It’s Sinulog time once more and the Marco Polo Plaza, Cebu City’s finest hotel, joins the rest of Cebu in celebrating its grandest and most colorful festival. As we chant these days: Pit Senyor! Viva Snr. Santo Niño!
Ms. Julie Najar (Marco Polo Plaza Cebu Resident Manager), special guest priest, Ms. Rowena Montecillo (Region Director, DOT-7), Ms. Jessica Avila and Mr. Val San Diego welcome guests, media and VIPs to the launch of Marco Polo Plaza’s Sinulog 2012 activities
Val San Diego, Ms. Rowena Montecillo, and special guest priest grind Cebuano raw ingredients to formally open Sugbusog 2012!
From January 6 to 15, Marco Polo Plaza brings back well-loved Cebuano traditions. In honor of the occasion, they opened the special weeklong Sto. Niño exhibit, a rare antique collection of the Compañeros de Juego del Sto. Niño, at the hotel lobby.
Exhibit opening and blessing
The San Diego Dance Company
The Marco Polo Plaza also continues its traditional SUGBUSOG, with this year’s theme “Suroy Suroy sab ta sa Marco Polo” For lunch or dinner, delight in a sumptuous selection of Cebuano heritage cuisine, featuring the culinary treasures of Cebu’s famous municipalities in the south: Dumanjug, Ronda, Carcar, Argao, Boljoon, Oslob and Santander.
Have your fill of all time Cebuano food favorites like lechon (this time, it’s Carcar lechon, arguably Cebu’s best tasting!), kinilaw, pusit (squid) and other seafood fare, as well as afritada, inun-onan, sinanduloy, guso, lato, and more. Talented restaurateur and guest chef Jessica Avila also shares well-loved family recipes for traditional Cebuano fiesta dishes. Ms. Avila has been the food consultant at Marco Polo Plaza Cebu for almost four years. As an icon of Cebuano cuisine, she has graciously contributed her expertise and extensive knowledge in Cebuano dishes, food styling and events to help make Cebuano food festivals at the Marco Polo culinary triumphs. Imagine tasty treats such as biko, humba, budbud, bagoong and a lot more. All these on top of the regular international buffet favorites at Cafe Marco.
Check how familiar you are with Cebuano food by trying to label all the dishes that appear below..
Drooling?
Make this week a truly festive affair! Go up and celebrate Sinulog 2012 at Cebu City’s only five-star hotel, the Marco Polo Plaza Cebu. For inquiries and reservations, call 253111 loc 8249 or email mpplaza@marcopolohotels.com
2010 saw the birth of Libotero.com which initially featured family trips around Luzon from the previous years. I’ve always had the passion for travel but was limited by my fear of travelling alone. June 2010 marked a breakthrough as I embarked on my first solo trip ever, and to Mindanao at that. From that point up to the end of last year, I was able to visit 5 new provinces in Visayas and Mindanao.
There are various reasons for travelling. As for myself, I’ve always been inspired by these travel shows on television and wanted to personally experience the places away from home, to discover a colorful mix of cultures in different settings, and more.
Travel has shaped me. It made me realize that life can also be about doing things you love, and not just about things you’re supposed to love. This blog is a reflection of how I live the dream and I’d like to grab a few lines from a song, “Believe in the dream, believe in the promise, that you can be all that you wanted to be…”
And so, for the final part of this Year-Ender series, I share to you a round-up of my travels and lifestyle gigs for the festive -ber months!
September 2 – Asian Food Festival at the Marco Polo Plaza – Cebu City’s finest, Marco Polo Plaza launched its weeklong Asian Food Festival at the Cafe Marco as part of its monthly Culinary Journeys. They welcomed back one of the country’s top celebrity chefs, Chef Gene Gonzales (whom they also commissioned during last year’s Pinoy! Pinoy! Food Festival), along with his son Chef Gino Gonzalez. Their comeback in Cebu featured a collection of treasured recipes highlightingo the flavors of the East. The squid ink maki was flavorfully awesome!
September 26 – A brief hop to Manila – Manila was already placed under Signal Number 1 because of the approaching Typhoon Pedring, but I didn’t allow it to cancel my trip. Thankfully, my noontime flight went on schedule and the flight was smooth all-throughout. As we landed though, heavy rain started to pour and we were inconvenienced because the aircraft just parked at the tarmac, so we had to go down the stairs and take the bus. We reached the terminal building only to find out that the escalator wasn’t functioning! Hassle! NAIA, worst airport! LOL. When I got my luggage, I quickly proceeded to the taxi bay and instructed the driver to bring me to Eurotel Las Pinas where I was staying for the night. This trip was meant purely for shopping and I did that for the whole afternoon. I then learned that Manila was already under Signal Number 2. After dinner, I was already idle and Don and Fitz, who live nearby texted if I was available for coffee. I replied yes ofcourse. A few minutes later, they picked me up at the lobby of the hotel and drove to Starbucks in BF. The weather was deteriorating further! It wasn’t raining that much but the winds, I heard them sing, shout, howl, and we were seated outdoors! Bam! Tarpaulin stands of the adjacent establishment fell just beside where Don was seated. So we decided to move to a vacant table inside. After some chit-chats, we called it a day, but before Don and Fitz brought me back to Eurotel, they gave me a short tour of the Las Piñas side of BF Homes. Thank you so much guys for being so accommodating while I was in your territory. See you again next year! At around 12am, I already fell asleep but it got cut short because of the very disturbing sound of strong winds! For the unholiest hours of 2-4am, I went to the lobby to observe nature’s wrath. With a few trees and street posts falling down, and GI sheets flying around, I was worried that my flight to Cebu on the evening of September 27 would be cancelled. I thank God that it wasn’t. Our flight proceeded on schedule, but I really felt the low winds as we took off from the ground. It was really unstable, you know, that feeling when you’re trying to fly a kite for the first time but at the same time, it was very surreal seeing the night skyline of Metro Manila during a typhoon.
October
October 14-17 – Masskara Festival Weekend – This is my third visit to Bacolod, and my second Masskara Festival. When I first visited Bacolod and Negros Occidental August last year, I immediately fell in love because the people were so warm, the food is so good and it is very easy to go around given the very established bus network. This third visit, however, was made more special because I donated an amount to support Barangay 17′s production. Barangay 17 is supported by blogger friend Byahilo Enrico Dee because the choreographer, Sir Bhoyet, is his friend. Seeing how they were very passionate and hands-on with the production, especially with how they sourced the indigenous materials for their masks from all over the country (e.g. from rolls of cloth at Divisoria, to brass bells in Lake Sebu, to banig in Samar, to beads in Cebu, and more!), I was really inspired to help them out in my own little ways. The Masskara Festival 2011 was an overwhelming success and I really got teary-eyed when the group was announced as the 1st runner-up and Best in Choreography as I really saw the burning passion, when I witnessed their final dress rehearsals and ofcourse the grand performance itself. The Masskara Festival is one of my favorite festivals in the country because it is all just pure fun. I like the fact that we were still able to get transportation back to our hotels immediately after the performances at the plaza were over. It was tiring, but not so, and definitely very enjoyable and heart-pumping! I will be back next year!
October 20 – IBM presents proposal for a smarter Cebu – After 3 weeks in Cebu, six senior IBM leaders from the United States, in cooperation with the Metro Cebu Development Coordinating Board (MCDCB), announced the completion of an operational framework project towards an integrated development process, particularly highlighting urban planning and traffic management for Cebu. Present during the event was Governor Gwen Garcia thanked IBM as public-private partnerships like this will help ensure a greener and an integrated Metro Cebu.
October 21 – Krispy Kreme Press Launch – The confectionery goodness that Krispy Kreme bought when they first arrived in the country in 2006 is on the move. Half a decade and 23 stores after it opened its pioneer store in Bonifacio Global City, the world’s favorite doughnut is now going national as it turns on the Hotlight switch in the Queen City of the South, Cebu. A day before their grand opening of not just one, but two outlets in Cebu, members of the Cebu media got to taste all their doughnuts, Pull-Aparts, Kruffins, coffee and other blended drinks ahead of the general public and ofcourse we got to ask questions to Krispy Kreme executives relevant to their expansion in Cebu.
October 21 – Think Pink Cocktails at Ayala Center Cebu – Every October, Ayala Center Cebu presents Think Pink, an annual month-long celebration of breast cancer awareness. This practice has already been awarded the top prize in the community relations–marketing category of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) Awards. And ending such a colorful month is Think Pink Cocktails, this time featuring MYMP. Shoppers who bought tickets got to enjoy sumptuous food and entertainment. The best thing about it is that the proceeds of the event immediately go to ICanServe Foundation.
October 23 – Blake LIVE at The Terraces – In its tradition of providing world-class entertainment, Ayala Center Cebu brought in town the Classical British Award-Winning boy band Blake. The band was in the Philippines for a series of shows at the Ayala Malls. Their mall shows kicked off at the Greenbelt 5, they also performed in Alabang Town Center. Finally, they culminated their mini-concert series in Cebu. Honestly, I’m not really a fan of classical music but Blake made me open my eyes and appreciate the genre.
October 24 – Coffee Dream meets The Universe – In a very eventful evening, Coffee Dream founder and president and proud Cebuano Glenn Soco, was joined by two globally-significant personalities, Shamcey Supsup, Miss Universe 2011 third-runner up and Kenneth Cobonpue, world-famous for his renowned furniture creations, to formally open Coffee Dream’s latest branch and launch the 15th anniversary of the brand. Cobonpue mentored industrial design students in upgrading the look and feel of the coffee shop. The new branch in Banawa features new set of furniture, new colors and an expanded menu. For the first time, Coffee Dream will be offering premium wines and beer with additional food items to complement the experience. Soco explained that the concept was to enhance the “third place” definition of Filipinos as part of Coffee Dream’s effort to be adaptive to the needs and wants of the community.
October 28 – Hello Lion City! – In an unexpected turn of events, dad was relocated from Manila to Singapore due to the operational requirements of the company he is working in. For that, mom and I decided to visit him on the last week of October to see how he’s been adjusting and coping. On the other hand, our visit also served as a “dry run” for our longer visit with the whole family on December! LOL. Singapore gave me a good first impression. It is very clean, organized and well thought-of! Gawd, it’s easy to say, hard to do but I hope the Philippines was as organized as Singapore. Among the places we visited and experienced are the MRT, buses, food, VivoCity, Cable Car, Sentosa Island, Marina Bay Sands Skypark, Boat Quay, Orchard Road and Merlion Park, among others. We also paid a visit to a family friend’s family, that’s already relocated in Singapore. Within our week-long visit, we also transferred from an HDB, where dad originally stayed with his officemates, to his very own condo unit.
November
November 15 – Lapu-Lapu City Tourism Night – As part of the Virgen de la Regla festivities, the Lapu-Lapu City Government held its annual Tourism Night to celebrate the togetherness among the tourism players in the island. In her message, Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza expressed her appreciation on the efforts and alliance of private tourism stakeholders and the city government. She admitted that tourism is a very important economic driver of the city.
November 18 – French Food Festival at the Marco Polo Plaza – A creative showcase of typical and popular French cheeses and breads, seafood and meat entrees such as Supions aux Artichauts (octopus with artichokes and savory walnut cream), Bouillabaisse (rich Provencal fish stew), Traditional Chicken Coq au Vin, Quiche Lorraine (bacon pie), and Ratatouille (Provencal stewed vegetables), topped off with portions of delectable French crepes and desserts like Le Millefeuille and Saint-Honore (cream puffs), Regal Chocolat (bitter chocolate sponge soaked in vanilla syrup), Paris-Brest and Crepes Suzette. We experienced that and more at Marco Polo Plaza’s French Food Festival. Master-Cheesemaker Richard Poirier graced the occasion to explain each type of cheese served. Among the highlights of the annual French Food Festival is the Soiree Beaujolais, Cebu’s grandest wine festival, and this year the event was even made more colorful and exciting as Marco Polo Plaza brought in directly from Paris, the CanCan Girls.
November 18 – SM Hypermarket Cebu serves most number of bibingka! – The final round of the SM Hypermarket’s Supersized Challenges was held at the SM Hypermarket in Subangdaku, Mandaue. The previous ones were Iloilo’s Batchoy Challenge, which produced 1,862 servings of the beloved noodle dish; Batangas’ Bulalo Challenge which came up with 522 cups of the beefy broth, and Pampanga’s Sisig Challenge, which produced 1,775 plates of the spicy pulutan favorite. Knowing the Cebuanos’ cheerful fighting spirit, the final round bested all the previous cook-offs as there were at least 2,000 plates of bibingka served! At the end of the day, two groups were proclaimed as winners. The Best Tasting Bibingka was awarded to the Alang-Alang Group with a very high average score of 93.33%. Meanwhile, the Most Number of Plates Served was awarded to the Mandauenian’s Group for serving 391 plates of bibingka. Each winning group got P25,000 worth of SM Gift Certificates and a plaque of recognition from SM Hypermarket.
November 18 – Resort-Living at Hanaya! – AboitizLand introduced to members of the Cebu Bloggers’ Society and SkyscraperCity Cebu, Hanaya, the first resort-inspired mid-rise residential community in Canduman, Mandaue City. With 70% of its area dedicated to open spaces, well-thought-of wide living areas, first-rate amenities, lush gardens and pools, future residents, or vecinos as how AboitizLand calls them, will definitely enjoy resort-living at its best.
November 22 – Miss Cebu 2012 Candidates’ Press Presentation – Twelve lovely ladies were officially introduced to the media as the candidates for what is arguably the most elegant beauty pageant in the country, Miss Cebu 2012! Organized by the Cebu City Government through the Cebu City Tourism Commission and Cebu City Tourism Foundation, Inc., it is the city’s official search for the most fitting representative and spokesperson of Cebu who does not only possess physical beauty but has a heart as well. Miss Cebu 2012 Coronation Night will be held on January 11, 2012 at the Pacific Grand Ballroom of the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.
November 24 – SumoSam Grand Opening with Marvin Agustin – Although it began ‘soft’ operations last October, SumoSam only formally opened with the presence of two of its young founders, Raymund Magdaluyo and actor-turned-entrepreneur Marvin Agustin. Located at the ground floor of Ayala Center Cebu’s The Terraces, SumoSam’s first franchise in the Visayas included the entry of their Cebu partners Glecy Lopez-Go and Shanna Lopez. Their branch at The Terraces is their first in the Visayas and the biggest in the country so far, with a seating capacity of 120. SumoSam is one of the more popular Japanese food chains in the country today and it is positioned to be “not too expensive but still able to provide quality”, claims Magdaluyo. The menu is very extensive with around 140 items and each one actually has a photo with it so when you’re browsing SumoSam’s menu, you’ll feel as if you’re viewing a photo album. This was done for “people not to be scared of Japanese food”. SumoSam, as the name suggests, is a Japanese-American Restaurant truly reflected by its interior design featuring a unique ambiance of stained wooden planks, textured paints, and colorful light boxes. Playful decor of sumo wrestlers captured in various poses are also a visual treat.
November 24 – Solinea Launching – The country’s top property developer, Ayala Land, Inc., launched Solinea, the first multi-tower development to rise in Cebu Business Park to be undertaken by Alveo Land, together with Cebu Holdings, Inc. Solinea is Alveo’s first multi-tower development in Cebu City, with its theme “city resort living” as its major come-on. The development will be much-like Serendra in Bonifacio Global City. Also on the same night, Ayala Land announced the rebranding of Cebu Business Park and Cebu IT Park (formerly Asiatown IT Park) as a unified Cebu Park District. This marks the company’s efforts to bridge the best of the best in Cebu’s leading growth areas, applying ALI’s best practices in Makati and Bonifacio Global City, here in Cebu!
November 24 – A Tragedy – Carrying a lot of stuff, I felt tired and exhausted after covering two events in a row that I rushed to a taxi going home. When I arrived home, I already felt quite re-energized, and settled the things I brought. I turned on my laptop and started drafting my blog posts about the events. When I completed my draft, I was about to add photos when I realized that I didn’t have my camera with me! I panicked! I called a coffee shop which was my last stop before I went home. They didn’t recover any camera. So I thought, I left it in the taxi! I immediately checked my pockets if I still had the taxi information sheet with me and thank goodness, I didn’t throw it right away. I then texted Ms. Jeanette of Cebu Holdings and Ms. Janra of Ayala Center Cebu at the most untimely hour of midnight to inform them of what happened hoping that they could help in recovering the camera since I rode the taxi at The Terraces of Ayala Center Cebu. They promptly responded that they will be coordinating with the mall’s security team to trace the taxi and hopefully recover the camera. All I could do at that moment was sleep and hope for good news the next day..
November 25 – Life Goes On – With no signs leading to the recovery of my camera, I tried to move on and was already even thinking about buying a new camera. I had two events for the day and it would be so wrong if I’d skip them just because I’m grieving over the loss. In the afternoon, I, together with Fleire, our Membership Committee Head in the Cebu Bloggers Society, spoke before the merchants of Ayala Center Cebu in their annual Merchants’ Meeting. The Ayala Center Cebu management holds this annual event to celebrate their accolades with their tenants and recognize the best performing, and most improved tenants of the year. Before the event, I really did not know what to expect and what I’d be talking about since I’ve never been put into a panel discussion before so I was literally trembling when our names were called to be on stage. Basically, Fleire and I shared our experiences as bloggers and social media practitioners and how they could basically tap the digital platform to further widen their horizons. I’d like to thank Ms. Janra and Ms. Mikmik for this opportunity to speak before the prestigious tenants of Ayala Center Cebu and ofcourse Ms. Joy Polloso, General Manager and Ms. Janice Parreño, Marketing Manager of Ayala Center Cebu. After the event, I approached Ms. Janra to ask if they had any updates regarding my camera and thankfully, the security team of the mall was already tracing the contact details of the taxi operator. The next event was the launching of Marco Polo Plaza’s Festive Season and with me was a good friend, Norman Ymbong of iStorya.net and since I didn’t have my camera with me, I decided to record videos through my iPhone. Cebu City’s finest hotel held its traditional Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony with the presence of veteran broadcaster, Mel Tiangco, chief operating officer of the Kapuso Foundation. The hotel invited benevolent individuals to further give color to the Tree of Hope, a Christmas ball at a time. “Each Christmas ball represents a little donation for the beneficiaries of the Kapuso Foundation…”
November 26 – The Visayas Blogging Summit 2011 – Organized by the Cebu Bloggers Society, the second installment of VBS was held at the SM City Cebu Trade Hall A. The event was an overwhelming success, thanks to the 400+ attendees who ranged from students, professionals, bloggers and media, the speakers and sponsors. Among the highlights of the summit were: #VBS2011 being the 3rd top trending topic in Twitter Philippines for at least three hours; the presence of Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama; the brief visit of four Miss Earth 2011 candidates; and Ms. Gina Lopez’s presentation about syncing online and offline campaigns for social cause. Her talk was definitely the most moving of the day. I really saw how she was so sincere and passionate about what she was fighting for that I shed a few tears after seeing the massive destruction mining has given our forests and our people! YES TO LIFE and NO TO MINING please!
November 27 – Ciudad Project Presentation with the Cebu Bloggers – A very controversial project along the Banilad road, I was glad to have been part of this event so I could be more informed about what the project is really all about and where all the hullabaloo comes from. The Ciudad Cebu is a heritage site, tourist destination and commercial enclave, all-in-one! The main issue here is how it could possibly add up to the heavy traffic along Banilad road, and I guess, political interests, but traffic should not be a reason to block development. The city government should be proactive rather than reactive! Ciudad will definitely create jobs, give tourism a boost, be the first heritage-themed park, add to Cebu City’s hotel rooms, and be another shopping and lifestyle destination so I hope this project really does push through. After all, Mike Rama’s most popular quote is “Together We Make Things Happen” so the traffic problem in Banilad should be addressed immediately so the development along the whole stretch could resume. After the event, we stayed at Y.OU Restobar in One Mango Avenue and to my surprise, my CBSi Family instructed the band to greet me a Happy Birthday by 12 midnight. Awwwe! More power to us CBSi and special thanks to Joanne for the cake!
November 28 – The perfect birthday gift – On this day, I turned 21, and I was very overwhelmed by the greetings offline, and online. The best gift I received on that day would have to be Ms. Janra giving to me the contact numbers of Bernd Taxi for a “surprise”. I was thrilled, so I breathed for a while before I texted the mobile number of the owner. A few minutes after I sent a text message telling my story, my phone rang and the owner of Bernd Taxi was glad to inform me that my camera was with them. We arranged the procedure on how I was going to redeem my camera the next day and was instructed to bring a valid photo ID. Yipee!
November 29 – It is back! – The owner of Bernd Taxi and I agreed to meet at their head office in Talisay for the redemption of my camera. After having lunch in Ayala, I flagged a cab to bring me there. As I arrived, I came across Manong Rico, the driver of the taxi, so I really thanked him for his honesty. He narrated that after I disembarked that night, a set of 4 passengers rode the taxi. He overheard that the passengers saw a camera on the floor and they even planned to bring the camera home! But Manong Rico told them to surrender the camera as the owner might go after him. If he knew that it was my camera, he would have sent it back to home but he was unsure since he said he turned on all the lights before I disembarked so I could check if I left any belongings behind. Admittedly, I was really stressed and distracted last night, so I did not bother to check and quickly got off the taxi. The next day, he already surrendered the camera to their head office. We had to wait for the owner for the proper handling and redemption procedure. As soon as he arrived, we went inside his office and talked about their humble taxi company. Bernd Taxi was established a few years ago starting with only one taxi unit. Now, they have more than 20 units! The owner shared that it isn’t the first time a passenger has left something in their taxi units. When passengers do leave some items behind, most of the time they’re IDs, passports and other documents and they really go to the head office to retrieve this important official documents. Occasionally, cellphones are also left behind but most of the time, the owners do not make an effort to retrieve them anymore. The owner says that passengers might not be expecting for their cellphones to be returned and nowadays, cellphones are “disposable” gadgets. He even went further by saying that he believes 90% of his drivers are honest as there are some occasions wherein a driver will be sporting a new phone or gadget. If his judgment tells him that there is no way the driver can afford such gadget, he will talk to the driver in the most diplomatic way possible. Anyway, the owner made me write my own affidavit stating that I have redeemed my camera in good working condition on November 28, 2011, with my signature above my name. They also asked for my ID to be scanned for documentation. After the process, I handed over an envelope to Manong Rico as a simple thank you. Once again, I’d like to thank Bernd Taxi, Manong Rico, and Ayala Center Cebu because my camera is my most precious gadget. Since I was a child, I have always been passionate about photography, and now, I don’t think I’ll be inspired to write this year-ender series if not for the colorful photos I have taken this year. Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!
November 30 – SinjinForever21- Good friends, headed by Ethy and Greg, organized a very out-of-this world 21st birthday party for me. Edd, Achi, Doyzkie, Norman, Angeli, JP, Wilbur, Ron, Raprap, Shakey, Nowi, Nayki, Shimer, Mommy X, Greg, Ethy, Bryan and I (special thanks to Reymond and Yuki for dropping by), had a simple but very satisfying dinner at The Ranch in Banilad. And then, this part which I really did not expect happened. One-by-one, all of them gave me a sash. On these cute pink sashes, they wrote how their impression about me or what they thought about me as a person and a friend. Then, they gave me red roses. It was as if they were crowning me in a pageant, LOL. Thank you guys for this very novel and amusing idea! I hope you’ll all stay the same. Friends forever!
December
December 9 – Best Cebu Blogs Awards – I was very honored to have been proclaimed as one of Cebu’s most famous bloggers. This was determined through Facebook likes over a period of two months. Thank you so much to you my readers for always supporting Libotero and ofcourse the judges, and the organizers of the Best Cebu Blogs Awards. Congratulations to a friend and co-CBSi member Mark, one of the co-nominees of Libotero in the travel category for bringing home the Best Travel Blog award! Little recognitions like these is what fuels us bloggers to continue with what our doing and give it our all. Thank you!
* photo courtesy of VUDU Cebu December 10 – Gengs Christmas Party and Iced Out – X, Ethy, Norman, Jean, Dinnah, Melda and I held our simple Christmas Party at The Veranda in Banilad. I swear, the shrimp sauteed in garlic and olive oil is to die for! The night was even made more eventful with the total lunar eclipse! After we exchanged our gifts, we headed to VUDU for Iced Out. Cebu’s nightlife institution was transformed into an ice wonderland, with free-flowing booze!
* photo courtesy of Buboy Tapia December 12 – Hotel Elizabeth turns 1 – With Ayala Center Cebu just a three-minute walk away, Hotel Elizabeth couldn’t be in a better location. The hotel, designed by socialite Tessa Prieto-Valdez, celebrated its first anniversary. Before the program, bloggers and guests were given a tour of the hotel’s rooms. I noticed that the rooms were really elegant, stylish and homey. To top that, the room rates are very reasonable! During the program, the hotel thanked their partners, suppliers, and guests for being hand-in-hand with them during their first year of operations. The hotel is managed by the Fernando family who owns the Fersal group of Hotels and Inns. Elizabeth is named after the family matriarch who was present along with her daughter for the event. The event was also graced by Governor Gwen Garcia and Mayor Mike Rama, who entertained the crowd with his singing. At the end of the night, dozens of overnight stays were given away! Congratulations and more power, Hotel Elizabeth!
* photo courtesy of Doi December 14 – PTB Bagets at Casa Verde – Have been invited to several PTB Bagets Cebu Meet-ups in the past but I was unable to dropby since I was always unavailable but I finally had the chance to meet THE PTB Bagets. Some PTB Bagets from Luzon and Mindanao spent a few days to explore the beaches in Cebu, and while I wasn’t able to join them out-of-town, I was able to meet them when they returned from Bantayan. It felt good to be with people of the same “age” who shared the same interest and passion in travelling! Nice meeting Carla, George and Belle, Mr. Lakbay Pilipino, Chin Chan, Brenna, Ivan, Andrew and ofcourse, it was good to see you again, Mica, Robbie, Renz, Dylan, and Doi and Edcel, whom I only get to see when there are regional blogging summits or visiting bloggers from other regions, LOL!
December 19-present – Family Holidays in Singapore – This is it! Our third international destination as a family and our first time ever to spend the holidays away from home! While I’ll be posting most of the details in another series, here’s a rundown of what we’ve done so far. On December 19, we arrived in Singapore before midnight aboard Cebu Pacific. December 20, we experienced the Christmas light-up along Orchard Road. December 21, we presented ourselves at the Employment Pass Services Centre to register for a dependant’s pass. We then proceeded to explore Boat Quay, Merlion Park, Marina Bay and ended the night with Marina Bay Sands’ Light and Water Spectacular show. December 23, we did some Christmas shopping while Orchard Road was flooded. December 24, even more Christmas shopping at Mustafa Centre, Bugis Street and Bugis Junction. December 25, attended Christmas Mass, had lunch at The Asian Kitchen in NEX, proceeded to VivoCity for some shopping and explored Sentosa Island’s Siloso Beach. December 26, we paid a visit to Singapore Zoo. December 28, we spent the whole day at Universal Studios Singapore and had more shopping at VivoCity. December 29, we crossed borders and spent an afternoon in Johor Bahru Malaysia. Yesterday, December 30, we explored the Singapore Botanic Gardens and shopped for New Year at Orchard Road (again!).. And tonight, we are going to be part of the biggest Countdown Party in Singapore at the Marina Bay, wooohooo!
At 21, I am still young and the world is waiting for me. The start of the year was quite a blur since I did not know what to do until after graduation. Now, I am sure that I will pursue travelling all around the country and all around Asia until I get tired of it. Hopefully, we could explore even more places and experience more thangs next year!
To my real-life friends, blogger friends, online friends, to the companies/PR agencies who invited me and Cebu Bloggers Society members to your events, to all my blog readers, to my haters (LOL!), to my family and to God Almighty, thank you so much for the YEAR 2011! It was a roller coaster ride of a year which gave me a bucketful of learnings and realizations which have transformed me into who I am, a stronger person that will be facing the New Year 2012 ahead!
LET’S TANGO THIS 2012! HAVE A GREAT YEAR AHEAD EVERYONE!!!
2010 saw the birth of Libotero.com which initially featured family trips around Luzon from the previous years. I’ve always had the passion for travel but was limited by my fear of travelling alone. June 2010 marked a breakthrough as I embarked on my first solo trip ever, and to Mindanao at that. From that point up to the end of last year, I was able to visit 5 new provinces in Visayas and Mindanao.
There are various reasons for travelling. As for myself, I’ve always been inspired by these travel shows on television and wanted to personally experience the places away from home, to discover a colorful mix of cultures in different settings, and more.
Travel has shaped me. It made me realize that life can also be about doing things you love, and not just about things you’re supposed to love. This blog is a reflection of how I live the dream and I’d like to grab a few lines from a song, “Believe in the dream, believe in the promise, that you can be all that you wanted to be…”
And so, for the 3rd part of this Year-Ender series, I share to you a round-up of my travels and lifestyle gigs for the 3rd quarter of 2011 (EDIT: Actually September isn’t included in this post. Read why at the end of the page).
July 1 – Kawasaki Leisure Bikes’ Roadgasmic Bikers’ Party 2011 – Kawasaki Motors Philippines landed in Cebu City, taking center stage at Luxx, Vudu for the Kawasaki Leisure Bikes’ Roadgasmic Bikers’ Party 2011. Launched during the 80s themed event were the new Kawasaki KSR 110, Ninja 250R, Vulcan 900, Ninja 650 & Ninja ZX-10R leisure bikes. Vrooom!
July 2 – Hoops Dome Launching – Boxing Champ Manny Pacquiao spearheaded the launching of the 4,000 square meter, world-class Hoops Dome in Gun-ob Lapu-Lapu City by serenading the Oponganons through a free concert with the MP band and singer-composer Lito Camo. The celebration was one of the highlights of the 50th charter anniversary of the city.
July 8 – Oyster Bay Treat – Select Cebu bloggers were invited by Oyster Bay Restaurant to a dinner featuring their delectable seafood offerings. Oyster Bay offers a wide selection of live and fresh fish, crabs and lobsters cooked into delightful dishes. Or you may also choose from Filipino favorites like lechon kawali, bicol express, crispy pata and more! (The Baked Diwal is a must-try!!)
July 9 – The Country Style Fashion Show at Ayala Center Cebu – Shoppers were made to relive and experience the fashion of the American West with “The Country Style Fashion Show”, one of the activities prepared by Ayala Center Cebu as part of the Fil-Am Friendship Celebration. The audience was blown away as models strutted in style wearing items from some of the well-loved stores/boutiques that participated.
July 11 – Sabores de España at Marco Polo Plaza Cebu – Select Cebu bloggers were made to experience another installment of Marco Polo Plaza’s much-loved culinary journey – Sabores de Espana! The Spanish food festival showcased once more the very best that Spain has to offer. Last July 8, Spanish dances, live guitar music and giant ham & paellas jumpstarted the festival at the lobby of Marco Polo Plaza with passionate displays and flamboyant colors. The occasion was be graced by His Excellency Jorge Domecq, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain to the Philippines.
July 14 – Ambassador’s Cafe Experience – Just a few steps away from Oyster Bay Restaurant at Bridges Town Square Mandaue is Ambassador’s Cafe. Select Cebu bloggers were invited to taste their set continental meals and breads. Interestingly, incorporated with the dining area is a “pasalubong” center. Try their pumpkin soup!
July 16 – Gensan once more! – Exactly a year after I first stepped on the SOCCSKSARGEN region, I am back, to experience the T’Nalak Festival 2011 and explore even more areas in the region.
July 17 – Hello Sultan Kudarat! – I believe one of my greatest achievements as a traveler this year is having been able to visit Sultan Kudarat. Only a few people from Luzon and Visayas dare to visit this place because of fear, caused by bad national media publicity. When I texted my parents that I was en route to Sultan Kudarat, the replies were expected. “Is it safe there?”, “Are you kidding? You might be kidnapped!”. “We can’t afford for ransom money” and the like. I was actually fearful myself but the only way to know what is actually going on in there is to go there, so I did. And here is a photo of their majestic Provincial Capitol, probably the best in the country, in terms of form and function. Sadly though, I wasn’t able to explore much of Isulan and Tacurong as it rained just moments after I captured some shots of the Capitol building, but I definitely won’t think twice about visiting the place again in the near future. After my brief visit, I returned to Koronadal for lunch at Fitmart Mall of Marbel (now Gaisano Grand Koronadal) and then attended Kuya Avel and Sir Ariel Lalisan’s Blogging 101 talk. As the talk ended, we explored the streets of Koronadal and visited the Agro-Industrial Fair and the Bahay-Kubo Competition, which are among the highlights of the T’Nalak Festival. While exploring, we bumped into Lake Sebu Mayor Antonio Fungan and had a photo-opp! Feeling a li’l bit tired and hungry, we walked to Popoy’s Batchoy and Eatery, arguably Koronadal’s best! It was getting dark already and we had to catch the last bus bound for General Santos but before that, we grabbed some sweet corn at Rizal Park! Travel time from Koronadal to General Santos takes about an hour. As we arrived at Kuya Avel’s home, we freshened up and rested for a few minutes before having dinner at Tiongson Arcade in Lagao. I swear, the Pinaputok na Tilapia is a must-try! (How many times did I use the word must-try in this post?!) I thought the night was over as we burped after dinner but then, we headed to SunCity Complex for videoke and some drinks at Music City Family KTV, which has 12 private rooms equipped with wide flat screens, two microphones and an updated songlist! High-tech!
July 18 – T’Nalak Festival 2011 – After the Kadayawan Festival last year, this is only the second festival in Mindanao that I’ve experienced and having been to several festivals all over the country, I can say that the T’Nalak Festival has its own charm. Mostly participated by teenage school-children, the festival portrays the very colorful culture in the province. Aside from drum beats, also prominent in the festival is the use of gongs and “kulintang”. The festival celebrates the T’boli’s dream cloth, the T’Nalak.
July 19 – The other side of Sarangani – Last year, I got to explore the eastern towns of Alabel, Malapatan and Glan in Saragani. This time, I explored the western side, thanks to Kuya Avel who made it easier for me by coordinating with Sir Arlex, the tourism officer of the municipality of Maitum. Passing by Maasim and Kiamba, travel time from General Santos takes at least two hours on air-conditioned vans (GT Express). Ranked as a second class municipality, my tour started at the municipal museum and when I reached the second floor, I was very amazed by some unique-looking jars bearing human face and form. Nearly 2000 years old, the anthropomorphic jars recovered from some caves in Maitum serve a very important role in retracing and recovering our country’s once rich cultural heritage. From the municipal hall, Sir Arlex brought me to the Pawikan Nesting Sanctuary in Old Poblacion where I got to meet Danilo Dequiña, a very determined simple man who saved thousands of hatchlings! He helped the local government establish the sanctuary. Along the way, I got to see the black stones in Saub River from where the town got its name. We then proceeded to witness the making of Maitum’s most popular product, which is specially marinated half-dried flying fish (bangsi). After the short eco-cultural tour, Sir Arlex brought me to one of the local households for some refreshments. Interacting with the locals really gave me a heartwarming feeling as I got to discover how they go about on their day-to-day living which was very simple considering that internet access in the area is limited and very expensive! (average per hour rate at internet shops in the area is P50). Sir Arlex offered the town’s shining star at the moment, the tourist-drawing White Water Tubing in Pangi River but I declined since I was alone and wasn’t able to bring extra clothes. I will definitely be back for that though. Finally, I rested for a while at the tourism office before catching the last ride back to General Santos.
July 22 – Sitti at Ayala Center Cebu – The Bossa Nova Queen, Sitti, promoted her newest self-titled album, “Sitti” with 8 new tracks and 3 classical remakes in bossa nova flavor at the activity center of Ayala Center Cebu. Photo-ops and CD-signing were done after the show.
July 27 – Make Your Own Havaianas 2011 at SM City Cebu – Now on its sixth year, Make Your Own Havaianas 2011 was held at the Northwing with the theme, “Travel in personalized style”. The whole MYOH area was set to fit the theme, with “boarding passes” given to each guest during the media/VIP night, and waiting lounges featuring Cebuano furniture. Make Your Own Havaianas is an annual event where you take full control on how your pair of Havaianas flip-flops would look like. You can choose from a palette of soles and straps, and set of accessories.
July 28 – Airphil Express launches direct Cebu-Hong Kong flight – I was very privileged to have been handpicked as one of the four Visayas-based bloggers to be part of the inaugural Cebu-Hong Kong flight of Airphil Express. I really did not know what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised as we got in the international terminal as we were greeted with smiling APX crew putting on us an orange orchid necklace. As we moved on to the boarding gate, there was a dragon dance, which made the occasion very festive plus free breakfast buffet for all the maiden flight passengers! After all the speeches and formalities by Airphil Express’ executives, they pulled a piñata shaped as a Chinese lantern which contained a lot of prizes including a round trip ticket for two to the newly-launched destination! Wow! The flight took us almost three hours but we landed in Hong Kong thirty minutes ahead of schedule, a very good start indeed! As soon as we arrived, we proceeded to a room in the Airport World Trade Center for a press briefing with members of the Hong Kong media and also to celebrate the partnership between Airphil Express and its logistics groups and concessionaires in Hong Kong. What’s good about this new offering by Airphil Express is its day schedule so you’d be able to see and appreciate the aerial views of Cebu all the way to Hong Kong. Once more, I’d like to thank Airphil Express for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join an inaugural flight! (P.S. I’m hoping and praying Airphil Express resumes its day flights from Cebu to Singapore!)
August
August 4 – Hello Davao! Hello Abreeza! – One of the highlights of my 3rd time in Davao is a visit to their newest lifestyle destination, Abreeza! Abreeza Mall is the first Ayala Mall in Mindanao, with over 300 stores which include a wide array of retail choices with popular local and foreign fashion concepts, brands opening their first stores in Davao, carefully handpicked dining options and homegrown favorites. The mall showcases relaxed and contemporary architecture blended with signature open spaces and verdant landscaping. Inspired by the rich culture of Davao, the mall makes creative use of color, accenting classic neutral tones. It provides the Davao community with a truly unique and rewarding experience in shopping, dining and entertainment. Don’t laugh at me when I say that the mall is one of the new tourist destinations in the city..
August 6 – Eyeball with Davao Bloggers and SkyscraperCity Davao – Davao is really close to my heart, it’s like another home where I feel light and very secure. I did not prepare any itinerary for this trip as I only wanted to relax and have a few days off from the bustle of my hometown but I took the chance to meet the people who made me appreciate Davao more in their efforts to dispel the Mindanao stereotype, the Davao Bloggers and SkyscraperCity Davao. That day, the Davao Bloggers gathered at Trellis ‘N Vines in Torres for their monthly gathering themed as Geek Up or “skills enhancement” with English Grammar 101 as their topic. Thank you Ate Ria for inviting me to drop by as I learned a few tips to help my writing as well!
Shortly after, I went to Abreeza to meet Jonas, one of SSC-Davao’s active members. For those who don’t know what SSC is, it is actually the largest online forum for those who are enthusiastic about urbanity, progress and development, so if you’re sick and tired of the negative news you see on TV and read on the papers, then log-on to www.skyscrapercity.com and engage in the intellectual discussions! … We then headed to Kuya Ambie’s homey backyard, Landong’s Grill, which hosts regular SSC-Davao meets. After an awesome barbecue dinner, we then proceeded to talk about the latest buzz in Davao at Yellow Hauz and ended the night at the ever-amusing Kasagingan Kapehan!
August 8 – Davao del Norte – Once again, uncooperative weather is a bummer. I was supposed to visit Banana Beach in Tagum but it rained so hard while I was along the way so I had to cancel my plans and just have lunch at the Gaisano Grand Mall in the city. As I returned to Davao City late in the afternoon, I explored Magsaysay Park, a popular area for the locals, to breath some fresh sea breeze. I really appreciate how the Davao City government maintains public parks since these are the only places where majority of our brothers and sisters will be able to unwind without the need to spend a dime.
August 11 – i.We.U. – Marco Polo Plaza Cebu hosted the Networking Lunch for Day 2 of the MICEConvention. Gracing the event was DOT Secretary at that time, Alberto Lim, Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia and Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos. The best of Marco Polo’s food offerings and coffee were served!
August 22 – Welcome to Paradise! – Only the insanely expensive airfare to/from this place prevented me from visiting this island sooner but thanks to Airphil Express’ P88 promo, I was finally able to conquer the island paradise. Please don’t get mad at me when I declare that Boracay is the best beach because for me, it is. I’m not just talking about the beach itself but also the availability of facilities, establishments and other things to do while in the island. Three days and two nights in the island isn’t enough and so I’ll be back next year!
Where’s September? This post, at two thousand words and counting is already very long and I’m sure a lot of you won’t reach this point, lol, so I’m creating another post dedicated for the festive -ber months! Cheers!
2010 saw the birth of Libotero.com which initially featured family trips around Luzon from the previous years. I’ve always had the passion for travel but was limited by my fear of travelling alone. June 2010 marked a breakthrough as I embarked on my first solo trip ever, and to Mindanao at that. From that point up to the end of last year, I was able to visit 5 new provinces in Visayas and Mindanao.
There are various reasons for travelling. As for myself, I’ve always been inspired by these travel shows on television and wanted to personally experience the places away from home, to discover a colorful mix of cultures in different settings, and more.
Travel has shaped me. It made me realize that life can also be about doing things you love, and not just about things you’re supposed to love. This blog is a reflection of how I live the dream and I’d like to grab a few lines from a song, “Believe in the dream, believe in the promise, that you can be all that you wanted to be…”
And so, for this Year-Ender post, I share to you a round-up of my travels and lifestyle gigs for the year 2011. Cheers!
January
January 5 – Balik Cebu 2011 Opens at Ayala Center Cebu – First launched in 2002, the Balik Cebu committee put together activites to help welcome our balikbayans who came home to pay homage to Señor Santo Niño and join in the revelry of the Sinulog festivities.
January 6 – Sto. Niño exhibit opens at Ayala Center Cebu – Kicking off this year’s Fiesta Señor and coinciding with the first day of Novena Masses at the Basilica, Ayala Center Cebu opened its annual Sto. Niño Exhibit at the Exhibit Area 2, between Kamiseta and Celine at the 2nd level of the mall. Consisting of 60 images, the 2011 collection are images that are worshipped and treasured by generations of families, either in Chapels, private altars or in the most sacred places in family homes.
January 7 – Sugbusog Cebuano Food Festival at the Marco Polo Plaza Cebu – The Marco Polo Plaza also relaunched its traditional SUGBUSOG, with this year’s theme “A Culinary Journey to Our Roots.” For lunch or dinner, delight in a sumptuous selection of Cebuano heritage cuisine, featuring the culinary treasures of Cebu’s famous municipalities: Bantayan and Aloguinsan.
January 7 – Sinulog 2011 Opens – It was gloomy the whole afternoon but not even a single drop of rain fell. After a mass at the Pilgrim Center of the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño, Cebu City officials and Sinulog dancers from several schools in Cebu led the colorful opening parade from the basilica to the Cebu City Sports Center
January 8 – Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan – Several schools and local government units from the Province of Cebu colored the route from the Provincial Capitol to Fuente Osmeña, for a showdown at the Cebu City Sports Center. The top 5 of the elementary and secondary divisions, led by San Roque Elementary School and Carcar City Division, were qualified to join the Sinulog 2011 Grand Parade.
January 9 – Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan – Heavy rain during the start of the parade from Plaza Independencia to the Cebu City Sports Center failed to dampen the mood of the participating schools from Cebu City and the crowd on the streets and at the grandstand. Just before the showdown was about to start, the rain abruptly stopped and the sun miraculously shone! At the end of the afternoon, Talamban Elementary School and Abellana National School brought home the crown for the elementary and secondary divisions, respectively.
January 10 – BUYanihan launched in Cebu – BUYanihan, the pioneering group buying site in the Philippines, launched in Cebu shores 5 months after its launch in Manila.
January 12 – Miss Cebu 2011 – Mia Zeeba Faridon, a 19-year old mass-communication student from University of the Philippines – Cebu brought home the crown at Miss Cebu 2011, the annual pageant that picks the most fitting representative of Cebu from among a dozen of hopefuls.
January 13 – Sinulog Festival Queen Photoshoot and Presentation of Costumes at SM City Cebu – 20 lead dancers from various contingents posed for the official photos of the Sinulog Foundation. Two special awards, Miss SM and Miss Photogenic were given to Lumad Basakanon’s Steffi Rose Aberasturi.
January 14 – Sinulog Festival Queen 2011 – The search for the Sinulog Festival Queen aims to look for the best female lead dancer based on how they carry themselves as they carry the image of the Sto. Niño while they dance. This year’s staging had the most number of participants so far at 20.
January 15 – Sinulog Pyrofest at SM City Cebu – Eight participating fireworks manufacturers from all over the country showcased their best products and practices at the 3rd Sinulog Pyrofest. DSS Fireworks from Dumaguete City was adjudged as the best group of the evening.
January 16 – Sinulog 2011 Grand Parade – It was my 3rd year to hit the streets for the Sinulog Grand Parade and this year’s was the rainiest one I’ve experienced so far! But nonetheless, the uncooperative weather was not able to disrupt the parade but instead, it heightened the mood as everyone was ready to get down and wet. The rainy Sinulog attracted 3.5 million revelers!
January 21 – Children’s Hour Relaunch – Presidential sister Elena (Ballsy) Aquino – Cruz led the relaunch of Children’s Hour Cebu as guest of honor and keynote speaker at the program held at the Cebu City Marriott Hotel.
February
February 20 – Imperial Palace Waterpark Resort and Spa – This 5-star resort is located only 10 minutes away from where I live in Lapu-Lapu City but it was only the second time I was able to visit and stay in the resort, this time, with my family.
March
March 5 – 1016 Residences Launching – Ayala Land Premier’s first highrise development in the South was formally launched to the general public through a show featuring the works of world-class Cebuano fashion and interior designers.
March 15 – Media Huddle with Rex Mendoza and tour of 1016 Residences and Sedona Parc showrooms – Cebu Media discusses wealth management with Ayala Land’s Senior Vice President of Corporate Sales and Marketing and financial expert himself, Rex Mendoza. Afterwards, we were then toured to the showrooms of Ayala Land Premier’s 1016 Residences and Alveo Land’s Sedona Parc.
March 15 – Mr. Lapu-Lapu 2011 Press Presentation – The first ever search for Mr. Lapu-Lapu is not only a search for the man with the ultimate beauty, brains and body. The chosen one will have a very heavy role of being a modern day hero.
March 28 – Earth Hour at SM City Cebu – SM City Cebu’s Earth Hour 60+ Celebration was led by Cebu City Mayor himself, Michael Rama and Marissa Fernan, Vice President of SM Prime Holdings, Inc. The event was marked by a prayer for the tsunami and earthquake victims in Japan, the Commitment Wall, and fire-dance presentations.
On a local level, this has been a trending topic on social networking sites for the past few days! Finally, Krispy Kreme is now open in Cebu!
The confectionery goodness that Krispy Kreme bought when they first arrived in the country in 2006 is on the move.
Half a decade and 23 stores after it opened its pioneer store in Bonifacio Global City, the world’s favorite doughnut is now going national as it turns on the Hotlight switch in the Queen City of the South, CEBU!
In celebration of its 5th year in the country, Krispy Kreme is expanding its reach beyond Luzon, all in the name of satisfying the palates of the discriminating doughnut aficionados in Cebu.
The doughnuts we all love!
“We’re pleased and proud to unveil the very first Krispy Kreme branch in Cebu,” begins Mark Gamboa, Marketing Manager of Krispy Kreme Philippines, at the Krispy Kreme Cebu media launch held yesterday. “More importantly, Krispy Kreme is very excited for having the opportunity to finally respond to the growing clamor for the brand in Cebu.”
Debuting at the Active Zone of Ayala Center Cebu, which is situtated at the heart of the Cebu Business Park Superblock, the opening of the store in one of the country’s recognized regional hubs not only answers the great demand for the brand here but also marks several milestones for the brand.
“The Cebu opening marks several milestones for the brand,” shares Gamboa. “Aside from it being the brand’s pioneer nationwide footprint and its first store outside of Luzon, it’s also our first store in Cebu, and our 25th store in the country- all in time to celebrate half a decade of being in the country.” (Krispy Kreme first established its presence in the Philippines, November 30, 2006 with the opening of its piooner outlet at Bonifacio Global City).
Krispy Kreme Baked Creations.
To complete the Krispy Kreme Cebu experience, the brand will be opening a second branch immediately after its initial premier – a Hotlight store at the Cebu IT Park, at the ground floor of the Asia Premier Residences (in between i1 and i2 buildings). Dubbed as the ‘doughnut theatre,’, expect the factory store to serve the brand’s world famous, melt-in-your-mouth, Original Glazed doughnuts hot and fresh.
Krispy Kreme’s better and brighter look.
The Cebu stores will also be the first in the country to sport the brand’s new look worldwide. A new and more modern take on the Krispy Kreme signage, a fresher and more cheerful look is the beginning of Krispy Kreme’s move to upgrade the overall appearance of all the stores nationwide. Krispy Kreme’s new look makes it a cozier place to enjoy all of their doughnuts, baked creations, coffee, Chillers and other products.
Ms. Carolyn Salud – Krispy Kreme Philippines managing director
There are a lot of frequently asked questions about Krispy Kreme Philippines and we had the opportunity to channel them to Ms. Carolyn Salud – Krispy Kreme Philippines managing director, Mr. Peter King – Vice President, Asia Pacific at Krispy Kreme and Mr. Anson Markle – Manager, International Franchise Operations at Krispy Kreme, and here are some of them:
(sitting): Mr. Anson Markle – Manager, International Franchise Operations at Krispy Kreme, (standing): Mr. Peter King – Vice President, Asia Pacific at Krispy Kreme
How bullish are you about the Philippine market?
- We’re looking at opening 5-6 stores a year. Growth in the Philippines has been steady.
Is Krispy Kreme open for franchising?
- No, the development deal for the franchise was awarded to the Real American Doughnut Company, Inc., a company owned and operated by the Max’s Group of Companies.
What is your biggest Asian market?
- In terms of sales, Japan is the biggest. Shanghai is fast-growing while we’re just opening in Indonesia.
How established is your presence worldwide?
- We currently have around 700-800 stores in 21 countries with new ones opening every week.
Service with a smile.
What is the edge of the Philippine market over your other markets?
- For the Philippines, we’re proud to have one of the best customer service and quality of product.
Where did Krispy Kreme originate?
- The first Krispy Kreme store opened on July 13, 1937 at Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
In areas where you are already established, which is the most promising?
- Mexico is fastest growing in terms of sales.
How confident are you with the Cebu market?
- We are very, very confident. We have great looking stores and we hope that Cebuanos will be able to understand and appreciate the brand.
Do you look at Asia-Pacific as your most important market?
- We are looking at a major-expansion in the Asia-Pacific region although our stores in Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, The UK and Mexico are doing very well. For Thailand, we just have 2 stores and we’re looking at opening two more within six months. For Japan, we’ve just had a contract to open 72 stores within the next five years. Our Cebu IT Park branch will be the 26th branch in the Philippines. Another one at SM Cebu will be opening within the next three months.
Where will the next Krispy Kreme stores in the Philippines open?
- We’re currently looking at the Davao market. For 2012, we’re currently looking at opening in Davao, then south of Manila at Alabang Town Center, Nuvali and SM Bacoor.
Krispy Kreme Snickers Classic Doughnut.
Do you adjust your products to the flavors and taste of the local market?
- Our basic range of products is the same. We do have a research and development group responsible for looking into the flavors and innovation. For the Philippines, we’ve had special products such as the Green Lantern and Clash of the Titans doughnuts, among others.
What are your considerations before opening in a certain area?
- We look at the demographics, the socio-economic profile. We do market-mapping and ofcourse, the availability of prime space. For instance, we believe that our IT Park outlet is in a fantastic location.
How much is the investment for a Krispy Kreme store?
- For a fresh store, like this one in Ayala, it’s usually P10-15 million. For the factory store, like in IT Park, where we basically have our machines, P20 million.
Why are you opening three Cebu stores all within three months?
- We’ve wanted to be in Cebu for a very long time so we’re opening in three different locations to tap different markets. Ayala, for the lifestyle shoppers, IT Park for the working segment, and soon SM, since basically everyone goes there.
What are your best-performing stores in the Philippines?
- The top three would have to be our stores in Bonifacio Global City, Mall of Asia and Greenhills, where we have a drive-through store.
Do you think sales in your Manila branches will be affected with your opening in Cebu?
- No. Well perhaps, our Mall of Asia store since its the closest to the airport, but the very minimal loss will be offset by the opening of our Cebu stores as there are direct flights to/from almost every destination in Visayas-Mindanao!
Enjoy Krispy Kreme’s distinct confectionery goodness by grabbing a box of the brand’s delightful creations NOW!
Cebuanos! Mga ka-libots from all over Visayas and Mindanao! Mark your calendars! The country’s very Krispy Kreme store beyond Luzon shores is opening this Saturday, October 22, at the Ayala Active Zone!
One of the country’s most loved brands, Krispy Kreme is about to celebrate its 5th year in the country, and what better way to do it than to expand its reach all the way to Cebu.
“We’ve heard a lot of clamor about Krispy Kreme going to Cebu and that’s why we decided to finally expand south of the Philippines, just in time for our fifth year anniversary,” explains Mark Gamboa, Marketing Manager for Krispy Kreme Philippines. “We’ve decided that the best way to celebrate the brand’s 5 years of success is to answer consumer demand for the brand,” he adds.
The opportunity to expand nationwide is dovetailed with the chance to celebrate several milestones for the brand–the opening of its 25th store and celebrating the brand’s fifth year in the Philippines. What better way to highlight these achievements than by opening in one of the country’s recognized regional hubs?
To complete the Krispy Kreme Cebu experience, the brand will also be opening a hotlight store after the debut of its first branch. Dubbed as the ‘doughnut theatre,’ expect the factory store to serve the brand’s world famous, melt-in-your-mouth, Original Glazed doughnuts hot and fresh.
In true Krispy Kreme tradition, the very first person in line to pick up a box of doughnuts gets a year-long supply of the brand’s Original Glazed and their Signature Coffee. Additionally, the 2nd person to ring the cash register wins six months’ worth of the same treats while the third placer still has something to look forward to as he will be enjoying 3 months’ worth of Krispy Kreme’s famous creations. Moreover, the 4th to 100th buyers don’t have any reason to be sour as they will all be treated to a month’s worth of Krispy Kreme Original Glazed doughnuts. (supply is one dozen, per week)
