TAIWAN VISA- FREE ENTRY STARTS NOV 1

FILIPINOS will be granted visa-free entry to Taiwan for holiday, sightseeing and short-visit not exceeding 14 days from November 1, 2017 until July 31, 2018 on a trial basis, according to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in the Philippines. The visa-free initiative shall undergo a nine-month trial period as part of Taiwan’s goodwill and efforts of the “New Southbound Policy” to build closer people-to-people exchange of visits and an economic community between Taiwan and the Philippines. A Filipino visa-free visitor must have: an ordinary/regular passport with remaining validity of at least six months from the date of entry (Diplomatic & official passport holders are not eligible for visa-free treatment); a return ticket or a ticket for the traveler’s next destination and a visa for that destination if required; no criminal record in Taiwan; a proof of accommodation (hotel) booking or host/sponsor’s contact information /or arrangements of tour, travel, visit, events and meeting etc. However, those who intend to stay in Taiwan for more than 14 days or for the purpose of study, work, missionary, employment and other gainful activities are still required to obtain appropriate visas before entering Taiwan. For more details, log on to http://www.roc-taiwan.org/ph.

QC WARNS OVERCHARGING, ABUSIVE TRICYCLE DRIVERS

TRICYCLE drivers and operators in Quezon City who charge more than the official fare rate may face six-months imprisonment or a fine of P5,000, the Tricycle Regulation Division of the city’s Department of Public Order and Safety (DPOS) warned following rampant complaints received from commuters. Elmo DG San Diego, head of DPOS, informed the head of QC Public Affairs and Information Services Office who relayed the complaint of passengers at Veterans Village in Barangay Pasong Tamo of his warning. “The Tricycle Regulation Division under the DPOS invited the officers of the Luzon (Avenue) Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association for a dialogue and explicitly informed them that overcharging of tricycle fare is a violation of Ordinance 2466-2016 which imposes the tricycle fare rate,” San Diego said. Tricycle drivers and operators were also reminded to extend 20 per cent discount to senior citizens, persons with disabilities and students. To report violations and abusive tricycle drivers in Quezon City, the public may call Hotline ng Bayan 122.

5 NABBED FOR MANUFACTURE OF FAKE ID, DOCUMENTS

CAMP ALAGAR, Cagayan De Oro City: Anti-Cybercrime police rounded up five suspects in a simultaneous raid on computer shops allegedly engaged in the printing and manufacture of fake identification cards and documents in the city’s downtown area here. Chief Insp. Ignacio Gamba, chief of the Regional Anti-Cybercrime Office (RACO) in Northern Mindanao, identified the suspects as Ramonito Lopez, Jinggoy Arana, Israel Fuentes, Kevin Go and Sallahudin Mautante Sumpingan. He said the RACO team with the Cagayan De Oro City Police, simultaneously raided the computer shops without signages along T. Chavez Street here on Tuesday afternoon. Seized from the suspects were assorted computer equipment and periph- erals, with assorted falsified documents. The computer shops have been under surveillance for several months after the anti-cybercrime operatives received reports on the manufacture of fake police identification cards and driver’s license. The detained suspects are facing charges for violation of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 which penalizes “computer-related forgery and computer-related fraud” but a bailable offence.

DOH RECORDS LOWER DENGUE CASES SINCE JANUARY

THE Department of Health (DoH) recorded a total of 76,391 of dengue fever cases from January 1 until September 2, almost half of the 139,937 cases or about 45.4 percent decrease in the same period last year. Among the cases, 413 deaths were reported which is 200 less than the 614 recorded in the same period in 2016. Records showed that all regions, except in Metro Manila, showed decreasing trends in dengue cases this year. Metro Manila was the lone region with an upward trend of cases, recording a 29.2 percent increase or 2,539 additional cases compared with the same data last year. With high recorded cases are Metro Manila were 11,244; Central Luzon –10,570; Calabarzon – 9,830; Central Visayas – 8,958 and Central Mindanao with 6,368. Provinces most affected were Metro Manila 14.7 percent; Cebu 8.8 percent; South Cotabato 4.7 percent; Pampanga 4.3 percent and Negros Occidental 4 percent. With high cases of mortality are Central Visayas 73, Metro Manila 68, Calabarzon 48, Western Visayas 44 and Central Luzon 37. People infected by the disease usually belong to the 5 to 9 age group with most cases were male of 53.6 percent.