CEBU CITY — In anticipation of the massive exodus of people to the province for the observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, the airport and the various ports in Cebu have beefed up their security to ensure an orderly and peaceful travel. The Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) has intensified its security measures as more visitors are expected to fly in and out of Cebu this week. MCIAA public affairs manager Ahmed Cuizon said that aside from the airport police, the management is closely coordinating with various law enforcement agencies. Newly-installed MCIAA general manager Nigel Paul Villarete, who assumed office only the other day, has directed all division chiefs and department heads to continue with their respective duties and responsibilities. The sea ports in Cebu have also beefed up their security forces in anticipation of the crowd that will be going in and out of the province for the long weekend ahead. Security plans for November 1 and 2 have also been prepared by the provincial and city directors in Central Visayas, said Police Regional Office 7 (PRO 7) Chief of the Regional Director Staff Josephus Angan. (Mars Mosqueda Jr.)

D.O.L.E. TACKLES UNEMPLOYMENT

In its effort to reduce the problem on youth unemployment, Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz in a recent labor consultation forum in Cebu City disclosed that the department is working very closely with the International Labor Organization (ILO) and other United Nations organizations, such as the International Organization for Migration (IOM), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to address the problem in the next six years. Baldoz made the statement during the Visayas island-wide consultation held at the Crown Regency Hotel from October 28 to 29. The recently concluded labor conference is in preparation for the forthcoming National Summit on Labor and Employment. The activity is also the third and last leg of the nationwide consultations being conducted by the DoLE to solicit inputs from its social partners and stakeholders towards the formulation, validation, and presentation of the 2011-2016 Labor and Employment Agenda as an input to the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan for 2011 to 2016. Meanwhile, Baldoz cited that approximately 20 percent of the country’s population fall between 15 to 24-years-old and that almost half, or 49 percent, of this age group are unemployed. “We are, therefore, earnest in licking this problem,” Baldoz said. (Phoebe Jen Indino)

NEW ORDER SEEN TO AFFECT TOURISM

CEBU CITY — A former official of the Region 7 office of the Department of Tourism (DoT 7) fears a possible drop in the tourism activities among domestic travelers with the abolishment of the Holiday Economics that aims to promote longer weekend holidays. “For most of the domestic tourists, they look forward to these holidays to plan out their vacation ahead of time. It was one of the best opportunities to travel to the provinces,” said former DoT 7 Director Patria Aurora “Dawnie” Roa in an interview Friday. In the past administration, Malacañang made a declaration of regular and special non-working holidays as stated in Republic Act (RA) 9492 and Proclamation 1841, which declare that holidays falling on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays be moved to either Monday or Friday, whichever comes nearer. This was, however, abolished in the present administration. “I think most people are saddened that the holiday economics was removed. This may adversely affect inter-regional travel,” lamented Roa. In addition, she said hotels and resorts benefit hugely from the longer weekends, which is about three to four days vacation, as it would mean higher room occupancies and more resort activities. For the airline companies, this would also mean more empty seats filled up, Roa added. (Malou Mozo)