Category: Business Mirror

For Denver Carranza, undergoing surgery as a child was a turning point in his life-but it was not the end of his journey.

Born with bilateral cleft lip and cleft palate, Carranza underwent his first operation with the help of the Philippine Band of Mercy, Smile Train and his grandmother. Yet as he grew older, he encountered challenges that could not be addressed in an operating room.

When he entered school, he experienced bullying and sometimes struggled to speak clearly. There were moments when he lost hope. What helped him overcome those challenges was the love and emotional support of his grandmother.

‘A child with cleft lip does not just need an operation,’ Carranza said. ‘They need true acceptance from their parents. Love, emotional support, and long patience.’

Today, Carranza works as a support staff member at the Philippine Band of Mercy, helping families of newborns with cleft conditions find the information and treatment they need. For him, the work is more than a job; it is a way of helping children have a better start and a brighter future.

His experience underscores a message highlighted during Smile Train Philippines’ Beyond the Smile community fair: cleft care goes far beyond surgery.

A journey that begins at birth

Cleft lip and palate are among the most common birth differences worldwide and are highly treatable. However, many families continue to face barriers to timely and comprehensive care, according to the information presented at the event.

For Dr. Gene Gerald Dr. Tiongco, a Smile Train volunteer surgeon who has performed cleft operations for two decades, the journey begins the moment a child is born.

The first concerns may not even involve surgery. Pediatricians can help parents understand how to feed a baby with a cleft and ensure that the child receives adequate nutrition. Other specialists, including dentists and orthodontic professionals, may become involved as the child grows.

Surgery itself also depends on the child’s condition and nutritional status. Dr. Tiongco said cleft lip surgery generally requires the baby to be at least three months old, while cleft palate repair is typically performed before the child begins speaking, with timing depending on the individual patient.

But even after an operation, care continues.

‘It’s not just the surgeon’s responsibility,’ Dr. Tiongco said. ‘When we say we, it’s all about a team.’

That team can include nutrition experts, dentists, orthodontic specialists, psychologists or psychiatrists, nurses and speech therapists. The goal is to follow the patient beyond the operating room and address the different needs that may arise throughout the child’s development.

More than a surgical outcome

John Manuel Flores, Smile Train’s Area Director for Southeast Asia, said the first surgery can be a life-changing milestone, but it is only the first step in a much longer journey.

Children with clefts may face difficulties with feeding and nutrition in infancy and may later require speech therapy, orthodontic care, hearing support and psychosocial counseling. Comprehensive cleft care means accompanying the child and family through these different stages, from infancy into adulthood.

This broader approach also changes the way success is measured.

For Dr. Tiongco, the impact of surgery can be dramatic. He recalled how parents may become emotional when they see their child after an operation-not simply because of the physical change, but because they begin to imagine a future in which the child can face less stigma and pursue opportunities with greater confidence.

‘It’s not just an operative success,’ Dr. Tiongco said. ‘It’s a success and contentment of the whole community.’

Breaking the cycle of misinformation

Providing medical care is only one part of the challenge. Awareness is equally important.

Dr. Tiongco said some parents blame themselves when their child is born with a cleft, asking what they might have done during pregnancy to cause the condition. He emphasized the need for healthcare professionals to reassure parents that it is not their fault.

Misconceptions can also persist within communities, including beliefs that cleft

conditions are caused by traumatic events or other unfounded explanations. Such misinformation can contribute to stigma and discourage families from seeking care.

For Smile Train, addressing these misconceptions requires bringing accurate information beyond hospitals and clinics.

The organization has partnered with the REX Education Foundation Inc. to expand cleft education through literacy and community-based initiatives. The partnership seeks to help children, schools and communities understand cleft conditions while encouraging empathy and inclusion.

Dominic Leandre D. Buhain, Vice Chairman of REX Education Foundation Inc., said education can influence not only what children know but also how they treat others.

The partnership is also exploring educational materials that can give children with clefts greater representation while helping other children understand experiences different from their own.

Bringing care closer to families

Access remains another major challenge, particularly for families who live far from major medical centers.

Smile Train said it has been operating in the Philippines since 2001 and currently works with more than 60 partner hospitals across the country. Through these partnerships, the organization provides funding, training and other support to local healthcare professionals so patients can receive free cleft care closer to their communities.

Flores described the approach as a sustainable, local-first model. Rather than depending on short-term medical missions, Smile Train works with local doctors, hospitals and healthcare workers, providing resources and training to support year-round care.

The support extends beyond surgery to services such as speech therapy, orthodontic treatment and nutritional care, depending on the patient’s needs.

For families, bringing these services closer can mean less travel, fewer barriers and a greater chance of receiving care when it is needed.

EUMIR FELIX MARCIAL has gotten extra motivated in going 8-0 won-lost as a pro when he faces American Omar Ulises Huerta on September 19-their fight will be shown live on US television.

‘This is going to be the most important fight in his eighth professional career bouts as he was never seen in USA television before,’ MP Promotions head Sean Gibbons told the BusinessMirror on Wednesday. ‘Everybody will be watching him closely so he must look absolutely good.’

‘It’s going to be a big moment, it’s an opportunity he will not waste for sure,’ Gibbons stressed adding DAZN Worldwide and TNT will air his wards fight for the first time in the US.

Marcial has declared himself that he’ll be stronger, quicker and smarter against Huerta.

‘I’m going for 8-0 on September 19 and I will make everyone knows who exactly I am,’ he said. ‘I will not waste this one.’

They’ll be squaring off in a middleweight 10-rounder in the undercard that pits World Boxing Council (WBC) super lightweight interim champion Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz against Nestor Bravo at the Pechanga Arena in San Diego, California.

Gibbons said that the WBC middleweight international belt and another vacant regional title-most likely the World Boxing Organization international crown-are at stake in the Marcial-Huerta fight.

DAZN Worldwide and TNT will air for the first time Marcial ‘s eighth bout in the United States followed by main event between Cruz and Bravo fight for the WBC super lightweight championship that makes the cards promoted by Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) exciting.

Marcial knocked out four of his seven opponents but is coming off a controversial majority decision victory against Eddy Colmenares last October in the ‘Thrilla in Manila II’ at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Huerta-fighting out of San Diego, California-holds a 15-1-1 win-loss-draw record with 13 knockouts.

‘This is going to be a war as both fighters are known for their high knockout prowess, but I believe Eumir will treat this fight seriously as we are planning to give him another fight by December once he wins this one before heading for a world title next year,’ Gibbons said.

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) is ruling out a postponement of the first ever parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), saying a single election-related incident will not derail months of preparations for the historic polls.

Comelec Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia, along with the Comelec en banc, attended the conference to talk about coordination and security preparations.

Secretary of Interior and Local Government Jonvic Remulla, the new Armed Forces chief, the Philippine National Police chief, the Philippine Coast Guard and senior security officials were also present.

‘We are in full control of the situation in the Bangsamoro,’ Garcia said.

He stressed that authorities remain confident in the security situation ahead of polls despite the recent attack against Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua.

Garcia said election materials for the parliamentary elections have already been deployed across the different provinces and will soon be distributed to 105 municipalities and two cities.

The poll body’s presence in Bangsamoro also comes after the successful selection of two representatives of the region’s non-Muslim indigenous peoples through an inter-tribal convention held a day earlier.

Garcia described the selection as the first of its kind in the history of BARMM, noting that the process was peaceful and settled through discussions among six indigenous tribes.

‘Successful, peaceful and acceptable to all our indigenous peoples throughout the Bangsamoro,’ Garcia said.

Garcia said authorities have so far monitored only one election-related incident in the entire region, despite its history of election-related violence.

‘First time in the history of the Bangsamoro, our checkpoints have one election-related incident,’ he said.

Comelec is also preparing for faster transmission of election results through Starlink technology, which was used during the 2025 elections.

The poll chief said the commission is targeting a fast count, with results expected to be known on election night and winning candidates proclaimed the following day.

‘On the night of the election, you will know who won,’ he said, adding that the proclamation of winners could follow on September 15.

Beyond security and logistics, Garcia urged voters to participate in the polls after several postponements of the parliamentary elections.

‘The problem now is not when the voting will be held, nor whether the voting will push through, because it will push through,’ Garcia said.

Garcia said a low voter turnout would undermine the significance of an election that follows decades of conflict and is intended to give Bangsamoro voters greater control over the region’s future.

SAYING the ‘archaic’ policy behind the imposition of a travel tax-when overseas travel was viewed largely as a ‘privile ge’-no longer reflects present realities, Sen. Mark A. Villar is prodding his peers on the swift passage of Senate Bill (SB) 1870, or the proposed ‘Travel Tax Abolition Act.’

The measure seeks to remove the decades-old travel tax imposed on Filipinos leaving the country.

‘Hindi dapat maging dagdag na pasanin ang pag-alis ng bansa, lalo na para sa mga Pilipinong bumibiyahe upang magtrabaho, mag-aral, magpagamot, magnegosyo, o makasama ang kanilang pamilya. Panahon nang alisin ang travel tax at ibalik sa ating mga kababayan ang perang maaari nilang magamit sa mas mahalagang pangangailangan,’ Villar said.

[Leaving the country should not impose a burden on Filipinos, especially those traveling for work, schooling., medical treatment, do business or simply reunite with relatives. It’s time to end the travel tax requirement and allow citizens to enjoy and use the funds for more essential needs].

Introduced in 1977 under Presidential Decree 1183, the travel tax was imposed at a time when overseas travel was widely viewed as a privilege. Villar said this ‘archaic’ policy no longer reflects present realities, as Filipino travelers currently pay a full travel tax of P1,620 for economy-class passage and P2,700 for first-class passage. A family of four traveling in economy class must therefore spend an additional P6,480 before leaving the country.

‘The amount of P6,480 is a big deal to a family. They can use this for food, transportation, rentals, medicine or other expenses when they travel. Amid the steady rise in prices of goods, it’s only right that we remove taxes that pose additional burdens and don’t reflect current realities,’ Villar said, speaking in Filipino.

Under SB 1870, government agencies and private entities will be prohibited from collecting travel tax once the measure takes effect. Passengers who have already paid the tax for flights scheduled on or after the law’s effectivity will also be entitled to an immediate refund.

The proposal likewise supports the objectives of the Asean Tourism Agreement, which seeks to facilitate travel and promote stronger connectivity among Asean member states.

Allaying concerns of possible disruptions to government programs, Senator Villar noted that the bill has safeguards for the continued funding through the annual General Appropriations Act for projects previously supported by travel tax collections.

At present, 50 percent of the collections goes to the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority for tourism development, 40 percent to the Commission on Higher Education for tourism-related educational programs, and 10 percent to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.

‘We will continue to support tourism education and culture, but the funds should not come from additional burdens on traveling Filipinos. These are national programs that must be funded out of the national budget,’ Villar stressed.

‘Our objective is simple:reduce the costs, make travel easier and allow each Filipino at bigyan ng mas malaking kalayaathe freedom to seek opportunity in any part of the world,’ he added.

MPower, the local retail electricity supplier (RES) of the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), has partnered with Big Ben Group to provide reliable and competitive power to its manufacturing plants in Pulilan, Bulacan.

This collaboration aims to support Big Ben Group’s ready-mix concrete production and sustainability goals.

‘Sustainability has to be embedded in how we operate and plan for the future. Partnering with MPower enables us to improve our energy management while supporting our long-term business and sustainability goals. It reinforces our belief that responsible business decisions and operational excellence go hand in hand,’ Big Ben Group Director Benjamin Eusebio said.

The Big Ben Group is a manufacturer and supplier of ready-mix concrete, delivering support for construction developments ranging from residential projects to major and commercial infrastructure.

‘Energy reliability and cost efficiency are fundamental to how we operate and compete. We cannot promise excellence to our clients if we do not secure excellence in our own operations. Partnering with a trusted provider like MPower strengthens the foundation of our business and supports our long-term vision for growth and resilience,’ Big Ben Group Chairman Eusebio Pacifico Garcia said.

He added that the collaboration with MPower further strengthens the operational continuity across Big Ben Group’s facilities by helping ensure efficient production and timely delivery of projects that support the communities it serves.

‘Our commitment extends beyond delivering power. We support Big Ben Group’s growth by providing the energy solutions and expertise needed to strengthen operational performance and long-term resilience.

By ensuring a stable and reliable power supply, we help create the conditions for businesses to focus on what they do best and continue creating value for their customers and communities,’ MPower Head Redel Domingo, for his part, said.

Meralco recently reported that its net income went up by 11 percent year-on-year to P26.3 billion in the first half, buoyed by the strong performance of its distribution, generation, and retail electricity businesses.

Consolidated core net income (CCNI) at end-June also improved by 3.8 percent to P26.5 billion from P25.5 billion, driven by a 48-percent contribution from the distribution utility (DU) and growing power generation earnings.

The company said it maintained stability through a ‘diversified earnings mix and prudent cost management’ amid global fuel pressures.

THE Senate Impeachment Court on Wednesday prohibited senator-judges, prosecutors, defense lawyers, witnesses, and other involved individuals from publicly commenting on the merits of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment case.

Presiding Officer Sen. Francis Escudero said the directive is based on Rule 18 of the Rules on Impeachment, which requires those involved in the proceedings to refrain from making public statements that could affect the integrity of the trial.

Escudero warned against ‘trial by publicity,’ saying public commentary could undermine the dignity of the Impeachment Court and influence public opinion before evidence is properly evaluated. He stressed that the rule seeks to balance the public’s right to information with the need to protect the proceedings from prejudgment.

The ruling came after House prosecution counsel Amando Virgil Ligutan defended a Facebook post stating that misleading questions are not allowed even during cross-examination. Ligutan maintained that his post merely clarified a procedural rule and did not discuss the strength of the evidence, legal arguments, or merits of the impeachment case.

The controversy began during an August 12 exchange between prosecution counsel Lorna Kapunan and defense counsel Kristine Ferrer while Commission on Audit auditor Xylene Mae del Campo was being cross-examined. Kapunan said misleading questions were not allowed, while Ferrer responded that they were.

Ligutan later posted on Facebook that misleading questions are prohibited even on cross-examination. Defense lawyers subsequently raised the matter before the Impeachment Court, arguing that Ferrer may have been referring to leading questions rather than misleading questions.

Duty to clarify legal issues

LIGUTAN insisted that his post was not directed at any specific defense lawyer and was intended only to correct what he believed was an inaccurate statement about courtroom procedure. He also cited his experience as a lawyer and educator, saying he considered it his responsibility to clarify legal rules for the public.

Escudero, however, reminded Ligutan that being an educator did not remove his obligations as counsel before the Impeachment Court. He also noted that the transcript of the August 12 exchange could not fully reflect overlapping statements and that Ferrer may have been responding to the reference to leading questions.

The Impeachment Court later issued broader guidelines enforcing Rule 18.

Previous statements were effectively set aside, but Escudero ordered stricter compliance moving forward and warned all parties against making public comments that could affect the pending impeachment trial.

Escudero explained that the court will implement a two-strike policy for violators.

On the first violation, the offender will receive a serious public reprimand and a firm warning delivered in open court. This sanction will also become a permanent part of the official record and will serve as the individual’s final notice.

If the same offense is committed a second time, the violator will face a P30,000 fine, according to Escudero.

All parties

THE House prosecution team said that it respects and will comply with the Senate impeachment court’s strict enforcement of Rule 18, or the sub judice rule, while expecting the same standard to apply to all parties, including Vice President Sara Duterte.

House impeachment team spokesperson Robert Ace Barbers said the prosecution will follow the court’s directives but stressed that the rule should be applied equally to the prosecution, defense, and respondent.

Deputy Speaker Jefferson Khonghun said the implementation of Rule 18 will test whether the impeachment court applies its order fairly. He said both the prosecution and defense should be held accountable for statements that may violate the rule.

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AMBASSADOR of India to the Philippines Shri Harsh Kumar Jain handed over a newly constructed working and training hall to the local government of Barangay Aliputos, Municipality of Numancia, Aklan.

Municipal Mayor Rogelio M. Enero II formally received the hall at a ceremony on August 10, with Governor Jose Enrique M. Miraflores of Aklan, Assistant Secretary Francisco R. Cruz, CESO III, MMG of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, representatives from the agency and community, as well as barangay leaders, in attendance.

Expressing their appreciation to the Indian government for the project and its contribution to Numancia’s development, they welcomed the facility’s potential to boost skills, livelihoods, and the municipality’s agri-tourism initiatives. They thanked India for its continued community-focused development partnership with the Philippines.

The project was implemented under the India-Philippines Quick Impact Projects framework, which supports community-level initiatives for socioeconomic development. It is the fourth of six projects under the first cycle of QIPs being implemented through Indian Grant Assistance under the bilateral ‘Agreement on the Implementation of Quick Impact Projects’ signed in February 2023.

The facility forms part of Numancia’s efforts to strengthen its agri-tourism sector, providing a venue for skills development, training, meetings and community activities. The facility is expected to benefit some 5,500 farmers and fisherfolk.

Ambassador Jain highlighted in his speech that the project reflects the enduring friendship and Strategic Partnership between India and the Philippines, founded on mutual respect, close cooperation and a shared commitment to inclusive and sustainable development.

The project joins three other QIPs completed earlier this year: a livelihood training center in Bobon, Northern Samar; a primary care hub in Bacolod, Lanao del Norte; and a barangay health station in Cervantes, Ilocos Sur. They reflect India’s commitment to the Philippines’ regional grassroots development, its embassy said.

Jain also welcomed the resolution adopted by the Numancia LGU declaring August 10 as ‘Numancia-India Friendship Day.’ He expressed his deep appreciation, noting that the initiative symbolizes the warmth and enduring bonds of friendship between the LGUs’ residents and his country.

The QIP initiative is aligned with the Plan of Action for the India-Philippines’

Strategic Partnership for 2025-2029 signed during President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s state visit to India in August 2025.

India looks forward to further strengthening its development partnership through the next cycle of 10 QIPs, currently under consideration by the two sides.

Every so often, a borrower discovers that the ‘loan app’ they downloaded wasn’t quite what it appeared to be. A familiar-sounding name, a logo that looks close enough, a Facebook page styled to seem official – and then an unexpected demand: an ‘advance fee,’ access to their entire contacts list, or a collection message threatening exposure over a debt that was never properly disclosed.

Stories like this have become increasingly common across Southeast Asia’s online lending space, and regulators are taking notice. In the Philippines, the Securities and Exchange Commission has issued a growing number of advisories flagging websites, apps, and social media pages that impersonate legitimate, licensed lending brands – misusing their names, cloning their branding, and in some cases even engaging telecom authorities to help investigate the platforms involved.

It’s tempting to see this as a problem that only affects whichever brand happens to be impersonated at a given moment. In reality, the damage spreads much further – and one of its most corrosive effects is something the industry rarely talks about directly: it’s warping how the public understands loan pricing.

The ‘High Rates’ Problem Fraudulent Apps Create

Fraudulent lending apps very often build their entire model around aggressive, undisclosed, or outright fabricated fees and interest charges. Because these apps deliberately obscure or misrepresent their true costs – sometimes charging effective rates far beyond anything a licensed lender would offer – the borrower’s first real encounter with ‘online lending’ can be an experience defined by confusion, hidden charges, and a spiraling balance they didn’t agree to.

The problem is that most borrowers don’t distinguish between a fraudulent app and a licensed one when they talk about the experience afterward. To them, it’s simply ‘an online lending app’ that turned out to be predatory. That story then becomes part of the public narrative around the entire category – reinforcing a perception that online lending, as an industry, is synonymous with excessive rates and hidden fees, even though licensed, regulated platforms operate under disclosure requirements, rate transparency rules, and regulatory oversight that fraudulent apps simply ignore.

This creates a frustrating asymmetry: legitimate lenders that comply with rate disclosure regulations, cap their charges appropriately, and operate transparently end up competing for trust against a public perception shaped largely by the platforms that never intended to follow any rules in the first place.

Why This Hurts the Whole Industry – Not Just One Brand

It erodes trust in online lending as a category. When a borrower has a bad experience with a fraudulent app, that distrust rarely stays narrowly targeted. It tends to generalize – coloring how they view every other online lender, including ones with fair, transparent, and fully disclosed pricing.

It undermines financial inclusion. Online lending platforms exist largely to reach people underserved by traditional banks – gig workers, small entrepreneurs, first-time borrowers. When these borrowers hear stories about runaway rates and predatory apps, many understandably become more cautious about formal credit altogether, even when better, regulated, and more affordable options are available to them.

It raises the cost of doing business for legitimate players. Compliant platforms often end up dedicating real resources – legal support, customer education, verification tooling, public advisories – toward distinguishing themselves from fraudulent actors. That’s time and capital that could otherwise go toward improving products or lowering costs for borrowers.

It invites broader regulatory scrutiny across the board. When complaints about ‘high rates’ and predatory lending spike, regulators facing public pressure don’t always have the bandwidth to separate a licensed, rate-compliant lender from an unlicensed impersonator in the public conversation. The natural response tends to be tighter rules and more scrutiny applied industry-wide – a cost every compliant operator absorbs, regardless of whether they were ever involved.

It puts borrower data at risk in ways that compound the harm. Many fraudulent apps request the same permissions a real lending app might – contacts, photos, device data – without any of the accountability. That data is often used for harassment or further fraud, adding a second layer of harm on top of the financial one.

The Philippine SEC’s Regulatory Framework

The SEC also maintains enforcement mechanisms for platforms operating outside these rules. Unauthorized or non-compliant platforms may face cease-and-desist orders, blacklisting, and legal action. This gives the regulatory system both a pricing standard and a mechanism for addressing platforms that fall outside it.

At the same time, new unregistered and fraudulent platforms continue to appear from time to time, reflecting the ongoing nature of the space rather than any single response. This is a common pattern across many regulated digital industries, where oversight and public awareness work together on an ongoing basis to help borrowers distinguish licensed lenders from unauthorized ones.

The Bigger Picture

Fraudulent apps aren’t simply a nuisance sitting at the margins of the online lending industry – they’re actively shaping how the public understands what ‘online lending’ means, and not for the better. Every time a fake app charges outrageous, undisclosed fees and gets lumped in with the category as a whole, it becomes a little harder for legitimate, rate-compliant platforms to be seen for what they are.

Closing that gap won’t happen through any single company’s efforts. It takes closer cooperation between regulators, platforms, and app marketplaces; faster reporting and response when fraudulent platforms surface; and borrowers who feel equipped to pause and ask a simple question before downloading anything – is this actually a registered, transparent lender?

That question, asked consistently, may be one of the most effective tools the industry has for protecting the trust that legitimate, responsible lending depends on.

From road trips and rail journeys to river cruises and hiking trails, there are countless ways to experience the landscapes of the USA. A helicopter flight, however, offers an entirely different perspective.

Across the country, scenic flights are going beyond traditional sightseeing, pairing aerial views with experiences ranging from a famous film location and a private island picnic to lakeside dining and a Hudson Valley wine tasting.

And the experience does not have to end when the helicopter lands. From spotting bison in South Dakota and hiking through Kaua?i’s dramatic landscapes to tracing Boston’s history on foot, these flights can become the starting point for exploring even more of each destination. Here are six ways to experience the USA from above – and what to explore once back on the ground.

For more travel inspiration and ideas to build your own U.S. adventure, visit AmericaTheBeautiful.com.

SOUTH DAKOTA

Black Hills Helicopter Tour by Black Hills Helicopters

Take in some of South Dakota’s most recognisable landmarks from the air on Black Hills Helicopters’ Black Hills Tour. The flight offers aerial views of Mount Rushmore National Memorial and Crazy Horse Memorial before extending to the scenic reservoirs of Pactola and Sheridan Lake.

Crazy Horse Memorial remains a work in progress, with the mountain carving depicting Lakota leader Crazy Horse as part of a broader memorial dedicated to honouring Indigenous people of North America. From monumental carvings to forested hills and stretches of blue water, the flight brings together some of the Black Hills’ most distinctive landscapes.

Custer State Park

Continue exploring the Black Hills on the ground at Custer State Park, where the 18-mile Wildlife Loop Road winds through open grasslands and pine-studded hills. Keep watch for the park’s free-roaming bison, as well as deer, elk, bighorn sheep, prairie dogs and its famous feral burros. For another scenic drive, Needles Highway cuts through forests and rugged granite formations, passing Sylvan Lake along the way.

Jurassic Falls Landing Adventure by Island Helicopters

Step into cinematic history with Island Helicopters on Kaua?i. The Jurassic Falls Landing Adventure takes passengers to Manawaiopuna Falls, famously featured in Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park. The experience includes Island Helicopters’ Grand Skies island flight before landing at the falls.

After landing, passengers can follow a jungle path to the base of the falls while learning about the area’s native plants, geologic formations and agricultural history. Island Helicopters is the only operator offering a landing experience at Manawaiopuna Falls, giving visitors access to a part of Kaua?i that cannot be experienced on a conventional sightseeing tour.

Waimea Canyon and Koke?e State Park

See another side of Kaua?i on the ground at Waimea Canyon and neighbouring Koke?e State Park. Scenic lookouts reveal the canyon’s deep gorges and rugged cliffs, while Koke?e offers miles of hiking trails through native forest, with views across Waimea Canyon and towards the Napali Coast. It is a chance to explore on foot some of the landscapes passengers can also glimpse from the air during the helicopter tour.

MASSACHUSETTS

Boston Harbor

Sunset Tour by Helicopter Tour Boston

See Boston in the changing light of golden hour with Helicopter Tour Boston’s Sunset Tour. The flight travels over the Boston Harbor Islands and Atlantic Ocean before heading towards the city, with panoramic views of the skyline, Seaport District and harbour islands along the way.

As daylight fades and the city begins to light up, the journey offers a different perspective on Boston’s historic landmarks, modern cityscape and waterfront.

The Freedom Trail

Back at street level, explore Boston’s history along the Freedom Trail, a 2.5-mile red-brick route connecting 16 nationally significant historic sites. Beginning at Boston Common and continuing through neighbourhoods including the North End and Charlestown, the trail takes visitors past places connected to the events and people that shaped the American Revolution.

CALIFORNIA

Heli-Picnic Experience by Maverick Helicopters

Escape to Catalina Island with Maverick Helicopters on a private Heli-Picnic Experience. The journey begins with a scenic flight over the Southern California coastline before landing at a secluded location on the island, with aerial views of Catalina’s coastline and rugged interior.

Guests can settle in for a gourmet picnic with selected delicacies and premium champagne, surrounded by the island’s backcountry scenery. There is also the option to take a short hike and explore the local wildlife before returning to the mainland.

Catalina Zip Line Eco Tour

For a longer Catalina Island stay, take the adventure from the air to the treetops on the Catalina Zip Line Eco Tour. Starting from a ridge 600 feet above Descanso Beach Club, the two-hour experience descends through Descanso Canyon across five zip lines, reaching speeds approaching 35 mph and offering sweeping ocean views along the way.

Angelo’s At The Point by Scenic Helicopter Tours

Combine an aerial journey with waterfront dining on Scenic Helicopter Tours’ Angelo’s At The Point experience. Departing from a private heliport near downtown Sevierville, the guided flight takes passengers over the French Broad River and Douglas Lake before landing for lunch or dinner at Angelo’s At The Point in historic Dandridge.

Guests are escorted to a lakeside table, where the restaurant serves a selection ranging from all-American favourites to more refined dishes. Pairing views from the air with a relaxed meal by the water, the experience offers a different way to explore East Tennessee.

Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Pair the flight with a visit to Cades Cove in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, a broad valley surrounded by mountains. An 11-mile, one-way loop road winds through the valley, providing access to hiking trails, historic homesites, churches and cemeteries, as well as opportunities to spot wildlife along the way.

NEW YORK

Brotherhood Winery Experience by HeliNY

Follow the Hudson River north from Manhattan on a private helicopter journey to Brotherhood Winery in Washingtonville, founded in 1839 and recognised as the oldest continuously operating winery in the United States.

After landing, guests receive a private tour of the winery’s historic cellars and estate grounds, followed by a guided wine tasting. The experience continues with a personalised four-course lunch prepared by 1839 Restaurant, with dishes paired with wine. On the return journey to Manhattan, passengers can also take in aerial views of the New York City skyline.

Storm King Art Center

For a longer Hudson Valley itinerary, visit Storm King Art Center, a 500-acre outdoor museum where large-scale sculptures and site-specific works are set across rolling hills, meadows and forests. The experience adds an arts and culture dimension to a Hudson Valley escape built around wine, food and scenery.

Hossein Taeb built a reputation for ruthlessness over a four-decade career in Iran’s post-revolution security apparatus. After a break from the public eye, he’s back, reprising his former job as head of the country’s powerful volunteer militia, the Basij.

The appointment of the 63-year-old earlier this month confirms his place among a tiny circle of trusted confidants to the new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, and as one of the key decision-makers reshaping a country shaken by unprecedented protests and war.

‘Taeb is now sitting at the top of the system that he was central to creating,’ said Mohammad Hossein Torkaman, a former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps member, who left Iran in 2010 and now lives in exile in Europe.

‘The most important job he has is to prevent and stop internal dissent and to suppress it when it does happen,’ added Torkaman.

That task is particularly critical to the regime as the US pivots from military threats to economic pressure as a way to try to end the near six-month war. The tougher sanctions come as Iran’s currency is flailing and its access to fuel shrinking-both pressure points that have previously triggered domestic protests.

Taeb’s selection also indicates an expanded role for the Basij-a vast network of paramilitaries and other loyalists that enjoys sprawling economic interests from banking to steel, and which Iran claims can mobilize 20 million people, equivalent to a fifth of the population.

Its members, zealous young men and women, operate in mosques, workplaces and universities across the country. They have been deployed to disrupt public gatherings and violently put down demonstrations.

Most recently, security forces including the Basij killed thousands in January in the biggest and bloodiest unrest in the Islamic Republic’s history. At the peak of the unrest in Isfahan province, 19 Basij members died, higher than the number of police and IRGC casualties combined.

Khamenei’s decree appointing Taeb tasked him with ‘strengthening the people’s information network’ and ‘utilizing new technologies for grassroots resistance’ to make ‘Every Iranian a Basiji.’ Diplomats and analysts see that as a mandate to turn the organization into Khamenei’s eyes and ears on the street.

In return for their loyalty, members get economic perks like preferential access to housing and public-sector jobs. The Basij gives the fledgling supreme leader-who’s yet to appear in public since he succeeded his father-a loyal constituency that he can use to consolidate power, according to Saeid Golkar, an associate professor of political science in the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga who’s written a book on the militia.

‘This new Basij under Taeb will work as a social base under Mojtaba, not only to control society but also control the political elite,’ he said by phone. ‘They’re much more zealous than other security institutions, and they’re everywhere.’

Paranoia and protest

Born in Tehran in 1963, Taeb trained as a cleric and joined the IRGC in the early 1980s during the grueling eight-year war with Iraq, in which he fought alongside the younger Khamenei.

After the war he worked on counter-espionage for the Ministry of Intelligence and by the late 1990s was coordinating directly with Mojtaba Khamenei on domestic security issues, according to comments by the former head of state media Mohammad Sarafraz in 2021.

That prepared him to lead the Basij in 2009, when the militia suppressed the Green Movement protests sparked by a disputed election. The crackdown left dozens dead and led to the US sanctioning Taeb for human rights abuses.

His methods were a shock even to insiders. He was known for ruthlessness and paranoia, surveilling his own staff and having them tortured if he suspected them of treachery, said Torkaman, the former IRGC member.

‘When we hand the management of the recent crisis to people like Taeb, who are more familiar with batons than with thought, reason and prudence, this is the result,’ longtime member of parliament Ali Motahari wrote in 2009, amid the Green Movement protests. In the wake of that movement, the elder Khamenei set up the IRGC Intelligence Organization, a parallel spy service that reports to the supreme leader rather than the government, and picked Taeb to lead it. According to state TV, highlights of his 13-year tenure include the arrest of dual nationals, fighting corruption and tracking down dissidents abroad.

A string of security breaches blamed on Israel led to Taeb’s dismissal in 2022. In public he took on a symbolic role as adviser to the commander of the IRGC, but in practice he was coordinating with Mojtaba on security within his father’s office, according to diplomats.

Bringing Taeb back despite his dismissal ‘is a clear indication of the closeness of Taeb and Mojtaba,’ said Golkar, the academic.

‘When you are repressing people, when you are killing people, you need this loyalty, and I think no other organization in Iran can bring that.’