We were all excited for 2020 but then, COVID-19 came like The Grinch who stole Christmas and put everything to a halt. But as we look forward to moving on with the new normal, Philippine Airlines, is launching their Mid-Year Special Offer on Monday, July 13, 2020, where travelers can enjoy safe skies and safe travels with the Heart of the Filipino.

For base fares as low as P388 for domestic destinations and USD99 for international destinations, passengers can book their flights for travels from August 1, 2020 up to May 31, 2021.

Time to go back to our bucket list! Whether you’re flying home to your loved ones, going on essential business travels, or planning for that long overdue vacation, passengers may avail of these special fares from July 13 to 19, 2020.

To avail of the offer, passengers may book via  www.philippineairlines.com or call PAL Reservations at (+63 2) 8855 – 8888 or visit any PAL ticketing office or any partner travel agents or through the PAL mobile app.

New Normal, Same Heart

To ensure the safety and protection of all passengers, PAL is strictly implementing an all-out ‘Fly Safe’ set of new normal safety measures and practices – dubbed “New Normal, Same Heart” – that adopts international health and safety protocols while keeping the signature heartfelt service that the airline is known for.

Passengers are encouraged to check in on-line and arrive early at the airport to allocate extra time for new safety procedures. They are also required to wear face masks or facial coverings at all times – at the airport and throughout the flight – and observe physical distance whenever queueing in line or while seated at waiting areas at the airport.

The Philippine flag carrier is one of the first in the world to require cabin crew to wear full Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) while on board the flight; PAL’s cabin crew also undergo medical evaluation prior to their duty. PAL has modified its inflight meal and snack service, using sealed packaging instead of traditional meal arrangements. On top of these, PAL also offers Onboard Distancing Seat Options in Business Class, Premium Economy, and a designated zone of the Economy Class cabin for passengers
who wish to be extra safe when they fly.

All PAL aircraft are equipped with advanced cabin air systems that continuously infuse fresh air across the cabin (cabin air is replaced every 2 to 3 minutes), as well as High- Efficiency Particulate Air filters (or HEPA filters) that remove viruses, bacteria and other contaminants with 99.99% efficiency. The onboard air creates a controlled and cleaner environment comparable to hospital operating rooms that is safer than most enclosed public spaces.

The flag carrier has partially resumed regular commercial flights to various domestic destinations and key international cities in the US, Asia, Europe, Australia, the Middle East and Canada. PAL has also been operating special missions to repatriate stranded Filipinos and foreign nationals to and from different parts of the world, as well as all-cargo services to transport essential supplies across the Philippines and overseas.

Where are you off to next?

There are at least six waterfalls in the southern tip of Cebu, (Oslob: Tumalog Falls, Ginatilan: Inambakan Falls, Samboan: Binalayan Falls, Dao Falls, Aguinid Falls), and if you’re sedentary like me, trekking might not be your thing.

But, Binalayan Hidden Falls in Samboan is definitely worth the little sweat!

How to get there

From the Cebu South Bus Terminal, ride a bus bound for Bato (via Barili). Take note that there are two buses bound for Bato, the other one passes through the eastern coast while the one via Barili takes the western coast. Fare is P175. Alight at Samboan and hire a “habal-habal” to Binalayan Falls.

If you are driving, you can’t miss it as there is a sign by the highway.

“Leisurely Trek”

To get to the Binalayan Falls, one would have to take a 15-30 minute (depending on your pace) “leisurely trek”. Register first at the Visitors Center where you will be assigned a local guide. Tipping is not imposed, but just think of it as your donation for the locals, and the sustainability of the place and activity. After all, the local guide will not only accompany but also offer to take your photographs and assist you along the way.

The trek takes you to a mostly flat coconut grove. Definitely not something that would excite the adventure junkies, but the dirt trail is so peaceful with towering coconut trees. You’ll reach a point where you need to cross three small streams. It’s quite slippery so wear the appropriate footwear. (P.S. I just wore my trusty Havaianas flip-flops lol).

You’ll know that you’re approaching the waterfalls when you start hearing gushing water, and see makeshift swings made of old tires and ropes tied to the trees. Just a few hundred steps more and you’ll reach the main falls.

Formerly called the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan and more recently Sinulog sa Barangay, here are the winners of the recently concluded Sinulog Tribu sa Kabataan 2020.

Best in Musicality:

1st Place: Lumad Basakanon of Barangay Basak San Nicolas (P50,000)
2nd Place: Banauan Cultural Group of Barangay Guadalupe (P35,000)
3rd Place: Banay Labangon of Barangay Labangon (P25,000)
4th Place: Banay San Nicolas of Barangay San Nicolas Proper (P15,000)
5th Place: Banay Budlaan of Barangay Budlaan (P10,000)

Best in Costume:

Lumad Basakanon of Barangay Basak San Nicolas (P50,000)

Best in Streetdancing:

1st Place: Lumad Basakanon of Barangay Basak San Nicolas (P70,000)
2nd Place: Banay Labangon of Barangay San Nicolas Proper (P50,000)
3rd Place: Banay San Nicolas of Barangay San Nicolas Proper (P30,000)
4th Place: Banauan Cultural Group of Barangay Guadalupe (P20,000)
5th Place: Pundok Maampoong Cambihanon of Barangay Cambinocot (P10,000)

Best in Ritual Showdown:

GRAND CHAMPION: Lumad Basakanon of Barangay Basak San Nicolas (P400,000)

2nd Place: Banay Labangon of Barangay Labangon (P350,000)

3rd Place: Banauan Cultural Group of Barangay Guadalupe (P300,000)

4th Place: Banay San Nicolas of Barangay San Nicolas Proper (P250,000)

5th Place: Banay Budlaan of Barangay Budlaan (P200,000)

6th Place: Pundok Maampoong Cambihanon of Barangay Cambinocot (P150,000)

7th Place: Tribu Mabolokon of Barangay Mabolo (P100,000)

Non-winners

Barangay Inayawan

Tribu Kinaiyahan

Barangay Sapangdaku

Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan 2020 Winners – Of Victories and Comebacks.

The reigning champion of the Sinulog-Based Category in Sinulog 2019 emerged as the top winner of the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan 2020. Carcar City bagged top honors for Ritual Showdown, Best in Costume, Best in Musicality, and 2nd place for Best in Streetdancing.

Last year’s top contingent in the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan 2019, Talisay City, settled for 2nd place for Ritual Showdown in this year’s edition, while also bagging 1st Place for Best in Streetdancing, and 2nd Place for Best in Musicality.

Meanwhile, Pajo, Lapu-Lapu City has successfully made a comeback after a six-year absence in the Sinulog as it ended up as 3rd Place in Ritual Showdown, Musicality and Streetdancing. Check out the full list of winners below.

Best in Musicality:

1st Place: Carcar City (P50,000)
2nd Place: Talisay City (P35,000)
3rd Place: Lapu-Lapu City (P25,000)
4th Place: Bogo City (P15,000)
5th Place: Toledo City (P10,000)

Best in Costume:

Carcar City (P50,000)

Best in Streetdancing:

1st Place: Talisay City (P70,000)
2nd Place: Carcar City (P50,000)
3rd Place: Lapu-Lapu City (P30,000)

Best in Ritual Showdown:

GRAND CHAMPION: Carcar City (P400,000)

2nd Place: Talisay City (P350,000)

3rd Place: Lapu-Lapu City (P300,000)

4th Place: Bogo (P250,000)

5th Place: Toledo (P200,000)

6th Place: Ginatilan (P50,000)

In celebration of Cebu’s truly global festival, the Sinulog Festival, Cebu Parklane International Hotel opened earlier today Sugbuanong Bahandi, an exhibit featuring Cebuano art and fashion.

The exhibit features three elements:

Sugbuanong Obra, a Painting Exhibit by Ruel Rosello,

Linya Sugbuana, an Amano Collection by Dexter Alazas,

and Balaanong Gasa, a Display of Josie Pereyra’s Sto. Niño collection.

Check out the exhibit at the lobby of Parklane Hotel until January 31. Pit Señor!

If you’re in Cebu, the festive season doesn’t end on New Year, as it is extended to Sinulog! Maayo Hotel, Cebu’s only wellness hotel brings to life Cebuano culture and tradition as it ramps up its Sinulog 2020 activities.

Kumbira

What is a Cebuano celebration without food? Maayo Hotel prepares a feast of a wonderful culinary journey at Uma Restaurant in time for the Sinulog festival with Kumbira: A Cebuano Heritage Cuisine Feast. Enjoy the different featured dishes from around Cebu to your heart’s content! The feast is available until Sunday, January 19 for P750 net per person for lunch and P870 net per person for dinner. Check out some of the sumptuous dishes below.

Capture the ritual prayer dance and music to celebrate the Sinulog festival in honor of Señor Sto. Niño and catch Mandaue City School for the Arts Dance Troupe at Maayo Hotel’s main lobby on Saturday, January 18 from 1:00PM-3:00PM and 6:00PM-8:00PM and on Sunday, January 19 from 7:00AM-9:00AM.

Illuminate

Light up the night and dress to illuminate in neon or white at Maayo Hotel’s annual Sinulog Roof Deck party this coming January 18, Saturday. Dance the night away with some of the renowned DJs in the metro. Have a glowing-good time together with your friends and family. Tickets are sold for P300 net per person with a round of drink while Open Bar tickets are sold at P1,100 net per person.

For reservations and inquiries, you may call Maayo Hotel at (+63 32) 517 0200 or follow them on their social media pages on FB and IG @maayohotels

The 455th Fiesta Señor is kicking off in a few weeks, Sinulog 2020 will finally be on full swing! With the theme “Santo Niño: Cause of Our Unity and Charity”, the religious activities for the annual Sinulog festival will kick on January 9, 2020.

For your convenience, do take note that the Basilica will implement the one-way entry system. ALL ENTRY POINTS will be at the Magellan’s Cross side and D. Jakosalem side, while ALL EXIT POINTS will be facing Osmeña Blvd. BACKPACKS and other bulky bags are NOT ALLOWED so as not to delay the security inspection process. 

Check out the full schedule of novena masses below (SCROLL ALL THE WAY TO THE BOTTOM FOR DOWNLOADABLE PHOTOS OF THE SCHEDULE):

The Sinulog Festival 2020 schedule is also available here.

DAY 1: January 9, 2020 (Thursday) – OPENING SALVO / WALK WITH JESUS

3:00AM – Assembly Time at Fuente Osmeña
4:00AM – Start of the Penitential Walk with Jesus (Route: Fuente Osmeña – Osmeña Boulevard – Basilica)
5:30AM – Solemn Mass for the Opening Salvo (Cebuano)
Installation of Hermano Mayor and Hermana Mayores 2020 

Top property developer Megaworld has opened its first hotel development inside its 30-hectare The Mactan Newtown in Lapu-Lapu City earlier today. The formal opening was marked by an Anchor Dropping Ceremony led by (L-R) Grace Bartolome, general manager of Savoy Hotel Mactan Newtown; Noli D. Hernandez, president of Megaworld Cebu Properties, Inc.; Lourdes T. Gutierrez-Alfonso, chief operating officer, Megaworld; and Raymundo V. Melendres, managing director of Megaworld Hotels.

Here are some things you need to know about it:

1. Savoy Hotel Mactan is Megaworld’s 3rd Savoy Hotel
2. Savoy Hotel Mactan stands 18-storeys tall and offers 547 guestrooms and suites, targeting mostly business travelers and family vacationers. In terms of room inventory, it is the biggest in Mactan.
3. Savoy Hotel Mactan is just 15 minutes away from the Mactan-Cebu International Airport and 5 minutes away from the Mactan Newtown Beach. A complimentary shuttle service will be offered to and from the beach.
4. Savoy Hotel Mactan offers superior and deluxe rooms, deluxe premier, and junior suites – all fully equipped with essential amenities, in-room electrical safety box, 43″ LED TV, coffee and tea-making facilities, mini-bar, and wireless internet connection.
5. Savoy Hotel  food and beverage (F&B) outlets such as Savoy Café for breakfast and all-day dining, Lobby Café for coffee and pastries, Zabana Bar at the lobby area that offers cocktails and drinks, Pool Bar at the third level, and the Patio, and outdoor dining area located at the second level.
6. Savoy Hotel Mactan’s amenities include a swimming pool, paved sunbathing lounge, fitness center, business center, and a flower garden.
7. As Savoy Mactan opens its doors in November, it will offer introductory rates of P3,288 to P5,888 per night, inclusive of buffet breakfast for two, depending on the room category.
8. Savoy Hotel Mactan’s interiors are designed by world-renowned Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA), the same firm that designed Marina Bay Sands and Fullerton Hotel in Singapore, as well as Shangri-La Dubai and St. Regis Abu Dhabi in UAE.
9. The hotel will also have a wide range of function and meeting rooms.

“Savoy Hotel Mactan Newtown is just 15 minutes away from the airport, which makes it a perfect choice for business travelers. Its location also allows one to experience the beach and the township at the same time, where restaurants, cafes, supermarket, spa, and other retail shops are just within easy reach,” said Raymundo Melendres, managing director, Megaworld Hotels.

“Savoy Hotel Mactan caters to smart travelers who appreciate the harmony between work and leisure, where they can discover and experience the hospitality of passionate Filipino hoteliers,” added Grace Bartolome, general manager, Savoy Hotel Mactan.

Megaworld has spent P1.7 billion to build the hotel, which is one of the many hotels that it plans to put up inside The Mactan Newtown.

Savoy Hotel Mactan is the third hotel under the Savoy Hotel brand, a homegrown hotel chain established by Megaworld. Other Savoy Hotels have already opened in Boracay Newcoast and in Newport City, Pasay City.

The country’s biggest festival, Sinulog 2020 is back once again. In fact, contingents like Lumad Basakanon are already starting to prepare for the fast-approaching festivities.

See below the full schedule of events and activities for Sinulog Festival 2020!
Meanwhile, you may also check the full schedule of Fiesta Senyor 2020 Novena Masses and other religious activities here.

December 1, 2019 – January 31, 2020 – Sinulog Street Fair at Osmeña Boulevard

Mactan-Cebu International Airport sets sights on becoming country’s first plastics-free airport

The Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA), the Philippines’ resort-airport, has showed tremendous progress in its Going Green Campaign after banning the use of non-biodegradable single-use plastics and polystyrene containers in restaurants and shops inside the hub.

Starting this year, MCIA private operator GMR MEGAWIDE Cebu Airport Corporation (GMCAC) prohibited its concessionaires from using the non-biodegradable single-use plastics and polystyrene containers in restaurants and retail stores located in Terminals 1 and 2. Under the policy, GMCAC encourages the use of eco-friendly and reusable substitutes.

To date, 80% of the concessionaires are already using biodegradable alternatives such as plant starch utensils, paper cups and straws, wood stirrers, paper bags, and carton boxes for takeaway food.

“We took this step forward starting with our commercial partners as our commitment to environmental sustainability,” said GMCAC chief executive advisor Andrew Acquaah-Harrison.

“In 2018, MCIA produced a monthly average of 3,500-kilograms (kgs) of plastic waste from its restaurants and shops. This is now down by close to 30% or a decrease of around 12,000-kgs per year,” Harrison added.

GMCAC also holds regular information and education campaigns for all airport concessionaires and stakeholders to raise awareness on the impacts of plastic use on the environment.

OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES
Meanwhile, GMCAC underlined its other initiatives as part of its commitment to environmental sustainability.

Since August 2017, GMCAC has been using 6,300 solar panels on the roof of Terminal 1 to supply electricity for the airport. This made MCIA the first solar-powered airport in the Philippines. 

On a monthly average, the solar panel system produces 196,800 Kwh and provides for 30% of the electricity requirements of the domestic terminal.