2-day transport strike, airports, and representation: Primer News Rundown
The week had a tumultuous start with a transport group holding a two-day strike, but the week got better as it went on. We have our representatives prepping for the first Aramco Asia Cup, Boracay and Cebu are once again among the best islands in the world, and NAIA finally makes it out of the world’s worst airports list. Here are the news stories you need to know from this week:
PISTON holds two-day transport strike
Transport group PISTON (Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide) held a two-day strike starting Monday, October 16 and ending on Tuesday, October 17, calling on the government to junk the current version of the public utility vehicle (PUV) modernization program.
In a report by Rappler, the group claimed that the current version of the PUV modernization program only serves corporations and the biggest players in the transport industry, with costs keeping operators out of the running. The Department of Transportation has refuted all of their claims in a series of posts on their official Facebook account.
NAIA out of worst airports list for 2017
For the first time in what seems like a long time, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) has made it out of the world’s worst airports list.
According to a survey conducted by the website The Guide to Sleeping In Airports, South Sudan’s Juba International Airport now leads the list of worst airports for overall experience. NAIA wasn’t named in the list, which has been expanded to 20 from the usual 10 or 5. It also did not crack the website’s list of the 5 worst airports in Asia.
UP Diliman to represent PH at Aramco Asia Cup
The University of the Philippines – Diliman (UPD) is set to represent the Philippines in the first-ever Aramco Asia Cup happening on November 5 in Beijing.
UPD bested four other teams from across the country during the Innovative Challenge National Competition last August 19 at the AIM Conference Center in Makati. The competition involved designing innovative solutions on issues related to the environment, energy, and climate change. Other schools who participated include Holy Trinity College of General Santos and the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, who claimed first and second runner-up spots respectively.
3 PH islands named best in the world
Condé Nast Traveler (CNT) just named its 30 best islands in the world for 2017 – and the Philippines took home the top three.
According to CNT’s Readers’ Choice Awards 2017 survey, the islands of Boracay, Cebu, and Palawan are the best islands outside the United States. They described Boracay as a “tropical idyll… with gentle coastlines and transportative sunsets,” praised Cebu for its beaches and the vibrant of Cebu City, while the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River paved the way for Palawan.
Sources: Rappler, The Guide to Sleeping in Airports, Media Sense, Inc., Condé Nast Traveler
