Tourist Arrivals in PH at Record High

Tourists from China, South Korea, the United States and Japan topped the number of arrivals of visitors in the country in the first two months this year, reports Manila Standard Today. Figures showed a record high 854,187, or a 10 percent growth from 772,989 for the same period last year, the Department of Tourism  said on Sunday. Tourist arrivals in February totaled 418,108, which was the first time in many years that visitors to the country breached the 400,00 mark.

Filipino Workers Join Job Cuts Protest in SF

SAN FRANCISCO – About a hundred union members, medical staff and community leaders gathered at the University of California (UC) -San Francisco Medical Center to protest job cuts, reports ABS-CBN News. The protest action that led to civil disobedience. Vic San Vicente, a hospital security guard, was one of those who willfully blocked traffic, to support his fellow workers who lost their jobs in a massive layoff this week. “They were not even given enough notice,” he said.

Bill to Teach Filipinos' Labor Role Moves Ahead

SACRAMENTO, California—A bill requiring California public schools to instruct students on the contributions of Filipino Americans to the farm labor movement unanimously passed the Assembly Education Committee on March 20, reports Inquirer.net. AB 123 will now move to the Assembly Appropriations Committee and, if successful, it will go to the floor for a full Assembly vote. Assemblymember Rob Bonta (D-Oakland), the bill’s sponsor, noted that Filipino Americans are the largest Asian population in California and continues to grow, yet the story of Filipinos’ “contributions to the farm labor movement is an untold part of California history.”

Imelda Made Generals Parade in Drag--Wikileaks

The latest batch of WikiLeaks cables revealed that former U.S. ambassador to Manila William Sullivan recoiled at the "garish" celebrations put on by Imelda Marcos for her husband in 1973, including generals parading in women's clothes, report's London's Daily Mail. Sullivan said he was baffled to see hundreds of troops dress up as women in honour of the Philippine dictator during the party - which lasted a full two days. In a frank assessment he said: "Every aspect of the occasion was too much, too long and in questionable taste."

Saudi King Delays Crackdown on Foreign Workers

RIYADH - Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah on Saturday ordered a three-month delay to a crackdown on migrant workers which has led to thousands of deportations, to give foreigners in the kingdom a chance to sort out their papers, reports GMA News. "King Abdullah directed both the Interior Ministry and the Labor Ministry to give an opportunity to workers in breach of the labor and residency regulations in the kingdom to clarify their status in a period not exceeding three months," said a statement carried on official media. More than 200,000 foreigners have been deported from the country over the past few months, a passports department official said in comments reported by al-Hayat daily this week. Last week Some 30 Filipinos were arrested on still unclear charges in Jeddah during a crackdown, reported Inquirer.net.

Majority of Filipinos 'Satisfied' with Life--Survey

Despite the persistence of high poverty rates in the country, at least four in every five adult Filipinos, or 81 percent, said they were satisfied with their life in December last year, a survey found, reports Inquirer.net. Results of a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed that those content with their life included 33 percent who said they were “very satisfied” and 48 percent who were “fairly satisfied.” 

Saudi Arabia Hiring Muslim Nurses

MANILA—Saudi Arabia is in need of Muslim nurses, reports Inquirer.net. The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) announced that Muslim staff nurses are urgently being sought by the Saudi Ministry of Health–Hospital Operation Program for assignment to different hospitals in Makkah region.

Jobseekers Warned of Scams in Portugal

Prospective overseas Filipino workers were warned Monday against online scams offering job opportunities, as well as entry and working visas, in Portugal reports GMA News. The Foreign Affairs Department said the Philippine Embassy in Lisbon had noted a rise in the number of OFWs victimized by the scam.