adviser to many national government agencies, LGUs, private companies, and law firms on Procurement Law.

An autistic teenager was on Monday sentenced to 14 days’imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, for prank-calling a judge and his wife eight times in December two years ago. Chan Po-hong, 19, previously pleaded guilty to contempt of court, after he allegedly violated an interim court injunction banning the doxxing and harassing of judicial officers and their families. He was said to have obtained the telephone numbers online and made eight silent calls to the judge and his wife on December 6, 2020. His conviction is also the first in the territory in relation to the injunction imposed in October 2020. Passing sentence, High Court judge Russell Coleman noted that Chan had told police investigators under caution that he committed the acts thinking it was fun, and was dissatisfied with the judge being “pro-government”.

A gun accidentally discharged inside the Happy Valley Police Station on Monday morning; no injury was caused. The incident occurred at around 9am in the bullet-loading areas of the police station. Police officers said the incident was suspected to be due to a male officer who serves for the Hong Kong Island Regional Traffic Department firing a bullet in an accidental discharge of his gun. The case is now under investigation by the department with officers emphasizing the police force has strict rules on equipment use.