CEBU Stock Exchange

Mayor Tomas Osmeña yesterday said the Land Management Bureau (LMB) told him that Cebu City Hall will get the titles of the South Reclamation Project (SRP) “as early as next week.”

“I was told that as early as next week it will be released. I hope so because it’s hurting us badly,” he told a news conference.

He said the LMB is just finalizing the subdivision of the lots for the 295-hectare property.

Osmeña will not be around next week, as he and some MCWD officials will attend the International Desalination Conference in Singapore from Sept. 11 to 16.

City Hall reporters sought updates on the titling of the SRP because it is already September, and SRP manager Nigel Paul Villarete had high hopes that the titles would be released last August.

Without the titles, the City cannot sell the SRP to investors. It needs funds to pay for the 12.292-billion yen loan it got from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation almost a decade ago.

Cebu City has to pay P6.3 billion, at today’s exchange rate, for the loan.

Anytime this month, Osmeña said, a high-ranking official of the Makati Stock Exchange will visit the facility to look into the possibility of transferring its operations to Cebu.

“They want to transfer operations here because it’s chaotic in Manila. I told them, `If you operate here, I will give a hectare or two for free’,” he said.




http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/cebupics/SSC/skyscrapercity-cebu.jpg

^^ after bringing Malacañang to Cebu, the Department of Tourism headquarters, THE Stock Exchange among others... need to say more? the Empire City is getting bigger and more powerful everyday ;) Mayor Tomas for me is the most effective leader in Cebu City. :okay:

and a possibility of becoming its own republic. :jk:

Looks like an Arab model

That's what I thought too. After seeing the dome mosques & the minarets, it's hard to believe that the plan is for a German city.

Viva Republic of Cebu! lolz

I don't know when this photo was taken but it looks like its ready to rock.
Any news as to when will this be opened?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/SMSheraton.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/BanildTownCenter.jpg
Banilad Town Center

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/Baniladtowncenter.jpg[/IMG]
Inside Banilad Town Center


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/Crossroads.jpg
Crossroads


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/JYSquare.jpg
JY Square


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/Robinsons.jpg
Robinson's[IMG]

Korean tour guides get breather on CH permits

The Lapu-Lapu City Council has given Korean tour guides a breather, as it passed an ordinance suspending one of the requirements for a mayor’s permit.

The suspension is good for six months.

It amended City Ordinance 236-2000, which requires Korean tour guides to submit a “proof of reciprocity” before getting a license from City Hall.

Proof of reciprocity is a certification issued by the applicant’s home country, specifying that Korea has a law allowing reciprocal rights of Filipino citizens there.

City Councilor Damian Gomez said the City should suspend the requirement because there is an increasing number of Korean tour guides applying for a mayor’s permit in Lapu-Lapu City.

The growing number of tour guides only shows there is a heavy influx of tourists from Korea, Gomez said.

Influx

However, because the City requires a proof of reciprocity, Gomez said a number of Korean tour guides failed to get a mayor’s permit.

The suspension will be lifted until the Filipino tour guides are ready to work with Korean tourists.

Gomez said the Department of Tourism is now training Filipino tour guides to speak Korean.

He stressed that the suspension will protect the tourism industry and sustain the influx of tourists to Lapu-Lapu City.

Reciprocity

In an interview after the session, Gomez said he learned that other local government units do not require tour guides to submit a proof of reciprocity.

If the requirement is not suspended, Gomez said the City stands to lose income because tour guides are likely to secure a mayor’s permit elsewhere.

Koreans are visiting Cebu in increasing numbers, from 14,965 in 2000, to at least 31,146 as of mid-2003.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/Seabutterflyresortsiteplan.jpg
Seabutterfly's site plan

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/Resortapartment.jpg
Apartment rendering

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/BanildTownCenter.jpg
Banilad Town Center

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/Baniladtowncenter.jpg
Inside Banilad Town Center


thanks for the photos Ed! BTC actually looks bigger than i thought. im excited to drop by soon! similar concept with Metrowalk Ortigas. :D

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/UniversityofCebu.jpg
University of Cebu


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/CebuInternationalSchool2.jpg
Cebu International School

thanks for the photos Ed! BTC actually looks bigger than i thought. im excited to drop by soon! similar concept with Metrowalk Ortigas. :D

You're very welcome. I guess you guys are so passionate about our city that you have to stay up late just to post here. I'm not complaining though. LOL

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/CebuInternationalSchool2.jpg
Cebu International School

Ed, do you have CIE's side view and the soccer field? i heard the building has modern exteriors?

You're very welcome. I guess you guys are so passionate about our city that you have to stay up late just to post here. I'm not complaining though. LOL

yeah, the metropolis never ran out of great photos. naturally beautiful :D but i'm more excited about SRP's latest development. a group from Makati Stock Exchange is looking for a possiblity to transfer operations in the reclamation area. i wuz like, whoa really? i hope so! hehe

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/CBPatnight2.jpg
CBP at night

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/WaterfrontHotelatnight.jpg
Waterfront at night

I don't know when this photo was taken but it looks like its ready to rock.
Any news as to when will this be opened?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/SMSheraton.jpg

there was no date given but i read it somewhere the interior works will take up 3-6 months. as we speak, infos that i'm sure of: SM group is interested to finish the hotel. Sheraton International made up their mind and decided to continue the hotel apparently they realize how high the demand for hotel rooms in Cebu is. SM is even excited to announce about the Cebu mall's expansion. lets just wait and see. :D

^^ after bringing Malacañang to Cebu, the Department of Tourism headquarters, THE Stock Exchange among others... need to say more? the Empire City is getting bigger and more powerful everyday ;) Mayor Tomas for me is the most effective leader in Cebu City. :okay:

Mayor Tomas is definitely the most effective leader!! And wow, I hope Cebu gets the stock exchange!!

Mayor Tomas is definitely the most effective leader!! And wow, I hope Cebu gets the stock exchange!!

Good news. But one question. Why is the stock exchange called PHISIX not PHISEX? :)

i kinda like university of cebu's design.. looks pretty modern. are there more photos of other cebu's current universities? eg. any updates on university of san carlos, the new cebu doctor university branch?

^^ after bringing Malacañang to Cebu, the Department of Tourism headquarters, THE Stock Exchange among others... need to say more? the Empire City is getting bigger and more powerful everyday ;) Mayor Tomas for me is the most effective leader in Cebu City. :okay:


Oh really? when was this article? havn't heard this news here in Cebu.... I really hope so, not because I'm a Cebuano but beacause there will be no hindrances here for the stock exchange to operate not like in Makati, si Mr. Binay pa mismo ang nag urge ng mga rallyists na mag rally infront of the PSE. Hahay! So maybe Cebu will become the financial capital of the Philippines sooner.

^ Slerz, you dream big! I Like That! Haha.

Viva Republic of Cebu! lolz
Amen!

coz I lurrrv Cebu. I even love Cebu more than my...ehehe.nevermind

^ Hahaha, i hope it's not what I think it is.. :jk:

i kinda like university of cebu's design.. looks pretty modern. are there more photos of other cebu's current universities? eg. any updates on university of san carlos, the new cebu doctor university branch?

I'll try to ask my cousin to take pictures of San Carlos coz he goes there. He is part of the student Council.. I think.

thanks sloid, looking forward on it.
ot: i didnt know that you sent me a pm on soompi till i looked up my email. its funny that we intentionally had to mention that we are cebuanos in that thread haha

hello jimbu,
salamat for your excellent research! really impressive that SRP area. they even built a 4 lane expressway with what a great span of bridge at the north end towards cebu central, very professional city planning.
now that tunnel seems to be oposite a long "thin line" stretching out into the open sea from mactan island. is that a bridge that dissapears into a/the tunnel to connect with the mainland? or what is this white thin line stretching out so far into the sea ? i would be greatful for further infos,
once more : salamat for the interesting images&explanations. cebu really seams to be amazingly growing to strengh quickly and it´s´very impressiv to see it happen, thanks to you forumers !
philpal







Here is a picture taken from previous Cebu thread.http://maps.google.com/
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a340/Jimbu/SRP.jpg

The small circle in red is where the underground tunnel be built passing Plaza Independencia.
The one which looks like a gun is the SRP. I think this is an old photo because the SRP looks unfinished and the bridge/causeway from SRP to Carbon area is not yet visible. http://maps.google.com/
For the International Port I'm not sure in what part of Cordova because they still have to reclaim the land. But that should be somewhere encircled.

The SRP
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a340/Jimbu/southroadproperties.jpg

I don't know when this photo was taken but it looks like its ready to rock.
Any news as to when will this be opened?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/SMSheraton.jpg

It really looks ready to rock on the exteriors but actually it still needs P1B for the interiors. :)

Header
http://www.boljoon.com/images/header/boljooncebuphilippines.jpg
Watchtower
http://www.boljoon.com/cebu/data/516/1P1050427-med.jpg
Panoramic Views
http://www.boljoon.com/cebu/data/516/1P1050888_copy.jpg
http://www.boljoon.com/cebu/data/516/125boljoonimage14l-med.jpg
Elli Boulevard (the street between the sea and the mountain)
http://www.boljoon.com/cebu/data/516/402elliboulevard.JPG
http://www.boljoon.com/cebu/data/516/125P1030901-med.JPG
http://www.boljoon.com/cebu/data/516/1DSC00594-med.JPG
The Beach
http://www.boljoon.com/cebu/data/516/1P1060049-med.JPG
The Church
http://www.boljoon.com/cebu/data/516/402boljoonchurch.jpg
Town Beauties
http://www.boljoon.com/cebu/data/516/125P1010119-med.JPG
Baywalk
http://www.boljoon.com/cebu/data/516/125P1030902-med.JPG
Boljoon Hill
http://www.boljoon.com/cebu/data/516/28Boljoon_Hill_at_Granada-med.JPG
Barangay Poblacion
http://www.boljoon.com/cebu/data/516/34Barangay_Poblacion_Boljoon.jpg
The River (below the Bridge)
http://www.boljoon.com/cebu/data/516/1DSC00490-med.JPG
Lovers' Cave
http://www.boljoon.com/cebu/data/516/1DSC00479-med.JPG

.Construction of 1-unit, 6-classroom School Building at STEC
.Asphalt overlay of Humay-Humay to Mactan Air Base
.Construction Marigondon Satellite Market
.Const of 1 unit 2 compartments CR @ Abuno Elem. School
.Pusok Construction of Social Development Center Building at City Government Center
.Construction of 1-unit, 6-classroom School Building at STEC
.Construction of steel skywalk at Basak
.Gun-ob Construction & improvement of Ampalaya, Gun-ob to Basak Road
.Construction of City Jail Phase II at Soong
.Asphalting of Marigondon Crossing to Beach
.Construction of Social Development Center Building at City Government Center

^ Amazing, Cebu really has a lot to offer. I never heard of that town before.

thanks sloid, looking forward on it.
ot: i didnt know that you sent me a pm on soompi till i looked up my email. its funny that we intentionally had to mention that we are cebuanos in that thread haha

Haha, yeah. Soompi Rox! But some of the people there are psycho's! >.<

^ Amazing, Cebu really has a lot to offer. I never heard of that town before.


What town? Boljoon?

^ Yeah, it's really beautiful. It kinda reminded me of El Nido.

^ Yeah, it's really beautiful. It kinda reminded me of El Nido.
Yes, it really is so beautiful. That's why it's called the HERITAGE CENTER of CEBU

http://img356.imageshack.us/img356/7792/11or1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/4056/26wg.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/8015/41rj1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/2387/41ue.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img354.imageshack.us/img354/245/48tu.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
TOPS.. A great place to propose.. Haha.

nice shots. the last two photos looks familiar. im sure those were taken from beverly hills.. i still remember the days taking school class trips over there and visiting taoist temple.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/cebupics/taoist%20temple/44453460.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/cebupics/taoist%20temple/44453964.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/cebupics/taoist%20temple/44453651.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/cebupics/taoist%20temple/44453650.jpg

Taoist Temple, Beverly Hills
Cebu City



http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/cebupics/SSC/skyscrapercity-cebu.jpg

more Taoist Temple photos from PBase.com

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/cebupics/taoist%20temple/44453652.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/cebupics/taoist%20temple/44453738.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/cebupics/taoist%20temple/44453959.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/cebupics/taoist%20temple/44453762.jpg



http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/cebupics/SSC/skyscrapercity-cebu.jpg

^^ lovely isn't it? authentic taoist temple you can't find anywhere else in the country as beautiful as this. :okay:

wow there you go, great photography work rusty. if only i can share something.. good stuff

[QUOTE=sloidI'll try to ask my cousin to take pictures of San Carlos coz he goes there. He is part of the student Council.. I think.[/QUOTE]

ey sloid, pls ask him if he could obtain USC's masterplan / renderings. i was informed the Talamban campus will house all the colleges in the future. i was hoping someone can post here their buildings which most of 'em are high-rises :D

Oh really? when was this article? havn't heard this news here in Cebu.... I really hope so, not because I'm a Cebuano but beacause there will be no hindrances here for the stock exchange to operate not like in Makati, si Mr. Binay pa mismo ang nag urge ng mga rallyists na mag rally infront of the PSE. Hahay! So maybe Cebu will become the financial capital of the Philippines sooner.

wow, maybe sooner than we think? sounds like they're not in a rush but as soon as now they are already looking for possible relocation in Cebu. they are interested moving to Cebu, do we have to explain why? haha

hello jimbu,
salamat for your excellent research! really impressive that SRP area. they even built a 4 lane expressway with what a great span of bridge at the north end towards cebu central, very professional city planning.
now that tunnel seems to be oposite a long "thin line" stretching out into the open sea from mactan island. is that a bridge that dissapears into a/the tunnel to connect with the mainland? or what is this white thin line stretching out so far into the sea ? i would be greatful for further infos,
once more : salamat for the interesting images&explanations. cebu really seams to be amazingly growing to strengh quickly and it´s´very impressiv to see it happen, thanks to you forumers !
philpal

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a340/Jimbu/SRP.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a340/Jimbu/Mactan.jpg

what is this white thin line stretching out so far into the sea ? i would be greatful for further infos

Sorry, I really don't know also. I doubt if this is the Ro-Ro port. We would appreciate if we have guys here from Mactan who know about it.

ey sloid, pls ask him if he could obtain USC's masterplan / renderings. i was informed the Talamban campus will house all the colleges in the future. i was hoping someone can post here their buildings which most of 'em are high-rises :D

i'll try to ask him.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a340/Jimbu/SRP.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a340/Jimbu/Mactan.jpg

Sorry, I really don't know also. I doubt if this is the Ro-Ro port. We would appreciate if we have guys here from Mactan who know about it.

this is the photo based on the satellite map :D
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/cebupics/mactan/Picture034.jpg

this is the photo based on the satellite map
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/cebupics/mactan/Picture034.jpg

Thanks Rusty. So this must be a port.

^^ yeah, looks like so. but isnt it too far from the mainland? im not really aware of this. im really wondering about that huge passenger vessel doing on that port thing? i hope someone can enlighten us about this unfamiliar sea port :D

Cebu business moving forward despite oil shocks, EVAT concerns

Cebu’s business community continues to move forward despite the additional burden of the oil price shock and the expanded value added tax (EVAT), a local business chamber official said.

Jose Mari T. Bigornia, a board trustee of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce Inc. (CCCI) and president of Cebu Partners Committed to Environmental and Economic Management Foundation Inc. (PCEEM), said the business climate in Cebu remains conducive to key industries, among them tourism and information and communications technology (ICT).

"These are expected to carry the province of Cebu in the immediate future," he stressed.

Among the main drivers in the ICT sector are software development, cross-border IT businesses, call centers, and business development organizations.

The CCCI official likewise stressed the importance of infrastructure development in Cebu as key to achieving economic growth competitive with other regional players.

Cebu has been a recipient of several foreign-funded infrastructure projects such as land reclamation, highways and interior roads, bridges, power and utilities.

Cebu is also linked to the rest of the world through a state-of-the-art fiber optic submarine transmission line which remains underutilized due to the popularity of wireless technology.

"But wireless technology, although leading in communications today, will take the backseat when more requirements increase especially data and image transmission," Bigornia said.

He also cited the 6th Road Project funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), administered by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

The completion of the road has brought improvements in the local business environment and made an impact on the inter-municipality and inter-provincial economies. Even the local transport system has improved, both in the municipal and intra-provincial levels.

"There is faster movement of both people and agricultural and manufacturing products. Investments in the local transportation sector also increased," Bigornia said.

He pointed out that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and businessmen in Cebu are "a value-added people," implying that increased intra-provincial trade allows for greater economic activities, some of which result in exports.

"We get products from the neighboring provinces such as Iloilo, Bohol or Negros, we repackage or raise it to commercial or international standards, and sell it in the domestic market or for export," Bigornia said.

A developed infrastructure is also seen to increase tourist arrivals, one of Cebu’s anchor industries. The new highway has resulted in reduced travel time from both the northern and sourthern Cebu tourism destinations as travel time has been reduced by half, making the towns in the extreme southern island such as Santandar and Oslob more accessible to the capital city of Cebu.

Thanks Rusty. So this must be a port.

in my opinion this cannot be a port, it is much too narrow and much too long. it looks like a wave-breaker or a boardwalk. how can any luggage or supplies be tranported onto that big cruiser. but for what else purpose would anyone have built it for ? especially since THERE IS a cruiser docking there.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a340/Jimbu/SRP.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a340/Jimbu/Mactan.jpg



this is the photo based on the satellite map :D
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/cebupics/mactan/Picture034.jpg


Actually the long thingy next to the ship is called a tide breaker or something to calm down the sea tides to make port docking easier more predictable.

I don't know when this photo was taken but it looks like its ready to rock.
Any news as to when will this be opened?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/SMSheraton.jpg

I didnt know that exterior is already painted and detailed. It looks very much completed already:) How long will the interior finishing take?

Actually the long thingy next to the ship is called a tide breaker or something to calm down the sea tides to make port docking easier more predictable.

me too, I didn't notice that line since before... I thought its a causeway...
is it made oof soil? or sand bags or somehtin?

i´m sure it´s made of rocks that are piled up. so i guess the cruiser is just passing through the straight and not docking at the tidebreaker.

Today's featured municipality is supposed to be Borbon but I haven't found any resources for this town so for now, it will be skipped...

CARCAR
The Bustling Town
http://www.boljoon.com/cebu/data/518/1P1050459-med.JPG
St. Catherine of Alexandria Church
http://elgu.ncc.gov.ph/ecommunity/carcar-cebu/image/St.%20Catherine%20of%20Alexandria.jpg
The People and the Chicharon
http://elgu.ncc.gov.ph/ecommunity/carcar-cebu/image/c6.jpg
Shoemaking
http://elgu.ncc.gov.ph/ecommunity/carcar-cebu/image/c16.jpg
The Town Market
http://elgu.ncc.gov.ph/ecommunity/carcar-cebu/image/c5.jpg
An Ancestral Home
http://elgu.ncc.gov.ph/ecommunity/carcar-cebu/image/c10.jpg
The Culture
http://elgu.ncc.gov.ph/ecommunity/carcar-cebu/image/c19.jpg
http://elgu.ncc.gov.ph/ecommunity/carcar-cebu/image/c17.jpg

Here's a pic I took last Friday around the White Gold area. It's so flooded :(
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y261/michaelsinjin/100_1900.jpg

Fr. Kemmerer's Playground BLESSING
9.9.05
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y261/michaelsinjin/100_1916.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y261/michaelsinjin/100_1915.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y261/michaelsinjin/100_1914.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y261/michaelsinjin/100_1913.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y261/michaelsinjin/100_1911.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y261/michaelsinjin/100_1910.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y261/michaelsinjin/100_1909.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y261/michaelsinjin/100_1907.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y261/michaelsinjin/100_1908.jpg

The New Building (actually, the pics' focus is the Softball game :) but, accidentally, the New Building was included in the pics)
features:
1st floor is an Airconditioned All-New Library
2nd floor is a 300-seater AVR (according to rumors, its a Mini Ayala Cinema :) )
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y261/michaelsinjin/100_1926.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y261/michaelsinjin/100_1927.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y261/michaelsinjin/100_1933.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y261/michaelsinjin/100_1934.jpg

^They should maintain the grass.

Nice pictures of Carcar, I never knew it had a Jolibee. Wow, I'm learning a lot about Cebu here.

That's the purpose of this thread. :)

I didn't see Michael Sinjin there..hehe. where's my lilbro?

Michael, is that the Richmond hotel behind that USC new building?

^They should maintain the grass.

Nice pictures of Carcar, I never knew it had a Jolibee. Wow, I'm learning a lot about Cebu here.

Carcar's bid for cityhood is pending in court. i dunno which court, victoria or prince... heck can't remember. lolz

same with Bogo and Naga. Carcar and Naga are planned to become part of the Cebu Metropolis as soon as the Cebu Rail Transit is operational. :D

^ Nice, I thought Bogo was already a city. I have some relatives in Medellin and when we go there, we often stop by Bogo. Hey isn't Carcar also the place with lots of those Spanish architecture. I think I saw it on tv before.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/SMSheraton.jpg

I didnt know that exterior is already painted and detailed. It looks very much completed already:) How long will the interior finishing take?

6 months at the most :D the hotel has around 400 rooms.

Major international hotel chains in Cebu

Shangri-La Resort Mactan
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/cebupics/cebu%20hotels/shangmactan1.jpg

Marriott Hotel
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/cebupics/ayala%20cebu/Picture090.jpg

Hilton Towers and Spa Resort
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/cebupics/cebu%20hotels/cebuhilton2.jpg
Currently on soft launch. Grand opening on mid-September 2005

Major international chain hotels opening soon! as of Press time

Sheraton International
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/cebupics/cebu%20hotels/SMSheraton.jpg
Target opening: 1st Quarter of 2006

Marco Polo Hotel (Cebu Plaza)
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/cebupics/cebu%20hotels/Cebu-0001-600.jpg
Target reopening: October 2005

Crown Regency Suites (Club Ultima Towers)
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/cebupics/ClubUltimaCebu.jpg
Target opening: December 2006

Park Lane Hotel
Target opening: December 2005

Park City Central
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/cebupics/parkcitycentralhotel.jpg
no sign of construction yet



http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/cebupics/SSC/skyscrapercity-cebu.jpg

The New Casino Espanol
http://www.boljoon.com/cebu/data/556/125P1050325-med.JPG
The City @ Night
http://www.boljoon.com/cebu/data/556/1P1030203-med.JPG
The Sunrise
http://www.boljoon.com/cebu/data/556/62sunriseincebu1-med.jpg
The Sunset
http://www.boljoon.com/cebu/data/500/203PIC00557a-med.JPG

Sun Star Cebu
9.12.05
--------------
Airline flights play a big role in hiking Cebu’s tourism industry, said Wolfgang Maier, Hilton Cebu Resort and Spa General Manager.

“Tourism starts with airlines. The easier it is for people to come here, the more likely it is that they will,” he said.

The airlines right now are dependent on some Asian destinations namely, Korea, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore.

He suggested that tourism stakeholders start with charter flights and see how it works. Cebu, he said, should learn from its main competitors, Bali and Phuket, which are now very successful in attracting new markets from Europe and Australia because of charter flights.

This is something that requires the efforts of the hospitality sector, the Department of Tourism (DOT) and other government agencies.

With these efforts, the hotel industry as well as shopping centers, taxi drivers and the local community will benefit as well, added Maier, who lauded the government and DOT for understanding the value of tourism.

Festivals

He added that another area that needs to be worked on is the creation of festivals that goes on for a month or so to give people more reasons to visit Cebu.

“One of the reasons why a lot of places like Phuket, Bali and even Dubai have become successful destinations is because they picked different periods during the year and do some festival or something on a city-wide scale to attract more people,” he explains.

The irony here in Cebu is that Sinulog, its biggest festival, is celebrated on a January, a period that is quite busy for the tourism business, he pointed out.

The months of June to August is a period when a lot of Filipinos and foreigners have vacations but unfortunately, there is nothing in Cebu to attract them to come.

Hilton Cebu Resort and Spa had their soft opening last June. The grand opening is slated next month but their garden spa and Manny O’s Tapas and Wines will open at the end of the month.

They currently have 307 hotel employees and management plans to hire 200 more.

Personnel

According to Reno Bacolod, the hotel’s marketing communications manager, there is a dearth of hotel personnel in Cebu right now.

For rank and file positions, fresh graduates can be trained but the management encountered difficulty in hiring supervisors and managers with experience.

David Jamieson, Hil-ton’s director for business development, said their target market includes locals and balikbayans, Koreans, Japanese and emerging markets, particularly tourists from Continental Europe, Germany, United Kingdom, Italy and Australia.

Hilton Cebu Resort and Spa maintains the minimum standard set for all Hilton hotels worldwide. Almost P2 billion was invested to build the hotel resort and condominium units in Cebu. (Emily Jade B. Valero)

Sept. 24- THE SEARCH FOR THE STAR IN A MILLION mall tour @ Ayala Center Cebu

Sept. 29,30, October 1- Ayala Mallwide 3-day Sale + Metro Ayala's Anniversary Sale

more updates soon...


*The Lighthouse Restaurant in Mango. Ave has been renovated recently and posters' say that it is slated to reopen September 2005. I'll check on it for more info.

Cebu will experience Mostly cloudy with rainshowers and thunderstorms, winds will be light to moderate blowing from the southwest, coastal waters will be slight to moderate, temperature range 23 to 30°C (73 to 86°F).

nice pictures ... there was a casino in Iloilo called Casino Espanol too, but it closed down na :), could both casinos be related?

Villa Palmera
http://elgu.ncc.gov.ph/ecommunity/carmen-cebu/image/vcarmen1hse1.jpg
The Grotto
http://elgu.ncc.gov.ph/ecommunity/carmen-cebu/image/carmen1grotto.jpg
The Pool
http://elgu.ncc.gov.ph/ecommunity/carmen-cebu/image/carmen1pool.jpg
The Beach
http://elgu.ncc.gov.ph/ecommunity/carmen-cebu/image/carmen1beach.jpg
The Bayview
http://elgu.ncc.gov.ph/ecommunity/carmen-cebu/image/carmen1bayview.jpg

Special thanks to http://elgu.ncc.gov.ph/ecommunity/carmen-cebu/

nice pictures ... there was a casino in Iloilo called Casino Espanol too, but it closed down na :), could both casinos be related?
I have no idea. :)

Are the days of the Cebu Ports Authority (CPA) in Cebu City numbered?

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said Sunday he has requested President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to transfer the CPA office outside Cebu City.

"I have talked with her (Arroyo) only briefly. It will take a little time to sink in," Osmeña said.

The mayor earlier promised to transfer the CPA to Cordova town in exchange for Cordova Mayor Arleigh Sitoy's offer to relocate the city's Badjao tribe to Tonggo Island.

Osmeña has also been critical of the CPA's refusal to pay taxes to the city.

Meanwhile, presidential daughter Luli Arroyo on Sunday described as unfair attempts to accuse members of her family of meddling in the process of naming political appointments.

Luli was reacting to insinuations that her family has been backing CPA General Manager Mariano Martinez.

Martinez has been facing calls for his resignation due to allegations of corruption.

"It is unfair for anyone to insinuate. Neither do we get involved in any government transaction," Luli said.

She said that when her mother, President Arroyo, assumed office, the first administrative order she issued was to prevent her family members from meddling in naming political appointees and in government transactions.

"They (political detractors) will always try to bring out intrigues to bring down my family, but that will not stop President Arroyo from doing her duties," Luli said.

Rumors against the first family were not affecting them, she said. "But sadly, these are tearing the country into pieces."

"My family has remained solid even if my father and brother are in another country. They (political detractors) can try in tearing us apart, but they are not succeeding," she said.
----
>I am alone in the Cebu thread...hehehe....:)

Cebu Fluvial Parade
http://www.boljoon.com/cebu/data/500/104fluvial-10-med.jpg

Cebu will experience Mostly cloudy with rainshowers and thunderstorms, winds will be light to moderate blowing from the southwest, coastal waters will be slight to moderate, temperature range 23 to 30°C (73 to 86°F).

Haha! May weather report pa!
Anyway, rain or shine, hope this BIG project pushes thru.
Today 12:56 AM

A rail-based mass transit system for Cebu?
INSIDE CEBU By Bobit S. Avila
The Philippine Star 09/12/2005

Last Friday’s report in The Freeman by Fred Languido caught my eye because Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia has announced that she was going to reactivate the Metro Cebu Development Council (MCDC) which has remained in the closet of the Regional Development Council (RDC-7) for some time now. No doubt there are issues that need to be addressed in Metro Cebu like the traffic problems we are experiencing daily and the planned expansion of Metro Cebu to include what we call the Greater Metro Cebu Area.

Call it timely that the article came out last Friday just when we joined a focus group discussion on the Metro cities of Cebu — Cebu City, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu — for the 2005 Philippine Cities Competitiveness Ranking Project (PCCRP) of the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) Policy Center. Dr. Victorina G. Zosa, director of the University of San Carlos (USC)-Zonal Research Center, was tasked to help the AIM collate the necessary information on the competitiveness of Metro Cebu cities. Thus, she called on a group of personalities from Metro Cebu to validate some of the information she got before she sends this to the AIM for final evaluation and comparison.

I cannot yet divulge details of the initial reports since I don’t want to preempt the AIM report. However, I must say that I’m saddened that Cebu City has dropped in terms of its competitiveness compared to the other cities and I can only reckon that it is due to the fact that our political leadership has not really met with Cebu’s business leaders or the academe to map out its visions and check where we’re falling behind. Truth to tell, Metro Cebu doesn’t even have a master plan, except the vision that Mayor Tomas Osmeña has always used in his campaign sorties… that Cebu City will be second to none.

We already know that Cebu City has been overtaken by Davao City in the last Asiaweek Cities report a few years back and Cebuanos do not want our beloved Cebu City to slide down further. It is also important to note that Cebu City cannot grow on its own without the cities of Metro Cebu and if need be, the towns surrounding it because if these towns do not grow with Metro Cebu, that would mean more congestion for the Metro Cebu cities.

One issue, for instance, is the proposed bill of Rep. Raul del Mar (Cebu City North) on the creation of the Metro Cebu Traffic Authority (MCTA). This is probably the only congressional bill that came directly from the people who are affected by the daily traffic since this was the result of the First Metro Cebu Traffic Summit held in October 2001. But there’s a hitch to this proposal as Mayor Osmeña is now against it. His dislike for government authorities stems from his realty tax problems with the Cebu Port Authority (CPA) and of course, the present squabble between Cebu City and Talisay City.

But it doesn’t mean that we don’t need the MCTA. It is a fact that the Metro Manila Development Authority is facing problems with the political personalities holding control of the local government units in Metro Manila. That’s due to the fact that the LGUs are now better empowered because of the Local Government Code, but for as long as the national government has agencies like the Land Transportation Office or the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), there will always be chaotic traffic in Metro Cebu and I predict that the same thing would happen in Metro Manila if the politicians would get their way and abolish the MMDA.

Another upcoming issue of great concern for Metro Cebu is the proposal of AMA Group Holdings Corp. president Amable Aguiluz to build a $622-million, 18.4-kilometer mass rail transit system. I don’t know why all of a sudden this story came out in the news… when there really isn’t anything there yet. I do recall that this proposal was already on the table when retired Gen. Arturo Enrile was running the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC). In fact, he was supposed to go to Cebu to discuss this proposal when he suddenly passed away.

The last time I heard about this proposal was some three years ago when a Manila group held a public hearing on this, which I attended. I won’t ever forget how I told those guys that their proposal for a rail-based mass transit system for Metro Cebu was patterned closely to the Light Rail Transit or Metro Rail Transit of Metro Manila and therefore, it would encounter the same problems, which were also besetting Metro Manila.

I know that the LRT has always been a losing proposition for the government and that is due to the fact that the DOTC refuses to charge the right fare to make the LRT a viable business or that the passengers from Monumento to Baclaran refuse to pay the right fare for a mass transit system that they are so blessed to have and that no other city in the Philippines has. Yet to save the LRT from going under, the government subsidizes its operations… a situation which I believe is grossly unfair to all other cities which have not received any mass transit system from the national government.

It is for this reason why I believe that if Metro Cebu gets a rail-based mass transit system, it should not follow the wrong path of the LRT in Manila. But it seems that another upcoming mistake seems to be in the offing, with this proposal coming from the AMA Group, which I understand is not in the rail business. No doubt that the AMA Group must be well-connected with the present dispensation, but what Cebu needs is the right mass transit system unlike what they are running in Metro Manila. Metro Cebu’s transport requirements are quite different from Metro Manila’s.

For instance, Metro Manila’s MRT or LRT are people movers, which means that from midnight to early dawn, this multimillion-peso infrastructure is not making money… that is why it is losing money! I’d rather have a heavy rail-based system, which can carry people by day and cargoes at night. That means the cargoes will not compete with the passenger traffic during the day, but more importantly, this expensive infrastructure would make money the whole day, making it a more viable business so its operators or owners won’t be bothering the government for subsidies. I just hope that the bigwigs in the Arroyo administration would listen seriously to our suggestions. * * *

For e-mail responses to this article, write to vsbobita@mozcom.com. Bobit Avila’s columns can also be accessed through www.thefreeman.com. He also hosts a weekly talk show, "Straight from the Sky," shown every Monday, at 8 p.m., only in Metro Cebu on Channel 15 of SkyCable.

Cebu will experience Mostly cloudy with rainshowers and thunderstorms, winds will be light to moderate blowing from the southwest, coastal waters will be slight to moderate, temperature range 23 to 30°C (73 to 86°F).

Michael :okay: :okay:

Michael :okay: :okay:
We are reinventing how the Cebu thread should run making it more informative, pleasing, eye-catching and appealing. :)

We are reinventing how the Cebu thread should run making it more informative, pleasing, eye-catching and appealing. :)

right, and more infos like this will be posted here specially when the typhoon season points to Cebu. thanks

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b337/hurtyp/12-09-05_1629.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b337/hurtyp/12-09-05_1630.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b337/hurtyp/12-09-05_1627.jpg

still open...

Feeling fab in Baguio and Cebu
First posted 10:51pm (Mla time) Aug 27, 2005
By Tessa Prieto-Valdes
Inquirer News Service
--------------------------------------------------------------------------


THANK God the Philippines is not just Metro Manila. Anything negative happening in our fair city should never be generalized as the prevailing situation for the whole country.

These past weeks, I have been north and south of our nation, and I got the feeling we are somehow progressing in terms of business and tourism. Although we still have huge problem areas, there has been growth in some areas of trade and industry.

Traveling north has been such a wonderful experience with the reconstruction of the North Expressway. The NLEX is a clear example of world-class infrastructure, and we have to thank Ping de Jesus and Oscar Lopez for this excellent project. The wide, smooth roads and impressive tollbooths really make you feel like you’re driving along the autobahn.

First trip

Last weekend, I took my baby Athena on her first long road trip—to Baguio City. Having a baby in the car changes the ambience of the journey. Our car was packed to the hilt with baby necessities like a car seat, stroller, playpen, diapers and bathtub. We were so full I was tempted to bring a separate car for my clothes! But with the price of gasoline, I decided to pack us all in.

A trip with baby in tow needs necessary stopovers, like at the Max’s Fried Chicken Restaurant in Luisita, Tarlac, with its most baby-friendly restrooms. The air-conditioned ladies’ toilet has a baby-changing table and even a handicap-height sink.

After five long breastfeeding-inclusive hours on the road, we finally reached the City of Pines with its pleasant, nippy climate. The nice thing about Baguio in the off-season is that one can really enjoy the winter-fresh air. And with the cooler months drawing near, the weather is perfect for all my faux fur sweaters and shawls.

The skyline of the city has drastically changed with the development of the luminous, tented SM Baguio and, more recently, the opening of Hotel Elizabeth, a Mediterranean-inspired boutique hotel (for reservations, call 074-6190367). Nestled between Wright Park and Mines View, this charming, quaint hotel is personally run by its owner, Beth Fernando, so one can see her attention to detail, from the flowers to the food and entertainment.

It was the christening of Beth’s granddaughter, Jailey Elizabeth Fernando, that brought me to Baguio. I am not sure what qualities I have that made her parents, Joel and Ana, choose me as their daughter’s godmother, but I was happy to be back in Baguio again. It is really a restful vacation spot where one can just unwind and breathe fresh air.

For a low-season weekend, both the hotel and Baguio Country Club were surprisingly busy with local and foreign tourists. With the dollar rising, we really should travel locally and support our own resorts. Now that Baguio is free from the “m” virus (that’s too long to say or spell), the market was bustling with activity. Too bad strawberries were not in season.

Hospitable city

If Baguio is my favorite northern destination, Cebu is tops for me in the south. In fact, if I had to live anywhere else in the Philippines, it would be in Cebu. They have the best furniture suppliers, talented jewelry designers and very hospitable residents.

Early this month, Famous PR Keren Pascual invited the cruise gang to join the festivities for the 25th anniversary of Timex Philippines, which coincided with the opening of its distribution center. This $17-million expansion, creating additional jobs for an already huge 2,000 workforce, will be the global center to directly distribute Timex products worldwide.

To officially start the operations of Timex Global Distribution Center in Lapu-Lapu City, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was invited to push the inaugural start-up button. She was surprised to see a lot of familiar faces from Manila as she walked toward the stage. The photo of this happy encounter was even posted on this paper’s second frontpage, a part of PDI that I rarely see.

“This is some event, even Tessa is here!” That was what fave designer Rajo Laurel thought he heard Madame President say in her speech. We later found out the true version: “This is another big event, with Timex in PEZA (Philippine Economic Zone Authority) here.” Yet somehow, Rajo’s version is more amusing!

Before the plant tour, I had lunch at Waves Restaurant in the Mactan Shang with ultra-sharp businesswoman Margaret Gaisano-Ang of Metro Market! Market!, the new exciting department store in the mall at the Fort. Margaret graciously offered to sponsor a mini fashion show for kids that I am organizing for the benefit of the Assumption Mission Schools.

For my birthday next month, I have decided to do a fund-raising event with the rest of my Assumption HS classmates. Age must be creeping up on me now that I seem to be doing so many things for the charity world.

Fashion show

With the obligatory Timex inaugural activities all done, we donned our resort wear and enjoyed the Mactan Shangri-La until the fashion show. My roommate, Tatler editor Anton San Diego, headed to the gym while I had to pump a milk supply for Athena using my double-suction Medela pump. For a single man like Anton, it was a shocker—enough to make him turn gay!

The fashion show featured 25 top designers, mostly from Cebu, and was highlighted by Timex image model Piolo Pascual. His dashing looks came combined with a crooner’s voice! Now I know why he makes the ladies melt.

At the dinner right after, I met Cary Santiago, a Cebuano designer working for a top Lebanese designer who is creating waves in the international fashion scene. He told me all his designs are being made in Cebu but not labeled as his. We should all watch out for him because when he gets brave enough, Cary will be another Filipino name in the global fashion world.

Before I headed home the next day (with a cooler full of breast milk), Mactan Shang PR Jaja Chiongbian arranged a heavenly massage treatment at Chi Spa. What a perfect way to end a short but smashing trip to Cebu! With the many islands in the Philippines and a culture so diverse, we have so much to be proud of.

Alcatel in US$18 mil. Philippines deal
Telecoms.com News
07 September 2005



French vendor Alcatel announced today it has formalized a US$18 million deal with Philippines operator Digitel, which operates under the Sun Cellular brand, to expand its GSM/GPRS network. The expansion will cover the capital city of Manila and the islands of Luzon and Cebu. The project will be completed in October 2005.

City capable of managing SRP - Mayor Osmeña

Mayor Tomas Osmeña is confident of the city government's capability to manage the South Reclamation Project (SRP).

Osmeña said there was no need to hire management firms to handle the SRP because the city has plenty of managers who can do the job.

Mayor Osmeña gave this reaction on Thursday after the Cebu Investment's Promotion Center (CIPC) recommended that the city government should let the private sector manage the facility.

"To say that we have no experience in managing is to me ridiculous," the mayor said.

Titles
The mayor is expecting the release of the land titles for the SRP this week.

Mayor Osmeña said the Land Management Bureau (LMB) told him that City Hall would get the titles this week.

He said the papers are now being processed in the LMB, which is finalizing the subdivision of the lots for the 295-hectare property.

With the titles, the city government can start marketing the property to interested investors, and start earning from the project.

Without the titles, the city cannot sell the SRP to investors while it needs funds to pay for the 12.292-billion yen loan it got from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation.

Osmeña said there are firms interested to handle portions of the property, but he will not turn over the SRP.

He disagreed with insinuations that the city government is incapable of managing the project.

"This is the perception of some customers. There is always some who will think that way, but I disagree."

Makati exec
This month, the mayor said a high-ranking official of the Makati Stock Exchange wants to visit SRP to look into the possibility of transferring its operations to Cebu.

He said he was willing to offer the portion that this Makati-based official will be interested in for free, as long as they transfer the Makati Stock Exchange to Cebu.

"I told them, 'If you operate here, I will give a hectare or two for free'," Osmeña said.

The City has received proposals from Landco, a developer that wants to invest in about 20 to 40 hectares of the Kawit Point portion of the SRP.
But the mayor said city officials are still studying the details.

Osmeña said he is not committing anything yet as Filinvest is also interested in the same area.

He said the city could earn from various joint ventures on a sharing scheme depending on the nature of business.

Apart from the two giant developers, Alta Vista and the Gokongweis are also interested as well as businessmen who are willing to buy or lease 5,000 square meters of the facility.

On Sunday, the mayor left for Singapore with Metro Cebu Water Development (MCWD) officials to attend the International Desalination Conference, which runs through Friday.

He said the lessons learned in the conference would be applied in managing the SRP.

Alcatel in US$18 mil. Philippines deal
Telecoms.com News
07 September 2005



French vendor Alcatel announced today it has formalized a US$18 million deal with Philippines operator Digitel, which operates under the Sun Cellular brand, to expand its GSM/GPRS network. The expansion will cover the capital city of Manila and the islands of Luzon and Cebu. The project will be completed in October 2005.

At least their expansion is constant. :okay: they made the right move by making Cebu as their priority. hehe

Cebu condominium market growing

The interest of condominium unit buyers has shifted from Manila to Cebu, said Janice Ngiam-Chong, director of Singapore-based developer Syntech Properties Inc.

She said there is a growing interest in acquiring condominium units in Cebu, a change from the past when the interest was in Manila.

In addition, she noted that the growing number of foreign multinational companies such as call center has boosted demand for condominium units here in Cebu.

Condominium units have become a popular investment choice, especially among expats or foreign executives, she added.

On the other hand, Syntech Properties sees a good but limited market for condominium units in Cebu and the rest of the Philippines.

Eugene Yong, chair of Syntech Properties board of directors, said the company has decided to adjust its original plan of putting up a total of seven towers for its Citylights Gardens project at Barangay Busay, Cebu City.

"The Philippine market is not as strong as Singapore," noted Yong who added that the company has decided to construct only two more towers instead of the proposed additional five towers.
For the two condominium buildings, he said, the company will invest about P1.3 billion.

The project will cover 2.7 hectares of the 4.2 hectares area, which was initially allocated for the original project that includes seven towers, Yong told local journalists.

He said the second phase of the project was expected to be completed by the end of 2008.

Meanwhile, Ms. Ngiam-Chong said the company expects Towers 3 and 4 to generate good response from buyers since the buyers of condominium units at the Towers 1 and 2 that leased out their units generated good revenues.

About 40 percent of the owners of the units at the first phase of the project bought for investment purposes, she said.

The average rate of return ranges from eight to nine percent with rental rates of two-bedroom unit at P40,000 to P50,000.

On the other hand, the three bedroom unit is being leased out from P60,000 to P70,000, she said.

This month, the mayor said a high-ranking official of the Makati Stock Exchange wants to visit SRP to look into the possibility of transferring its operations to Cebu.

He said he was willing to offer the portion that this Makati-based official will be interested in for free, as long as they transfer the Makati Stock Exchange to Cebu.

"I told them, 'If you operate here, I will give a hectare or two for free'," Osmeña said.

The City has received proposals from Landco, a developer that wants to invest in about 20 to 40 hectares of the Kawit Point portion of the SRP.
But the mayor said city officials are still studying the details.

Osmeña said he is not committing anything yet as Filinvest is also interested in the same area.

He said the city could earn from various joint ventures on a sharing scheme depending on the nature of business.

Apart from the two giant developers, Alta Vista and the Gokongweis are also interested as well as businessmen who are willing to buy or lease 5,000 square meters of the facility.


Aight! Landco, Filinvest, Alta Vista, Gokongweis? they're like the biggest developers in the country! cool, seems like the SRP is gonna be another central business district in Cebu? can't wait to hear the latest progess of this promising project! :okay:

nice one jimbu, thanks for the article. great news indeed! just as i thought. i knew Citylights Garden is expanding! aside from adding two more towers, their on-going construction of towers III and IV were made bigger than the original renderings/plan. another proof of rising demand is the fact that Hilton Condominiums were selling really good. this latest development translates to more condo towers rising in the metropolis :okay: speaking of Hilton, the hotel's grand launching will be sometime next week i think? not sure. but i'm glad they are soon 100% operational :D

To reopen under new management, Garwood Park Hotel undergoes facelift
By Ehda M. Dago-oc
The Freeman 09/13/2005

A group of Cebuano businessmen pooled together a multi-million-peso investment to reopen Garwood Park Hotel, which will now be known as Cebu Rajah Park Hotel, by end of October this year.

The Cebu Rajah Park Hotel Ventures Inc. started the renovation of the idle hotel infrastructure, located at the Fuente Osmeña last May this year, and full completion of the project is expected by November.

According to Greg Perral, assistant manager for administration, the hotel will initially open for commercial operation hopefully by last week of October, as some construction projects, especially the rooms and the lobby are now 90 percent completed.

The hotel, formerly the Park Place Hotel, was renamed Garwood Hotel from 2001 to 2005. The Garwood management declared bankruptcy and closed down the property early this year.

Perral said the hotel would have a brand new look, as the old lobby will be totally remodeled, as well as the room furnishing, bathroom fixtures, among others.

"We would like to open the hotel in time for the upcoming Advertising Congress on November, down to peak Christmas season, and Sinulog on January," Perral said in an interview with The Freeman.

Repair and face-lifting of the hotel facility also include a brand new elevator and all air-conditioning units, over-all repainting inside and outside the building, installation of new tiles, plumbing fittings, and total renovation of the ground floor, lobby, with the installation of a cascading waterfalls at the entrance.

The new hotel is also restoring the famous "Fuente O" resto-bar, Perral said.

In the first year of operation, the company is planning to run with very lean personnel, and may hire about 40 to 50 support staff.

The entry of three-star Cebu Rajah Park Hotel would help the room shortage problem faced currently by Cebu, especially for business hotel category.

The original structure of the hotel facility was built in a 150-hotel room capacity, but after the Casino Filipino leased part of the hotel building, the capacity for number of rooms was reduced to 87.

Other facilities that are now being constructed are the sauna and massage clinic, business center at the lobby to be equipped with complete communication facilities, and five function rooms-the main hall of which can accommodate 300 guests.

Perral added that the company would be coordinating with the Cebu City government to rehabilitate the Fuente Osmeña Park and the surrounding areas like the sidewalks to make the Fuente environment more pedestrian and tourist friendly.

by slerz

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b337/hurtyp/12-09-05_1629.jpg

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http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b337/hurtyp/12-09-05_1627.jpg

still open...

Thanks for the photos! how's the crowd? i remember when the bar newly opened a lot of Informatics college studs in skimpy sexy uniforms chill out with vodkas and beer handy in late afternoons. haha

Thanks for the photos! how's the crowd? i remember when the bar newly opened a lot of Informatics college studs in skimpy sexy uniforms chill out with vodkas and beer handy in late afternoons. haha

Well, not now coz the eyes of the beholders are watching... My party animal friends said that Halo is better and more peaceful now than before it was closed last July... I'm not a party animal BTW.hehe thats why I've been there thrice pa lang b4 it was closed.

City capable of managing SRP - Mayor Osmeña
Apart from the two giant developers, Alta Vista and the Gokongweis are also interested as well as businessmen who are willing to buy or lease 5,000 square meters of the facility. Bla bla...

Filinvest? Gokongwei? Can you say Awesome?? Wow, I hope the Gokongwei's will build a skyscraper taller than their scrapers in MM. And oh, perhaps a new Robinson's mall in the SRP, haha this article got me excited. Does filinvest own Festival Mall and the building with the Insular Life Logo on top in Alabang?

International Culinary Congress (ICCON 2005)
Date of Event : September 22-23, 2005 (Thursday & Friday)
Congress venue : Pacific Grand Ballroom, Waterfront Cebu City Hotel
Kitchen Party venue: Casino Espanol, September 23, 2005, 6:30PM

CEBU!!! Youve Gotta be here!!!

The Cebu Visitors and Convention Bureau, in partnership with the City Government of Cebu and the Department of Tourism, with the cooperation of prestigious hotels, restaurants and culinary establishments, is happy to announce that it is convening the Philippines’ first and unprecedented INTERNATIONAL CULINARY CONGRESS (ICCON 2005) on September 22-23,2005 at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel. There could never be a better venue than the island of Cebu, known worldwide as the tourism hub of the Philippines.
ICCON 2005 would like to create an educational experience that will impart professional culinary techniques, encourage and foster interest in the professionalism of food service as a profession. Highly distinguished and competent speakers will be invited to keynote the Plenary Sessions; respected culinary personalities will be panelist for focused discussions. ICCON 2005 will also highlight Cebu’s best restaurant and bars in a Restaurant Business Row, the best of the best personalities who have made it through many years in this industry will be honored through an exhibit of the Gallery of Culinary Icons and food tasting at the Chef’s Table will be something to look forward to. To culminate the event will be a Kitchen Party.

ICCON 2005 is an opportunity to impart best practices that will further enhance values that food service is a dignified profession; food service practitioners are disciplined professionals; a professional food service institution is in a better position to succeed and that formal culinary arts education is essential.

Filinvest? Gokongwei? Can you say Awesome?? Wow, I hope the Gokongwei's will build a skyscraper taller than their scrapers in MM. And oh, perhaps a new Robinson's mall in the SRP, haha this article got me excited. Does filinvest own Festival Mall and the building with the Insular Life Logo on top in Alabang?

Yup, the Filinvest Corporate City in Alabang where the Festival Mall and Insular Towers are! it's also where i graduated, aahhh i dreadly miss the place :D

There are definitely a lot of interested developers in SRP. and they're not just ordinary developers mind you. and yeah, a good number of us here are really excited about the progress of this thing! :okay:

Mandaue wins in Surigao festival


The Mandaue City contingent to the Bonok-Bonok festival in Surigao City, Surigao del Norte won the grand prize at the mardi gras on September 9.

The contingent also won awards for best in costume and props. They brought home a total of P160,000 in cash prizes and two trophies.

The contingent was composed of students from the Mandaue Comprehensive National High School, Mandaue City Science High School, Cabancalan National High School and the Don Gerardo Ouano Memorial National High School.

The team members were expected to receive a bonus from Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo Ouano as soon as he arrives home from the United States.

Mandaue City Councilor Wenceslao Gakit, chairperson of the council's committee on budget and finance, said he has already drafted a resolution commending the winning dancers, their choreographer Jun Oliver Figueroa, and the administrators of the participating schools.

The contingent's 60 dancers and 15 instrumentalists were the same ones that performed in the Garbo sa Central Visayas festival in Intramuros, Manila earlier this month.

They are slated to participate in the Sinagiaw Festival in Dimanjug, Cebu, and the Maskara Festival in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, next month.

"We join the other festivals to also complement their participation in the Mantawi Festival," Gakit said.

Gakit assured that the studies of the participating dancers would not be affected despite their hectic schedules.

^ Congratulations To Mandaue!

Oh rusty, bout the rendering/pics of USC, my cuz seems to be busy coz he isn't replying yet.

^ Congratulations To Mandaue!

Oh rusty, bout the rendering/pics of USC, my cuz seems to be busy coz he isn't replying yet.

not a prob sloid. im not in a hurry naman eh. :D nkaka excite lang! hehe

^Wow, Rusty you're on at 3 am? Hehe.

Feeling fab in Baguio and Cebu
First posted 10:51pm (Mla time) Aug 27, 2005
By Tessa Prieto-Valdes
Inquirer News Service
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
if I had to live anywhere else in the Philippines, it would be in Cebu. They have the best furniture suppliers, talented jewelry designers and very hospitable residents.


Damn right! A lot of our neighbours in Pque before really likes Cebu and a lot of them said they would prefer to live there.

^Wow, Rusty you're on at 3 am? Hehe.


hehe, now its 5:22am MLA heck can't sleep. tired watching tv so i thought of going back online. :sleepy:

GDP in CV hits P80B
By Charmaine Y. Rodriguez
Sun.Star Staff Reporter

The Central Visayas’ gross domestic product (GDP) rose to P80.5 billion last year, contributing an increased share to the national GDP of P1.134 trillion.

According to the data released recently by the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) 7, Central Visayas gave a 7.1 percent share to the national GDP last year, an increase from the 7.02 percent share in the years 2002-2003.

National Statistical Coordination Board data show that in 2003 the Central Visayas GDP was at P75.1 billion.

Highest

All the three sectors— agriculture, fishery and forestry (AFF); industry; and services—posted the highest increases in the gross regional domestic product (GRDP) growth rate during the last six years.

“Last year was a good year. Except for agriculture, all the sectors had an increased growth rate,” said Maria Teresa Alambra, supervising economic development specialist of Neda 7.

Agriculture down

According to records, forestry posted a -60.3 percent growth.

Agriculture had a GRDP growth rate of 4.9 percent. It made P9.29 billion last year from P9.47 billion in 2003.

The services and industry sectors contributed the highest growth rates to the GRDP, which is the value of goods and services produced during the year.

Services

The services sector made P47.107 billion last year, compared to the P43.507 billion it made in 2003.

The services sector saw an 8.3 percent increase with its subsectors — transportation, communication and storage — contributing the highest share of 10.8 percent to the region’s GRDP growth rate.

The services sector includes firms engaged in transportation, and information and communications technology, which made P6.11 billion last year.

Finance, which is also one of the subsectors under services, grew by 9.5 percent with revenues of P1.987 billion. The subsector includes banks, insurance firms and pawnshops, Alambra said.

The trade subsector, on the other hand, posted a GRDP growth rate of 8.9 percent and made P26.51 billion.

In the industry sector, manufacturing posted a GRDP growth rate of seven percent.

Big contributors

Alambra said manufacturing, which includes electronics and food processing, are among the biggest contributors to the income of the region.

The manufacturing subsector made total revenues of P16.486 billion last year. It had the biggest share in the industry sector’s total revenues of P24.136 billion.

Alambra said Central Visayas contributes much to the national GDP. As such, the Regional Development Council 7 had asked the National Government to give Central Visayas the amount of services equal to its contributions to the national GDP, she added.

However, the move was opposed since it meant that poorer regions will get lesser services funded by the National Government.

Chinese restaurant opens new building

Barely two years since Ching Palace started operations, patrons can now enjoy their favorite Chinese dishes in a bigger and more spacious building.

The newly opened facility, which is bigger than its first restaurant in Lahug, Cebu City, boasts of a dining hall that could accommodate 360 diners. It is aptly called The Great Hall and could be divided into four smaller rooms.

A roof deck and more function rooms are still being developed and would be completed within this year to accommodate more customers and cater private parties, big family gatherings and company functions.

Ching Palace managing director Joan Yu said their fast expansion was a response to an increasing demand for excellent food and service.

Ching Palace serves both traditional and innovative Chinese dishes.

Yu also said the expansion was aimed to support the government’s thrust to boost its tourism industry by putting up more attractions, facilities, and destinations.

Tourism Undersecretary Phineas Alburo, Rep. Antonio Cuenco (Cebu City south), and Cebu Provincial Board (PB) Member Agnes Magpale, who heads the tourism committee in the PB, were among those who graced the inauguration of the new building last Sunday. (ALC)

^^ great restaurant! we had a great time dining with my family the last time i went there. :D glad they are expanding with bigger venue.

sorry guys, I can only post on weekends because I need to focus on my studies esp. now that I'm a Junior, (part of this year's grade would be included next year) ... Thanks.! :)

RORO routes in smaller islands spur tourism and economic development

Cebu City (14 September) -- The Cebu Port Authority (CPA) encourages all shipping companies to assign and operate roll-on roll-off (RORO) vessels in smaller island routes such as the route between Punta Engaño and Olango Island in Lapulapu City in Mactan Island.

To spur tourism and economic development of smaller islands in the country, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo opened up the nautical highway project that encourages small shipping operators to operate RORO services and be accredited with the RORO Terminal System (RRTS), a project under the 10-point agenda of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Cebu Port Commissioner Hever Bascon said, presently, the Cebu Port Authority is constructing a RORO terminal at the Punta Engaño wharf that will support the initiatives of the Dept. of Tourism (DOT) and the Lapulapu City government dubbed as " Tour Around Mactan Island," and Olango Island is one of those tourist destinations as a bird sanctuary, Bascon added.

Bascon further said, the opening of the RORO routes to Punta Engaño and Olango Island could also be extended to Getafe, Bohol where local and foreign tourists could transport their vehicles to nearby tourist destinations within the region. Bascon explained that under the CPA charter, private individuals and business entities are allowed to construct new ports under a memorandum of agreement between the interested party(ies) and the CPA. Technically, all ports in Cebu are under the direct supervision and control of the CPA.

Bascon continued that opening the Punta Engaño-Olango Island route means economic development of the area. Olango Island has 10 barangays, with a population of more than 30,000 and home to a good number of migratory birds.

Business tycoon, Lucio Tan, according to Bascon, owns at least 100 hectares of land in Olango and there had been plans to develop it for tourism purposes.

In similar developments, the Maritime Industry Authority (MIA) also urges future RORO opereators in the Punta Engaño-Olango route to apply for accreditation with the RORO Terminal System for fast and convenient processing of their vessel documentation and certificate of public conveyance, while rolling cargoes that include vehicles and their loads are exempted from arrastre and stevedoring fees.

MIA director Glenn Cabañez said, in ports with no RRTS accreditation, arrastre and stevedoring fees will be collected even if there are no services rendered, while in the RRTS program, the "no-work-no-pay" rule applies. (PIA-Cebu)

http://www.buglas.com/news/2005/july/tour/images/main.jpg

Bascon further said, the opening of the RORO routes to Punta Engaño and Olango Island could also be extended to Getafe, Bohol where local and foreign tourists could transport their vehicles to nearby tourist destinations within the region.

This is real good news because once the tourism traffic between these ports increase then building a bridge-causeway from Olango to Getafe may materialize.

During the Regional Development Council (RDC) meeting here, Bohol Gov. Erico Aumentado, who is the chairman of RDC, said the plan is to connect Bohol to Cebu with an 18-kilometer concrete bridge-causeway, connecting Getafe town in Bohol to Cordova town in Cebu. The Bohol-Cebu link would traverse the islands of Banacon, Calubayan and Olango.

But Villarete however warned that the Olango-Mactan Channel “is one of the deepest in Asia .” He suggested that planners start thinking of a combination of a bridge and RoRo boat terminals to connect the islands.

He proposed that a bridge be built from Getafe in Bohol to Olango, and then ferries would have to serve those crossing into Cordova town in Mactan.

Wednesday, September 14, 2005

The relatively slow real estate market in the country has prompted a Singaporean property developer to modify its plan to build seven towers at Citylights Gardens Condominium in Nivel Hills, Apas, Cebu City.

Eugene Ong, chairman of the board of directors of Syntech Properties Inc., said that instead of constructing five more towers, they decided to just build two.

Second phase

Syntech director Janice Ngiam-Chong said they expect to invest P1.3 billion for the upcoming construction of the two towers, which comprise phase two of its maiden development here.

With 19 stories each, towers three and four will have 216 condominium units measuring 108 to 140 square meters each. Of the 216 units, 76 are two-bedroom units while the remaining 140 are three-bedroom units.

“The Philippine (real estate) market is not as strong as the Singaporean market,” Ong said Thursday in a press conference during the pre-launch of Citylight’s towers three and four.

Yet, Ong said they have noted a shift in the buying trend especially among newlyweds, expatriates and retirees from stand-alone houses to condominium units, which buyers are now looking at as an investment.

Buying

Ong added that many expatriates and retirees are now buying properties in Cebu.

“They used to buy in Manila,” he said.

In phase one, which comprises towers one and two, Ong said some 40 percent of the buyers bought for investment purposes.

Syntech invested also P1.3 billion for phase one, which was completed in 200 yet and whose 144 condominium units have been sold out.

Original plan

In the original plan, phase two comprised three towers while phase three will have two towers. Phase three, however, has now been scrapped, said Chong.

Amenities of the 4.2-hectare Citylights include a clubhouse, tennis courts, swimming pools and golf putting green.

Syntech is the Philippine subsidiary of Who Hup Holdings Private Ltd, developer of the World Trade Center in Singapore, and Traders Hotel in Yangon, Malaysia, among others.

Syntech’s other project in the Philippines is the extension to Edsa Shangri-La Hotel in Manila. (JBN)

The Citylights Garden
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a340/Jimbu/citylightsgarden.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a340/Jimbu/citygarden.jpg

Let's see if by 2008 upon completion of towers 3&4 they won't change plans and build towers 5,6&7. If not they might as well build a highrise condo/hotel.

The Citylights Garden
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a340/Jimbu/citylightsgarden.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a340/Jimbu/citygarden.jpg

Nice projects, too bad they were scaled down ... the towers will be a nice addition to Cebu's Economy, which as said (together with all provinces of Central V.) has been growing at a fast pace (faster than MM and the rest of the Philippines)

Seaside Park
http://elgu.ncc.gov.ph/ecommunity/catmon-cebu/image/catcside%20park.jpg

Parish
http://www.boljoon.com/cebu/data/520/115thechurch_psd.jpg

Cebu needs chartered flights to lure tourists

Airline flights play a big role in hiking Cebu’s tourism industry, said Wolfgang Maier, Hilton Cebu Resort and Spa General Manager.

“Tourism starts with airlines. The easier it is for people to come here, the more likely it is that they will,” he said.

The airlines right now are dependent on some Asian destinations namely, Korea, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore.

He suggested that tourism stakeholders start with charter flights and see how it works. Cebu, he said, should learn from its main competitors, Bali and Phuket, which are now very successful in attracting new markets from Europe and Australia because of charter flights.

This is something that requires the efforts of the hospitality sector, the Department of Tourism (DOT) and other government agencies.

With these efforts, the hotel industry as well as shopping centers, taxi drivers and the local community will benefit as well, added Maier, who lauded the government and DOT for understanding the value of tourism.

Festivals

He added that another area that needs to be worked on is the creation of festivals that goes on for a month or so to give people more reasons to visit Cebu.

“One of the reasons why a lot of places like Phuket, Bali and even Dubai have become successful destinations is because they picked different periods during the year and do some festival or something on a city-wide scale to attract more people,” he explains.

The irony here in Cebu is that Sinulog, its biggest festival, is celebrated on a January, a period that is quite busy for the tourism business, he pointed out.

The months of June to August is a period when a lot of Filipinos and foreigners have vacations but unfortunately, there is nothing in Cebu to attract them to come.

Hilton Cebu Resort and Spa had their soft opening last June. The grand opening is slated next month but their garden spa and Manny O’s Tapas and Wines will open at the end of the month.

They currently have 307 hotel employees and management plans to hire 200 more.

Personnel

According to Reno Bacolod, the hotel’s marketing communications manager, there is a dearth of hotel personnel in Cebu right now.

For rank and file positions, fresh graduates can be trained but the management encountered difficulty in hiring supervisors and managers with experience.

David Jamieson, Hil-ton’s director for business development, said their target market includes locals and balikbayans, Koreans, Japanese and emerging markets, particularly tourists from Continental Europe, Germany, United Kingdom, Italy and Australia.

Hilton Cebu Resort and Spa maintains the minimum standard set for all Hilton hotels worldwide. Almost P2 billion was invested to build the hotel resort and condominium units in Cebu. (Emily Jade B. Valero)

Shop, Sale, Save
Mall-Wide Sale
Sep. 30 to Oct. 2, 2005
Ayala Center Cebu Mall-Wide Sale


Star in a Million
Sep. 24
Activity Center

The world’s increasing interest in beauty, health and wellness (BH&W) has intrigued the Cebu business community, as entrepreneurs see the potential for Cebu to capture the interest of the global BH&W market.


This is why the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) is organizing the first BH&W Show 2005. The event aims to gather all service providers of beauty, health and wellness to discuss issues concerning the development of this emerging industry, CCCI vice president for business development Lito Fruelda said.

“This (event) can be the proverbial seed that we want to plant now and grow in the future,” he told a press conference at the City Sports Club Cebu on Tuesday.

Alice Queblatin, president of the Cebu Travel and Tours Association (CTTA), said the chamber’s initiative to formalize Cebu’s BH&W industry is in time with the increasing interest of tourists to come and relax by enjoying BH&W services being offered here.

“The trend of tour operators in Cebu nowadays is to offer tourists the health and wellness package. We learned this from Thailand and Malaysia. Tour operators are coming up with spa menus to offer their clients. We can promote Cebu as a spa hub,” she said in the same press conference.

Some tour operators in Cebu are now offering the urban spa menu, which includes city hotel accommodation and spa services. They are also promoting the spa resort vacation menu that includes accommodation in five-star resorts, such as Plantation Bay Resort and Spa or Shangri-La’s Mactan Island Resort and Spa and.

But Mila Espina, executive director of the Cebu Visitors and Conventions Bureau (CVCB), raised the need to clean up the image of the spa service industry before Cebu can be promoted as a spa hub.

“We know that there are some things that ought not to happen but are happening in spa facilities. We must first address issues such as these, among others,” she said.

Fruelda said the industry is in the best position to banish the notion that spa facilities serve as front for prostitution.

“Organizing the industry could enable the players to police their own ranks,” he said.

Earlier, Body and Sole Spa managing partner Johnie Lim and Salon de Rose operations manager Marilyn Polo confirmed there are many small spa companies that are engaged in “other services” aside from massage.

Lim said he would like to take the initiative to organize the spa operators to address such issues.

The three-day BH&W fair on Nov. 25 to 27 will be held at the SM City Cebu Trade Hall.

The event will also provide opportunity for merchants and visitors to establish new contacts and opening up future ventures for trade, Fruelda said. (JBN)

IN RESPONSE to government's call for energy conservation, Cebu's major shopping malls are implementing measures to reduce power consumption.

Most of the malls are focusing on reducing energy consumption on their air-conditioning operations, which eat up almost half of the the malls' total consumption.

Ayala Center Cebu, for instance, is investing millions on energy saving equipment to reduce the power supply needs of the mall especially on its air-conditioning system.

Rudy Reuyan, Ayala Center Cebu Property Management Division department head, said that the mall spent P13 million to upgrade its air-conditioning system.

"We are using VSD driven chillers that would automatically reduce speed of our air-conditioning unit when the desired temperature is achieved. In this way, we can reduce the load of energy required to run the unit," said Reuyan.

SM City Cebu, on the other hand, also adapts power saving measures on its air-conditioning system.

Jael Jugasan, SM resident engineer, said that they are reducing on and off time schedule of their cooling system to conserve energy.

"If you'll notice the mall (SM) is not too cold compared to before. But we're setting it in a standard temperature comfortably cold for our customers and at the same time using energy wisely," said Jugasan.

Moreover, the two malls both work on continuously improving efficiency of their mechanical and electrical systems to conserve use of energy.

Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla recently revealed that big mall owners such as the Ayala's, Gokongwei's and the SM Group were not discounting the possibility of shifting mall operations to later hours instead of the 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. schedule.

Reuyan and Jugasan, however, said that they have not yet received any directives to change mall hours or cut mall operations by one hour, as the government has earlier suggested.

As world oil prices breached historic highs, the government has put in place several energy conservation measures, mostly voluntary in nature, to ease the country's fuel use.

Last week, oil companies raised prices of gasoline, diesel, and kerosene by 50 centavos a liter amid a national transport strike.

Moreover, Reuyan said that the Ayala mall continues to scout for energy saving devices to cut energy consumption.

It recently bought a multi-million energy saving equipment that saved the mall (Ayala) almost 50 percent of its energy requirements since its test run last July.

"But the greatest challenge we have is really how to lower the demand in the future. That's why we never stop exploring efficient equipment that would reduce its power supply needs," said Reuyan.

Jugasan, on the other hand, said that the mall's management vows to strongly support the government on its energy conservation campaign.

In fact, power saving measures of the mall has reduced two to five percent of its daily energy consumption, which amounts to 7.5 megawatts.

Other malls in Cebu are also doing their share in the energy conservation campaign of the government.

Gaisano Countrymall in Banilad, for instance, has implemented cost-cutting measures in the operation of their air-handling unit (AHU).

According to Engineer Dante Bacus, the mall's engineering maintenance head, they are currently experimenting on the AHU's delay and advance operations.

The mall, which opens from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., turns on its AHU 15 minutes after it opens and turns it off 30 minutes before it closes, Bacus, said.

Since two months of implementation, this strategy has saved the mall almost 12 percent of energy consumption, which bills P4.2 million every month, Bacus disclosed.

Gaisano South in Colon, on the other hand, is following the suggestion of the National Power Corporation to run its freezing units overnight or during off peak hours to consume less energy on the morning or during regular mall operations.

The use of capacitor bunk is also adapted to lower the energy consumption of the mall.

Metro Cebu:
Cloudy with rains, winds will be light to moderate blowing from the southwest, Coastal waters will be slight to moderate, temperature range 24 to 30°C (75 to 86°F).

http://www.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/wb/fcstsatpic.jpg

Business community eyes beauty, health market

The world’s increasing interest in beauty, health and wellness (BH&W) has intrigued the Cebu business community, as entrepreneurs see the potential for Cebu to capture the interest of the global BH&W market.

This is why the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) is organizing the first BH&W Show 2005. The event aims to gather all service providers of beauty, health and wellness to discuss issues concerning the development of this emerging industry, CCCI vice president for business development Lito Fruelda said.

“This (event) can be the proverbial seed that we want to plant now and grow in the future,” he told a press conference at the City Sports Club Cebu on Tuesday.

Alice Queblatin, president of the Cebu Travel and Tours Association (CTTA), said the chamber’s initiative to formalize Cebu’s BH&W industry is in time with the increasing interest of tourists to come and relax by enjoying BH&W services being offered here.

“The trend of tour operators in Cebu nowadays is to offer tourists the health and wellness package. We learned this from Thailand and Malaysia. Tour operators are coming up with spa menus to offer their clients. We can promote Cebu as a spa hub,” she said in the same press conference.

Some tour operators in Cebu are now offering the urban spa menu, which includes city hotel accommodation and spa services. They are also promoting the spa resort vacation menu that includes accommodation in five-star resorts, such as Plantation Bay Resort and Spa or Shangri-La’s Mactan Island Resort and Spa and.

But Mila Espina, executive director of the Cebu Visitors and Conventions Bureau (CVCB), raised the need to clean up the image of the spa service industry before Cebu can be promoted as a spa hub.

“We know that there are some things that ought not to happen but are happening in spa facilities. We must first address issues such as these, among others,” she said.

Fruelda said the industry is in the best position to banish the notion that spa facilities serve as front for prostitution.

“Organizing the industry could enable the players to police their own ranks,” he said.

Earlier, Body and Sole Spa managing partner Johnie Lim and Salon de Rose operations manager Marilyn Polo confirmed there are many small spa companies that are engaged in “other services” aside from massage.

Lim said he would like to take the initiative to organize the spa operators to address such issues.

The three-day BH&W fair on Nov. 25 to 27 will be held at the SM City Cebu Trade Hall.

The event will also provide opportunity for merchants and visitors to establish new contacts and opening up future ventures for trade, Fruelda said. (JBN)

Friday, September 16, 2005
Citylights launches Phase 2

Singaporean-owned Who Hup Group launched Phase 2 (Towers 3 and 4) of the Citylights Gardens Condominium project in Cebu, targeting multinational company executives and holidaymakers from Europe, Southeast Asia and the United States in the next three years.

Up to 216 condominium units in the two towers that will be built for P1.3 billion are targeted for completion before the end of 2008, said sales and marketing manager Anita Blanco.

“We are confident we will make it better than expected in Cebu,” she said referring to the city’s rapid development pace as the international business process outsourcing mecca after Manila.

Phase 1 comprising Towers 1 and 2 was completed in 2000 and its 144 condominium units had since been completely sold out.

Developed by Syntech Properties, Inc., the project offers a breathtaking view of Cebu – sights of the sea, the city and the mountains. Inside the gated community of its own with 24-hour security service, computerized surveillance and fire protection systems, Citylights offers exquisite lifestyle in comfort and safety at Veterans Drive in Nivel Hills, Lahug.

Upscale home

The management said buyers prefer the site for an upscale home in an exclusive residential condominium with resort-style club facilities, including free-form swimming pool, Jacuzzi, and sauna rooms, jogging trail, and indoor and outdoor sports amenities within its sprawling 42,000 square meter landscaped area.

With its design and construction specialization built around high-rise luxury class condominiums and mass railway transit stations and tunnels, Woh Hup had undertaken 15 property development and investments valued at S$1,000 (P33 billion) in Australia, China, United Kingdom, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines. Its group annual revenue turnover is estimated at S$200 million (P6.6 billion).

The second biggest city after Manila and a few minutes’ drive from the country’s second biggest export processing zone hosting more than 400 foreign-owned industries, Cebu has the fastest growing economy in the country.

Citylights Gardens Condominium is currently offering a 10% discount as a launching promo valid until Sept. 23. For inquiries, one may call 231-3060, email sales@citylightsgardens.com or visit www.citylightsgardens.com.

The Citylights Garden
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a340/Jimbu/citylightsgarden.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a340/Jimbu/citygarden.jpg

Let's see if by 2008 upon completion of towers 3&4 they won't change plans and build towers 5,6&7. If not they might as well build a highrise condo/hotel.

These buildings look cool, especially with those blue things on the top. I hope the next one they build would be really tall, like the Highcliff in Hong Kong.

^^ its really cool to build those towers taller but the complex is already too high, could be disastrous.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/cebupics/Picture035b.jpg

^^ whoa! it will look massive when all 7 towers are built! :D this photo was taken by onileil. currently two towers are visible on this picture. based on this photo, no sign of towers III and IV under construction yet.

^ WOW That picture is awesome!! If there will be seven towers, it would really look cool, and I just noticed that Cebu has kind of the same landscape as Hong Kong, I think the mountains in Cebu are taller though. In where I live right now, there are no mountains as big as that -_-, actually there are no mountains at all!

Citylights launches Phase 2
Friday, September 16, 2005

Singaporean-owned Who Hup Group launched Phase 2 (Towers 3 and 4) of the Citylights Gardens Condominium project in Cebu, targeting multinational company executives and holidaymakers from Europe, Southeast Asia and the United States in the next three years.

Up to 216 condominium units in the two towers that will be built for P1.3 billion are targeted for completion before the end of 2008, said sales and marketing manager Anita Blanco.

“We are confident we will make it better than expected in Cebu,” she said referring to the city’s rapid development pace as the international business process outsourcing mecca after Manila.

Phase 1 comprising Towers 1 and 2 was completed in 2000 and its 144 condominium units had since been completely sold out.

Developed by Syntech Properties, Inc., the project offers a breathtaking view of Cebu – sights of the sea, the city and the mountains. Inside the gated community of its own with 24-hour security service, computerized surveillance and fire protection systems, Citylights offers exquisite lifestyle in comfort and safety at Veterans Drive in Nivel Hills, Lahug.

Upscale home

The management said buyers prefer the site for an upscale home in an exclusive residential condominium with resort-style club facilities, including free-form swimming pool, Jacuzzi, and sauna rooms, jogging trail, and indoor and outdoor sports amenities within its sprawling 42,000 square meter landscaped area.

With its design and construction specialization built around high-rise luxury class condominiums and mass railway transit stations and tunnels, Woh Hup had undertaken 15 property development and investments valued at S$1,000 (P33 billion) in Australia, China, United Kingdom, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines. Its group annual revenue turnover is estimated at S$200 million (P6.6 billion).

The second biggest city after Manila and a few minutes’ drive from the country’s second biggest export processing zone hosting more than 400 foreign-owned industries, Cebu has the fastest growing economy in the country.

Citylights Gardens Condominium is currently offering a 10% discount as a launching promo valid until Sept. 23. For inquiries, one may call 231-3060, email sales@citylightsgardens.com or visit www.citylightsgardens.com.



http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/cebupics/SSC/skyscrapercity-cebu.jpg

^ WOW That picture is awesome!! If there will be seven towers, it would really look cool, and I just noticed that Cebu has kind of the same landscape as Hong Kong, I think the mountains in Cebu are taller though. In where I live right now, there are no mountains as big as that -_-, actually there are no mountains at all!

Yeah, very similar to HongKong's landscape. based on the recent developments of the metropolis, it will be "HongKong of the Philippines" in the near future! :D hehe, exciting! ;)

^^ Or the other way around, Hong Kong will the "Cebu of China!" :lol:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/cebupics/Picture035b.jpg

thanks for posting this photo. i have been in touch with ms. anita blanco of citylights gardens on a number of occasions giving consideration to buying a unit at citylights. may i know from the cebu locals of this forum what they actually think of the project? a number of locals i've conversed with in other fora have not really recommended this. may i know your opinion guys?

any input will be highly appreciated. i've opened a thread on this under the "Projects on the Rise" category so you may post comments there.

^^ its really cool to build those towers taller but the complex is already too high, could be disastrous.

towers 3 & 4 is taller than 2 & 3. and bigger in land area. Looks like Hong Kong of the Philippines growing...hehe

The Citylights Garden
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a340/Jimbu/citylightsgarden.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a340/Jimbu/citygarden.jpg





But mind you, if you open the windows....you can see the breathtaking view of Metro Cebu area...specially at night and its sooo relaxing. Feels like you're living on top of the everything.

100 days to go

PASKO NA NAMAN!

its CHRISTMAS TIME! agian

I wish you A Merry Merry Christmas season everyone... :)

thanks for posting this photo. i have been in touch with ms. anita blanco of citylights gardens on a number of occasions giving consideration to buying a unit at citylights. may i know from the cebu locals of this forum what they actually think of the project? a number of locals i've conversed with in other fora have not really recommended this. may i know your opinion guys?

any input will be highly appreciated. i've opened a thread on this under the "Projects on the Rise" category so you may post comments there.

Hi, my buddy owned a unit in Citylights. but its been a while the last time we went there. the place is perfect to relax, you get the best view of the metropolis. disadvantage? location. if you look at the photo, you need to pass by Cebu Plaza hotel before reaching the Citylights complex. but if you're getting a unit for investment purposes or where to spend your holidays, i'd STRONGLY recommend to get one. :okay:

But mind you, if you open the windows....you can see the breathtaking view of Metro Cebu area...specially at night and its sooo relaxing. Feels like you're living on top of the everything.

whoah! i was like in heaven the moment i opened the veranda. gawd, you're like uhhhhh.... can't explain the feeling. hehe.. the view is just perfect, u just cant ask for more :D

whoah! i was like in heaven the moment i opened the veranda. gawd, you're like uhhhhh.... can't explain the feeling. hehe.. the view is just perfect, u just cant ask for more :D

thanks for the feedback. actually, this validates what some others have also said regarding the place. it's just too far. nevertheless, being far can either be viewed as an advantage or a disadvantage.

please keep the feedback coming.

salamat gid.

thanks for the feedback. actually, this validates what some others have also said regarding the place. it's just too far. nevertheless, being far can either be viewed as an advantage or a disadvantage.

please keep the feedback coming.

salamat gid.


Yup, its too far and too high... but its location is far away from the noise of the city.... its really relaxing and good for your health as you can have jogging around the area in the early morning with cool fresh air, there is also a tennis crt... Just make sure that the unit to choose is fronting the panorama of the city.

ey slerzy, i created a thread for Club Ultima Towers at Projects on the rise thread. paki post naman photos you shot few weeks ago of the construction :D thanks in advance!

^ WOW That picture is awesome!! If there will be seven towers, it would really look cool, and I just noticed that Cebu has kind of the same landscape as Hong Kong, I think the mountains in Cebu are taller though. In where I live right now, there are no mountains as big as that -_-, actually there are no mountains at all!
same here ... the mountains are what made me love Cebu
Driving up to the "Taoist Temple" and "The Top" and seeing the view was a big treat for me :)

Yup, its too far and too high... but its location is far away from the noise of the city.... its really relaxing and good for your health as you can have jogging around the area in the early morning with cool fresh air, there is also a tennis crt... Just make sure that the unit to choose is fronting the panorama of the city.

just out of curiosity, which road do you take to go there? is this the same road going to TOPS?

Like I said before, cebu's hills reminded me of the peak in hongkong....

I just pray,.. that they won't practice overpricing...
the prices for a single tiny sandwich in deli france at the peak was totally outrageous!!!

Like I said before, cebu's hills reminded me of the peak in hongkong....

I just pray,.. that they won't practice overpricing...
the prices for a single tiny sandwich in deli france at the peak was totally outrageous!!!
Yah i kinda noticed that too ... even mere softdrinks were pricey. Is it really that expensive to transport goods up that high? lol:)

cebu with a "hongkong look" could be one of the reason why its economy is different from the whole country according to one feng shui master

sea, land and mountain as the backdrop.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b384/peejay_domek/now2.jpg

just out of curiosity, which road do you take to go there? is this the same road going to TOPS?

the same road going to Cebu Plaza Hotel. in Nivel Hills before reaching the Casino Filipino building (pyramid shaped roof) there's a sign goin' right. I think the same way leading to the GMA 7 complex :)

Like I said before, cebu's hills reminded me of the peak in hongkong....

I just pray,.. that they won't practice overpricing...
the prices for a single tiny sandwich in deli france at the peak was totally outrageous!!!

is it the Victoria peak?

by the way, here's a banner i made few ages ago. :D the place is higher than HongKong's peak.

The Osmeña Peak (TOP)
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/cebupics/SSC/cebuphils02.jpg

cebu with a "hongkong look" could be one of the reason why its economy is different from the whole country according to one feng shui master

sea, land and mountain as the backdrop.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b384/peejay_domek/now2.jpg

reminds me more of a Koreanovela! lolz

Travel sector promotes
Cebu as SPA hub


To make Cebu a more attractive destination, tour and travel operators are coming up with spa packages for tourists.

Alice Queblatin, president of Cebu Travel and Tours Association (CTTA), said that they are developing "spa menus" to be sold to foreign tourists.

Queblatin said there is a growing interest in beauty, health and wellness (BHW) in the global tourism market.

"The trend of tour operators in Cebu nowadays is to offer tourists the health and wellness package. We learned this from Thailand and Malaysia. Tour operators are coming up with spa menus to offer their clients. We can promote Cebu as a spa hub," said Queblatin.

Queblatin revealed this during the press conference of the upcoming BHW Show 2005 held recently.

Organized by the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), BHW Show 2005 aims to develop small and medium-sized industries engaged in beauty, health, and wellness services.

Some tour operators in Cebu are offering the urban spa menu, which includes city hotel accommodation and service in urban spa centers, she added.

On the other hand, spa resort vacation menu or accommodation in five-star resorts, such as Plantation Bay Resort and Spa or Shangri-La's Mactan Island Resort Chi Spa continues to be promoted, Queblatin said.

She noted that the BHW Show 2005 will help them enhance their spa menu and health and wellness packages as stakeholders of this industry converge into one event.

"We're going to be buyers in this show," said Queblatin.

But she also raised the need to professionalize BHW industry, so they "could market it and make it a product".

The event, which will be held from Nov. 25 to 27 at the SM City Cebu Trade Hall, will also serve as venue for possible tie-ups and investments in this emerging sector.

The Osmeña Peak (TOP)
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/cebupics/SSC/cebuphils02.jpg[/QUOTE]


Rusty, I didn't know that Tops is also called Osmena Peak.
And I'm surprised that there is a mountain which is part of the Mantalongon Range named Osmena Peak. See photos below:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/OsmenaPeak1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/OsmenaPeak.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/op-00-view03.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/op-00-view04.jpg

Do these photos remind you of the land of the hobbits?

Hey Ed! T.O.P. means The Osmeña Peak. but most people call it TOPS. i dont know the reason but everyone's calling it that way hehe.

Hey, i've been there to Mantalongon! somewhere in Dalaguete right? been there twice!

1998 Don Bosco Red Cross Team 3-night survival camp during first year highschool
2001 Senior High's Retreat

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/OsmenaPeak1.jpg

^^ New Zealand??! hehe It's more than an hour hike from the retreat house. :D waaah! me and my friend almost fell off the cliff, quite an adventure back then hahahaha.. from the top you can view the Badian Island and the Kawasan Falls area! during our Senior years, we had a camp out near that spot and we saw a lot of fireflies. parang enchanted! romantic din kaya lang all of us are dudes. hehe

The Osmeña Peak (TOP)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/op-00-view04.jpg

Do these photos remind you of the land of the hobbits?

:eek2: Omg, we have mountains like these in CEBU?? Where were they when I was still living there?? AMAZING!! and I never watched any LOTR movies so I don't know what the land of Hobbits look like.

nice, thats an awesome view! i never been there. seems like a place to take some fresh breathes. thats going on top of my next list and take some photos on my next trip..

^^ now you know how land of Hobbits looks like! hehe

watched Discovery channel recently. they featured New Zealand, the fimmakers' haven. where LOTR, The Last Samurai, etc were filmed :D

Those pics of Cebu kind of reminded me of this place coz of the mountains.

http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/7592/glc76th.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

^^ where is that? Cambodia maybe? :D reminds me of Crouching Tiger movie.

^ It's Gulin, China [Gulin Thread] (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?threadid=80643&perpage=25&highlight=China&pagenumber=1)

And I'm surprised that there is a mountain which is part of the Mantalongon Range named Osmena Peak. See photos below:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/OsmenaPeak1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/OsmenaPeak.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/op-00-view03.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/op-00-view04.jpg

Do these photos remind you of the land of the hobbits?

Dalaguete town is a two-hour drive south of the Metropolis :D I think this is near the vegetable capital of the region. Hmmm where's Mike? san nagpunta un?

To get this mountain thing going, here are some photos of the mountain view park in Busay, Cebu.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/Mountainviewpark3.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/Mountainviewpark2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/Mountainviewparkhangingbridge.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/Mountainviewparkoverview.jpg
View of the city from the park

Cebu is also about mountains, not just sea.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/7f91fbf4.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/dfcf4fd1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/549fdcf4.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/4b645728.jpg

Hey Ed! T.O.P. means The Osmeña Peak. but most people call it TOPS. i dont know the reason but everyone's calling it that way hehe.


So Top is an acronym. Thanks for the info.

New York City? No. This is Cebu City.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/Signs.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/Boljoonwaterfront.jpg
The photo above reminds of some old Spanish/French towns. Picture perfect indeed.

I just realized that there are so many hidden gems in Cebu. :)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/AsiatownITPark.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/GlobeTelecombuilding.jpg
Globe Telecom Bldg. inside Asiatown IT Park

I just realized that there are so many hidden gems in Cebu. :)

Yes. One of them is Cebu Gems.LOL.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/Parkunderthebridge.jpg
Park under 2nd bridge

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/CitylightsCondominium.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/cebunonagame4.jpg
Marco Polo Hotel & citylights condominium

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/TidesRestaurant-Shangrila3.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/TidesRestaurant-Shangrila2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/TidesRestaurant-Shangrila.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/AltaVistaGolfClub2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/AltaVistaGolfClub.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/AltaVistaClubhouse.jpg
Clubhouse

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/AltaVistaClubhouse2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/ca93977c.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/8264d6f0.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/4575af4c.jpg

nice photos edifice_complex!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/7f91fbf4.jpg
this would be a great hike/view

nice photos edifice_complex!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/7f91fbf4.jpg
this would be a great hike/view


I'm glad you liked it. But these photos are not mine. Sinuroyan ra ni.

I'm glad you liked it. But these photos are not mine. Sinuroyan ra ni.
oh haha, asa man gikan ni? na'y link? thanks

wow these are good pictures! :eek2:

nice photos edifice_complex!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/7f91fbf4.jpg
this would be a great hike/view

I'm from Cebu but I havn't been to this place and those other places like in Busay, I'm gonna explore Cebu more..... I'm a tourist in my own city resort.:sly:
I thought Cebu is it but I havn't discovered the hidden gems of Cebu yet.Watta! :bash:

Cebu is also about mountains, not just sea.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/7f91fbf4.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/dfcf4fd1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/549fdcf4.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/4b645728.jpg

Cebu is the whole package! A mountain, city, sea province all in one! :)
Viva Cebu!

http://www.inq7.net/globalnation/sec_cdn/2005/sep/img/frontpage_sep17popup.jpg

BARELY two months into the implementation of its waste segregation project, the Cebu City government is now eyeing the conversion of garbage at the Inayawan landfill into energy.

Councilor Nestor Archival, chairman of the committee on environment, yesterday said the project was timely, pointing out that the Inayawan landfill "has outlived its expected existence."

The 24-hectare landfill, which was opened in the 1990s, was intended to operate for only 10 years.

To fast-track its implementation, Archival said he would sponsor a resolution next week "for the terms of reference in building the project."

Once all requirements are met, the city government would start scouting for consultants, he said.
Archival clarified that aside from manpower requirements, the city government would not spend a single centavo for the project.

"Funding requirements will be taken care of by international companies who have already expressed support," he said.

The councilor, however, refused to divulge the names of these companies "until the bidding for the project begins."

Archival said city officials would visit the landfill on September 27 to discuss with residents the merits of the project.

The process of converting garbage into energy is simple but requires high technology and know-how.

First, garbage is dumped into a machine that segregates unwanted liquids and other impurities.

The machine then "upgrades" waste materials into clean-burning fuels for the power plant.

Cebu City churns out at least 400 tons of garbage daily. Forty tons of waste produce around one megawatt of electricity.

"Just imagine how much power we can produce from all that trash," Archival said.

"It's a welcome move. That's a good idea," Engr. Eduardo Amante, a division chief of the Department of Energy, said.

Amante allayed fears of pollution, saying gas produced by the burning of garbage is "clean."

This technology is also being adopted in other parts of the country, Amante said.

Metro Manila's largest landfill in San Mateo, Rizal, is being eyed for a landfill gas-to-power project.

Victorino Bala, energy research department manager of project proponent Philippine National Oil Company, said some drillings had already been made at the San Mateo dumpsite to test its power potential.

The state firm actually has a similar project existing at the Payatas landfill in Quezon City, said PNOC president Eduardo Manalac.

In partnership with the Quezon City local government and a private investor, the project involves the installation of a landfill gas collection system and a 1-megawatt (MW) electric power generator at the Payatas dumpsite.

Bala said a 110-kilowatt power generator was already running at the site. This would later be expanded to 1 MW to supply the power requirements of the Payatas community.

Apart from being able to use garbage for something as useful as providing electricity to a community, he said the landfill gas-to-power project could also generate cash through carbon credits.

Some 385,000 tons worth of carbon credits had already been generated from the project, he said. These were already being bought by Japan for about $5 to $6 a ton. These credits can then be traded for or developed into more formal financial instruments such as bonds, guarantees, credit lines or funds.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/ca93977c.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/8264d6f0.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/4575af4c.jpg

wow! nice pics :) for a while, I thought that Badian wasn't part of Cebu and the Philippines :ok

Body and Sole Spa has just opened another branch in the ASIATOWN I.T Park... This is their best branch yet for it features of steel interiors. This branch (according to the article I read earlier) would be the design showcase for the future Body and Sole Spa branches that would rise in Metro Manila. :)

Here are the latest facts and figures of the 2 Big Cebu Malls... (source: a surveyor friend)

Ayala Center Cebu
Gross Floor Area: 100,000 sq.m (70,000 sq.m of which is leasable)
Number of Shops: 300+ (not including the kiosks and carts)
FEATURES AND AMENITIES:
2 Timezone Branches
4 all-Digital Cinemas (priced at P100-120 premiere, P90-110 deluxe)
1 state of the art Cinema (priced at P60-80 premiere and deluxe)
True Value Hardware
Metro Supermarket and Department Store (the City's leading S&DS Chain)
--45+ check out counters in the Supermarket
--Free Delivery
A Comfort Lounge (priced at P10)
Food Choices
A World-Class Lagoon Area
The Ayala Food and Entertainment Center
Accesible Comfort Rooms
Parking Spaces: 850 basement parking
--------------- 400 open space pay parking
--------------- 200 open space free parking
--------------- 50+ streetside parking
Average Traffic:
WEEKDAYS: 80,000-120,000
WEEKENDS: 160,000-180,000

SM City Cebu
Gross Floor Area: 161,532 sq. m (112,000 sq.m of which is leasable)
Number of Shops: 300+ (including the kiosks and carts)
FEATURES AND AMENITIES:
SM Storyland
8 cinemas (priced at P70-100)
Ace Hardware
SM Supermarket and Department Store
--28 check out lanes at the Supermarket
Toy Kingdom
SM Trade Hall
SM FoodCourt
The Fiesta Strip
Parking Spaces: 2,250 open space free parking
Average Traffic:
WEEKDAYS: 90,000-100,000
WEEKENDS: 130,000-150,000

walla.. compare and contrast.

can someone post where on the island badian resort and TOPs are, either a map or a satellite shot with a circle. how else can we find it? (for those who are not aquinted with the topography) thanks !

I'll try to search satellite pics of these...

To get this mountain thing going, here are some photos of the mountain view park in Busay, Cebu.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/Mountainviewpark3.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/Mountainviewpark2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/Mountainviewparkhangingbridge.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/Mountainviewparkoverview.jpg
View of the city from the park


:eek2: :eek2: :eek2: nice photos ed!

I'm from Cebu but I havn't been to this place and those other places like in Busay, I'm gonna explore Cebu more..... I'm a tourist in my own city resort.:sly:
I thought Cebu is it but I havn't discovered the hidden gems of Cebu yet.Watta! :bash:


yah same here! just when i thought i've been to all places in Cebu, i was wrong. hehehe

Body and Sole Spa has just opened another branch in the ASIATOWN I.T Park... This is their best branch yet for it features of steel interiors. This branch (according to the article I read earlier) would be the design showcase for the future Body and Sole Spa branches that would rise in Metro Manila. :)

Yup! good decision to open a branch in AsiaTown. it is where most of the biggest outsourcing companies are located :D looking forward to see a Body and Sole Spa branch here soon!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/Parkunderthebridge.jpg
Park under 2nd bridge

this is on the Mactan's side of the bridge right? not bad! looks great :D

PB nixes brgy Mantalongon as Cebu's Summer Capital
The Freeman 09/18/2005

The provincial board's tourism committee recently rejected the resolution of Dalaguete town declaring its barangay Mantalongon as the Summer Capital of Cebu.

Committee chairman Agnes Magpale, in her report, said the declaration of a title to a certain place is within the jurisdiction of the board and certain matters have to be considered first before going into such formal public statement.

The Dalaguete town council earlier approved the resolution declaring that Mantalongon has been publicly known and recognized as the summer capital in the province.

It also affirmed that several years since, local and foreign tourists visited the place for its cold climate, especially during the summer season.

But the tourism panel has instead recommended that such title be put in an open field for other towns or cities, as it cited Balamban's earlier claim for a similar title.

These places bidding for the title would later undergo a selection process that would also include public consultation.

Then an ad hoc body will be created to determine which of the participating towns or barangays would be officially granted the title.

Aside from Magpale, the board's tourism panel is composed of board members Rose Marie Durano, Estrella Yapha, Teresita Celis and Carmiano Kintanar. - Ferliza C. Contratista

that would be great and very helpfull! thank you michaelsinjin.

I'll try to search satellite pics of these...

I agree, Mantalongon is not that popular yet. i think that's another reason the place remains to be unexploited and less congested. but i am in full support of developing the town to be Cebu's summer capital in the future :okay:

Its a very good idea to put parks below and around the bridges. It will discourage slums to form and will make the area more attractive.

Its a very good idea to put parks below and around the bridges. It will discourage slums to form and will make the area more attractive.
I second that.

oh haha, asa man gikan ni? na'y link? thanks


Hey Fenix. I can't provide you links but I've downloaded most of the photos I've posted from the following websites:
pbase
photobucket
flickr
wayblima
And since I can read japanese, na-a sab koy websites nga japanese which is full of photos because Cebu is a huge market for Japanese tourists. I've tried a Korean website once but wa'y klaro kay di ko kasabot.
If you want the japanese websites, just let me know. If you can read japanese then you'll know how to navigate around the website.
I've tried blogs as well.
Happy surfing.
Btw, where in Bay Area are you?

^^ oh i see, thanks. I'll look into those albums you just suggested. At least you can read japanese.. korean shouldnt be that hard hehe
I'm currently in south san jose (between blossom hill-silver creek) area..

Good for the dog too, he's so relaxed in the park..hehe

yes, I visited the park last week... I was impressed! :) There are over 10 barangay police roving to prevent those gangs from flocking the area but sadly, stray dogs are also numerous in the area....

http://www.inq7.net/globalnation/sec_cdn/2005/sep/img/frontpage_sep18popup.jpg

THEY come in large tour groups, eager to try "discovery scuba" in the coves and beaches of Mactan, Cebu.

But fun-seeking Korean visitors also end up scarring the few corals left behind on the seafloor.

The rising number of Korean-owned dive shops in Mactan Island is contributing to the rapid and widespread destruction of corals near its shores, a local scuba diving enthusiast revealed yesterday.

John Peter Melendres, manager of Scuba World, said operators of these dive shops, which have built offshore platforms in the Mactan Channel, were destroying corals-the natural habitat of fish and other marine animals.

Melendres, who has been diving since 1991 and teaching others how to dive since 1998, said Koreans had also fenced off certain areas of the channel around their platforms with buoys and nets.

"Then they transfer beautiful corals from other parts of the channel to their makeshift aquariums," he said.

Melendres, a participant to yesterday's 20th anniversary celebration of World Cleanup Day in Mactan, said these enclosed areas are being used by the Koreans for "discovery scuba diving."

Unlike in "real" lessons, where one learns the basics of scuba diving from an instructor in several sessions, discovery scuba only gives an interested individual "the feeling of diving."

Unfortunately, participants to discovery scuba are not taught the importance of buoyancy, "so they end up stepping on and destroying corals," Melendres said.

Licensed Korean divers and underwater photographers contribute to the destruction of corals and marine habitats, he revealed.

"Most of them step or lean on corals while taking photographs of their discovery scuba clients," Melendres lamented.

Melendres said he and other local diving enthusiasts had already sent a complaint to the Philippine Commission of Sports Scuba Diving "but nothing happened."

"There should be enforcement. We must tell them (Koreans) that we mean business," he said.
He also revealed the existence of a "Korean mafia" that purportedly controlled businesses in Mactan, from the airport to hotels and resorts.

There are at least 18 major hotels and resorts in Mactan, excluding smaller ones that target local low-income tourists.

Aside from the "Korean problem," Melendres noted that cyanide and dynamite fishing, and improper waste disposal were also contributing to marine environmental degradation.

He explained that cyanide and dynamite not only kill fish but also corals.

"Surprisingly, there was still plenty of trash," said Melendres, who joined other scuba divers yesterday in gathering underwater garbage.

Melendres said most of the garbage they found underwater were composed of construction debris, such as cement sacks and paint cans, "from nearby hotels and resorts."

"There were also a lot of gasoline containers and recyclable soda cans thrown into the channel by boat operators and tourists," he said. "Garbage is really one of the biggest problems in Mactan."

Dr. Alfonso Amores, president of Ocean Care, said around 90 percent of garbage found in Mactan and Olango Islands come from the cities of Cebu, Talisay and Mandaue, and the town of Consolacion.

Ocean Care is a non-government organization that monitors the Mactan Channel.
Amores said garbage from 13 rivers and creeks flow into the Mactan Channel. During low tide, trash from the channel ends up on the shores of Mactan and Olango.

He cited the case of a four-star resort, whose shoreline was filled with garbage from the channel on July 14.

Melendres' Scuba World yesterday spearheaded a one-hour dive to gather trash from the Mactan Channel as part of celebrations for the 20th International Coastal Clean-Up Day.

ICC Day is the world's largest one-day volunteer effort to clean the sea, observed worldwide every third Saturday of September since 1985.

This year's theme is "Our Future, Our Choice! Clean and Save Our Coastlines!"

This yearly event aims to conserve aquatic ecosystems with public involvement, look into marine problems and formulate solutions, and educate the public on the impact of garbage to the environment and society.

Over 50 people from Cebu and Leyte, including expatriates, participated in the event.

Fourteen children, whose ages range from 10 to 12 years old, also helped in the campaign.

At least 100 kilograms of plastic wrappers, construction debris, and softdrink containers were collected.

Newtown Estates- PARDO, CEBU CITY

Where Old Meets New

Cebu City is one of the Philippines'oldest cities. Magellan himself planted the famous cross that still attracts large crowds of tourists to Cebu, centuries later. Today Cebu City is growing at an unstoppable rate, and your family can now enjoy the opportunity to grow along with it. At Newtown Estates, along the Cebu South Expressway in Bulacao, Pardo, Cebu City, you can experience the unique "Ce-boom" phenomenon. A place that mixes its old Spanish roots with the new millennium's information technology and expanding industries, while maintaining its long-established reputation as a haven for tourists seeking white sands and blue seas. Your view from Newtown Estates overlooks the entire city and the islands of Mactan and Bohol, against the backdrop of the Cebu Straits.

Like a beautiful mestiza, Cebu adorns herself with greater infrastructure, and Newtown is a gem in her hands. Conveniently located near St. Paul School of Nursing, Gullas High School, Pardo Parish Church, University of San Jose Recoletos High School, Cebu Institute of Technology, University of Cebu, University of the Visayas, and University of San Carlos, Newtown Estates' residents will have access to the best learning institutions in the city.

Part of the artful integration of old and new, Newtown Estates is developed without disturbing the ecological balance, preserving the original trees on the hillside where it stands. Nearby, the prestigious Alta Vista Residential Estates, Golf and Country Club adds to the rich environment with its rolling terrain. Only Sta. Lucia Realty & Development, Inc. the pioneer in home, family, and community concepts brings you this family-friendly and environment-friendly project, your new address in Cebu - Newtown Estates.

slerz, d'you have pics of this? :)

Ala rba mike but been there na... its nice nmn.

any more Cebu updates?
The downpour of rain here in Lapu-lapu kanina was so abundant as in flood and waves (I was currently eatin' at Mactan Shrine)...:)

Uwan sad sa Pardo?

...just passed by the Mandaue Sports Complex and I saw a banner "Welcome to the Delegates of the South East Asian Games!" Maybe they're checking the standards of the place.

Special Feature of my home barangay....
Barangay POBLACION PARDO
POBLACION PARDO SOUTH URBAN (168.44 HA)

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b337/hurtyp/pardomap.jpg

Pardo Barangay Hall
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b337/hurtyp/18-09-05_1505.jpg

Pardo Parish Church @ 19forgotten
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Pardo Parish Church @ present
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Pardo Tennis Club
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i have lots of cebu pics. will post them later

cont....

Pardo Public Market
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Pardo Annual Fiesta - Sept 13-22
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Alta Vista Golf & Country Club
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One of the three biggest barangay in Cebu City
One of the biggest population among Cebu City barangays
An important southern barangay that is fast becoming an economic hub in SouthCentral Metro Cebu area. Some big establishments are Prince Warehouse club, Citi Appliance and Mandaue Foam.
It is also called "the land of traffic jams" in Cebu coz the traffic situation is really bad.

this late afternoon, it was windy and cool then afterwards cats and dogs came over... which "I Like"......

http://www.airfares.com.sg/graphics/Cebu_Waterfront_City_Hotel_facade.jpg
Monday, September 19, 2005
Waterfront Hotels to stay in 4-star category

Waterfront Philippines Inc. (WPI) has no intention of raising its classification to five-star.

However, the Gat-chalian-controlled hotel chain aims to make its hotels the best and the premier hotels in the first-class, four-star hotel category.

“We are not planning to go out of our category. But we want to lead in our category. All our four hotels will be the best first-class hotels in the country,” WPI president Rexlon Gatchalian said.

Gatchalian, formerly WPI’s executive vice president for hotel operations, was elected president during the company’s annual stockholders’ meeting over the weekend.

WPI controls Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino (WCCHC), Waterfront Airport Hotel and Casino Mactan, Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao and Manila Pavillion Hotel (MPH).

WPI chairman of the board Renato Magadia said WPI’s revenues in 2004 increased by 63 percent to P1.6 billion from the P962.7 million in 2003. The company’s hotel operations contributed nearly 90 percent to WPIs revenue stream.

The company, however, incurred a net loss of P3.9 million partly because of its investments in hotel renovations, especially in the MPH, the newest member of the Waterfront family.

Revenues

WCCHC remains to be WPI’s top revenue earner, contributing 68 percent to the company’s hotel revenues.

Gatchalian said the influx last year of foreign tourists, especially from Korea and Japan, to the country contributed much to WPI’s increase in revenues.

“This rosy development came despite the travel advisories issued by the US, Japan, Australia and Great Britain to their nationals against traveling to the Philippines. It is partially a result of our government’s unrelenting and aggressive Wow Philippines and Ganda ng Pilipinas, Galing ng Pilipino, marketing campaign in the international market,” he said.

WPI and Cebu Pacific (CEB), among others, supported the government’s “Wow Philippines” marketing campaign this year.

WPI billeted at the MPH for free and some, at discounted rates, the delegates of Central Visayas during the region’s turn in the “Wow Philippines” activity, dubbed “Garbo sa Central Visayas,” at the Intramuros, Manila last Sept. 2 to 14, while CEB sponsored the round trip tickets of 17 delegates amounting to almost P100,000.

Meanwhile, Gatchalian said WPI will continue to renovate its four hotels this year in preparation for an expected upsurge of foreign arrivals next year.

He said MPH will get the bulk of the investment, as it needs more facelifting than the other hotels.

“We want to pull the hotel (MPH) to the first-class category,” Gatchalian said. (JBN)

i'm really impressed with Waterfront. the hotel isnt five-star but the elegance and beauty of it makes you think it is! i'm glad they are doing everything they can to improve the already great hotel :okay:

2 of my best collection of Waterfront Cebu City Hotel photos

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/cebupics/cebu%20hotels/waterfrontcebu.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/cebupics/cebu%20hotels/WaterfrontHotelatnight.jpg

Welcome to DisneyLand Cebu! where your dreams come true. hehe :D isn't it beautiful or what?!

^^ the first photo i found it in Cebu's first thread, and the second one was in pBase i think. they sure are pros :D

New York City? No. This is Cebu City.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/Signs.jpg

Cool! Very New Yorkish indeed :okay: i hope the countless heavy rainfall won't make Cebu as another New Orleans in the coming days hehe.

yes, I visited the park last week... I was impressed! :) There are over 10 barangay police roving to prevent those gangs from flocking the area but sadly, stray dogs are also numerous in the area....

a very huge improvement from the last time i went there. like 2 years ago!

btw, you familiar with KOI world? its a petshop along the airport rd in Lapulapu. we saw a whole lotta koi fishes. is the shop still standing? :D

...just passed by the Mandaue Sports Complex and I saw a banner "Welcome to the Delegates of the South East Asian Games!" Maybe they're checking the standards of the place.

Mandaue Sports Complex is also a venue for SEAG, can't rembember which sport though.

Crown Regency Suites Mactan
Lapu-Lapu City

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/cebupics/cebu%20hotels/crsm.jpg

http://www.islandsaccommodations.com/hotels-resorts/cebu/crownregency/images/crown-01.jpg http://www.islandsaccommodations.com/hotels-resorts/cebu/crownregency/images/crown-02.jpg http://www.islandsaccommodations.com/hotels-resorts/cebu/crownregency/images/crown-03.jpg
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Description

Beautifully set on a 1.5-hectare property near worldl-renowned beach resorts in Mactan Island, Crown Regency Suites is definitely a city resort paradise. Only a 15-minute drive from the Mactan International Airport, Crown Regency Stuites also gives you easy access to major commercial centers and scenic tour sites.

Accommodation

The hotel has 148 luxurious suites comprising of 91 One-bedroom Suites, 15 Two-Bedroon Suites, 6 Three-bedroom Suites and 36 Three-bedroom 2-storey Villas.

Dining

- Lobby Lounge (Casual Dining and Cocktails)

- Best Brew Coffee and Deli (Coffee Shop)

- Fabulous Fifties' Cafe Sports Bar (Snacks and Refreshments)

- Sun Court Poolside Bar (Snacks and Refreshments)

Facilities and Amenities

The hotel has one main ballroom and 4 small function rooms. The main ballroom can accommodate 400 pax on banquet seating and 400 pax for theater style set up. The small function rooms can accommodate 50 on a cocktail setting and 40 on a banquet seating. The function facilities are well equipped with the required function room equipments like the Overhead projector, LCD projector with White screen, Rostrums, whiteboard , PA system, stage, lights and others . The function rooms when combined can accommodate 600 pax on a banquet setting and 700 pax on a theater style setting. This is called the GRAND BALLROOM.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/Signs.jpg

Cool! Very New Yorkish indeed :okay: i hope the countless heavy rainfall won't make Cebu as another New Orleans in the coming days hehe.

It is true that there is a 90% possibility that Cebu will be hit by a supertyphoon in this coming weeks months or years coz the last time that Cebu was hit by a supertyphoon was last 1990 (Supertyphoon Mike "Ruping").
The interval of supertyphoons to hit Cebu is 10 years, but now its already 15 years from the last supertyphoon so the risk is getting higher as the typhoon season in the visayas area comes close..
But if ever it will come, Cebu won't be like the situation of New Orleans.. we are more experienced than them interms of tropical cyclones, we already know what to do and the worst that a supertyphoon can do... infact Ruping is stronger than Katrina but Cebu at that time recovered as fast as she could courtesy of former Governor Lito Osmena....

note:
I'm not scaring people, I'm just telling the facts of supertyphoon cycles on Cebu... So that everyone will know and prepare for the worst this early... we all know that anything can happen, we just don't know when, only God knows....

It is true that there is a 90% possibility that Cebu will be hit by a supertyphoon in this coming weeks months or years coz the last time that Cebu was hit by a supertyphoon was last 1990 (Supertyphoon Mike "Ruping").
I still remember this hurricane, eventhough I was still pretty young to remember what really happened. The best part though, there was no school for like a week hehe. It sucked not having water for more than a month

It is true that there is a 90% possibility that Cebu will be hit by a supertyphoon in this coming weeks months or years coz the last time that Cebu was hit by a supertyphoon was last 1990 (Supertyphoon Mike "Ruping").
The interval of supertyphoons to hit Cebu is 10 years, but now its already 15 years from the last supertyphoon so the risk is getting higher as the typhoon season in the visayas area comes close..
But if ever it will come, Cebu won't be like the situation of New Orleans.. we are more experienced than them interms of tropical cyclones, we already know what to do and the worst that a supertyphoon can do... infact Ruping is stronger than Katrina but Cebu at that time recovered as fast as she could courtesy of former Governor Lito Osmena....

One thing why the damage in US properties of hurricanes is that 90% of the Building Materials they use is Wood specially for houses. So its not very surprising to see such amount of damage everytime theres a hurricane. While in Pinas, most houses are built using concrete and wood (Metal trusses if the family can afford it). If were an American Ill build my house using concrete.

^ thats true as well. in california, most homes (huge or small) arent even made of real woods and bricks just for earthquake reasons..

There was a Tornado yesterday between Cordova and SRP... It is featured in TV Patrol Manila right now and a beach goer @ SRP took a video of the Tornado and its a bit scary, its the finger of God.... The good thing is it didn't hit land.

I remembered last 1999 when a Tornado hit here in Pardo just near our place @ SRP, I saw it in myself while it destroyed several houses near us. And just last year, a Tornado also brushed more than 100 houses in Talisay City, we also felt its wind gusts as its direction is towards Bulacao Pardo area but luckily it disappeared before it reached Pardo area.

a very huge improvement from the last time i went there. like 2 years ago!

btw, you familiar with KOI world? its a petshop along the airport rd in Lapulapu. we saw a whole lotta koi fishes. is the shop still standing? :D

yeah, its still alive and on the business :)

There was a Tornado yesterday between Cordova and SRP... It is featured in TV Patrol Manila right now and a beach goer @ SRP took a video of the Tornado and its a bit scary, its the finger of God.... The good thing is it didn't hit land.

I remembered last 1999 when a Tornado hit here in Pardo just near our place @ SRP, I saw it in myself while it destroyed several houses near us. And just last year, a Tornado also brushed more than 100 houses in Talisay City, we also felt its wind gusts as its direction is towards Bulacao Pardo area but luckily it disappeared before it reached Pardo area.

After I listened mass @ Pajac, Lapu-lapu around 11:20 am, we were goin' home already and I took a look at the back of the car and I saw like a sharp cloud and I was right guessing that it was a tornado... :)

50 MW seen to be tapped
through wind turbines

Two towns in Cebu will be offered to private investors next month as sites for wind power development by the government.

Carmen in the north and Oslob in the south were among 17 sites identified nationwide by the Department of Energy (DOE) to be offered to potential investors in the next few weeks.

Carmen is projected to produce 20 megawatts (MW) of wind power, while Oslob has a potential of 30 MW.

The sites in the Visayas include Dumangas in Iloilo with a potential of 50 MW; Siquijor with 10 MW; Allen-Lavezares in Northern Samar with 10 MW; and Tomas Oppus in Southern Leyte with 10 MW.

This would be the government's follow up to the 1st Wind Power Contracting Round held in March, when 16 wind sites were offered to investors for development.

Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla said 17 wind sites with a total generating capacity of 500 megawatts (MW) would be offered to prospective investors for the second contracting round.

In Luzon, the potential sites include Bani and Bolinao in Pangasinan with potentials of 40 MW each; Tagaytay, Cavite with 30 MW; and Donsol-Jovellar with 70 MW, Donsol and Pilar with 40 MW each and Matnog with 10 MW, all in Sorsogon.

The lone wind site in Mindanao to be offered to investors is in Gigaquit in Surigao Del Norte with a potential of 30 MW.

According to DOE data, the country's total wind potential is around 70,000 MW.

The Philippine's first wind farm is a 15-turbine wind project in Bangui, Ilocos Norte.

The US$44-million wind farm was built by the Danish-Filipino consortium NorthWind Power Development Corporation, and officially commissioned on June 18, 2005.

Forming a column of 15 wind turbines with a hub height of 70-meter and 41-meter rotor blades, the NorthWind Bangui Bay Project has an installed capacity of 25 MW that started delivering power to the Ilocos Norte Cooperative for distribution throughout the Ilocos Norte province.

After I listened mass @ Pajac, Lapu-lapu around 11:20 am, we were goin' home already and I took a look at the back of the car and I saw like a sharp cloud and I was right guessing that it was a tornado... :)

I guess you're right coz last year when a tornado hit Talisay, many of us here saw a sharp light above the very dark clouds, very visible as it happenned 9pm... wind gusts at that time urged me to go outside and see what is happening out there but no one knows that the finger of God is already sweeping houses in Talisay area heading towards our place.
Yesterday, here in Pardo was very windy then its a sign that a tornado may appear anytime at that moment near your area.

FYI: Technically its called "tornado" when it happens inland. When it happens at sea or a body of water its called a "water spout". From water or land then it becomes whatever its on. Just some scientific mumbo jumbo... :bash:

i remember the story of my friend who experienced typhoon ruping, nun lang daw sya naka kita ng nyog na halos naka horizontal na ang position sa lakas ng hangin, para daw winalis ang buong cebu, i remember sa news napanood ko noon when it happened, para ngang winalis when aerials were taken. i think si mayor tomas ang mayor that time and si lito o. naman ang governor, walang maibigay ang national government para sa cebu dahil naubos na ang funds para dun sa biktima ng july16 earthquake and to the pinatubo victims, kaya there were no assistance given to cebu that time, pinakagrabe pa nung nabanga ng m/v sanko elegance ang "only" link that time to cebu and mactan, which is the old bridge, ubos daw lahat ng electric posts sa buong cebu city, mayor tomas was even quoted as saying "anong gagawin nating poste? posporo?" if im not mistaken, para matulungan ng cebu ang sarili nila, they did not remit their taxes to the national government, yung sariling taxes na na collect nila was the fund that they used in rebuilding the city, parang saglit na federalism, and it worked, that super typhoon was a great disaster, a big recipe for doom for cebu, everybody was saying that it will take cebu two years to recover..... but cebu did it in 2 months!! and that was the start of the phenomenon called ceboom, after that, everything was history..... ruping was a litmus test for cebu's strength

i remember the story of my friend who experienced typhoon ruping, nun lang daw sya naka kita ng nyog na halos naka horizontal na ang position sa lakas ng hangin, para daw winalis ang buong cebu, i remember sa news napanood ko noon when it happened, para ngang winalis when aerials were taken. i think si mayor tomas ang mayor that time and si lito o. naman ang governor, walang maibigay ang national government para sa cebu dahil naubos na ang funds para dun sa biktima ng july16 earthquake and to the pinatubo victims, kaya there were no assistance given to cebu that time, pinakagrabe pa nung nabanga ng m/v sanko elegance ang "only" link that time to cebu and mactan, which is the old bridge, ubos daw lahat ng electric posts sa buong cebu city, mayor tomas was even quoted as saying "anong gagawin nating poste? posporo?" if im not mistaken, para matulungan ng cebu ang sarili nila, they did not remit their taxes to the national government, yung sariling taxes na na collect nila was the fund that they used in rebuilding the city, parang saglit na federalism, and it worked, that super typhoon was a great disaster, a big recipe for doom for cebu, everybody was saying that it will take cebu two years to recover..... but cebu did it in 2 months!! and that was the start of the phenomenon called ceboom, after that, everything was history..... ruping was a litmus test for cebu's strength

I think this was Cory Aquino's time. That was the best proof that even without the help of the national government, Cebu can stand alone.

Tuesday, September 20, 2005
Culture of tourism to be promoted in Cebu

The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) tourism core group, in cooperation with the Department of Tourism (DOT) 7, Women-in-Travel, CBE-Industry-Academe Linkage and the academe will hold starting next month forums on the culture of tourism.

The first of the series will be on Oct. 4 from 1p.m. to 5p.m. at the Eduardo Aboitiz Studies Center.

“The concept of the cult- ture of tourism is one major concern of the DOT. A goal-oriented workshop is set to find out how the culture of tourism could be instilled in various sectors of the community,” the CCCI’s statement read.

The panelists in the forum will include representatives from government, the academe and stakeholders in the tourism industry.

Among them are Commission on Higher Education 7 Director Enrique Grecia, who will speak for the academe, and Provincial Board Member Juan Bolo, who will represent the government.

Lawyer Anastacio Mun-tuerto Jr., will represent the industry, Tess Chan will speak for the socio-civic and nongovernment organizations.

Commitment

Cebu City Marriott Hotel general manager Karl Hudson and Cebu Travel and Tours Asso. president Cecille Saa will talk in behalf of the services sector and George Parilla, ambassador of trade and goodwill, will speak for the youth sector.

The perspectives from these sectors will serve as the framework for action plans and commitment.

The CCCI said the culture of tourism is attitudinal, value-centered, customer-friendly and is geared towards making the community the best place to live in.

It is also aimed at packaging Cebu as a very attractive destination.

The goal is to get into value orientation, “which is the foundation of every dimension of tourism that permeates, synergizes and binds every element from the grassroots to the top stakeholders.”

The CCCI believes there is a need to develop the culture of tourism “for this will bring positive effects, such as business and investment acceleration and increase in tourist arrivals.”

The tourism core group is already promoting the development of Cebu’s tourism industry through the Cebu Plus Roadmap, which aims to get five million tourists by 2010.

“The upcoming forum is very vital because it is designed to enable the participants to identify properly the best way to sell Cebu and to make it as the best place to live in. This is deemed to make Cebu globally competitive and to capture the international market. The culture of tourism will enhance the best image of Cebu and cultivate Filipino identity and pride,” CCCI’s statement also read. (From PR)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/97.jpg
Blink an eye and you would think you're in Egypt.

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Balamban River

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Balamban mountain

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Tsuneishi in West Cebu Industrial Park
According to the japanese blog i've visited recently, the area around the shipyard made him feel that he was in Japan, which I guess is one way of saying that it looks good.

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Actually it's fronting an airport not a body of water.

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Hilton Hotel

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Waterfront Hotel

FYI: Technically its called "tornado" when it happens inland. When it happens at sea or a body of water its called a "water spout". From water or land then it becomes whatever its on. Just some scientific mumbo jumbo... :bash:

Yup, I know the difference of the two coz I saw watersprout personally when I was in Masbate twice and a tornado once last 1999 just near our house here in Pardo.
Watersprouts are lighter and its color is almost white while tornados appearance is darker, heavy and massive embodied with very dark clouds on top of it... Last sunday, based on the video it was a tornado coz of its very dark appearance and it also happened in a shallow water just along the SRP side several meters from the land.
And from what I have observed, the areas of SRP Talisay Southern Cebu City area is very prone to tornadoes. Last year, two baby tornadoes hit Mabolo and Mandaue and a huge one in Talisay and it all happened August and September.

i remember the story of my friend who experienced typhoon ruping, nun lang daw sya naka kita ng nyog na halos naka horizontal na ang position sa lakas ng hangin, para daw winalis ang buong cebu, i remember sa news napanood ko noon when it happened, para ngang winalis when aerials were taken. i think si mayor tomas ang mayor that time and si lito o. naman ang governor, walang maibigay ang national government para sa cebu dahil naubos na ang funds para dun sa biktima ng july16 earthquake and to the pinatubo victims, kaya there were no assistance given to cebu that time, pinakagrabe pa nung nabanga ng m/v sanko elegance ang "only" link that time to cebu and mactan, which is the old bridge, ubos daw lahat ng electric posts sa buong cebu city, mayor tomas was even quoted as saying "anong gagawin nating poste? posporo?" if im not mistaken, para matulungan ng cebu ang sarili nila, they did not remit their taxes to the national government, yung sariling taxes na na collect nila was the fund that they used in rebuilding the city, parang saglit na federalism, and it worked, that super typhoon was a great disaster, a big recipe for doom for cebu, everybody was saying that it will take cebu two years to recover..... but cebu did it in 2 months!! and that was the start of the phenomenon called ceboom, after that, everything was history..... ruping was a litmus test for cebu's strength

At that time I saw Cebuanos as if they are relatives helping each other to rise from a monsters wrath. The strength of Cebu relies on its people.

I can't imagine its fury, one proof is that the very big dome made of huge steels where airplanes are being housed @ Sangi airport (now the Aisa town IT park in Lahug) was blown away that it was being wholy lifted and was thrown at the back of USP where many small houses turned into pieces.
Mananga bridge in Talisay was also washed as a huge ship was blown by the wind inland until it reached the bridge.

The eye of the storm stayed over Cebu from the afternoon of November 13 upto the early morning of November 14 1990. So it means Cebu was under a 220klm per hour wind for more than 12 hours due to the storms very slow movement thats why it stayed longer over Central Cebu island.

But the good thing there is that many of the Cebuanos witnessed the lull or the sunny environment of its eye where birds are flying, blue sky with no wind at all.

Beautiful nature indeed that God created for us to be more stronger as a community that can stand alone even for the worst of times. Experience is the best teacher as they say.

Philippines' worst/costliest typhoon
Supertyphoon Ruping as the most destructive that hit Cebu.. P10.8 billion in damage.
http://www.typhoon2000.ph/stats/CostliestPhilippineTyphoons.htm
or
http://www.typhoon2000.ph/stats/10WorstPhilippineTyphoons.htm

and One of the strongest typhoon in the Philippines
http://www.typhoon2000.ph/stats/StrongestPhilippineTyphoons.htm

But if ever it will come, Cebu won't be like the situation of New Orleans.. we are more experienced than them interms of tropical cyclones, we already know what to do and the worst that a supertyphoon can do... infact Ruping is stronger than Katrina but Cebu at that time recovered as fast as she could courtesy of former Governor Lito Osmena....

no matter how prepared you are, if god really wants to destroy your city, kill its people and drown the poor little kids, we can't stop him, can we?

Waterfront's lobby looks very 5 star

if im not mistaken, para matulungan ng cebu ang sarili nila, they did not remit their taxes to the national government, yung sariling taxes na na collect nila was the fund that they used in rebuilding the city, parang saglit na federalism, and it worked, that super typhoon was a great disaster, a big recipe for doom for cebu, everybody was saying that it will take cebu two years to recover..... but cebu did it in 2 months!! and that was the start of the phenomenon called ceboom, after that, everything was history..... ruping was a litmus test for cebu's strength

yah, i was in kindergarten at that time. but all i could remember there was no electricity for several days. can't recall what we were doin on the aftermath, never thought it was the most disastrous typhoon in the country.

Cebu never ceases to impress our fellow countrymen! Ceboom mentality i think began as early as in 1950's. the cebu governor at that time proposed to build the grandest provincial capitol in asia. everyone was saying the gov't officials were stupid and the building would be nothing more but a worthless white elephant. several yrs later, during the time of president sergio osmeña, he wanted to connect mactan island to cebu mainland through a bridge and yup, same comment from the national govt officials and most people. many even thought he was joking. after the bridge was built, the cebu international airport then transferred to mactan. well, thanks to those "stupid" gov't officials because Cebu right now is the envy to most cities. the majestic government building, the first mactan bridge among others reinforced the pride of Cebuanos. but wait, Cebu isn't stopping because the grand plan of making it as the Hongkong of the Philippines is on its way. sounds stupid? we'll see. hehe :p

no matter how prepared you are, if god really wants to destroy your city, kill its people and drown the poor little kids, we can't stop him, can we?

yeah, i felt really bad when i learned New Orleans and nearby places were totally wrecked by Hurricane Katrina. the place looks third-countryish lately. :(

posted by edifice_complex3
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/BugasokFallsArgao.jpg

whoa, without the title you'd have a hard time guessing which country this photo was taken. :D

Looks refreshing. Wonderful sight.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/97.jpg
Blink an eye and you would think you're in Egypt.

^^ this one too! :D

Postcard shot! White sand and white pebbles, luxurious.

so where are egypt and pagsanhan falls in cebu please ? locations on maps or satellite shots, so we all know where to find it and go.....?

More hotel rooms needed
for Cebu's convention edge

Cebu is a preferred destination for many convention organizers, Waterfront Philippines Inc. president Rexlon T. Gatchalian said.

However, Cebu is losing this advantage due to the lack of hotel rooms for delegates, he warned.

"Cebu is losing out to convention destinations in Asia because we do not have enough rooms," he pointed out.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) regional office has identified conventions as one of the target markets for Cebu's tourism industry.

Gatchalian said Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino has had to turn down some conventions scheduled for next year.

In Cebu, Waterfront Cebu City Hotel has the biggest venue for conventions with its main ballroom and function rooms.

While Cebu has several pension houses, delegates of some conventions such as doctors attending medical conferences have standards that could not be meet by the smaller hotels, Gatchalian explained.

He said the reopening of the Plaza Hotel in Nivel Hills, to be called the Marco Polo Plaza Hotel, would make Cebu more attractive to organizers of conventions.

While this presents competition, he said he expects the Plaza to be generally good for the tourism industry.

"We appreciate the fact that Marco Polo is coming," he said.

Waterfront Airport Hotel and Casino has not felt any adverse effects with the operation of Crown Regency Suites in Lapu-Lapu City since the latter has developed its own market, he said.

Gatchalian noted that Cebu is enjoying increasing tourist arrivals and will need more rooms to serve the growing requirements.

"The market is growing at a fast pace, about double digit rate. Cebu can accommodate another 300 to 400 rooms," he said.

He cited as an example the Advertising Congress, which is scheduled to be held in Cebu in November.

Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino, which has about 500 rooms, could not accommodate all delegates attending the Advertising Congress.

The delegates were projected to reach 5,000, Gatchalian explained.

If there were more rooms available in Cebu City, Waterfront Cebu could maximize its convention facilities, he said.

"We cannot operate our convention facilities to the maximum level because we don't have enough rooms," he said.

Waterfront Philippines' hotel operation contributed 90 percent of total revenues. Waterfront Cebu brought in 64 percent of total revenues, while Waterfront Airport Hotel in Mactan contributed 21 percent.

According to the company's annual report, Waterfront Cebu is the top earner, generating P227.68 million in room revenues last year.

Aside from two hotels in Cebu, Waterfront Philippines also operates two other hotels - Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao and Manila Pavilion Hotel.

All four properties registered a combined occupancy rate of 63.5 percent in 2005, with Waterfront Airport Hotel posting the highest rate at 72.68 and Waterfront Cebu registering an occupancy rate o 65.88.

The occupancy rate of Waterfront International Hotel Davao and Manila Pavilion Hotel is at 63.91 percent and 54.29 percent, respectively.

no matter how prepared you are, if god really wants to destroy your city, kill its people and drown the poor little kids, we can't stop him, can we?

As what I've seen, New Orleans residents didn't help each other. Imagine, its the most powerful country in the world but one of their city is suffering much not because of Katrina aftermath but because they didn't prepare and didn't expect for the worst. much more, the city residents was just depending on the help from outside thats why they didn't act as one for them to stand and survive infact most of their malls was being burned and ladies are being raped... in short "no bayanihan system". Cebu's situation during Ruping is very opposite from New Orleans on Katrina...no help came from outside Cebu hence the strength of rebuilding the city is within its people that also suffered from Rupings wrath.

Its true that we can't do anything if He decides but if we're just doing what is right for us and our fellowmen, even the strongest natural disaster can be overcomed.

19th Philippine Ad Congress to be held in Cebu, all geared up

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b337/hurtyp/adcongress.jpg

Philippine Advertising Congress (PAC) in Cebu City to be held at the Waterfront Hotel from November 17 to 19 is all geared up for a lot of power-packed action, balancing a mix of learning and fun. The “Ready For the World” list of presentations and speakers have been finalized , with the learning sessions being kicked-off by the keynote speech of Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, Chair, Ayala Corporation. The Ad Congress is a showcase of the latest technological advances in media, advertising, office systems, telecommunications, international networks and other human inventions attracting investors, entrepreneurs, media and advertising outfits from different parts of the country and the world.

^^ hehe cute! i've noticed two commercials on TV about AdCon but nothing like "Do-Nut Buy" reminders hehe... could intensify their campaigns next month :D

Good news for Southern Metro Cebu residents for tomorrow

SRP coastal road open tomorrow for Pardo Fiesta Celebration

Mayor Tommy ordered to open SRP coastal road tomorrow Sept 21 in time for Pardo Fiesta Celebration. He cleared that the purpose is to ease the traffic situation at South expressway as it is expected that traffic jams will affect downtown upto Talisay area everytime Pardo celebrates their annual fiesta. After the fiesta, coastal road will again be closed. ABS CBN

Cebu on Shoestring

Gabi Espaldon and Janine Yu tell you the best way to travel around Cebu on a budget in Tara! Cebu , a new travel guide for young adventures.

Inspired by the likes of Lonely Planet and Time Out guides, Tara! Cebu features local hotspots and alternative travel destinations. From side street restaurants to pension houses to obscure beaches, it offers wallet-friendly travel suggestions. Make like a real traveller and learn where to get a full body massage for P180, where the cheapest barbecue is sold, and where to chug a beer with a great view of the sunset. Written with witty colloquialisms, learn about Cebuanos and their culture and pick up history tidbits not found in schoolbooks.

Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu…an Island-Paradise

A red carpet welcome awaits you in Lapu-Lapu City - where the sun shines brighter and smiles are sweeter.

Surrounded by white sandy beaches with sparkling blue waters, the city embraces a large part of historic Mactan and five smaller islands. With fine hotels, beach resorts and tourist accommodations, it is ideal for conventions or small family vacations.

The city was founded as the town of Opon by Spanish friars in 1730. It was later renamed after a famous native chieftain who felled circumnavigator Ferdinand Magellan in the 1521 Battle of Mactan. An old shrine still stands as a testament to the battle.

The historic encounter, now known as “Kadaugan sa mactan,” is still celebrated yearly as a “week-long affair featuring a series of musical plays and cultural events culminating with a re-enactment of the battle at the shores where it actually happened.

The island-paradise is home to some 250,000 peace-loving, friendly and industrious residents. One of several fishing villages nearby, the islet of Caohagan is populated by just a little over 300 people. The City’s marine facilities and resources are ideal for scuba diving, aqua sports or simply loafing on the sand at sunrise or sunset.

Lapu-lapu City is blessed with tropical waether all year-round, with a typical dry season lasting from March to June. It is neither located in the typhoon belt nor over a fault time.

The bounty of surrounding seas make Lapu-Lapu City’s cuisine incomparably fresh. Sumptuous seafood delights are available at hotel outlets or seaside sutukil eateries. Various restaurants also offer American, European or Asian culinary specialties.

The city has since f\grown into a metropolitan area with a quaint appeal. Multinational firms in its economic zones bustle alongside traditional industries like guitar, shellcraft and furniture making. Modern shopping malls dot the city’s landscape along with heritage landmarks.

Lapu-Lapu City is only minutes away from major ports that offer daily trips to other destinations in the Visayas and Mindanao. Conveniently located at the center of the archipelago, the city is truly in the heart of it all.

Come and visit the only island -paradise in the Philippines — Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b337/hurtyp/lapulapu.jpg
Source: The Lapu-lapu City Tourism, Cultural and Historical Affairs Commission.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b337/hurtyp/tresher.jpg

Dive For Tresher Sharks

Hightened your diving experience!

Sharks, mantas, wrecks, macro, corals…name it, Malapascua Diving Sites have it all!

Curious enough? Here’s the Breaking news! Come and take part in the first ever proper scientific study of thresher sharks in Malapascua, only at Thresher Shark Divers’ 16-day program starting October 3rd 2005.

A team from the University of Wales' School of Ocean Sciences is currently here collecting data about the sharks on Monad Shoal. They hope among other things to ensure the survival of the sharks in a world with ever declining shark populations.

We are looking for volunteers to take part in the study. The sharks come to Monad Shoal every morning to be cleaned by wrasse. This study is investigating the relationship between the sharks and the wrasse in an effort to better understand how to preserve these magnificent creatures. Sadly, the number of sightings have been declining over the last few years. Whether this is through diver interaction, fishing, species migration or some other reason, we don't yet know. In its first month, the study has already provided us with valuable information on site management to minimize diver impact. We hope the next two months will provide much more.

This is a unique opportunity for anyone interested in the underwater world and in particular the preservation of sharks

Come and take part in this ground-breaking study!

16 day workshop
You will help us for two weeks close to the end of this study. You will join researchers from the University of Wales’ School of Ocean Sciences in collecting data on these amazing creatures. The volunteers will join seminars, learn about research methods, and should get to see the sharks many times. An added bonus are the mantas the frequent the site at that time of year.

Start date is October 3rd, 2005 and only a limited number of spaces available. Minimum required rating is Advanced Open Water and Nitrox with 30+ dives. If you are lacking in any of these, you can come early and get qualified. Open Water takes 4 days, Advanced Open Water is 2 days and Nitrox is 1 day. At least one dive computer per buddy team is required. Please let us know in advance if you wish to rent or purchase a computer and we will organize it.

CEBU BOARDWALK
http://digitalarchitect.tripod.com/LVLocsinGallery.html
http://digitalarchitect.tripod.com/Images/CBW-CAM_2-3.jpg
http://digitalarchitect.tripod.com/Images/CBW-CAM_5.jpg
http://digitalarchitect.tripod.com/Images/CBW-FRONT_PERSPECTIVE.jpg
http://digitalarchitect.tripod.com/Images/CBW-CAM_4-1.jpg

Norkis to develop 200-ha. park in northern town

The Quisumbing family of the Norkis group of companies is now developing more than 200 hectares of land in Compostela, Cebu into a Norkis City.

According to a document furnished to Sun.Star Cebu, the development of the Norkis City began with the establishment of Norkis’ 20-hectare industrial complex in Compostela, where Norkis products are assembled.

Norkis assembles and distributes in the country the Yamaha motorcycle, Mul-ticabs and Legacy vehicles.

Adjacent to the complex is the 200-hectare property, which Norkis group of companies president Norberto Quisumbing Jr. has steadily acquired over the years.

Park

The Norkis City will have the Q park that features religious, nationalist and environmentalist themes. There, visitors can stroll, contemplate and meditate.

“It will also have camping grounds where the youth could interact and make new friends,” Norkis said in a statement.

Also included in the plans is a housing complex for loyal and deserving “Norkisans” or Norkis employees.

Central to the Q Park are the wrought iron structures of the complete Way of Cross, which was visited by over 40,000 worshippers during Lent last year.

“Q Park is a place for the pious, nature lovers and hero admirers,” the statement read. “It is indeed a welcome change at a time when idyllic Cebu is becoming a highly urbanized metropolis.” (JBN)

Jimbu, I know you meant to post these photos. Your photos did not come up so I'm posting it for you.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/CBW-CAM_2-3.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/CBW-CAM_4-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/CBW-CAM_5.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/CBW-FRONT_PERSPECTIVE.jpg

I wish Cebu Boardwalk would really have a boardwalk to live up to its name like this one in Madridejos.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/87.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/edifice_complex/85.jpg

How many Universities and Colleges does Cebu City has?

hi all!!!!!! im a newbie here..... tj_brewed here, currently staying here in ortigas....but i definitely love Cebu! I MISS CEBU!

Cool boardwalk.

I am really looking forward on this boardwalk. the santa cruz beach boardwalk here might be great, but the beaches does not compare even compare to the beaches over there..