In line with the promotion of tourism in the Philippines, place your favorite tourist destination in the country. :cheers:

as much as I'd love to, I've never been to all too many places in the Philipines. it's my parents who get to make all the decisions, so... as far as I can remember, I've been to a few places in Subic/Clark, Cavite, and Cebu. Never been to Boracay or Baguio. but if ever I get the chance, my first pick would be Amanpulo in Palawan... Manila itself is quite fun, but it can get a bit hectic after a while...

My favorite destination in the Philippines? There are two. Boracay and Tagaytay. I especially love the beaches in Boracay, and the foods in the Talipapa are just sumptuous. The nightlife is also pretty cool there. In Tagaytay, I love it there because it lets you forget your problems. The cold weather, the food, everything. It's a great weekend destination, I must say. :D

baguio, its soo tidy!!!

El Nido Resorts Lagen Island

http://www.ntu.edu.sg/home2003/tu0001es/el%20nido/lagen_640.jpg

A private picnic lunch in a secluded island

http://www.ntu.edu.sg/home2003/tu0001es/el%20nido/picnic_640.jpg

Snake Island

http://www.ntu.edu.sg/home2003/tu0001es/el%20nido/snake_640.jpg

Snorkelling in El Nido's Clear Waters

http://www.ntu.edu.sg/home2003/tu0001es/el%20nido/snorkelling_640.jpg

--------------------------
photos from http://www.elnidoresorts.com

I feel very lucky to have parents who come from spectacular places. I consider their birthplaces two of my favorite scenic sites in our country. My father is from Vigan and my mother is from Cebu City. Other places that place well in my list are Baguio, Tagaytay, Bohol and Palawan.

Btw, I enjoyed looking at the pictures ^^^ above. Makes me feel like coming back soon.

If only we can maximize our resources and earn cash and honor out of it (tourist destinations)...

whoa!!! that's where TAR5 is going for it's last stop!!! sweet!! who cares if NAIA-1 puts us to shame. the resort looks so nice in those pictures...

damn, el nido is so beautiful.....

The only "touristy" place I've been to is Baguio City. Good enough for me! :)

the best weekend destination is probably Subic. Tagaytay is just too boring. well it really depends on your liking.

those pics are so Beautiful,if you were to just show them to someone,(who wasnt aware of the Phils. delights etc. etc.)someone say from....a middle class suburb in London for example,they would think it was Thailand or Indonesia,(i've had "similar" experiences...) Not the Philippines,which reminds me that the country is still a bit of a secret,(which is kind of fun)

anyway,Ive been to Baguio but was only there for about 2 hours *cry*,Cebu and Boracay(yeah,loads of people say i,but its hard not to love,And the Visayas as a whole i love),went to Davao 5 years back it felt "different",in the way that i can barely explain.

Where I wanna go... :)

Banaue Rice Terraces

http://www.ntu.edu.sg/home2003/tu0001es/Ifugao/banaue1.bmp

the best weekend destination is probably Subic. Tagaytay is just too boring. well it really depends on your liking.


yeah.. there's not much to do at Tagaytay. Casino lang.

wOw , our country is really BEAUTIFUL!!!

Wow, I gotta go back and check it out some day!

Nice El Nido pics.

wow , The islands here in The Philippines are truly hidden gems. Is it more expensive to go there for holidays compared to Bali or Phuket.?

wow , The islands here in The Philippines are truly hidden gems. Is it more expensive to go there for holidays compared to Bali or Phuket.?

yeah.... I believe so. or at least over phuket. which is why so many people, even local filipinos, go to thailand or indonesia or whatever instead. but absolutely nothing can beat a summer vacation at boracay or el nido or a trip to the rice terraces or baguio. just stunning. haven't been to any of those, but I for sure will before I die... haha...!

damn... those water/beaches are sooo clear and awesome!! philippines is a true hidden paradise!

one thing good about those beaches is that not a lot of people go there. actually i'd like some of the destinations to stay that way.

i have to visit the Banaue Rice Terraces someday.

yeah.. there's not much to do at Tagaytay. Casino lang.
ahhhm, wala nga masyado. Tahimik kc masyado dun. horseback riding na lan cgro.:D

Taal Lake

http://www.ntu.edu.sg/home2003/tu0001es/TAGAYTAY_0024.jpg

shit what a photo :) gives that scary feeling, somewhat like you're in a different planet.

ang dilim naman niyan. Pero Tagaytay talaga,nakaka relax ang tayo ddon.Tahimik kasi.May mga taong gusto rin ng tahimik para magkaroon ng peace of mind.

My wife and I love to visit The Philippines every year or two from Canada. Here is a picture I took of her at White Beach on Marinduque. We love Marinduque: Quiet, friendly, cheap and great scenery.

The Philippines in general is in my opinion, the most underrated destinations in Asia and undisputed as the friendliest place in the world. Just lacking a good airport to welcome tourists though!

http://www.robtrent.com/photos/beach.jpg

Thats really nice, Robville. Glad you like visiting the Philippines. Yeah, we do lack good airports. We are still waiting for the opening of NAIA Terminal 3 in Manila. I'm guessing you have seen it when you were in Manila. Its just that it is finished but deserted.

What other places in the Philippines have you visited?

btw, I'm a Canadian Resident. I'll be moving to Vancouver next year;)

whoa!!! that's where TAR5 is going for it's last stop!!! sweet!! who cares if NAIA-1 puts us to shame. the resort looks so nice in those pictures...

Wow thats awesome!! El Nido is indeed beautiful. TAR5 will really promote the country. Its really spectacular!:eek:

Yep, saw the new empty terminal. I'm arriving there in Dec. of this year, maybe open by then?

Other spots I have travelled to include Baguio, Tagaytay/Taal, Calatigan and of course the vibrant Metro Manila.

This coming trip we are visiting Cebu and possibly Vigan.

Here is a shot of another of our favorite destinations. Villa Escudero.

http://www.robtrent.com/photos/ViEsc.jpg

I love Fort Bonifacio. Hope it will become a top tourist destination. :cheers:



http://www.geocities.com/rmb_com/145325.jpg

Taken from www.emporis.com

If anything, Fort Bonifacio Global City will become a business tourist destination in the future;)

where is Villa Escudero again? Is it in Laguna?

....BGC tourist attraction? well first you need an attraction there. the american cemetery? maybe..

well Makati cbd is quite an attraction now. so BGC might become similar too.

well Makati cbd is quite an attraction now. so BGC might become similar too.

well BGC needs the malls and outdoor eating spots. i don't think the CBD is the attraction, but more of Ayala Center and Greenbelt.

What other malls are planned in BGC aside from Market!Market! ?

CBDs are an attraction...for bussinessmen!! and they do officially count as tourists.

CBDs are an attraction...for bussinessmen!! and they do officially count as tourists.

i think most of us were thinking of tourists like robville's wife here. (g'day btw)
http://www.robtrent.com/photos/ViEsc.jpg

and the ones wearing a polo shirt, shorts and sunglasses ;)

yes, thats true as we immediately think of that when the word tourist comes up. But actually, businessmen who travel also count as tourists.

Here are pics from my trip last Dec...


Guimaras

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v333/RICEISGOOD/philippines04/MomsCamera354.jpg


Inactive volcano ~ Tagaytay

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v333/RICEISGOOD/philippines04/pi2.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v333/RICEISGOOD/philippines04/pi3.jpg

taken from @lumpia's signature

http://www.ntu.edu.sg/home2003/tu0001es/sagada.jpg

:eek2: :eek2: :eek2:

i've heard wonderful stories about sagada. i should visit that place one of these days.

Sagada.. heard a lot about it. where is it and what's its main attraction? is it those hanging coffins?

Sagada is in the Mountain Province within the Cordillera Region, about 8 hours drive from Alabang.

Sagada is one of those places which has so much potential for tourism but lacks the infrastructure, and worse, public will to improve. The last time I was there was February this year and most of the road starting from Benguet was barely finished. Most of the structures in the town center and in areas surrounding rice terraces are nondescript hollow block/bubong-na-yero types, absolutely no character at all, and made haphazardly. Oddly, the locals aren't friendly, barely a smile when you greet them. But the most damaging thing I saw was the total lack of respect for the environment, both cultural and physical. When I visited one of the caves with coffins, it was extremely evident that some were opened, and a few of those who were there at the same time I was even attempted to open some themselves! What are these people thinking disrespecting the dead that way? And there was no one local, no security whatsoever, who could tell them to do otherwise so I went ahead and told them off myself.

At another cave meant for spelunking, I was shocked how the guides lead the cavers through. Formations that took 100s of thousands of years to form were being nonchalantly handled, pools that had formed were being waded into and made into cleaning areas. Absolutely tragic. No proper safety procedures followed, basta bara-bara na lang. It's enough to make one lose hope, if not for the crisp, clean air (which would be disturbed every so often by those god-awful smoke belching diesel engine jeepneys) and fantastic mountain views. I hope someone in charge would rally the locals to make it even better for them as well as outsiders.

Here are pics from my trip last Dec...


Guimaras

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v333/RICEISGOOD/philippines04/MomsCamera354.jpg


Inactive volcano ~ Tagaytay

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v333/RICEISGOOD/philippines04/pi2.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v333/RICEISGOOD/philippines04/pi3.jpg


Nice pics....haven't been in guimaras before. What is lyk out there? :cheers:

To say the least, it's pretty laid back. Excellent mangoes as the island is full of mangroves. There are resorts all throughout there so I guess you have to know which one to go. The one I was at was unlively. It's also rumored the island is home to witches. :eek:

Taken last August 28 at Tagaytay Picnic Grove.
Could have been better if there was no fog.

http://www.geocities.com/aaron_ofngol/tagaytay_pano.txt

A private picnic lunch in a secluded island
http://www.ntu.edu.sg/home2003/tu0001es/el%20nido/picnic_640.jpg

As advertised in the DOT's Wow Philippines ad campaign. ;)

there's always fog in Tagaytay, on a normal day that is... besides the lower temperatures i find it boring there

I love those rock formations on the sea...add chrystal blue waters and white sandy beaches. Its really beautiful.:cool:

Just want to share with you my Boracay trip from last year.

Boracay Slideshow (http://www.montinola.org/pics/gallery/slideshow.php?set_albumName=Boracay)

I suggest you put the delay to 5 seconds to appreciate more of the pictures. The default is 3 seconds which is too fast but I can't change it.

wow, we know quite well how rich & beautiful our country is, & my favorite wud hav to be my unspoiled hometown bohol!!!

1 chocolate hills- carmen town
2 white sand uncrowded beaches of panglao
3 excellent diving sites at balicasag island
4 dolphin show at pamilacan island
5 hinagdanan cave in dauis
6 tarsier sanctuary- corella
7 loboc-river cruise & hometown of the world renowned loboc children's choir\
8 baclayon- oldest stone churh
9 preserved ancestral houses
10 tagbilaran city-

hay, wala akong pics... just look at them thru d net.

Here are pics from my trip last Dec...

Inactive volcano ~ Tagaytay

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v333/RICEISGOOD/philippines04/pi2.jpg



let me correct this... Taal Volcano is still an active volcano....:D

my favorite Philippine tourist destination.. hmm. I would say that it would be Puerto Princesa, Palawan then Puerto Galera in Mindoro.

I'd love to go to El Nido, Hundred Islands, Zamboanga, Bohol (Chocolate Hills), Sagada, Banawe and Mt. Apo in Davao. Baguio is a no-no for me, it has become too crowded...

Here's another well kept secret of the Philippines:

Guimaras, home to some of the sweetest mangoes you'll ever find! :D

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v434/Amadeus_Alpha/guimaras5.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v434/Amadeus_Alpha/guimaras4.jpg
^-The second largest mango plantation in the world.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v434/Amadeus_Alpha/guimaras3.jpg
^-The Siete Pecados

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v434/Amadeus_Alpha/guimaras2.jpg
^-Isla Naburot

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v434/Amadeus_Alpha/guimaras6.jpg
^-A bamboo raft in the white sand beaches of Tatlong Pulo.

Thanks to Iloilo.net for the photos and captions. :)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v434/Amadeus_Alpha/guilogo.gif

have i posted my favorite destinations here?

oh well, here i go
-Intramuros, Roxas Boulevard.
-Subic Bay
-farmlands of Pampanga (relatives, friends' farms etc.)

wish list
-Vigan
-Banaue Rice Terraces
-Cebu City

I'd suggest Pagudpod in Ilocos Norte or Bicol with the majestic view of Mt. Mayon

http://www.aenet.org/mayon/pmaycag3.jpg
http://www.aenet.org/mayon/pmayleg3.jpg
http://www.stormpages.com/mysticwaters/bicol/mayon.jpg

actually i wish that Mt Mayon would one day become a symbol of the country like how Mt. Fuji symbolizes Japan.... it may no longer have a perfect cone, but still Mt. Mayon is still very majestic....

all cool and beautiful pics. tourist destinations? I'll promote Mabini, Batangas again, the beach. hehehe.

ey guys, will be going to baguio next month. My friends and I plan to stay at Manor at John Hay. Is it nice? Worth the price? How many per room? Can some sneak in? We are 4 ..

Gah I just noticed RIG beated me to the punchline in posting Guimaras. Oh well, at least we have it listed in this thread. :D

The Bicol region have scenic places worth a visit or two. I especially loved the view from the observation center on Mt. Mayon, and the black sand (volcanic) beaches surrounding the peninsula. :)

I am going to the Philippines this december, even for two weeks only. I will take tons of pictures for sure. Okay, ang gusto ko lang malaman ay kung ano ang maganda sa cebu pag deciembre? Dahil pupunta ako doon? So, what is good to visit there? I know I can go to Tagbilaran which is close by and see the chocolate hills, which is not that far. What other places can I go, like right in CEBU? I know there is Magellan's cross and stuff, but what other intersting things are there, like secluded beaches or something like scary stuff. When I was still living in the Philippines, I heard that is where are tons and tons of ASWANG? is that true. KATAKOT naman yan!!! Meroon bang manananggal? Baka tangayin naman ako no? Hahaha, siguro sa bigat, bagsak siya!!! I guess that's my safety :) Well, let me know you guys where else I can go in the PHILS. I am planning to go to cebu my second day in the phils. for 2-3 days. Then spend christmas in manila, then visit family in Camarines Norte, Laguna, Batangas, Baguio, Nueva Ecija and Pampanga. So other than those places, where else can I go and what exactly is there in Laguna and Batangas. I think I know alot already about the rest. I want to be out for all my 14 days in the Phils. NO RESTING! Well sige mga kababyan. Hangang sa sususnod!

I am going to the Philippines this december, even for two weeks only. I will take tons of pictures for sure. Okay, ang gusto ko lang malaman ay kung ano ang maganda sa cebu pag deciembre? Dahil pupunta ako doon? So, what is good to visit there? I know I can go to Tagbilaran which is close by and see the chocolate hills, which is not that far. What other places can I go, like right in CEBU? I know there is Magellan's cross and stuff, but what other intersting things are there, like secluded beaches or something like scary stuff. When I was still living in the Philippines, I heard that is where are tons and tons of ASWANG? is that true. KATAKOT naman yan!!! Meroon bang manananggal? Baka tangayin naman ako no? Hahaha, siguro sa bigat, bagsak siya!!! I guess that's my safety :) Well, let me know you guys where else I can go in the PHILS. I am planning to go to cebu my second day in the phils. for 2-3 days. Then spend christmas in manila, then visit family in Camarines Norte, Laguna, Batangas, Baguio, Nueva Ecija and Pampanga. So other than those places, where else can I go and what exactly is there in Laguna and Batangas. I think I know alot already about the rest. I want to be out for all my 14 days in the Phils. NO RESTING! Well sige mga kababyan. Hangang sa sususnod!

If you want spooky stuff and haunted places go to the island of Panay, I've heard a lot of scary and eerie things happening there when I was still a kid. I'm not sure which province you should go visit though, you can pick from Aklan, Antique, Capiz or Iloilo.

Hmm....which leads me to this thought, does the Philippines celebrate Halloween? I know they observe All Sanits/Souls Day (in November), but I wonder if the kids go out "trick-or-treating" on the eve of October 31.

I never did it when i was there, even though i was only there til I was 10, but still, all i know that we do alot for christmas not halloween(didn't even here of it, til i got here, well i think thats what i remember), which they don't do over here in the U.S., is the CAROLS!!! ang dami nag kakantahan sa bahay namin dati. Pag hindi kami nag bigay. Sasabahin nila, "THANK YOU THANK YOU, ANG BABARAT NINYO, THANK YOU!!!" haa haa, that was funneee! well, that's what they say, but I paputok them with my labintador...haa haa JK only. Thanks KIRETOCE. OOOOO PANAY, sounds scary already..hee hee...jk..... well, I should just explore cebu. Oh yeah, what else is in Iloilo? Well let me know.

The Philippines is the third largest English speaking country in the world. It has a rich history combining Asian, European, and American influences. Prior to Spanish colonization in 1521, the Filipinos had a rich culture and were trading with the Chinese and the Japanese. Spain's colonization brought about the construction of Intamuros in 1571, a "Walled City" comprised of European buildings and churches, replicated in different parts of the archipelago. In 1898, after 350 years and 300 rebellions, the Filipinos, with leaders like Jose Rizal and Emilio Aguinaldo, succeeded in winning their independence.

In 1898, the Philippines became the first and only colony of the United States. Following the Philippine-American War, the United States brought widespread education to the islands. Filipinos fought alongside Americans during World War II, particularly at the famous battle of Bataan and Corregidor which delayed Japanese advance and saved Australia. They then waged a guerilla war against the Japanese from 1941 to 1945. The Philippines regained its independence in 1946.

Filipinos are a freedom-loving people, having waged two peaceful, bloodless revolutions against what were perceived as corrupt regimes. The Philippines is a vibrant democracy, as evidenced by 12 English national newspapers, 7 national television stations, hundreds of cable TV stations, and 2,000 radio stations.

Filipinos are a fun-loving people. Throughout the islands, there are fiestas celebrated everyday and foreign guests are always welcome to their homes.





DID YOU KNOW ?

Trivia


The exotic jeepney is a post-war creation inspired by the GI jeeps that the American soldiers brought to the country in the 1940s. Enterprising Filipinos salvaged the surplus engines and came out unique vehicles of art.


Short distance and feeder trips could not be more exciting than via Philippine quick transports – the tricycle, a motorcycle with a sidecar, and the pedicab, a bicycle with a sidecar.


The world’s longest underground river system accessible to man can be found at the St. Paul National Park in the province of Palawan.


The largest Philippine wild animal, the tamaraw, is a species of the buffalo that is similar to the carabao. It is found only in the island of Mindoro.


The highest mountain in the Philippines is Mt. Apo, a dormant volcano found in Mindanao, at 2,954 meters (9,689 feet). Mt. Pulog in Luzon is the second highest at 2,928 meters (9604 feet).


Filipino bowler Rafael "Paeng" Nepomuceno was the first bowler to be elevated to the International Bowling Hall of Fame based in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. The Philippine Congress has named him “Greatest Filipino Athlete of All Time.”


Philippine National Hero and writer Jose Rizal could read and write at age 2. He grew up to speak more than 20 languages, including Latin, Greek, German, French, and Chinese. What were his last words? "Consummatum est!" ("It is done!")


The largest city in the Philippines is Davao City. With an area of 2,211 sq. km., it is about three times the size of the national capital, Metro Manila.


Cebu is the oldest Philippine city.


Negros Occidental has the most cities among Philippine provinces.


Filipinos celebrate the world’s longest religious holiday. The Christmas season begins on September 1st, as chillier winds and Christmas carols start filling the air, and ends on the first week of January, during the Feast of the Three Kings.


Paskuhan Village in the province of Pampanga is Asia’s only Christmas theme park and the third of its kind in the world.


The great Christmans lanterns of San Fernando, Pampanga can reach as big as 40 feet in diameter, using as many as 16,000 glowing bulbs.


The exotic jeepney is the Filipino version of the jitney, the taxi/minibus that travels along a fixed route, found in many countries.


The popular toy, the yoyo, was invented by 16th century hunters in the Philippines.


The word "boondocks," which is now a part of the English language, dictionary, and vocabulary, comes from the Tagalog word "bundok," meaning "mountain."


The Philippines became the first Asian country to win FIVE major international beauty pageant crowns — two for Miss Universe, in 1969 and 1973, and three for Miss International, in 1965, 1970, and 1979.


Diving paradise Anilao, in the province of Batangas, is the theme of a picture book that bagged the International Prize for Underwater Images at the 27th World Festival of Underwater Images in France in November 2000. “Anilao" book creators and Filipino scuba divers Scott Tuason and Eduardo Cu Unjieng defeated big names in underwater photography such as Jacques Mayol, Pascal Kobeh, Monique Walker, and Alessandro Tommasi.


The biggest game preserve and wildlife sanctuary in the Philippines is located on Calauit Island in Palawan, which has the largest land area among the Philippine provinces.


The antibiotic erythromycin — used to treat a wide variety of bacterial infections, such as respiratory tract infections, middle ear infections, and skin infections — was created by Filipino scientist Abelardo Aguilar, and has earned American drug giant Eli Lilly billions of dollars. Neither Aguilar nor the Philippine government received royalties.


Fernando Amorsolo was officially the first National Artist of the Philippines. He was given the distinction of National Artist for Painting in 1972.


Philippines Herald war journalist Carlos P. Romulo was the first Asian to win a Pulitzer Prize in Journalism in 1942. He was also aide-de-camp to General Douglas MacArthur in World War II; Philippine resident commissioner in the U.S. Congress from 1944-46; and the first Asian to become UN President in 1949.


The largest fish in the world, the Whale Shark, locally known as Butanding, regularly swims to the Philippine waters.


The world’s shortest and lightest freshwater fish is the dwarf pygmy goby (Pandaka Pygmaea), a colorless and nearly transparent species found in the streams and lakes of Luzon. Males have an average length of 8.7 mm. and weigh 4-5 mg.


On January 18, 1995, Pope John Paul II offered mass to an estimated 4 to 5 million people at Luneta Park, Manila, Philippines, making it to the Guiness Book of World Records for the Biggest Papal Crowd.


The Philippine Madrigal Singers bagged the 1997 European Choral Grand Prix, the choral olympics of the world’s best choirs. The group, being the only Asian choir, bested five regional champions from all over Europe, earning them the title as the "world’s best choir."


There are 12,000 or so species of seashells in the Philippines. The Conus Gloriamaris or "Glory of the Sea" is the rarest and most expensive in the world.


Of the 500 known coral species in the world, 488 are found in the Philippines.


Of the eight species of marine turtles worldwide, five are reported to be found in the Philippines: the Green Turtle, Hawkbill, Leatherback, Olive Ridley, and Loggerhead.


Of the eight known species of giant clams in the world, seven are found in the Philippines.


The Basilica of San Sebastian is the only steel church in Asia and was the second building to be made out of steel, next to the Eiffel Tower in Paris.


The largest bell in Asia hangs at the belfry of the 221-year old Panay Church. It is 7 feet in diameter and 7 feet in height, and weighs 10.4 tons. Its tolling can be heard as far as 8 km. away. It was casted from 70 sacks of coins donated by the townspeople as a manifestation of faith and thanksgiving.


The World Cup, which was instituted in 1965, is contested annually by the national champions of the Federation Internationale des Quilleurs (FIQ). The highest number of wins is 4, by Filipino bowler Rafael “Paeng” Nepomuceno: 1976, 1980, 1992, and 1996.


Filipino Eriberto N. Gonzales Jr. consumed 350 chilis in 3 minutes at the annual Magayon Festival chili-eating contest held at Penaranda Park, Legazpi, Albay on May 27, 1999, making it to the Guiness Book of World Records for the most chilis eaten.


The longest possible eclipse of the Sun is 7 min. 31 sec. The longest eclipse in recent times took place west of the Philippines on June 20, 1995, lasting for 7 min. 8 sec.


Camiguin province holds the distinction of having the most number of volcanoes per square kilometer than any other island on earth. It is also the only place in the Philippines which has more volcanoes (7) than towns (5).


The 900 sq m Relief Map of Mindanao in Dapitan City was personally done by Dr. Jose Rizal. It was used as a device for teaching history and geography to townsfolk.


The Zamboanga Golf Course and Beach Park was founded in 1910 by Gov. John Pershing. It is one of the oldest golf courses in the Philippines.


Isabela City is the youngest city in the region. It was only on March 5, 2001 that the Municipality of Isabela, Province of Basilan was converted into a component city Through RA 9023. On April 25, 2001, Isabeleños ratified the new status of Isabela.


The Kinabayo is an exotic and colorful pageant re-enacting the Spanish-Moorish Wars, particularly the Battle of Covadonga where the Spanish forces under General Pelagio took their last stand against the Saracens. They were able to reverse the tide of war with the miraculous apparition of St. James, the Apostle. A Kinabayo Festival is celebrated every July in Dapitan City, attracting thousands of tourists to the city.


The altar at the Holy Rosary Cathedral in Dipolog City was designed by Dr. Jose Rizal. The Cathedral was erected by the Spanish friars sometime in 1895, before Dipolog City became a municipality.


The Rizal Shrine in Dapitan City is the original estate of Dr. Jose Rizal which he acquired by purchase during his exile in Dapitan from 1892 to 1896.


RA 8973 signed by then President Joseph E. Estrada in February 2001 created the province of Zamboanga Sibugay. A total of sixteen municipalities compose this newest province in the Zamboanga Peninsula.


Magat Dam is Asia’s biggest dam project at the time of its construction. It serves the primary function of power generation and irrigation.


The Cagayan River or Rio Grande de Cagayan is the Philippines’ mightiest watercourse – the longest and widest river in the country. Small streams originating form Balete Pass, Cordillera, Caraballo and Sierra Madre Mountains meet other streams and rivers and flow to the Cagayan River.


Magapit Suspension Bridge is the first of its kind in Asia. It spans the Cagayan River at Lallo and is 0.76 kilometers long. The hanging bridge links the first and second districts of Cagayan going towards the Ilocos Region via the scenic Patapat Road on the Ilocos Norte-Cagayan Inter-Provincial national highway.


Angono Petroglyphs – This cultural heritage site dates back to circa 3000 B.C. and is the most ancient Filipino, or more aptly, prehistoric Filipino work of art. Besides being the country’s oldest “work of art” it also offers us an evocative glimpse into the life of our ancestors. The site has been included in the World Inventory of Rock Art under the auspices of UNESCO, ICCROM and ICOMOS and nominated as one of the “100 Most Endangered Sites of the World.


PANCIT HABHAB (Lucban)-Made from rice flour, these local noodles acquired its name and developed its unique attraction by the way it is eaten. Otherwise known as Pancit Lucban, these noodles are hawked in the streets and served on a piece of banana leaf, sans fork or any other utensils. Thus, it is eaten straight from the leaf, licking permitted... "habhab"-style.



Tagala - the Philippines first Filipino-Spanish dictionary which was printed in 1613, 25 years older than the first book printed in the United States.


Mayon is the most beautiful mountain I have ever seen, the world-renowned Fujiyama (Mt. Fuji) of Japan sinking into perfect insignificance by comparison. British traveler-writer A. Henry Savage Landor


Ilo-Ilo golf and country club is the oldest golf club in the Philippines. It was built at 1908 by Irish Engineers.


Limasawa Island – where Ferdinand Magellan first landed in the Philippines which give way to the discovery of the Philippines and where the first mass was celebrated.


San Juanico Strait - said to be the narrowest yet the most navigable strait in the world


Calbiga Cave – The Philippines’ biggest karst formations and one of the largest in Asia, the 2,968-hectare cave system is composed of 12 caves with wide underground spaces, unique rock formations and sub-terranean watercourse.


At the Immaculate Conception Cathedral can be found the only existing pipe organ in Mindanao. The 2nd largest pipe organ in the Phiippines. The huge instrument took 2 years to built and was brought over by sea from Germany in 23 crates.


Cagayan de Oro City - “The City of Golden Friendship,” known for its warm people and old-fashioned hospitality


Mt. Apo, the Philippines highest mountain at 10,311 feet above sea level, and considered as the “Grand-father of all Philippine Mountains”


Lake Lanao is the second largest lake in the Philippines, probably the deepest in the country and is considered one of the major tropical lakes in Southeastern Asia. The lake is home of endemic cryprinids, the species found only in the lake and nowhere else in the world.


Halo-Halo! Halo-halo literally means, "mix-mix". And its is just that: a mixture of sweetened fruits and beans, lavished with pinipig (crisp flattened rice flakes), sugar and milk, topped by crushed ice and ice cream. You know its summertime when halo-halo stand start sprouting by the roadside and by the beach, all whipping up their heavenly concoctions of such a refreshingly divine dessert. You can make your own by selecting and mixing your ingredients to make a perfect Halo-Halo. Halo-Halo is uniquely, unforgettably Filipino!



KALESA - The kalesa or karitela is a horse-driven carriage that was introduced during the 18th century. It was used by Spanish officials and the nobles as a means of transportation. The Ilustrados, the rich Filipinos who had their own businesses, used the kalesa not only for traveling but as a means a means of transporting their goods as well.



BAKYA-Made primarily of lightwood (laniti and santol trees), it is sculpted with a slope and shaved to a smooth finish, then painted with floral designs or varnished to a high sheen. The upper portions, which are made of rubber or transparent plastic, are fastened to the sides by thumb nails called "clavitos". The bakya industry prospered during the 1930s when the Filipinos began exporting these to the other countries.



SORBETES-This sweet treat was concocted in the early 1920's, a time where a single centavo could buy you almost anything. The process of this ice cream making and selling it in carts with colorful designs is still the same. Back in the old days, these ice cream dealers bred their own cows and milked them with their own hands to ensure the freshness and sanitation of the milk needed to make the "dirty ice cream".



Waling Waling Orchids - With some 800 to 1,000 species of orchids, the Philippines has one of the richest orchid floras in the world. Philippine orchids come in an amazing array of shapes, sizes and colors. Most grow only in old-growth forest, often on branches of huge trees dozens of meters above the forest floor.


Maria Teresa Calderon – A Filipina World champion speed reader as listed in the Guinness Book of World Records


In the Philippines, Filipinos were introduced to the English language in 1762 by British invaders, not Americans. Philippines is the world's 3rd largest English-speaking nation, next to the USA and the UK.


The Philippine Basketball Association is Asia's premier and the world's second oldest professional league.


Philippine Airlines took to the skies on March 15, 1941, using a Beech Model 18 aircraft amid the specter of a global war. It became Asia's first airline.


The world's largest pearl was discovered by a Filipino diver in a giant Tridacna (mollusk) under the Palawan Sea in 1934. Known as the "Pearl of Lao-Tzu", the gem weighs 14 pounds and measures 9 1/2 inches long and 5 1/2 inches in diameter. As of May 1984, it was valued at US$42 million. It is believed to be 600 years old.


Alto Broadcasting System (ABS) Channel 3, the first television station in the country, went on the air in 1953.


The world's second deepest spot underwater is in the Philippines. This spot, about 34,440 feet (10,497 meters) below the sea level, is known as the Philippine Deep or the Mindanao Trench. The Philippine Deep is in the floor of the Philippine Sea. The German ship Emden first plumbed the trench in 1927.


The symbolic name for the Philippines, Juan dela Cruz, is not a Filipino invention? It was coined by R. McCulloch-Dick, a Scottish-born journalist working for the Manila Times in the early 1900s, after discovering it was the most common name in blotters.


Lipa City in Batangas is dubbed as the “Rome of the Philippines” because of the number of seminaries, convents, monasteries, retreat houses, and a famous cathedral located in it.


Compostela Valley is known to be laden with gold, thus earning the monicker “Golden Valley of Mindanao”


Basilica of St. Martin de Tours in Taal, Batangas built by Augustinian Missionaries in 1572, is reputed to be the biggest catholic church in East Asia. It is so huge that it can house another big church


Kibungan is known as the “Switzerland of Bengued” because of the frost during the cold months


The Delmonte Pineapple Plantation in Bukidnon is considered to be the biggest in the far east


Both Tridacna gigas, one of the world's largest shells, and Pisidum, the world's tiniest shell, can be found under Philippine waters. Tridacna gigas grows as large as one meter in length and weighs 600 pounds while Pisidum is less than 1 millimeter long. A shell called glory of the sea (Connus gloriamaris) is also found in the Philippines and considered as one of the most expensive shells in the world.


Seahorses are small saltwater fish belonging to the Syngnathidae family (order Gasterosteiformes), which also includes pipefish and sea dragons. Most seahorse species, probably the most peculiar creatures in the water, live in the Coral Triangle. There are at least 50 known seahorse species in the world. They inhabit temperate and tropical waters but most of them are concentrated in the warm coastal waters of the Philippines.


Donsol, a fishing town in Sorsogon province, serves as a sanctuary to a group of 40 whale sharks (Rhincodon typus), which are considered as the largest fish in the world. Locally known as "butanding", whale sharks visit the waters of Donsol from November to May. They travel across the oceans but nowhere else have they been sighted in a larger group than in the waters of Sorsogon. They measure between 18 to 35 feet in length and weigh about 20 tons.


The Philippines is home to some of the world's most exotic birds.
One of the most endangered species is the exotic Kalangay or the Philippine cockatoo (Cacatua haematuropygia), which belongs to Psittacidae or the family of parrots. Some cockatoos can live up to 50 years. They are known for mimicking human voices. Most of them measure 33 centimeters in length and weigh 0.29 kilogram.



Palawan bearcat is neither a bear nor a cat. Known in Southeast Asia as binturong, the bearcat is a species of its own, with population in the forests of Palawan, Borneo, Burma and Vietnam. It belongs to the family of Viverridae (civets). The Palawan bearcat has a long body and a pointed face leading to the nose. Its head and body measure 61 to 96 centimeters in combined length while its tail is almost as long. It weighs 9 to 14 kilograms and lives up to 20 years.



Calamian Deer - Calamian Islands, north of Palawan province, keep a species of deer that cannot be found elsewhere. Scientists referred to the hog deer in the islands as Calamian deer in order to distinguish them from other hog deer in the world. An ordinary Calamian deer measures 105 to 115 centimeters in length and 60 to 65 centimeters high at the shoulder and weighs about 36 to 50 kilograms. It is said to have longer and darker legs, compared with other hog deer.


World's Smallest Hoofed Mammal - South of Palawan, lies the Balabac Island, home of the world's smallest hoofed mammal - the Philippine mouse deer. Locally known as Pilandok (Tragalus nigricans), this ruminant stands only about 40 centimeters at the shoulder level.



Flying Lemur - One of the most distinct creatures on Earth lives in the Philippines. It doesn't have wings but it can glide across 100 meters of space in a single leap. Like the lemurs of Asia, it moves around at night. Its head resembles that of a dog while its body has similarities with the flying squirrel of Canada.
In Mindanao, people call it "kagwang". Around the world, it is known as colugo or the flying lemur.


Did you know that the first four cities of Metropolitan Manila are: Manila, Quezon, Pasay and Caloocan



The flagpole located in Rizal Park, is where the starts of 0 kilometer reading in measuring all distances from Manila.


Quezon City is the second biggest city in the Philippines.



The Bonifacio Monument in Monumento, Caloocan City was designed by a noted Filipino sculptor Guillermo Tolentino

interesting information. took me quite a while to read the ones the caught my eye:D

eNoZaNeWoR, visiting the old fort in Cebu City might be good, haven't been there myself. but i doubt Batangas and Laguna will lack places to visit. just ask your relatives there. they would know where to take balikbayans.

hey men, ang haba non ha! nways, thanks for sharing that to us! INformative article!u

@kiretoce - Halloween is not celebrated here in the Philippines like the trick or treat things... except by the American wannabes.... maybe lately just masquerade parties by some but not generally celebrated... All Saint's Day is celebrated here as Araw ng mga Patay or Undas where we go to the cemetery to visit the dead (and party in the cemetery.. hahahah)

@enoz - according to some there are still "Aswangs" here specially on the island of Panay... but if there are still some.. they no longer terrorize the people... so you don't need to worry... :D if you need to worry is worry on being extorted by the NPA...

HAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHH!!!! tinatakot nga ako nang kapatid ko na baka yun ang gawin sakin...eh!!! Well, also baka daw kidnapin ako....sabi ko naman, mas natatakot lalo ako sa MANANANGAL!!!! i have faith in people, and I don't think that's not gonna happen to me, its not like i'm rich....i'm poor! poor = colllege students in america (TONS AND TONS of loans!!!) i bet by the end of my 4-5 years of college, I'll have 18,000 dollars in utang!!!! (1,012,500 pesos!!!!)

http://www.collider.bnl.gov/rudy/jpeg/palawan.jpg

http://people.hofstra.edu/faculty/jason_d_williams/images/palawan.jpg

http://www.nicephore.be/images/palawan-big.jpg

how does the inside of the cave looks like? it seems sooo dark but cool.

i haven't seen any pictures of it yet... hehehe... but if i'm not mistaken, is the "world’s longest underground river system accessible to man" as what the above article/trivia said. :)

gaganda naman ng mga places dito sa Pinas talaga. sana marating ko lahat yan. :)

South Koreans revive Dos Palmas Resort
Posted: 1:32 PM | Sept. 19, 2004

Mynardo Macaraig
Agence France-Presse

ARRECEFFI, Palawan--With neat, thatched-roof cottages perched on stilts above crystal-clear water and white sandy beaches, Dos Palmas is a picture of tranquility.

Located on this tiny outcrop off the coast of Palawan island in the western Philippines it was once the favorite haunt of the local elite.

But paradise was lost three years ago when a group of Al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf gunmen raided the resort and seized 20 tourists including three Americans in an attack that stunned the nation and sent the country's tourism industry into a tailspin.

A speed boat carried off the terrified hostages across the Sulu Sea to Basilan Island some 580 kilometers (360 miles) to the southeast, where many of the Filipino hostages were ransomed off after protracted negotiations.

But two of the Americans died in captivity and the third was recovered more than a year later in a military operation.

For the 48-room resort the attack crippled business and forced Dos Palmas to close its doors towards the end of 2001 for six months.

Three years on, the tiny resort has sprung back to life thanks mainly to South Koreans chasing the sun and the sand.

Management noticed that while most other foreigners shunned the Philippines after the Abu Sayyaf raid, it did not deter the South Koreans.

"Before the Abu Sayyaf attack, Dos Palmas never marketed itself abroad," says resort marketing manager Leeds Trompeta.

"We found the foreign market, especially the South Koreans, were less susceptible to those [terrorism] concerns."

When the resort reopened in March 2002, it was repackaged for the Asian market.

More than 1,500 South Koreans checked in last year, and their number topped 1,300 in the first seven months of 2004, making up as much as 70 percent of its patrons.

The Koreans know little about the May 2001 kidnapping. But they don't seem to be bothered by it either.

Schoolteacher Soo Jin Song, 26, who was thrilled by the scuba-diving, fishing and sojourns to surrounding small islets, laughs: "It's no problem to me. It happens everywhere."

"I have been to Bintang, Indonesia but Dos Palmas is better," she says.

"Korea is also dangerous," comments vacationing housewife Jung Yoon Hee, 40. After all, hostile North Korea lies just across the border back home, she notes.

Trompeta says the resort now has the same occupancy levels as before the Abu Sayyaf raid.

Lotte Tours, a South Korean travel agency, began offering a charter package out of Seoul in June via the national flag carrier Philippine Airlines. The flights land on Puerto Princesa, a 50-minute boat ride away.

A 1,100-dollar package buys a tourist three days of fun in the tropical resort.

The charter flights boosted Dos Palmas occupancy rates to 90 percent in the normally lean months of July and August, Trompeta says. Charter flights resume in January.

He said gross profits should rise 42.8 percent from 2003 to about 100 million pesos this year.

The Asian tourists are attracted by Dos Palmas' atmosphere of an exclusive beach resort seemingly located in the middle of the ocean although it is competitively priced and quite accessible, Trompeta says.

A guest on average spends 250 dollars for a three-day stay at the 24-hectare (59.3-acre) island.

The resort has its own power plant, waste-treatment facilities and desalination plant. Security has been discreetly beefed up to avoid a repeat of the kidnappings.

Watchtowers and a multi-million-dollar radar system check for any unauthorized boats in the area.

A cadre of Marines has been posted at Arreceffi to train the security guards and other resort personnel.

"If trouble breaks out, we will back these guys up," a Dos Palmas waiter told Agence France-Presse, pointing to the M16-toting guards while he cradles a government-issued Garand rifle on his lap.

Trompeta says Filipinos are returning to Dos Palmas as well.

"You can see the perception change. People have put it behind them and are giving us another chance."

This is good news for the tourism industry. :cheers:

Wanted: Ideas for 3 page supplement on Manila and Cebu for Time magazine

Hi everybody,

If any of you guys still remember the text for the ads and maps that I posted a while back in a different thread, well now the people at Time want me to rehash them into a 3 page supplement for their magazines. I'll probably re-use some of the available text, but now there'll be a lot more space for things that I wasn't able to mention before. Do you guys have any ideas? The focus will be on the cities of Metro Manila and Cebu. Since this is a promotional supplement, I'll only be allowed to say "positive things" of course, so please limit your comments to that kind of thing. Much as I value your valid criticisms and suggestions regarding the Philippines, I won't be able to use them at all for the kind of supplement they're asking for, so please save your breath/keystrokes. But if you have any personal favorite spots or attractions or activities that you want to share, please feel free to reply. I'll also welcome any favorable impressions you may want to express about the Philippines.

Many Thanks and Maraming Salamat!

i think its a win-win if you post tons of impressive pictures, dapat complete yung 5 MM skylines (mkti, ortigas, alabang, libis, rockwell & manila)& at least 2 cebu city pics, then, magpost ka ng mga trivias bout the philippines. just browse from our posts here, it's a big help...like, try mosa 'rate our skylines' thread, & look 4 makati & ortigas, may mga 'very good' comments don coming from foreigners. good luck;)

remember, we can only bring out the best by choosing only the best pics, when is the deadline by the way??

hmmm... if you're doing an article for Manila... I'd say a good Manila Bay sunset is good 'coz as it was claimed before that you see the most beautiful sunset on Manila Bay....express also the warm and hospitable people of the country...also you can specify the ease of commuting within the metro with the different modes of transport we have.. the lively nightspots of Malate, Libis, Greenbelt... the cheap shopping havens of Greenhills and Divisoria... the beautiful churches of the metro like Quiapo, Manila Cathedral, Sto. Domingo Church, Malate Church, Iglesia ni Cristo Main Chapel... and the Hispanic influence and remnants like Intramuros, the calesa, churches and religion... the American remnants like the constitution, government and jeepneys... the Chinese culture.. the Islamic remnants in Quiapo... and the national monuments of Rizal Park, Bonifacio Shrine, Quezon Memorial.....

you may also check on www.cityofmanila.com.ph homepage for Manila city specific info... www.geocities.com/palanyag for Paranaque specific info... www.quezoncity.gov.ph for QC specific info... www.makati.gov.ph for Makati... www.pasig-city.gov.ph for Pasig...www.mandaluyong.gov.ph for Mandaluyong

for my favorite spots in the country would be Puerto Galera, Puerto Princesa, Caleruega in Batulao, Batangas.. I'd love to see Boracay, Hundred Islands, Banaue, Zamboanga's Vintas, Mt. Apo

wow...!! how did the three previous print ads go? can you post them here if you have them? hehehe... was browsing through a couple of TIME magazines the other day, but I didn't see them...

as for Cebu and Manila, there are two stunning panoramic shots in PAL's 2004 desk calendar. one was a night shot of Manila's new Boardwalk with the bright lights turned on and all - awesome shot! the other one was of the really really nice beach in Cebu... they were both very attractive, so if you could find something like that.

We're sourcing all the pictures from the PCVC and what were used in the ads. The ads came out July-August. You can see them in the samahan branch.

I saw them...They were great ads, JudeD!:)

I dont have time right now to read your post above...so i'll get back to it later:D

Okay, I just got a list of the topics I'm supposed to write about. They need one article per topic although there's a possibility of having to combine the articles. Each article can only be around 500-700 words so there isn't much room.

1. The economic aspects: examining potential earnings from the tourism sector and considering how it is instrumental for empowerment, job creation and economic recovery

2. The country's mixed heritage and how it is best experienced during the fiesta months

3. Tourism hot spots: exploring the hot spots for entertaining and relaxing, and for the more adventurous tourist, a guide to mountain retreats, old towns, beaches, spas and dive sites

4. The ultimate shopping guide - from indigenous products found in bustling street stalls to the comfort and convenience of the many new shopping complexes around the country

During the last 25 years I visited Phils approx 25 times!
Some touristic spots I've seen already include (from best liked to slightly less)
El Nido, Palawan
Camiguin
Boracay
Coco Loco Island, Palawan
Cebu City and Mactan
Nagtabon (a very small resort Northeast of Puerto Princesa)
Cagayan de Oro (I sailed on Superferry 14 in Aug. 2003)
Hundred Islands
Villa Escudero
Bohol (Choc. Hills, tarsiers etc)
Legaspi & Mt. Mayon
Hidden Valley
Baywatch (a beach resort in Talaan, Quezon)
Malls as Glorietta, Shoemart Ortigas, Alabang Fiesta and Filinvest Malls)
Makati
Ortigas
Intramuros
Davao
Baguio
Banaue
Tagaytay and Lake Taal
--------------
Still on my "want to visit-list"
North Luzon - Vigan/Laoag/Aparri and Cagayan Valley
Puerto Galera
Cities of Ilo-Ilo, Bacolod and Davao again (after 25 yrs)
Calauit Island
Leyte and Samar.
---------
and every time I visit my family-in-law at Lucena and Muntinlupa.

DoT is mobilized to promote 8 major tourist destinations

By RACHEL CASTRO-BARAWID

Some of the country’s major destinations which receive the most number of foreign tourists as well as those that show the highest potential, make up the exclusive, elite list of priority areas that the government has earmarked for tourism promotion and infrastructure development.

Classified into tourism complexes or clusters, these places tagged as "the eight prime tourism complexes" are Cebu-Bohol-Siargao, Metro Manila-Tagaytay, Northern Palawan, Boracay, Clark-Subic, Cordillera, Ilocos, and Davao.

Newly-appointed Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano said the plan to fasttrack the promotion of "the big eight," have been earlier identified in the 10-point agenda of the Arroyo administration.

The beaches and dive sites of Cebu, Bohol, Siargao, Palawan, and Boracay are frequented by Koreans and Japanese. Laoag and Vigan are favorite destinations of the Taiwanese because of its proximity to Taipei and the availability of direct flights from the Laoag International Airport, aside from its various natural, cultural and historical attractions.

The Chinese, on the other hand, prefer the entertainment facilities like casinos, and world-class business and investment facilities and opportunities being offered by Manila, Tagaytay, Clark and Subic.

Durano explained that while the DoT will begin its task of promoting these destinations, other departments will complement it by providing the necessary infrastructure to make the tourist sites more accessible and convenient to tourists.

He said the construction of several infrastructure projects are now underway such as a North Rail that will link the northern part of Metro Manila to Clark and its southern part to Batangas Port; the completion of the MRT final linkage with LRT; the development of the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport, San Fernando Airport, Panglao, Palawan and Iloilo airports as well as the Aparri seaport.

Meanwhile, Durano said he has decided to focus a major part of the Department’s marketing campaign on its short haul market — the North Asia particularly mainland China, Japan and South Korea as these countries generate the largest source of tourist arrivals to the Asian region.

Of this market, the first priority will be the beachgoers, sightseers and shoppers while second priority will go to recreationists, eco-tourists, backpackers and balikbayans. The long haul markets, particularly the Meeting, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibition (MICE) market is the DoT’s third priority.

Durano said the increased promotion of the eight tourism complexes hopes to fulfill the Department’s target of five million tourist arrivals by 2010.

Okay, here's the draft for the upcoming special supplement on the Philippines that'll be published in Time Magazine. I'm running it by you guys to see what you think about it and can suggest. As you can see, the higher-ups want to shift the focus away from the beach/nature attractions and onto the cities for a change. If you don't agree with this, don't tell me or ask me why this is. I don't know why and had little control over what they wanted written.

Inside The Philippines, A Country With More Than The Usual

The Philippines is an amazingly dynamic, vibrant, and complex country. It offers cultural experiences and natural landscapes that can be found nowhere else in the world. Asian, Spanish, and American influences have all been fused together into an extraordinary social melange. Everyday you’ll find a lavish fiesta being celebrated in some part of the country. Everywhere you’ll hear proof of the Filipinos’ much vaunted musical abilities, and see examples of their highly prized craftsmanship. A visitor to the Philippines is sure to appreciate many things: a mixture of the old and the new, a multiplicity of art and culture, and a warm, friendly, English-speaking people. A literate and liberated population that possesses an avid enthusiasm for the latest communications technology, coupled with a lively free press and media, results in one of the more interesting examples of a working democracy in Asia.

Meet The Filipinos, We Can Do More Than The Usual

The multilingual Filipino’s much-admired interpersonal communication skills have given the country a reputation as an outsourcing powerhouse in the field of customer service. The level of ingenuity, innovation and creativity to be found among the workforce has also given it an edge in industries as diverse as software programming and animation. Filipino chefs and musicians can be found in deluxe hotels and cruise ships worldwide, catering effortlessly to the most discriminating of palates and tastes. Filipino nurses, doctors, and other health professionals have always been in great demand in the major hospitals and institutions of developed countries, due to their excellent training and innately warm, caring attitudes. The Philippines is the cellular phone industry’s hotbed for new technologies, with the latest mobile models and software being tested and developed among its tech-savvy netizens. The country is also the franchising capital of Southeast Asia, with most international franchises having established a successful presence in the country due to a large and lucrative consumer base that’s always game for new concepts and products.

Come and Be Cared For, More Than The Usual Reasons To Visit

A growing number of Australians, Europeans, and Americans have been coming to the Philippines to take advantage of the very economical rates for world-class high quality dental, medical, aesthetic, and other therapeutic services that they can enjoy here. Spurred on by positive word of mouth, and glowing reports from respected international news programs, the country is seeing more tourists who are combining pleasure and sightseeing trips with health or cosmetic treatments. For possibly less than the price of one dental or surgical procedure back in their home country, they can afford to fly to the Philippines, avail of all the services they may need, have a fabulous vacation on a tropical beach or a hilltop spa, and return home healthier, happier, and more attractive. Many Chinese and Koreans also come here to study and improve their English. Some visitors enjoy themselves so much they have chosen to retire in the country permanently. Moreover, the Philippines has consistently ranked at or near the top as the most enjoyable assignment for expatriates, and the majority of visitors to the country plan a return trip.

Manila and Cebu, More Than The Usual Metropolis

The country is also home to sophisticated metropolises, modern cities alive with art, entertainment, and shopping. Metropolitan Manila is one of the world’s largest and busiest cities, populated by a cosmopolitan, multi-ethnic mix of Malay, Hispanic, Chinese, and American cultures. And yet it remains one of the travel community’s most unexplored destinations. Beaches, volcanoes, and jungles can all be found at its doorstep, but the city itself offers a treasure trove of fascinating attractions. The three interconnected rail lines also make exploring the metropolis easier than ever before. Romantics can explore the stone walls, cobbled streets and medieval architecture of Intramuros, the heart of old Manila. The fortress island of Corregidor now stands as a peaceful memorial to former battles and as a haven for hikers, nature-lovers, and birdwatchers. For a truly extraordinary experience, one can venture into the maze-like Chinese cemetery, filled with extravagant mausoleums and unusual tombs.

Dynamic Cebu in the Visayas is the Queen City, the oldest in the Philippines. With its own international airport and numerous deluxe resorts, the island thrives as a top tourist destination and transportation hub, giving Manila a run for its money in terms of development and sophistication. Cebu’s dramatic landscape presents white sand beaches along the coastline, and scenic hills with spectacular views at its center. The historic Fort San Pedro, opulent Basilica del Santo Niño, and quaint heritage town of Carcar all add to the island’s colonial charm.

With some of the largest malls, liveliest markets, and most fashionable shops in Asia, you can buy pretty much anything and everything you can think of in Manila and Cebu, and maybe even some items you couldn’t have imagined. Be overwhelmed by the wide range of choices, fine craftsmanship, and unbeatable prices to be found. Friendly and attentive salespeople who speak fluent English help make shopping easier and more enjoyable than anywhere else in the region. Filipinos love to shop and have perfected the experience, it’s a challenge for tourists to keep up with the locals as they splurge and spend. Midnight madness sales, where all the establishments slash their prices and stay open all night long, are a regular occurrence. And if you still think the price isn’t right, haggling is encouraged!

Big, Bright, and Bountiful, More Than The Usual Malls

Make a beeline for the Duty Free Fiesta Mall right beside the airport for huge savings on luxury and imported items. Along the main thoroughfare of EDSA, almost every stop of the MRT line is adjacent to sprawling commercial centers, from Glorietta at Ayala in the south to Araneta Center at Cubao in the north. And in the middle of it all, between Ortigas and Shaw Boulevard, stretches every mallrat’s nirvana, with the popular Edsa Central and Starmall, the chic Shangri-La and Podium, and the mammoth SM Megamall and Robinsons Galleria, all within walking distance of each other. Top international fashion and style magazines have cited the rambling Greenhills Shopping Center as the world’s best spot to shop for South Sea Pearls, and where you can also find good deals on other glamorous jewelry, accessories, designer fashions, and computer equipment. The upscale Greenbelt, a complex of elegant brand-name boutiques and trendy bars and restaurants surrounding a lush park, has been recognized by retail authorities as one of the best malls in the world. Cebu refuses to be outdone with its own gleaming Ayala Center, massive SM City, and popular chain of Gaisano malls.

Extreme Shopping Adventures, More Than The Usual Bargains

Antique and art aficionados will go wild over the many treasures to be found in Manila’s old neighborhood of Ermita. The bustling district of Quiapo, while a bewildering warren of bazaars and vendors for some, stands as a compelling gauntlet for hardcore bargain hunters and intrepid shoppers. Carriedo and its side streets feature a motley selection of quaint merchandise. The famed ilalim ng tulay or “under the bridge” area is the place for the best deals on native handicrafts and indigenous artwork. Hidalgo St. is a photographer’s mecca, with the cheapest prices for cutting-edge camera and video equipment, while Raon and its environs cater to stereo and electronics buffs. Only blocks away sits Binondo, Manila’s Chinatown, chock-full of fascinating goods and foodstuffs from the Chinese community. And beyond that lies Divisoria, the mother of all Manila’s markets, where everything is sold at rock-bottom prices. Cebu is renowned for its wealth of antiques, fine furniture, and delicious mangoes, while nearby Mactan island is famous for crafting the best guitars in the world

The High Life, More Than The Usual Culture

Manila’s culturati enjoy a continuous yearlong parade of dazzling events thanks to the venerable Cultural Center of The Philippines, and the many professional theater, opera, chamber and orchestral music, ballet, modern and ethnic dance companies based in the city. Classical music lovers can catch free concerts by the bay in historic Luneta Park, or under the trees at Paco Park, a circular-shaped centuries-old former walled cemetery. The visual arts may be enjoyed at the stately National and Metropolitan museums, and in numerous private galleries. Every year, Manila and Cebu unveil a series of high-profile international cultural events. In June, the French community hosts raucous concerts representing every musical genre at the annual Fete de la Musique, with a focus on the best of alternative Filipino and World Music. July kicks off with the prestigious Cinemanila film festival, which boasts a selection of celebrated movies from around the world, some making their Asian premiere, and increasingly attended by prominent filmmakers and showbiz luminaries. October brings Fiesta, the Spanish Festival for Culture and the Arts organized by the Instituto Cervantes, a passionate celebration of Hispanic culture via live performances, film showings, and art exhibitions.

City Lights, Party Nights: More Than The Usual Entertainment

Even past the picturesque sunset by Manila Bay (a showstopping attraction in itself), Manila’s nights stay red-hot. Beautiful people, good company, first-rate cuisine, free-flowing drinks, fun times and non-stop partying can all be easily encountered among the city’s many hotspots. The Filipino’s natural exuberance makes for a city pulsing with party animals and the most dazzling live music scene in all of Asia. Malate is the original clubbing hub, and is the unofficial headquarters for bohemians, artistes, and the alternative lifestyle crowd. The Roxas Baywalk is a sparkling strip of laid-back hangouts along the seafront, perfect for promenaders and romantics. In the evening, the medieval walled city of Intramuros transforms into a buzzing hive of raves, street performers, and open-air party haunts. Young professionals, executives and expatriates tend to congregate around the swanky establishments of Greenbelt and Rockwell. Families and suburbanites flock to the emerging satellites at The Fort, Eastwood and Alabang, with leisure facilities that appeal to all ages and interests. In Cebu, pleasure seekers go up the Nivel Hills to watch the stars and city sparkle while dining at the many fine establishments perched above the metropolis. Beachside bars and restaurants are always popular spots to catch the sea breeze while partying the night away. Cebu also boasts of the country’s largest themed casino at the Waterfront Lahug. High rollers and lucky beginners can bet on guaranteed excitement at the many Casino Filipino branches around the country. Branded as Asia’s friendliest casinos, discerning gamers can choose from grand palaces of chance to intimate VIP lounges where they can delight in their thrills.

/\ :)
Whoa! That was a long read! But it was informative and enticing. Not too over-the-top on the descriptives, yet it paints a vivid picture of the place(s) in one's mind. Although, compared to Manila, Cebu almost always seems to be just a footnote. Altogether, it's a fine piece of work! Can't wait to see it in print! Now, will that be in the regular issue of TIME magazine, or just in the Asian publication?

hi jude, actually, its normal to overstate some of them, and thats just fine, afterall, everythin thats been said is true, & this is special 'promotional' supplement, so this is our only chance na makabawi...so better take advantage of it (after a series of devastating negative write-ups before), this is i guess the most impressive & excellent work featuring us!!! very good!! problema na talaga ng mga foreigners dyan kung ayaw pa rin nila maniwala, errr... :moods:

nwaiz, so u have narrowed down the scope to manila & cebu cities, how bout the pics?... these fantastic write-up must be matched w/ loads of equally impressive urban photos of ultra-modern manila & laid-back cebu. (i guess u hav to portray some kind of a superiority complex here, or have some overwhelming proud bout ur country)-> kasi nga ur promoting it, so we have to boast only those that are good!! Like what i said, focus on the skylines (follow ur boss' order), so feature the skyline w/ d best angle (browse on the rate our skylines chart). and the best mall pics on our mega metro malls thread, & pls. feature the baywalk pics as well... those readers who might become potential tourists dont wana see too many pics bout culture & people, blahblah....GIVE them the pics they need to see that can 'turn the point' or 'reverse our image upward' in an INSTANT!!! well, u may post at least one picture bout our people, so be sure those would be good-looking city men & women of modern manila. also, u have to EMPHASIZE (if u wana overemphasize, thats fine!!!), that ours is a bridge between east & west. in other words, if foreigners know that we are asian, amaze them by saying we are 'westernized asians'!!! coz that what makes us unique!!! its like describing a filipino w/ a malay skin, & a spanish sounding name, who speaks english in american accent, w/ a latin temperament,(in a whirl-wind!)

weve been taught by our journalism prof, that its 'extremely' ok, to make some or even most of ur statements 'sweeeeeeppping', if the main purpose of the article is advertising, promotions, pagmamayabang, or somethin to that effect....whatever u call that...coz making it plain realistic is boring, (if theres nothin amazing or unique in the article, papano babasahin yon ng readers, right??? )...so there u go my friend, take my advice…

good luck jude!! :okay:

haha. that's very long advice @mysaong...but you have a point: "if theres nothin amazing or unique in the article, papano babasahin yon ng readers...". :colgate:

wow.. great article... and yeah it should be supplemented with great pictures... while reading I'm try to imagine those which were stated... It does need an excellent set of pictures.. like Manila Bay's Sunset, bustling Malate night life, guitars of Cebu, fiesta atmosphere, chinatown's chinese new year celebration, spanish architecture, Filipino arts and dances, shopping hubs, a smiling local with a foreigner or locals in national costumes (Filipiñana,Ifugao,Muslim), jeepneys, and the colors of the country.... hehehe...

do you have such pictures?.. or you may need a photographer for this.....

nice @JudeD (tho I haven't read all yet...will finish it before I go home tonight). :)

I have little control over the pics. We can only use the ones that are already the property of the DOT/Duty Free. So if you want yor pictures used, you have to donate them. :-) And which ones get used are the artist's prerogative.

hey what do u mean property of the DOT/duty free, do u mean 'postcards'? wala nang latest postcards ngayon ng metro manila, everything dates back as lately as 1996 pa!!! and all the pics in this forum are private, pano yan??? sana nga makita din ng DOT ang pics nila greyx&co. dito eh para yun ang gawing new edition ng postcards.

ATTENTION PPOL, DONATE UR PICS to JudeD. :weirdo:

@Jude, you can use any pix that I posted here...feel free to do so...:D or tell me your email and I'll pick the better shots that I have and send it to you...:D

great write-up!!! gives you a whole lot "more than the usual" travel info - with the stuff pertaining to the work force and such. personally, I think its fine without the exaggerated descriptions. It naturally doesn't present itself as that type of advertisement to me - and even then, its good as it is. all i can suggest is a little more editting to make it flow better and read smoother. also, "also" is a tad redundant. hehe...! but overall, awesome! nice job JudeD...!!! can't believe we have such a talented group of forumers here...

for the pictures, I hope you get to throw in some of those spectacular Greenbelt shots we had here. I just do not know who the photographer was. argh...! also, the new Boardwalk coupled with the sunset (that PAL calendar shot was awesome, too bad...), Megamall, of course... um... St. Luke's or the new Medical City (that place is nice) or some sort of hospital-ish picture to advertise the health-tourism. er... one of the smiley pictures you get from an airline ad with the big flight attendant-smile or something. hahaha... yeah... the really bright, comforting and welcoming smile. um... Cebu beaches, definitely (another great shot in that calendar, but no can do..)! and old Intramuros and as well as modern Makati (we have great shots here too... hopefully they can be donated...). i can't think of anything for the cultural stuff... anyway, yeah...

Duty Free bought a lot of pics to use for the ads that we put out last August. Pics by professional photographers are really pricey! So wala ng pera for new ones to use in the supplement. Recycle na lang :)

Anyway, I hope you gys understand that we don't really have the time anymore to go searching the forums for pictures and then getting in touch with whoever took them. So if you really want your pictures to be used you have to literally throw them at me!

you can use some of these old pictures that I took.. :D

PBCom
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid117/p7661324a872d69d20f5a71b000abffee/f8989e58.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid118/pa39d9d53fbf87b0d4806557204777af9/f890f41c.jpg

Megamall and Ortigas
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid122/pc7f6075eeaef469339f072eeca0c2e1d/f82e5cb4.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid132/p481ccb1bb3b45917cacb067002186484/f79963fa.jpg

Greenbelt Park
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid127/pfc97f2c4bde853edfafc497b01214b6f/f7ed91ea.jpg

Liwasang Bonifacio, Central Post Office
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid128/pdfcb3a6d592366909bed17fa60306685/f7dfb335.jpg

Rajah Sulayman Park
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid128/p45bc4be8bb927ade817b65a1553cfc5f/f7dfb44e.jpg

Roxas Blvd
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid128/p4454bd591bd220ffa0539174668494d3/f7dfb4c4.jpg

Ninoy Aquino on Baywalk
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid128/pe78621a065ad995377887c383f9d2a2e/f7dfb645.jpg

Ayala Museum
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid140/pe6792c4a2bc515ce89bfab8da8c8ee37/f6e9808e.jpg

Greenbelt 4
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid140/p0e053fac4b52ef706501bee673c7b4a7/f6e98084.jpg

how about just another banner to showcase all our pics? :D

of all of pau's pics, i like the rajah sulayman pic the best... is shows stuff that "can" be considered distinctly filipino. not like building and urban pictures. buildings are all over the world.

Tourist arrivals up 29% in first 8 months

TOURIST arrivals rose 29.2 percent from a year earlier to 1.453 million in the eight months to August, the government said Tuesday.

August arrivals rose 15.5 percent to 179,604, according to data released by the central bank.

The tourism department is targeting full-year arrivals to reach 2.5 million for 2004, compared to 1.907 million in 2003.

--------
I do hope it will reach 2.5 million at year-end. We need 261,750 arrivals per month (Sept - Dec) to reach the target. :cheers:

how about just another banner to showcase all our pics?


*will be working on that* *is in a banner-making mode now*

the other day I was practicing Photoshop and I collaged some Mayon pics I got from the net.. you want to add this too.. :D though I didn't took the pix myself.. I just collaged them that I used in another board I'm in...:D

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v162/pau_p1/Mayon.jpg

hey, we could put that in the SSC banner.:D

really... that would be cool!...:D

hey, kelan lalabas yung issue ng time magazine ni jude, excited na ko, i feel that weve taken part so much on the success of the article!!

November 8, pero it'll only come out in the non-Philippine editions of Time. Kelangan mo magpabili sa Hong Kong ng copy.

hmm.. i wonder if they will show it in the Aussie version of time cause we get weekly Time Magazine, we subscribed to it.

how 'bout in Singapore?.. I got friends there...:D

how 'bout in Singapore?.. I got friends there...:D me too...meron ba dun?

If you already have a copy of the article... pa share naman. :jk:
Post it in the forum if possible. :)

Here you go. This is a sometimes cute, sometimes corny video prepared for balikbayans who speak tagalog by the DOT.

http://www.tourism.gov.ph/media_source/byahetayo.wmv

I've seen this video before and, IMO it's quite nice. :)

Australia issues advisory vs RP

Updated 05:56pm (Mla time) Oct 23, 2004
Inquirer News Service

AUSTRALIA on Friday advised anew its citizens in the Philippines to exercise "extreme caution'' when traveling to "tourist areas'' amid persistent reports that terrorists in Southeast Asia were plotting fresh attacks.

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade issued the advisory a day after the military announced that three people, who allegedly carried out last year's bombings in Davao City and planned to bomb the US Embassy in Manila, had been arrested.

"Australians in the Philippines should exercise extreme caution, particularly in areas known to be frequented by foreigners, including coastal resorts,'' the department said in its latest travel advisory.

"We continue to receive reports that terrorists in the region are planning attacks. These could occur at any time, anywhere in the Philippines,'' it added.

Australians were also urged to defer non-essential travel to Mindanao and avoid the Zamboanga peninsula and the Sulu archipelago.

-------------------------------
It is really frustrating that many countries love to issue travel advisories to our country. I really don't know why or maybe they're really scared or doesn't trust our security here. :bash:

IN FACT THOSE COUNTRIES THEY DIND'T ISSUE TRAVEL ADVISORIES ARE MORE DANGEROUS or SUSCEPTIBLE to attacks like the US, Europe and their precious country, AUSTRALIA. Egypt, Indonesia and Spain were already attacked but they never issued travel advisories to those countries before the attacks happened.

And how certain are they, that it will happen here.

There are so many travel advisories already issued but nothin' happened so far, in fact it happened to other countries perceived to be "safe". :bash:

Maybe terrorists are planning a huge attack!!! Huh, We'll see. :weirdo:

I HOPE NOT.

yeah, natatawa na lang ako, is this the price we have to pay for being FAMOUS??!! hehe....whatever that means to them.... & u know, pinoy pa, as always sanay na!

Indo has been attacked, & so was NY, Spain, Russia, Middle East, etc, wala lang, weve always been victims of stereotyping.

they always see the bad side of us, even if the present admin. has done all it can to improve security & our image outside, if the intl press doesnt wana pick it, wala na kami magagawa don...


live the moment

You mean FAMOUS as a country? Many Germans don't even know it exists!

Get used to these travel advisories guys :sleepy:

I think Aussie going to Phils, or anyone going here, would always exercise caution. Nothing new folks ;)

i mean notoriously famous for being a danger zone, which is obviously untrue. u mean many germans dont even know we exist??!! hello!! are they stupid, blind or both??!! wow, allowing me to buy that idea?? ok, i will then...

Well, it is true...when they hear about SEA, they only know Thailand and Vietnam for tourist reasons and S'pore and M'sia for investment but when I say I'm from Phils, most of them get puzzled where that is.

And people who know about it... know almost nothing bout it... the ask me then why my name doesn't sound Vietnamese (like chang ching ching)... if I eat with chopsticks and think all we have is pagodas and Bhudda temples...even Thai traditional dances...weird...what ignorance.

When I went to Germany last year, I had 2 surprising experiences...
1) They are friendlier than I first thought and (I thought Germans are rude)
2) The Philippines is not well known to them (I thought our country is well
known given the fact there are a lot of Filipinos there.) :)

Yeah, they know more about Thailand and Vietnam since millions of Germans spend their vacations there every year and even live there. Malaysia and Singapore is also well known for investment and business. But Filipinos in Germany, despite their large number, have a small impact. Unlike those in the US or Italy.

DENR says new coliform crisis looms in Boracay

Updated 11:51pm (Mla time) Oct 27, 2004
By Volt Contreras
Inquirer News Service



Editor's Note: Published on page A15 of the October 28, 2004 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer


SEVEN years after reports of water contamination scared away tourists from the resort island of Boracay, majority of business establishments and households there continue to ignore measures needed to prevent another contamination in the future.

Of the 440 businesses now on the island, only 210 operate with an environmental compliance certificate from the government as of last month, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources reported yesterday.

Only 50.5 percent of hotels and restaurants and only 24.9 percent of households have installed pipelines connecting to the centralized sewage treatment plant that began operations on the island in 2003, the DENR added.

The plant, run by the Philippine Tourism Authority, was constructed by the government to prevent a repeat of the 1997 coliform bacteria spread that drove tourist arrivals down by 60 percent that year.

On a positive note, the agency said Boracay's water quality-particularly its total and fecal coliform
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levels-remains within safety standards for recreation and fishing.

Environment Secretary Michael Defensor issued a warning yesterday to non-complying businessmen, saying they face sanctions from the DENR within the year unless they start applying for an ECC or connect their structures to the sewage plant.

Still on the state of Boracay, Defensor also noted that majority of its inhabitants still have no titles to the lands they occupy, though this is largely due to the island's outdated classification as a "public forest land."

the above article is what make me very sad and depressed on how the gov't can not even maintain our environment. they want tourists to come to the country but what's the use for spending for advertisement if they can not maintain the tourists attraction of the country?

Ough! Not again. That sewage treatment plant is so expensive, and yet it is not fully utilized. The govt. should be strict to all the businesses in Boracay to comply with environmental standards, such as connection to the sewage plant. A repeat of 1997, would be horrible since Boracay is one of our core tourists destinations.

any pics about avilon montalaban zoo...i think it's a good attraction

I've been to the Avilon zoo. field trip last april (I think) for school. hehehe...! It was actually really, really nice. I was absolutely impressed!! very world class! doesn't look cheap at all. the facilities were really nice and designed and constructed real well. and it's huge...! we got bored though after the first hour and a half... too hot and tired... haha! they have a big bunch of different animals too. pretty cool...! you guys should go see it sometime...! haha...! the road right outside of it was still under construction then though. I wonder if it's done now...

Where is the Avilon zoo?

Montalban, Rizal

better go there later cause they haven't acquired big mammals just yet...para sulit pag pumunta kayo dun

just my second post. here are some bohol photos taken last summer.

http://www.pbase.com/singkit/image/28707788.jpg

Sunset
http://www.pbase.com/singkit/image/28707793.jpg

nice shots JHA.. are you a professional photographer?

hobbyist lang. just love photography, philippine landscapes especially.

ok.. nice pics :)

do you use a digital camera? or the ordinary one?

m using nikon d70 digital camera. but the shots above were using nikon 5700, also a digital camera.

nice site btw. i just discovererd it today. someone sent me the link of the thread about the manila 1973 photos.

great site indeed! i love philippines!

Cine Corregidor after the bombing

http://www.pbase.com/singkit/image/33472072.jpg

nicely taken... you're very good for a photography enthusiast, just like a pro to me

Awesome pics! And yeah, you are a great photographer. Bohol is beautiful, isnt it?:) I love that place

:bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow:

What more can I say? :applause:

yes, Bohol is wonderful. would love to go back once more.

Punta Fuego Sunset

http://www.pbase.com/singkit/image/25985589.jpg

I LOVE BEACH! -- Still in Punta Fuego

http://www.pbase.com/singkit/image/25985588.jpg

http://www.livingincebu.com/videos.htm and http://www.cebutours.com/videos.htm has anyone seen this website.. it really has good videos of hotels and places.

hi evryone, hei jude its already nov 12, who got the latest time nonphil edition copy, paki browse naman, baka nandon na tayo (nov 8) was the launching)!!! where is it by the way, HK ed, Sing ed??? meron ba on-line?? pls reply asap

Cine Corregidor after the bombing

http://www.pbase.com/singkit/image/33472072.jpg


you just gotta visit the place to see the massive destruction WWII brought upon the phils. im sure everyone knows this place and what happened to it

hi evryone, hei jude its already nov 12, who got the latest time nonphil edition copy, paki browse naman, baka nandon na tayo (nov 8) was the launching)!!! where is it by the way, HK ed, Sing ed??? meron ba on-line?? pls reply asap

which magazine was it in again...? is this the special feature article thing...?

I LOVE BEACH! -- Still in Punta Fuego

http://www.pbase.com/singkit/image/25985588.jpg
hmm, nice feet, este pic! :D

hi evryone, hei jude its already nov 12, who got the latest time nonphil edition copy, paki browse naman, baka nandon na tayo (nov 8) was the launching)!!! where is it by the way, HK ed, Sing ed??? meron ba on-line?? pls reply asap

i'll be in school tomorrow, i'll check the article. i checked our library's online catalog and the nov.8 issue is already available. Time Magazine, right?

FYI, it's been moved to the November 20-something issue. East Asia ed.

FYI, it's been moved to the November 20-something issue. East Asia ed.

alright, thanks! :)

i'll be in school tomorrow, i'll check the article. i checked our library's online catalog and the nov.8 issue is already available. Time Magazine, right?

What is this all about? Kindly tell me... TIME MAGAZINE? Anu ba to, mafeafeature ang Pilipinas?

What is this all about? Kindly tell me... TIME MAGAZINE? Anu ba to, mafeafeature ang Pilipinas?

yes, something like that. i think there's gonna be an article/pictures about the Philippines authored by JudeD with the help of other pinoy forumers here, if im not mistaken. but then, as JudeD has said, it's gonna be in the East Asia edition and i dont think our library has that edition.

ano ang i feafeature dun? i mean ano? andun ba tayo? hekhekhek...

/\ I think that it's a promotional tourism ad. :)

Dang...our Time Asia subscription just recently ended:(

http://a740.g.akamai.net/f/740/606/1d/image.pathfinder.com/time/asia/images/covers/501041122cov_white.gif

ok, i checked www.time.com and the november 22 issue will look like the one above. im not sure though if that would be the asian edition, though the whole issue seems to showcase the best of Asia.

you can actually check the content of the magazine online by clicking this link (http://www.time.com/time/asia/magazine/) . there is "Best Animal Encounter" which is about the whale sharks found in donsol (that's in bicol, right?).

however, i think this isn't what you guys are referring to/waiting for, is it?

edit: yes, that's going to be the asian edition; the international edition will be featuring the attack in Fallujah.

I read the whale article... sounds real good! there were no pictures for it though. I hope we can get a scan of the special feature. hahaha....!

OT - I wonder if anyone's seen this local promotional video of the DOT. The Biyahe Tayo! song. here (right-click and select "Save target as..."):

http://www.tourism.gov.ph/media_source/byahetayo.wmv

22MB or so but definitely worth the wait. such an awesome and absolutely inspiring music video by some of the best local artists!!! must see talaga...!! I saw it being aired a few times when I was still in Manila and was already overly impressed then. was able to see it again for the last time (until this link) just before or after take-off on PR106 on the flight out to Vancouver (they play it on every flight onboard PAL). just made moving out of the country so much harder. the music, the lyrics and the images have all not only moved and motivated and touched but also, of course, saddened everyone that's seen it... makes you so proud to be Pinoy and pushes you into thinking about how the Philippines really is worth saving.

I hope everyone gets to see this...

I read the whale article... sounds real good! there were no pictures for it though. I hope we can get a scan of the special feature. hahaha....!

OT - I wonder if anyone's seen this local promotional video of the DOT. The Biyahe Tayo! song. here (right-click and select "Save target as..."):

http://www.tourism.gov.ph/media_source/byahetayo.wmv

22MB or so but definitely worth the wait. such an awesome and absolutely inspiring music video by some of the best local artists!!! must see talaga...!! I saw it being aired a few times when I was still in Manila and was already overly impressed then. was able to see it again for the last time (until this link) just before or after take-off on PR106 on the flight out to Vancouver (they play it on every flight onboard PAL). just made moving out of the country so much harder. both the lyrics and the images have not only moved and motivated and touched but also, of course, saddened everyone that's seen it... makes you so proud to be Pinoy and pushes you into thinking about how the Philippines really is worth saving.

I hope everyone gets to see this...

yeah, i have downloaded that video already. it is certainly nice, and every time i listen to/watch it tumatayo ang balahibo ko hehehe! wala lang... :D

yeah... i've seen that MTV a long time ago... and just downloaded a copy of it a few weeks back... this was a great local promotion of the local destinations.... plus its nice to see our local artists sing them plus Leah Salonga.... the last time the OPM artists sang a single song was "Handog ng Pilipino" which was composed and sang during the People Power of EDSA in 1986...

I've seen Biyahe Tayo in a PAL flight. It is nice, and gave me a warm feeling.

I'm gonna have to check out that TIME magazine in my school's library.

lol... my favorite part is the francis m rapping. it's so corny.

yeah...he says something about the cities and raps for like 15 seconds.

lol

I also just noticed that Rico J Puno was hamming it up for the camera and APO Hiking society was throwing around confetti.

And I really don't understand the appeal of April Boy Regino. Can someone explain him to me?

hm... francis m rapping... ok i'm gonna get that:D

lol

I also just noticed that Rico J Puno was hamming it up for the camera and APO Hiking society was throwing around confetti.

And I really don't understand the appeal of April Boy Regino. Can someone explain him to me?

RE: april boy, sinabi mo pa LOL!

i really like that jessa girl. i think her voice is sexy :)

well.... same can be said of other R-18 actresses who took up singing ;) i thought she'd stop singing and acting cause she married that congressman, or was it counsellor? :? don't matter, that politician

well.... same can be said of other R-18 actresses who took up singing ;) i thought she'd stop singing and acting cause she married that congressman, or was it counsellor? :? don't matter, that politician

dingdong, her husband, is a councilor of quezon city if im not mistaken :)

Tamaraw Falls sa Mindoro Oriental. Is this famous? Probably no, bec there were very few people that time.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid146/p0b21a077b6a1748c947055e47498c61a/f6419956.jpg

Mga pa cute lang po. Hehe...:D Guess niyo na lang sino pinaka pangit, ako na yun.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid146/p3469221cff07c234149257d562c78036/f63e6abb.jpg

Ito yung rapids, where one UST student died recently. On the foot of Mt Halcon.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid146/p09f4fc7e9269565b550c9bbf608ed77c/f6419947.jpg

And this is a hanging bridge. Parang suspension bridge
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid146/p75702c26e3771cf1304823b6a61c1c29/f63e69b2.jpg

Tamaraw Falls ulit. I tried all shutter speeds with the falls
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid146/pefba5aa2db843f5f2590dce72264f8fd/f641992d.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid146/p3f4061b8228886e6af4343238032a567/f6419914.jpg

The blue sea as seen from the jeepney topload...
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid146/pd33ba7b88408d96b44810af5e9425cf0/f6419925.jpg

It's low tide
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid146/p9ad791e5305a606ef532ed3931f1d027/f6419bca.jpg

Pa epal me.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid146/p5d782668f28af9ed1411671c8e6959f6/f6419b37.jpg

This boy is elusive. Buti nakuhanan din. Without his knowledge
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid146/pbd86ed381b6b8fe136a6add458eeecda/f6419bbc.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid146/p13c823a28ee620de6255231ad7f00b63/f6419b3b.jpg

Medyo R-18 na yung ibang photos. :D

pa cute ulit
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid146/p1ba194aed06008dc6c9698d7fa99d94e/f63e6a0d.jpg

lol R18? :D what does that mean? ;)

anyways i've been there, when i was like 3. i remember seeing a photo of that falls with the bridge (last post)

hmm...ano nga ba?
here's the link. you will see the R-18 pics there.
http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=2268065093
http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=2248920093

/\ Nice photos. Looks like you had a rip-roaring time with your buddies. :)

haha...we were like kids. we rocked the hanging bridge like crazy while the local are on the look out with smirk on their faces...probably saying..."these people are nuts!!!"
they are my workmates. there were 15 of us, and there are very few gurls. sarap ng feelings pag natutulog ka sa resthouse along the seashore, and you have no work to be anxious about. hay...sarapp! si Mhe-ann, me kaibigan din na ng mamanage ng beach sa Batangas. So if anyone is interested, just pm her. We've been there with one of my workmate and 3 of my old friends.

looks like fun...! haha...! the Francis thing on the sand looks cool... haha...!

oh... has anyone seen the special feature of the Philippines in TIME yet...?

haha...it's real fun! it was low tide that time (morning) and my workmates were like kids...playing in the sand.

Luxury hotelier to enter Boracay
By VICTOR V. SAULON, Sub-Editor | BusinessWorld Online

http://www.bworld.com.ph/current/CorporateWorld/shang.jpg
Puka Boa, a camp site at the northern part of Boracay that will soon give way to Shangri-la's development -- VVS

The Shangri-la group, which is known for establishing luxury hotels worldwide, is looking at acquiring a 10-hectare beach-front property in the less-spoilt northern portion of Boracay island in Malay, Aklan.

BusinessWorld learned that the luxury hotelier is conducting a due diligence on the property to assess its viability.

"December is crucial for them to finalize the acquisition," said a source privy to the deal, but declined to be identified. "It's almost sure."

Sources in the island said negotiations for the property's acquisition started only in October, and that officials from Shangri-la came to visit a week ago.

Company officials were unavailable for comment as of press time.

The property, which faces the Tablas Strait, may be the site of Shangri-la's fifth hotel and resort venture in the Philippines. The others are Makati Shangri-la Hotel in Makati City, EDSA Shangri-la Hotel in Mandaluyong City, Mactan Shangri-la Hotel in Cebu, and Traders Hotel in Manila.

Sources said that the Asia-focused hotelier plans to build a resort hotel in Boracay that will add at least 180 rooms to its inventory. The construction is expected to start early 2005.

The development, which is expected to be completed by 2007, is viewed positively by visitors in the island who complain about the dearth of rooms for the upscale market.

As of last count, stake holders in the island said Boracay rents out around 3,100 rooms, a meager number compared with the over 70,000 tourists that visit during the peak summer months.

If the venture pushes through, Shangri-la's latest property venture will be next to the part-Singaporean owned Club Panoly, the first high-end resort hotel in the island, which broke ground in the mid-1980s.

The 10-hectare property is part of an 80-hectare land owned by Boracay Property Holdings, Inc., a holding firm comprised of Equinox Land, a Manila-based company led by Mariano Araneta; 7017 Islands Property Holdings, led by Steve Tajanlangit, Jr.; and Visayas-based nongovernmental organization TSKI (Taytay sa Kauswagan, Inc.).

Boracay Property's 80-hectare land was previously owned by the Ayalas. The family sold it to TSKI in 2002 for the same price it was bought 10 years ago, a source at the holding firm said.

The Hong Kong-based hotelier owns and manages 45 luxury hotels worldwide. Its officials were previously quoted as saying that the number of hotels it owns and operates will rise to 67 over the next three-and-a-half years.

Shangri-la's Boracay deal comes on the heels of the commitment by George Yang, the local franchise holder of McDonald's and part-owner of MC Home Depot, to invest an initial PhP500 million in the Fil-Estate group's PhP2-billion Fairways and Bluewater, which became operational shortly after the Asian financial crisis in 1997. The fresh funds from Mr. Yang and MC Home Depot partner Jose Chung will allow Fairways and Bluewater to complete 10 villas and add 270 units to its room inventory by 2005.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
good news....? I hope they put up something nice. I have yet to go to Boracay some day. looks sooo nice. wanna go now....! haha...

yeahh.. I hope this will boost more of the island's tourism...

wow! that's a good news. tourism would surely jump up at that area. local and international. some of my office mates are going there. is it true tho that it's cheaper to go to Hong Kong or Bangkok than to Boracay or Palawan?

whoo hoo! its about time Boracay gets a true 5-star hotel. The Shangri-la group seems to have lots of interest and trust in the Philippines.:okay:

Good news for Boracay! :) By the way, how many 5-star hotels are there in the country?

DoT fielding tourism teams around the world
By JASER A. MARASIGAN

The Department of Tourism (DoT) is fielding "Tourism Teams" around the world to lure more visitors to the Philippines in its bid to meet its ambitious target of five million tourists, five million jobs and $10 billion in tourism revenues by 2010.

The "Tourism Teams," according to Secretary Joseph "Ace" Durano, will prepare and execute the marketing plans, including travel packages, that would address the particular interests and needs of potential tourists in their assigned markets.

So far, four teams have already been identified for four target markets – Japan, South Korea, Greater China and Europe – since Durano took over the DoT last month.

Each team is composed of representatives from the DoT, Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA), Philippine Convention and Visitors Corporation (PCVC) and Duty Free Shop Philippines. Also participating are travel operators, airlines, hotels and other stakeholders of the tourism industry.

Existing tourism efforts directed at "balikbayans" are also being upgraded to reinforce the DoT’s overall efforts in attracting more tourists in the country.

Durano described his approach as segmentized marketing based on the "one market, one program" concept, enabling DoT and its industry partners to maximize the use of limited resources for a higher yield, in this case, a significant increase in tourists arrivals.

Industry data show that visitor arrivals from January to September marked an increase of 26.7 percent or 1,685,853 compared to last year’s 1,330,416. American visitors topped the country’s tourist arrivals this year with 352,132 or 20.9 percent of the total arrivals, and posted a growth rate of 32 percent. Japanese were second with 290,592 or 17.2 percent while Koreans were third with 271,747 or 16.1 percent.

Meanwhile, the country continues to attract much of the world’s attention and interest as Australian magazine "Weekend Australia" ranked Palawan as among the world’s top ten "soft" adventure destinations along with Vietnam, Croatia, Nepal, Brazil/Peru, Antartica, Laos, Fiji, South Australia, and Northern Territory (Kakadu National Park).

Weekend Australian Magazine author John Borthwick vividly expressed his adventure and appreciation of the country’s last frontier, particularly of El Nido and Calauit Island, making the readers visualize the paradise by his words. He described Palawan as the unsung wonderland of the Pacific. Its columns of jungle-topped coral balance like ballerinas on a turquoise sea. Shipwrecks dot the sea floor of northern Palawan and Spanish forts stand on forgotten coasts.

According to Borthwick, soft adventure travel can bring the person to the peaks, reefs and far corners of the world, but in some comfort or even occasional luxury, in contrast to the regular definition of adventure where the travelers would embrace the bellyaches and blisters of mountain treks and long camel-jolting.

The Weekend Australian Magazine is a glossy, general interest news and life magazine published as a Sunday supplement in The Weekend Australian. It is the only newspaper insert with genuine brief and resources to cover issues and people across the nation, and with a dual commitment to publish the features from around the world.

The travel feature story on Palawan was made possible through the efforts of DoT’s international media invitational program headed by Edu Jarque with Gigi Liwanag and Virgie Ramos.

They should open NAIA3 first... as to complement their goals... no infrastructure, no tourists, no business, no money.

^I bet DoT is pressuring the president and PIATCO for that to happen. They like us, want NAIA T3 to open.

Hey all!
Im going to Philippines in December/January this year and i wanna know what are the must do and must see destinations in Manila etc...

--

thanks jbkayaker12

Hey all!
Im going to Philippines in December/January this year and i wanna know what are the must do and must see destinations in Manila etc...


just keep on googleing....or visit the WOWPhilippines website...just keep on googleing

Wherever u go have your camera handy ..hehe...go mall hopping.. manila has some of the most enourmous malls you'll find..some are even better than many malls that the west has to offer...yeh go explore around in malate around the bay...the nightlife there was good...i know cause i visit there when im in manila atleast once a yr...also makati and ortigas offcourse..nightlife is ok din...atleast you'll get a vibe of the nightlife of the metro...libis too....make the most of it..

All of these are in Metro Manila and near Metro Manila

Cultural Events
go to Intramuros and the serene Paco Park

Museum
go to National Museum and GSIS Museum in manila and Yuchengco Museum in makati

Night Life with best bars, band and restaurants
go to Baywalk and Malate both are in city of manila, Greenbelt Park in city of Makati, Eastwood City in city of Pasig, The Fort Bonifacio Global City in the city of Taguig, Araneta Center and Thomas Morato in Quezon City.

Ballet, Orchestra and Opera
by a ticket on one of the events in Cultural Center of the Philippines

Shopping for gold jewelries
go to China Town in the city of Manila

High-End Shopping
Go to any of the Ayala Malls in city of Makati, Robinson's Place in city of Manila

Mid-End Shopping
Go to any SM Malls that scattered through out Metro Manila

Shopping of Cheap and Bargain Products including electronics
go to Greenhills Malls in Municiplaity of San Juan

Red Districts with beautiful girls and Karaoke's
go to Pasay City along EDSA extension near Heritage Hotel

You want to Unwind and go to the beach
go to Corregidor Island at the mouth of the Manila Bay or go to Batanggas just 2 hour drive from Metro Manila

ncbmandy, you wouldn't happen to have any more info on ballet and orchestras in the Philippines? I would loooooooooove to see a performance/concert the next time I visit! :D

BTW are you a member of the Gov.ph forums as well?

@thewreckoning88: tour intramuros on kalesa...

im not any members of any groups as of yet, but hopefully soon if anyone recommends it. i cant wait to go back to manila i love it. i miss jolibee.

i miss jolibee.
Likewise here...peach mango pie...Jollispaghetti...Palabok Fiesta....meh I need to visit the US locations if I'm really that desperate... :runaway:

ncbmandy, you wouldn't happen to have any more info on ballet and orchestras in the Philippines? I would loooooooooove to see a performance/concert the next time I visit! :D

BTW are you a member of the Gov.ph forums as well?

if that question is for me yes i am a member of gov.ph and i handle the same account :)

here is the link of ccp http://www.culturalcenter.gov.ph/

im not any members of any groups as of yet, but hopefully soon if anyone recommends it. i cant wait to go back to manila i love it. i miss jolibee.

treat us in jolibbee once you get here. The jolibbe along Bay city would be nice.

if that question is for me yes i am a member of gov.ph and i handle the same account :)

here is the link of ccp http://www.culturalcenter.gov.ph/
Thanks for the link! :)

Ok I was just wondering, btw I'm N751PR over there. :D

Night Life with best bars, band and restaurants
go to Baywalk and Malate both are in city of manila, Greenbelt Park in city of Makati, Eastwood City in city of Pasig, The Fort Bonifacio Global City in the city of Taguig, Araneta Center and Thomas Morato in Quezon City.


Eastwood City is still part of Quezon City... that area is more locally known as Libis... :D

must do: ride a jeepney, try to ride the calesa, eat balut

must see: sunset on Manila Bay (enjoy it in the Baywalk or by the Breakwaters), Intramuros, Fort Santiago and Luneta Park

Eastwood City is still part of Quezon City... that area is more locally known as Libis... :D

must do: ride a jeepney, try to ride the calesa, eat balut

must see: sunset on Manila Bay (enjoy it in the Baywalk or by the Breakwaters), Intramuros, Fort Santiago and Luneta Park

Be careful when dealing with the kutsero re fare. We agreed to a Php350 fare
from Intramuros to Seafood Wharf along Roxas Blvd. He waited till we finished lunch then brought us to National Museum. When we were about to
pay 350, he said 1,500! Yung dalawang kasama kong elderly couple na Hapon, nabigla pero pumayag na lang just to get over it pero ako ang nainis! Imagine okey na sana impression nila from sights to food, nasira ang magandang impression because of that incident!

Btw, the fresh catch at Seafood Wharf is worth a try! Yummy food and literally cool ambience.

I watched Oprah last Tuesday, April 5, 2005 because I saw in the commercials that Angel Aquino would be featured in there and she did appear.
That episode was about the lifestyles of thirty year old women around the world.
The Philippines was included but it was only a short video feature so Angel Aquino
was only able to say something like "Mabuhay! Oprah, here in the Philippines we
Filipinos definitely know how to unwind and take a break
(twing!!! the word "merienda" suddenly appears on the screen)... there's a Starbucks
at almost every corner and we have 67 branches of it here".

When she said "Mabuhay Oprah" the setting was in a street which looks so beautifully unPhilippines.
The rest is set inside Starbucks with Angel and her friends.
So in short, only the beautiful places are shown there, like the interior of Starbucks (duh!!!), and the street which is probably in Intramuros.

What I'm wondering about is how promoting the Philippines as a "Starbucks Nation" will help in our tourism.

Sure they only showed the nice places, but wouldn't it be better if Angel said something like "Mabuhay Oprah! Here in the Philippines we definitely know how to unwind take a break... (and then the word Boracay Flashes on the screen, instead of merienda) by going to the different resorts here in the Philippines... We have 7,107 islands to choose from and blah, blah, blah kilometers long shoreline to swim"

--

--

I watched Oprah last Tuesday, April 5, 2005 because I saw in the commercials that Angel Aquino would be featured in there and she did appear.
That episode was about the lifestyles of thirty year old women around the world.
The Philippines was included but it was only a short video feature so Angel Aquino
was only able to say something like "Mabuhay! Oprah, here in the Philippines we
Filipinos definitely know how to unwind and take a break
(twing!!! the word "merienda" suddenly appears on the screen)... there's a Starbucks
at almost every corner and we have 67 branches of it here".

When she said "Mabuhay Oprah" the setting was in a street which looks so beautifully unPhilippines.
The rest is set inside Starbucks with Angel and her friends.
So in short, only the beautiful places are shown there, like the interior of Starbucks (duh!!!), and the street which is probably in Intramuros.

What I'm wondering about is how promoting the Philippines as a "Starbucks Nation" will help in our tourism.

Sure they only showed the nice places, but wouldn't it be better if Angel said something like "Mabuhay Oprah! Here in the Philippines we definitely know how to unwind take a break... (and then the word Boracay Flashes on the screen, instead of merienda) by going to the different resorts here in the Philippines... We have 7,107 islands to choose from and blah, blah, blah kilometers long shoreline to swim"

You guys are a couple months behind but yea.. the show was about how The Rich People Around the world live. I agree that they could have shown something a lil better than starbucks. Like maybe how some of the Rich trek to Tagaytay and dine at first rate resturants and relax at spas in whats probably the rich and famous most favorite weekend getaway

No, what I'm saying is that they show beautiful places like beaches, etc. and not coffee shops.

--

Oo nga, ang corny nung spot ni Angel. They could have at least chosen a more interesting location to show "merienda".

ganun? starbucks pa ang location? :(

@ Jon, okay... :)

-----------------------------------------

Not all Filipinos can afford to spend their merienda time in a Starbucks...
only very few can.

www.mb.com.ph/TOUR2005041532742.html
French doctor sets sight on medical tourism

By NINAH C. KINAVANOD

The pursuit of niche markets is a major component of the Department of Tourism’s (DoT) strategy to position the Philippines as Asia’s next “Tourism Capital.” While attracting mass market is not seen as a difficulty in reaching its annual visitor’s target, it is felt that equal emphasis should be placed on targeting high-level niche markets, comprising of quality visitors who stay longer and spend more. Among some of these key markets include the spa and wellness trade, long-staying retirees, golfers, international film makers and medical tourism.


The spa and health business is perhaps the fastest growing niche market. Nearly every major hotel has some kind of spa facility. While many are first-rate and world-class, others are not. Hence, in 2004, the Philippines’ first spa association was set up primarily to uphold industry standards and ensure that clients are aware of those places that are genuinely committed to providing high-quality service. At its inception, the SPA Association of the Philippines had members from hotels and resorts, day spas, destination spas, medical spas, spa consultants, training schools and suppliers of equipment and products.

Medical tourism, on the other hand, is a term that has risen from the rapid growth of the industry where people from all around the world are traveling to Asian countries such as Thailand and India to obtain medical, dental, and surgical care while at the same time touring, vacationing, and fully experiencing the attractions of the countries that they are visiting. A combination of many factors has led to the recent increase in popularity of medical tourism — exorbitant costs of healthcare in industrialized nations, ease and affordability of international travel, favorable currency exchange rates in the global economy, rapidly improving technology and standards of care in many countries of the world, and most importantly proven safety of healthcare in select foreign nations have all led to the rise of medical tourism. More and more people are traveling abroad as an affordable, enjoyable, and safe alternative to having expensive medical, dental, and surgical procedures done in their home countries. Medical tourists are generally residents of the industrialized nations of the world and primarily come from the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Western Europe, Australia, and the Middle East. But more and more, people from many other countries of the world are seeking out places where they can combine vacationing and obtaining their medical care at an affordable cost.

"A study by the Confederation of Asian Industry and a private consultancy firm has estimated ‘medical tourism’ could be worth at least $ 2 billion by 2012," says Dr. Pierre Clero, Medical director of Clinique Internationale D’ Esthetique based in Paris, France. "Last year, some 1.5 million foreigners visited India alone for treatment, with the number rising by 15 percent every year. The increasing number is forging new definitions for medical tourism in a country, where medical tourists, until now, consisted only of those from third-world countries (in Africa and Southeast Asia) or those visiting the city for traditional Ayurvedic medicine." Dr. Clero is currently in Manila as a consultant for EuroClinics Inc., a Filipino-owned medical consortium that explores the potential growth of health tourism in the Philippines by offering a vast array of elective medical procedures to both foreign and local patients.

Adds Dr. Clero, "Currently medical tourists are traveling in large numbers to India, Thailand, the East Indies and South America — places where the quality of healthcare is equal to anywhere else in the world and yet the cost is significantly lower. These regions also offer numerous options for touring, sight-seeing, shopping, exploring, and yes, even lounging on sun drenched beaches."

"Although these places are currently the most popular choices for medical tourists, the industry is growing so rapidly that more and more countries and medical centers around the world are beginning to tailor services aimed specifically at medical tourists, and the expectation is that the options for where medical tourists can choose to travel will continue to increase at a rapid pace."

With a large pool of highly trained doctors and low treatment prices, the Philippine healthcare sector aims at replicating Thailand and India’s success. "So far, patients who were forced to cancel their scheduled medical visits due to the recent tsunami tragedy are now looking at the Philippines’ shores. Plus, the long awaited opening of the new airport in the last quarter, and under the promising leadership of the Arroyo administration, we can expect the bettering of health tourism prospects," Dr. Clero predicts.

A myriad of options exist for medical tourists in the Philippines — from purely elective procedures such as liposuction, breast augmentation, micro-follicular hair grafting, to more serious and life-saving procedures such as joint replacements, bone marrow transplants, and cardiac bypass surgery – foreign nationals and balikbayans can now obtain essentially any type of medical or surgical procedure locally in a safe and effective manner for a fraction of the cost that they would face in their home countries.

Clero calls it global connectivity. "There used to be a time gap in terms of medical technology reaching the shores of Manila, but not anymore. Also, with every third medical practitioner in UK or the US known to be of Filipino descent, first-world patients attach a reasonable amount of confidence and comfort in being treated in the Philippines."

Clero also peg his medical team’s outlook on health tourism to a series of firsts: Innovative facilities offered by Euro-Clinic such as airport-to-hospital limousine service, concierge facility, Internet access, in-house interpreter services, sight-seeing packages, spa and wellness etc. Press materials distributed overseas and Internet promotion also indicate that patients from the developed world have been impressed by post-operative nursing care and good public relations offered by the group.

What are the cost savings for medical tourists?

Dr. Clero says the cost savings are enormous. "For example, for the same price as a week long vacation for two in Hawaii, a couple can fly to Manila and include airfare, 5-star hotel accommodations, personal tour guide/concierge, and detoxification and spa treatment for the wife while the husband undergoes a hair grafting technique. For other cases, the average cost of tumescent liposuction in the United States is $25,000. That same operation with comparable rates of success costs less than $5,000 conducted in the finest and most state-of-the-art outpatient clinic here. Large price disparities such as these exist across the board for numerous medical and surgical procedures. And because of favorable currency exchange rates for medical tourists, the costs associated with accommodations, food, shopping, and sight-seeing are similarly very favorable."

"Plus, considering India’s questionable sanitary conditions, there is no comparison when it comes to our Philippine clinic set-up," says Dr. Clero, who first came to Manila three years ago and has already invested more than $1 million to help boost the Philippines’ health tourism sector.

Euro-Clinic is located at #219 Nicanor Garcia St., (formerly Reposo), Makati City.

I never knew that the Philippines has cable car in her sleeves. Can you confirm this? Where is this in Cavite Province and how long to travel if coming from Manila?

http://www.tourism.gov.ph/explore_phil/place_details.asp?content=thingstodo&province=17

http://www.tourism.gov.ph/images/Explore/Gallery/Big/CAVITE/Cavite-Cable-Car.jpg

Whoa gondolas in the RP? Geez I love this forum...get to know new things about the Philippines everyday!!!! :D

I never knew that the Philippines has cable car in her sleeves. Can you confirm this? Where is this in Cavite Province and how long to travel?

http://www.tourism.gov.ph/explore_phil/place_details.asp?content=thingstodo&province=17

http://www.tourism.gov.ph/images/Explore/Gallery/Big/CAVITE/Cavite-Cable-Car.jpg

I know this cable car...this was located in tagaytay highland in Cavite...
http://k43.pbase.com/u48/austieandalby/upload/30935765.tag16.JPG

guys, as a contribution to this thread.. here are my tagaytay pictures... :D

The New Taal Vista Hotel.. Buffet was great!
http://tinypic.com/4io7yw

The Viewdeck at The hotel... conditions were hazy.. and hot!. but the wind was cool
http://tinypic.com/4io84m

Still at the viewdeck
http://tinypic.com/4io8aw

Estancia Hotel
http://tinypic.com/4io8ew

Nice car
http://tinypic.com/4io8lv

Nice view... and nice car. hehe :D

I really like how Taal Vista Hotel sa renovated. :okay:

I never knew that the Philippines has cable car in her sleeves. Can you confirm this? Where is this in Cavite Province and how long to travel if coming from Manila?

http://www.tourism.gov.ph/explore_phil/place_details.asp?content=thingstodo&province=17

http://www.tourism.gov.ph/images/Explore/Gallery/Big/CAVITE/Cavite-Cable-Car.jpg

The new Misibis Spa Resort in Legazpi Albay has cable cars too. It's posted on the Legapi Albay thread.

Yep!!! Here it is...

Misibis spa resort...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v653/olineil/misibis/Pa090042.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v653/olineil/misibis/Pa090048.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v653/olineil/misibis/Pa090056.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v653/olineil/misibis/Pa090051.jpg

Check the Legazpi City Thread for Details....Thanks

Mabuhay ang Pinoy at Pilipinas...

That Vista Hotel thing looks very Germanic-centric...just like Canyon Woods, is this becoming a trend in Taal?

DOT’S LATEST AWARD PROVES KOREANS FEEL THE PHILIPPINES
Tuesday, April 19, 2005

The Philippines bagged the Best Promotion Award at the recently concluded Tour Expo Daegu 2005 held at the Daegu Metropolitan City’s Exhibition and Convention Center in South Korea.

“There is no doubt that our marketing efforts are really paying off. After
receiving the Best Booth Award at this year’s Guangzhou International Travel Fair in China, we have added another feather to our cap by winning the Tour Expo Daegu Best Promotion Award,” according to Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano, who was visibly elated by this turn of events.

“These awards, as well as the double-digit increases in our tourist arrivals from Korea and China, which are two of our priority markets, proved that our marketing directions are on the right track. I congratulate our marketing teams whose dedication in promoting the Philippines has made all these things possible,” he added.

The Tour Expo Daegu is one of the most anticipated events in South Korea. Dedicated to the exchange of tourism information in the region, this year’s fair attracted more than 500 participants, from local organizations to foreign exhibitors.

The third largest city in South Korea, Daegu is the center of history,
administration, education, and culture in the Yeongnam region in the
southeastern part of the Korean peninsula. It is also the biggest
manufacturing and distribution site for textiles, machinery, and automotive parts.

With a population of 2.54 million * one million of which represent outbound travellers * Daegu is one of the cities targeted by the DOT’s Korean marketing and promotions initiatives, along with Seoul and Busan, South Korea’s first and second largest cities, respectively.

According to Durano, for the first two months of 2005, tourist arrivals from Korea numbered 81,013, registering a growth of 16.2% from the 69,722 arrivals in the same period last year.

“We expect a sustained growth in Korean tourist arrivals, especially since
Philippine Airlines reported that for the month of April, all its direct
flights from Daegu to Manila, which recently resumed to accommodate the increasing number of outbound travellers from the region, have been fully booked,” he said.

Korea now ranks second among the countries with the most number of tourist arrivals in the Philippines, as Korean tourists continue to be drawn by the country’s increasing popularity as a destination for family vacations, honeymoons, golf and diving activities, and English language studies.

Anchored on the theme, “More than the Usual Warmth… Feel the Philippines!” tourism promotions in Korea concentrate on the country’s surrounding waters, rich history and culture, proximity, and the warmth of the Filipino people.

--------------------------------------------------------------
Question on FIGARO Coffee, somebody mentioned that cafe' serves Barako Coffee. Does it also serve Batanggas Coffee. I like Batanggas coffee because it is naturally aromatic and light. No need to add cream or milk.

wow.. thats great news.. now if they could open that damned NAIA-3.....

you can try clickthecity.com it'll show the various events like the ballet etc if you want it. I use it all the time for movies and the like, not always complete but am not sure if there are better sites to figure what's going on where

Those bicolano cable cars look real cool!

is that nice car the new kia :)

ditto on the german lodge in tagaytay!

lastly pag nakita naman ng mga onak si angel di na nila papansinin iyung starbacks background

Great pics...Taal is truly beautiful:okay:

And those cable cars in Legaspi are quite small and cute. How many people can one accomodate? 2?

btw, that car is a BMW 1-series:D

can't remember where i got this but it's very nice.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y91/imagesaver1206/4.jpg

Taal is really out of this world man... Awesome!!! :eek2: :eek2: :eek2:

Great pics...Taal is truly beautiful:okay:

And those cable cars in Legaspi are quite small and cute. How many people can one accomodate? 2?

btw, that car is a BMW 1-series:D

4 people tops it... :nocrook:

“We expect a sustained growth in Korean tourist arrivals, especially since
Philippine Airlines reported that for the month of April, all its direct flights from Daegu to Manila, which recently resumed to accommodate the increasing number of outbound travellers from the region, have been fully booked,” he said.


Since when does PAL offer flights to Daegu? Are these regularly scheduled flights or charter operations? The only Korean cities I know that PAL serves are Seoul and Busan.

I'm pretty sure that riding on one of those cable cars will be an amazing experience because Philippines is truly a beautiful country. However, is health and safety regulations updated as well. As the last time I went back for a visit, 2003, there are a lot of areas where if proper health and safety regulations apllies, it will definitely fail.

I hope that the issue of health and safety will be looked at by the government and those people who have money should invest to promote such thing.

@janchiz, I haven't heard of any cable car accidents in Taal since it became fully operational. Unlike other Asian countries, there was no sars or birds flu epidemic in the Philippines. The meninggo in Baguio was over-hyped I guess. Baguio successfully celebrated the Panagbengga Flower Festival despite the over-hyped scare.

Regardless, I agree with you that health and safety regulations should be a priority to sustain economic growth. HEALTH is WEALTH.

Here are some pictures taken during our Puerto Galera getaway two weeks ago. We went to White Beach, and the beach was a bit crowded. Maybe it's because it was a holiday (April 9) and also it was a Saturday. Though, we have some misadventures, we still enjoyed our stay.

The Galera Sunset
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid166/pd5d147abb8a25c7163e9d9455b299267/f452c884.jpg

Coooolll...but a bit scary...
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid166/p58738d4caee9c33999d37dfaf1c18e23/f452c881.jpg

Told you, it was crowded...
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid166/pbd5a434a0f2ff4099ec2e39e42107dd1/f452c08b.jpg

Just ignore the dates in the pics, hindi na namin na-adjust yung camera eh. :)

Nice photos @kalabaw! :okay: Anymore? :colgate:

Feeling good in the Philippines
By Paolo Hooke

The Philippines, which posted a significant rise in the number of tourists last year due to aggressive marketing efforts, stronger support from the private sector and improved political stability, aims to attract 2.5 million tourist arrivals this year, up from 2.3 million in 2004 and 1.91 million in 2003.

According to the Department of Tourism (DoT), the Philippines posted a 24.3% rise in the number of tourists in the first 10 months of 2004, with visitors reaching 1.861 million during this period. In addition, tourism revenue surged by 32.29% to US$1.61 billion during the January-October 2004 period, compared to $1.22 billion from the year before.

Visitors from Asian markets, such as Japan, South Korea, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia, accounted for 51.81% of the total, while those from North America, Western Europe and the Australia/Pacific regions accounted for 29.2%, 21.9% and 28.0%, respectively. Overseas Filipinos, known as balikbayans, accounted for 4.6% of total arrivals.

The Philippines now aims for 5 million tourists by the year 2010, with Tourism Secretary Joseph Durano identifying China as the country's biggest source of tourists. "There are more than 20 million Chinese tourists," Durano said. "Of that, only 2% came to the Philippines."

Last year, 40,000 Chinese tourists visited the Philippines, an on-year jump of 23.5%. Yet this only accounts for 1.7% of the foreign tourist market, which the DoT hopes to raise. Aside from China, there was also a rise in arrivals from Australia, Taiwan, South Korea and Canada.

The DoT will step up its marketing campaign in China by joining forces with state-controlled tour wholesalers in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Starting this year, the Philippines will also stage three week-long holidays, the Chinese New Year in February, summer in May, and the Double Ten Celebrations in October, in hopes of attracting as many Chinese tourists as possible during these periods. The Philippines aims to attract 300,000 visitors from China in 2010.

According to Durano, the Philippines enjoys competitive advantages in the Chinese market due to historical and family ties with prominent business people influential in China. He noted the enormous potential of Philippine tourism in utilizing the country's cultural and natural attractions, and cited the need to focus on key geographical areas, positioning the Philippines differently to its competitors.

Promoting the Philippines
The Philippine Department of Tourism will invest $4.6 million in tourism promotion toward the key markets of North America, China, Japan and South Korea. These market-specific campaigns will use local media networks for distribution and advertising materials in the native language of the particular target market.

Extensive market research was undertaken to understand the specific preferences of each target market.

For South Korea, $1 million has been set aside for a campaign designed to target the emotions, called "Feel the Philippines". It will promote the Philippines as a family holiday and honeymoon destination, with other target markets to include students, special interest groups and incentives.

The DoT aims to increase the number of South Korean arrivals in the country from 378,602 last year to 500,000 this year.

For North America, the DoT will concentrate on overseas Filipinos, with the majority of US tourists to the Philippines being balikbayans. The US is a very important market for the Philippines, supplying 20.9%, or 478,091, of total visitor arrivals in 2004.

For China, $1.1 million has been earmarked for promoting the Philippines as a recreational destination with an emphasis on relaxation, leisure and beaches. The Philippines hopes to grab a 1% share of China's rapidly growing outbound tourism market by 2010.

As part of the Philippines' efforts to tap into the lucrative outbound Chinese tourism market, tour groups and travelers from China can now apply for a 14-day visa on arrival at Philippine international airports. The initiative is a joint effort among the Department of Foreign Affairs, the DoT and the Bureau of Immigration, which recently entered into a memorandum of agreement.

Meanwhile, the DoT's campaign toward Japan will promote the country as a premium resort island, with Metro Manila repackaged as a city resort.

In 2004, Japan was the Philippines' second-largest source of tourists in terms of country, with 377,307 arrivals. The DoT is aiming to attract 481,250 Japanese tourists this year and 1 million in 2008. By that date, the country hopes to garner a 2.5% share of Japanese arrivals to ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations).

If these targets are achieved, they would represent a sharp growth rate of 28%.

The Philippines regards the Japanese market as offering huge potential, since Japan is the world's second-largest economy, has a high per capita gross domestic product (GDP) and is one of the world's biggest sources of outbound tourists (13.3 million in 2003).

In addition to the traditional markets of China, Japan, South Korea and North America, the Philippines is also looking to tap into the European market. However, overcoming limited air access is critical since this is one of the major factors that have kept Europeans away from Philippine shores.

Another barrier that needs to be overcome is the negative image many Europeans hold of the Philippines in relation to the country's peace and security.

Recently, British ambassador to the Philippines Peter Beckingham called on the country to enter the British backpacker market. He said the Philippines has "got everything the young British want - interesting culture, beautiful scenery, restaurants, shopping malls and friendly people". But while 200,000 British tourists visit Thailand every year, only 70,000 British tourists visit the Philippines annually.

Regional breakdown
Southern Mindanao intends to take advantage of its potential for adventure tourism such as mountaineering, diving, caving and mountain biking. Of the total number of tourists who arrived in Southern Mindanao last year, only 10% were foreign arrivals.

Cebu is aiming to attract the Japanese market, seeking to position itself as a culinary destination. Since 2004, marketing and sales directors from the Hotel, Resort and Restaurant Association of Cebu member sectors have been conducting workshops to attract the Japanese market. A training and education program has also been conducted. Japanese arrivals accounted for 29.5% of Cebu's foreign tourist market in 2004.

In Subic Bay, a tourism bureau has been established that aims to plan and improve tourism in Freeport, transforming it into one of the Philippines' major tourist destinations. The Subic Bay Tourism Planning Board is made up of key departments from the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority and representatives from the tourism sector.

Meanwhile, Davao City will mount an aggressive tourism drive toward the Chinese market since only a small fraction of Chinese tourists come to Davao, according to Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

The Philippines is also looking to improve road access to the Cordillera Administrative region, one of the Philippines' top eight tourist destinations.

‘Premium Resort Islands Philippines’ branding at World Expo ‘05 in Japan

The "Premium Resort Islands Philippines" brand is effectively being promoted in the ongoing World Expo 2005 in Aichi, Japan.

Exciting travel packages are featured at the Philippine pavilion, which promotes the country’s rich cultural heritage and its beautiful sites and destinations to some 15 million World Expo visitors, 90 percent of whom are Japanese.

Also featured are the country’s traditional therapeutic massage locally known as "hilot" and the now popular coconut oil, both are showcased in an eye-catching, cocoon-like structure inside the pavilion.

Shaped like a coconut shell, this "cocoon of scents" envelops visitors in essential oils and natural perfumes that bring about a feeling of health and wellness – Philippine style.

"All such components of the Philippine pavilion, including the Latik Restaurant and a boutique of fine handicraft and artistic creations, were carefully selected and deliberately put together to depict "Premium Resort Islands Philippines" and establish it as the country’s brand image in the Japanese market," said Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace H. Durano.

"That perception is capsulized and enhanced by our exhibit theme ‘Usbong’, or the seeds of life," Durano added.

Explaining the rationale behind that marketing thrust, Durano said: "The big emphasis is on the use of ‘Premium Resort Islands’ as a tagline or positioning line to describe the Philippines in a nutshell, and thus establish a beautiful-active image of our country in the Japanese minds."

Durano is referring to the familiarity and affinity of the Japanese to the term "Premium Resort," which creates high-class imagery.

"Moreover, ‘Premium Resort’ is easy for the Japanese to understand and pronounce, and leads them to imagine a place worth spending their money for relaxation, shopping and other fun activities," said Philippine Commissioner General for World Expo 2005 Rosvi C. Gaetos, also head of Team Japan of the Department of Tourism (DoT).

Japan is the Philippines’ second largest tourist market, accounting for an average of 19 to 21 percent of the country’s total arrivals over the past 10 years.

The DoT is organizing a business mission to Japan covering the key cities of Osaka, Tokyo and Nagoya from June 1 to 10.

Secretary Durano is urging Filipino businessmen and entrepreneurs to join the mission and take advantage of the business opportunities that it will generate.

The mission involves business conferences and individual appointments between Filipino enterprises and their Japanese counterparts, including a "Tourism Business Exchange," in each of the three cities.

Those interested to join the mission may email: pcvcnet@dotpcvc.gov.ph, or log on to www.dotpcvc.gov.ph.

Corregidor:
http://planethuddleston.com/scans/coregidor1.jpg

http://planethuddleston.com/scans/coregidor2.jpg

Subic
http://planethuddleston.com/scans/subic8.jpg

http://planethuddleston.com/scans/subic11.jpg

the manufacturing companies in Subic
http://planethuddleston.com/scans/subic5.jpg

Puerto Galera is ‘05’s world’s most beautiful bay
By CHARISSA M. LUCI

Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro was recently cited as the "Most Beautiful Bay in the World" by a European-based advocacy group of the same name.

More here (http://www.mb.com.ph/TOUR2005050333918.html#)

www.mb.com.ph

That's a good news tyronne! It is indeed nice to know and be reminded how beautiful our country is!

Nice pictures ate sandrin! (is this ur real name? ) hehehe...

Philippines tourist arrivals rise 11 percent in three months to March
05/05 11:30:09 AM

MANILA,(AFP) - Tourist arrivals in the Philippines rose 11.0 percent from a year earlier to 643,202 visitors in the three months to March, the tourism department said Thursday.

Visitors from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan accounted for 46.6 percent of the arrivals, followed by North Americans with 24.8 percent.

US visitors were the single largest by country, rising 15.9 percent over the past year to 139,744, followed by South Korean tourists whose numbers rose 18.7 percent to 113,491.

Japanese arrivals, the third largest by country, also grew 7.8 percent to 104,402.

China, while accounting for just 17,215 arrivals, showed a growth in numbers of 73.6 percent over the past year.

Just got back from Baguio. Here are a few pics.

Manor at John Hay. Deals were good. Sale ata rooms.
http://tinypic.com/4vnz20

View from my room
http://tinypic.com/4vnzhx

Mines view
http://tinypic.com/4vnznp

La Trinidad
http://tinypic.com/4vnzv7

PMA
http://tinypic.com/4vo010

nice pics!!! :) may patches pa ng clouds, hehe...:)

thanks.. kakatwa lang PMA. they need to march pa bago maglunch. I took a video hehe. 3mb ata.

Nice pics ... maganda sana ang mines view kung wla lang mga bahay ...

Nice pics, everytime my visit the Philippines my family plans a trip to Baguio but it never happens, I've never been to Baguio. I guess your pictures is the closes thing I'll ever get to the realy Baguio.

wow! The manor at John Hay is really nice.

Since when does PAL offer flights to Daegu? Are these regularly scheduled flights or charter operations? The only Korean cities I know that PAL serves are Seoul and Busan.
The flights are charter since PAL only flies scheduled flights to Seoul and Busan.

Foreign diplomats turn tourists
By RACHEL C. BARAWID

For United States Embassy Counsellor for Political Affairs Scott Bellard, a recent trip in Quezon reinforced his image of the Philippines as a beautiful destination with rich culture and hospitable people. Bellard is one of the 14 diplomats from the North Americas who were treated last May 14 to a familiarization tour of Quezon Province by the Department of Tourism.

Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano said the first-ever fam trip for diplomats is part of DoT’s campaign to counteract negative and damaging travel advisories. A first in a series of trips, the activity aims to give foreign ambassadors a clearer picture of the actual state of the country in the hope of replacing the tarnished image of the Philippines in their nations into a more positive one.

"Foreign embassies play a significant role in the formulation of official advisories issued by their respective governments on travel to the Philippines. It is their duty to advise their citizens, as it is our duty at the Department to show them that the country is safe," Durano explained.

Last May 14, the first batch of resident diplomats did not just get a first-hand experience of the attractions and festivals in Quezon but also underwent cultural immersion that cannot be obtained by themselves.

Argentinian Ambassador Mario Schuff said he and his colleagues got a lot of insights from the trip and expressed gratitude to the organizers for bringing them to these places. He added that one of the distinct qualities that make the Philippines is its people.

"It brings back memories of home," Mexican Ambassador Erendira Paz said referring to the country’s colorful celebrations, and the similarities in culture and language of the Filipinos and the Mexicans, endearing her all the more to the Philippines.

Bellard, on the other hand, noted that the best part of the trip is the warm reception they received in every stop. The US embassy official who had only been in the country for six months, said that "it’s wonderful to see in action the things he already knew about the Philippines" such as its great festivals, distinct culture and warm, sincere people.

After having gone to Mindanao, the Visayas, Bellard looks forward to exploring more of lesser-known destinations in Southern Luzon with his American colleagues. He said he will organize American Embassy trips to Luzon next year.

Brazil Charge d’ Affaires Carlos de Carvalho, had to sing his content and enjoyment as he sang a couple of songs (among them Besame Mucho) to the delightful surprise of fellow ambassadors and the Filipino hosts. Carvalho was later joined by Mexican diplomat Paz in a duet.

Other diplomats who were present during the trip were Chilean Ambas. Jorge Montero, former Mexican Ambas. Alejandro de la Peña, US Embassy First Secretary, Political Section Paul O’Friel and First Secretary, Consular Section Joseph Tilghman, and Col. Jackie Lyonns of the Joint United States Military Group (JUSMAG).

Together with the Department of Foreign Affairs officials led by Assistant Secretaries Ariel Abadilla, and Jose T. Zaide, the DOT headed by Assistant Secretary for Planning and Promotion Eduardo Jarque and Region 4 director Louella Jurilla took the diplomats and their spouses to the towns of Lucban for the Pahiyas Festival, Tayabas for the Mayohan Festival and Tiaong for a visit to the Villa Escudero Plantation and Resort. They were also brought to historical sites, souvenir shops selling native handicrafts and were tendered a special feast of sumptuous Filipino cuisine and popular Lucban delicacies.

"Through this project, we are certain to convince our foreign dignitary guests that there are plenty of sites and events to discover outside Manila and inspire them to travel more," Durano said, adding that this is indeed a big boost to international tourism.

Hey friends, a neighbor called my attention that the Philippines was included on the Asia Special of the NY Post Travel Section yesterday. I borrowed the paper and scanned it for every one to see. The author Michael Grosberg is a contributor to the GLobetrekker travel channel, formerly known as Lonely Planet. Now if NY times would do the same.

I hope it's readable.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y172/sandrn/05-18-2005054610PM.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid169/pf03cafd364b4a500a5eee5e0c541ab83/f413ca7b.jpg

Here's the New York Post online edition of the article:

http://www.nypost.com/travel/46626.htm

you may have to register if you haven't done so.

MILES OF ISLES

By MICHAEL GROSBERG

Email Archives
Print Reprint

May 17, 2005 -- MICHAEL GROSBERG journeys to the Philippines, the Pacific's forgotten paradise.

THE Philippines, an archipelago of over 7,000 islands in the western Pacific, is often overlooked by tourists. This is too bad, as it's a great destination for two kinds of travelers: those seeking outdoor adventures (the country has rugged, jungle interiors, imposing mountains and waters ripe for snorkeling) and beachcombers who want nothing more than a hammock and a sunset.

That tourists don't come in droves, however, is understandable: A long-simmering Muslim insurgency and, yes, periodic kidnappings, have done a good job in encouraging tourists who want an exotic Pacific Ocean vibe to holiday in neighboring countries.

In reality, though, the Philippines is, in general, safe. (In fact, more worrisome than the insurgency is that this is an active earthquake center.) And as word gets out, people are catching on. Last year, the Philippines had more tourists than ever - a cool 2.5 million, according to the Philippine Department of Tourism.

(Note: The U.S. State Department urges Americans who travel to the Philippines "to observe vigilant personal security precautions.")

One of the Philippines' biggest draws is the geographically diverse island of Luzon, where most people head after spending just a day or so in frenetic Manila. Here you'll find spectacular rice terraces around Banaue and Batad where the canals and paddies form perfect symmetrical amphitheaters.

In the island's southern region, you'll find the town of Donsol, one of the few places where you can swim with whale sharks in the wild.

A little-known quality surf break can be found in Baler on the east coast of North Luzon, and in Siargao, off the northeast tip of Mindanao, the southernmost island.

Two prime spots for scuba diving that rival anywhere in the world are the islands of Mindoro and Bohol.

The island of Boracay, the Cancun of the Philippines - it has more than 300 resorts - is too developed for some. There's no denying, though, that it's the place to combine sun-filled days with party-filled nights.

For those seeking more solitude, stunning, bucolic Malapascua island, located off the northern tip of Cebu, boasts beautiful white-sand beaches.

Northern Negros is the place for thrill-seeking trekkers. Here you have your pick of peaks to scale - some still active volcanoes.

English is spoken most everywhere as a second language and, for better or worse, the Philippines is the most Americanized of any country in the region. Starbucks, McDonalds and mall culture are never far away.

Michael Grosberg is a contributor to the Lonely Planet guide to the Philippines

The Philippines only received 2.5 million international tourists last year? hmmmm

The Philippines only received 2.5 million international tourists last year? hmmmm

Yes it is true since we are not connected to the mainland southeast asia most tourist coming from thailand or singapore goes to vietnam, malaysia, indonesia and cambodia instead of travelling to the philippines by air.

You're giving me the impression that Vietnamese, Malaysian, Indonesian and Cambodian tourism industries are the by-products of Thai or Singaporean tourism industries.

No excuse there.

The island of Boracay, the Cancun of the Philippines - it has more than 300 resorts - is too developed for some. There's no denying, though, that it's the place to combine sun-filled days with party-filled nights.


:lol: Hmm....the "Cancun of the Philippines," so it has come down to that! :)

You're giving me the impression that Vietnamese, Malaysian, Indonesian and Cambodian tourism industries are the by-products of Thai or Singaporean tourism industries.

No excuse there.

I think it's true because usually travel agencies offer a whole package which includes all the countries sharing land borders with mainland south east asia. It's practical that way, like hitting more birds with one stone. Also I often heard tourists taking trains from Singapore, Malaysia, & Thailand and even crossed beyond the Thai northern border.

You're giving me the impression that Vietnamese, Malaysian, Indonesian and Cambodian tourism industries are the by-products of Thai or Singaporean tourism industries.

No excuse there.

You did not analyze the situation. Thailand and Singapore is the International Hub of Southeast Asia because of their Airports and because of this most tourist in Southeast asia uses this airport to go to the other parts of southeast asia.

I think it's true because usually travel agencies offer a whole package which includes all the countries sharing land borders with mainland south east asia. It's practical that way, like hitting more birds with one stone. Also I often heard tourists taking trains from Singapore, Malaysia, & Thailand and even crossed beyond the Thai northern border.


i definitely agree, smaller markets have to heavily depend on hubs. :)

I think you are mistaken with the juxtaposition of cause and effect. Thailand and Singapore did not become hub because of their airports. It is the reverse.

Whereas most of the countries of Southeast Asia were colonized, making their culture tainted by Western influence, Thailand on the other hand, is the only country in Southeast Asia that was not colonized and thus retained mostly its cultural values and appearance bereft of Western vestige. Because of this, tourists (and in this case, mostly western tourists) preferred to go to Thailand to see its uniquely Asian culture. Tourism thus became the bellwether for the rest of the other industries in Thailand to follow.

Singapore, however, became a hub because of its strategic location, being in the center of Southeast Asia as well as its location at the very busy Malacca Strait. Continuing business activities just necessitated building a bigger and more efficient airport to sustain its industry.

hey guys, check this out... http://www.tristancafe.com/music/flash/biyahetayo.html
a really nice, upbeat song about tourism in the Philippines