ASIA / PACIFIC
October 5, 2015
THE ASIAN REPORTER n Page 5
Pacquiao says Street View will help Philippine tourism
TAPPING INTO TOURISM. Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao
gestures as he talks about Manila’s Jose Rizal monument during a speech
in support of Philippine tourism in suburban Pasay, south of Manila, the
Philippines. Pacquiao and tourism officials say images of the Philippine
capital and the country’s main tourist spots on Google’s Street View could
help attract more visitors to the country. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
By Oliver Teves
The Associated Press
M
ANILA, The Philippines — Filipino boxing icon
Manny Pacquiao and tourism officials say
images of the Philippine capital and the
country’s main tourist spots on Google’s Street View could
help attract more visitors to the country.
Google country marketing manager Ryan Morales said
the Philippines became the 69th country included in
Google’s Street View with its launch in Manila.
The images captured over six months last year include
panoramic views of street scenes in 37 cities and 35
historic and heritage sites, including Pacquiao’s southern
hometown where he began his career as one of the world’s
most popular boxers.
Rocked by insurgencies and poor infrastructure, the
Philippines struggles to bolster tourism, lagging behind
neighboring Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, and Viet-
nam.
Pacquiao said the images include his old neighborhood
in Sarangani province, which he represents as a
congressman, General Santos City, the country’s tuna
capital, and the city hall where he used to sell bread to
earn money when he was a young boy from a dirt-poor
family.
He said the Google project will support “our goal of
making the Philippines a top tourist destination in Asia.”
Thickening haze dampens swing of Singapore festivities
In jest, he said he may “need a rematch with (Floyd)
Mayweather” to raise money to bring more visitors to
Sarangani but that the images will do that for him.
Pacquiao lost to Mayweather in May in boxing’s richest
fight.
“I do not need to give away plane tickets and spend a lot
of money to showcase the beauty of our province,” he said
with a broad smile. Pacquiao is known to spend large
amounts to bring along a huge entourage to watch his
fights.
Domingo Ramon Enerio III, the chief operating officer
of the Tourism Promotions Board, said tourism is a
“feel-good industry” which contributed $6 billion to the
Philippine economy last year.
The government statistics agency has reported that
tourism contributed 7.8 percent to the economy last year.
Enerio said the government is confident the Philippines
will surpass 5 million visitors for the first time this year.
FROM THE DIRECTOR OF
HERO
AND
RAISE THE RED LANTERN
++++
By Annabelle Liang
(HIGHEST RATING)
“A MASTERPIECE. A CAUSE FOR REJOICING.”
The Associated Press
-Rex Reed, NEW YORK OBSERVER
GONG LI
S
INGAPORE — A thickening, smoky haze cast a
shadow over festivities in Singapore as Muslims
headed to mosques to celebrate the culmination of
the annual hajj pilgrimage and Chinese readied for a
traditional harvest festival.
As many Singaporeans stayed at home for the public
holiday, the three-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI),
which measures air pollution in the country, hit 313, the
highest level this year. The haze has been blowing in from
neighboring Indonesia, where forests are being burned to
clear the land for farming, causing the annual problem for
the region.
Although there are no official air quality descriptors
affiliated with the three-hour index, a reading of these
levels on a 24-hour index would mean that air quality is in
the “very unhealthy” range, according to the National
Environment Agency.
High-rise buildings surrounding Masjid Hajjah
Fatimah, a mosque in an area historically associated with
the island nation’s Malay community, were barely visible
through the veil of smog.
While some faithful were seen covering their mouths to
block out the haze, none wore masks as prayers conducted
inside the mosque required them to wash their faces.
Mustafa Muhamad, 61, said the bad air quality caused
some of his friends to say prayers to mark the
Eid-al-Adha, or festival of sacrifice, at home instead.
From a group of 40 usually seen at each of the day’s five
prayer sessions, the number had dwindled to around 20,
he added.
“The haze is very bad, there are less people in the
mosque this year. Coming to the mosque to pray used to be
very nice because we would mingle around after,” the
teacher explained.
At the nearby Sultan Mosque, tourists wearing masks
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ACRID AIR. Tourists are silhouetted against Singapore’s popular
tourist destination, Sentosa, seen through the haze in the background.
A thickening, smoky haze cast a shadow over festivities in Singapore, as
Muslims headed to mosques to celebrate the culmination of the annual
hajj pilgrimage and Chinese readied for a traditional harvest festival.
(AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)
were taking pictures of its iconic facade.
Preparations for the Chinese mid-autumn festival,
when farmers traditionally celebrate their harvest, were
in full swing.
One such celebration featured giant lantern sets,
nightly cultural performances, and a food street.
“My son is very sensitive to dust and has lung issues, so
I’m limiting his outdoor time,” said Esther Au Yong, 34, a
freelance editor.
Indonesia’s environment and forestry ministry said the
licenses of four Indonesian plantation companies were
suspended or revoked for clearing land illegally and
sparking forest fires.
Some 27 companies are being investigated in con-
nection with the forest fires, Indonesian authorities said,
while 140 individuals are being questioned. A Singapore-
listed company is among those under investigation.
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