Travel | Cebu Pacific, Singapore Tourism Board renew partnership to fly every Juan to Singapore

Cebu Pacific and Singapore Tourism Board executives pose for a photo following the MOU signing.

Cebu Pacific (PSE: CEB), the Philippines’ leading airline, has strengthened its partnership with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) to help travelers reimagine the Lion City and visit Singapore.

CEB and STB previously signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in April 2022 to mark the reopening of Singapore’s borders. With the successes of the past year, both parties today renewed the MOU to intensify their collaboration to promote travel to Singapore, which is one of the top-of-mind destinations for visitors from the Philippines. Key projects in this 2023 MOU will include joint marketing and promotions, and joint business development in the areas of fly-cruise and meetings and incentive corporate groups.

“We are delighted to renew our partnership with Cebu Pacific, which contributed greatly to Singapore’s strong tourism numbers for 2022,” said Ms. Juliana Kua, Assistant Chief Executive for International Group, Singapore Tourism Board (STB). “Philippines is a key market for Singapore, and the attractive promotions from Cebu Pacific will be complemented by STB’s ‘SingapoRewards’ programme, which offers a free experience for every eligible tourist to Singapore.

SingapoRewards^[1] is a new programme that will provide international visitors with an opportunity to try one of nearly 40 new or “off-the-beaten-path” experiences in Singapore for free, across the whole of 2023.

CEB provides strong connectivity to Singapore as it currently flies from Manila, Cebu, Davao, and starting in April, from Clark, Pampanga.

“We value this partnership with the Singapore Tourism Board. With recovery in place and our growth plans set in motion, our main goal now is to fly every Juan to exciting destination such as Singapore and enjoy all the offering in this beautiful destination that we missed doing during the pandemic,” said Candice Iyog, Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer of Cebu Pacific.

CEB currently flies thrice daily between Manila and Singapore, providing passengers easy access to the Lion City, to experience its famous culinary scene, see its scenic spots, engage in thrill-seeking activities, or go shopping.

Passengers from the Visayas may also conveniently reach Singapore through Cebu Pacific’s daily flights from Mactan Cebu International Airport.

CEB will also increase its Singapore flights from Davao up to 4x weekly starting on March 26, 2023.

Travelers from Northern Luzon will also have a new gateway as CEB starts its daily Clark – Singapore flight on April 28, 2023.

To spur travels to Singapore, CEB travelers can book their flights for as low as PHP499 one-way base fare, exclusive of surcharges and fees on March 13 until March 15, 2023. The travel period is from June 1 to November 30, 2023.

Passengers with existing Travel Funds may use these to pay for flights and other add-ons. Apart from the Travel Fund, other payment options such as payment centers, credit or debit cards, and e-wallets may also be used.

CEB now flies to 34 domestic and 25 international destinations, spanning across Asia, Australia, and the Middle East.
 
^[1] Redemptions and bookings can be made on the VisitSingapore app or SingapoRewards microsite at https://singaporewards.visitsingapore.com/. 

Lifestyle | CLI improves midtown Cebu traffic flow with opening of new F. Ramos Ext access road at Base Line Center

The 200-meter F. Ramos Ext. access road provides a direct link between MP Yap and  Llorente streets, and provides an alternative access to and from Juana Osmena St. via Base Line Drive.  This will help improve traffic flow and provide the community an easier route to business establishments and lifestyle destinations around the area. 

Leading developer in Vismin Cebu Landmasters, Inc. (CLI) together with the Cebu City Government officially opens a new F. Ramos Extension access road to vehicular traffic starting today, October 19.
 
The 200-meter F. Ramos Ext. access road provides a direct link between MP Yap and  Llorente streets, and provides an alternative access to and from Juana Osmena St. via Base Line Drive.  This will help improve traffic flow and provide the community an easier route to business establishments and lifestyle destinations around the area.
 
Officiating the ribbon cutting and road opening ceremony is Cebu City Vice Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia together with CLI executives CEO and President Jose R. Soberano III, COO and Executive Vice-President Jose Franco Soberano, and Capitol Site Barangay Captain Manuel Guanzon.
 
“As the economy continues to open up further, additional infrastructure improvements such as this newly established F. Ramos Ext. road connection are highly welcomed. We are proud to work hand-in-hand with the City of Cebu to realize these improvements for the benefit of our fellow Cebuanos.”, said CLI CEO and President Jose Soberano III.
 
The road opening will also reinforce CLI's ongoing expansion of the premier mixed-use development Base Line Center, fortifying its sustainable urban development initiatives with pedestrian-friendly features and enhanced vehicular circulation in a landscaped 1.6 hectare property.  
 

The Base Line Center features residential condominiums (Base Line Residences, Base Line Premier and Base Line Prestige), office building (Base Line HQ), commercial spaces (Base Line Center), serviced residences (Citadines Cebu City) and a hotel (Lyf) to soon open in 2023.

Its newest and final tower, the Base Line Prestige, will soon feature a wing of spacious new residences with an amenity podium floor and a retail podium, and an internationally managed, modern and hip hotel, Lyf by the Ascott Limited.
 
Inspired by Base Line’s history as a favorite gathering place of Cebuano families, the property aims to be a preferred center of a vibrant community for the long-term. Its strategic location at Juana Osmena St. ensures close proximity to essential amenities like supermarkets, fitness gym, dining outlets, food kiosks, among others.
 
The Base Line Center features residential condominiums (Base Line Residences, Base Line Premier and Base Line Prestige), office building (Base Line HQ), commercial spaces (Base Line Center), serviced residences (Citadines Cebu City) and a hotel (Lyf) to soon open in 2023.

Cebu, Davao cities among highest Globe 5G traffic in PH

5G adoption is fast spreading in other parts of the country with the cities of Cebu and Davao having the most number of Globe 5G users outside Metro Manila for the first half of 2022.

For Visayas, Cebu City ranked the highest, followed by Lapu-Lapu City and Mandaue City. On the other hand, Davao City led in Mindanao with Cagayan de Oro City placing second.

“Faster download speeds, lower latency, higher capacity, and overall superior performance are among the compelling reasons why consumers are shifting to 5G. We are confident that with the progress we are making on our 5G rollouts, we can further boost user experience in Visayas and Mindanao,” said Patrick Gloria, Director for External Affairs, Visayas and Mindanao and Regional Lead for the Globe Visayas Leadership Team.

As of the first semester, Globe’s 5G network has reached 85.8% of key cities in Visayas and Mindanao in terms of 5G outdoor coverage and 96.6% in Metro Manila.

Globe logged around 2.7 million devices in its 5G network as of end-June. It expects the figure to continuously go up as 5G devices become more affordable.

A report released by consumer intelligence company Standard Insights at the start of the year showed that 86.26 percent of the respondents in the Visayas are interested in getting a 5G device while 10.75 percent already have one. For Mindanao, 81.56 percent are interested, while 16.48 percent own a 5G device.

Globe’s 5G expansion is in line with the company’s commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly UN SDG No. 9, which highlights the roles of infrastructure and innovation as crucial drivers of economic growth and development.

The company offers several entry-level and mid-range 5G phone models for free when subscribed to a postpaid plan to enable more Filipinos to access this new technology. The phones may also be bought separately from Globe Stores at discounted prices when bundled with a SIM-only plan.

To learn more about Globe, visit www.globe.com.ph. 

Travel | Cebu Pacific Resumes More Davao and Cebu Flights

More travel destinations are resuming flights from Davao and Cebu hubs of Cebu Pacific! Davao will be reconnected with Bacolod and Cagayan de Oro City. Also, Cebu will be reconnected to more destinations in the country.

So, here's the story of this development in the tourism sector:

Cebu Pacific ramps up VisMin flight network by 35%  
Resumes flights from Davao to Bacolod and Cagayan de Oro  

The Philippines’ leading airline, Cebu Pacific (PSE: CEB), strengthens its footprint in the Visayas and Mindanao as it adds more flights from its Davao and Cebu hubs effective November 2022. This totals a 35% increase in the airline’s non-Manila flight network.

On October 30 and 31 respectively, CEB will be resuming its direct flights from Davao to Cagayan de Oro and Bacolod, allowing Juans in Mindanao to connect easily to more places across the country. Davao-Bacolod will be operating 3x weekly, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday; while Davao-Cagayan de Oro will be at 4x weekly, every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday.

These additional flights bring the total number of domestic connections from Davao to seven (7), which includes direct flights to Bohol, Cebu, Iloilo, Manila, and Zamboanga.

The airline will also be restarting its first international flight from Davao on October 30 as it will fly passengers direct to Singapore. CEB is the first local airline to bring back direct international operations in Davao.

CEB also continues to boost its connections from its Cebu hub as it expects to add more flights to key domestic destinations in November. This includes flights to Bacolod, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Iloilo, General Santos, and Puerto Princesa, among others.

CEB currently flies direct to 22 domestic destinations from Cebu, and two (2) international, namely Singapore and Seoul (Incheon).

“We are very happy to share this good news with everyJuan as we continuously see a sustained confidence among the traveling public. As we approach the holiday season, we expect more people wanting to fly and come back home, thus we made sure we are more than ready with additional flight connections,” said Xander Lao, CEB Chief Commercial Officer.

To further stimulate travel and encourage our Vis-Min market to ‘Fly Ta bai’, CEB launches a special PHP 199 seat sale from October 1 to 16, 2022, exclusive for the Visayas and Mindanao hub. Travel period is from October 1, 2022 until March 31, 2023, providing travelers the option to fly now or plan and book ahead.

CEB continues to implement a multi-layered approach to safety while it operates with a 100% fully vaccinated crew, 95% of whom have been boosted – all to ensure everyJuan flies safely and conveniently on Cebu Pacific. Visit www.cebupacificair.com for more information.

Food | Celebrating Sunpride Food's 50th Year with Chef Tatung's Cooking Demo!

On screen, Chef Tatung

Sunpride Food is already on its 50th year! It is one of the brands in my childhood years that really made an impact on me specially that they have the famous tagline, "what can you say, holiday!" We usually look for the brand to munch on for a meal!

Today, Sunpride Food has brought Chef Tatung, an award-winning cook book author, to showcase how the versality and simplicity of their products can be incorporated to dishes that we want. Just be unique and creative! There are three dishes that Chef Tatung has shared and here it is!

First, the easy-to-do Premium Corned Beef Torilla Wrap!

This is very easy to do, just a few minutes! Crack an egg, scramble, season it. Put the Sunpride Premium Corned Beef put some cheese, top with a tortilla wrap and toast it. After which, flip, add your favorite sauce for your wrap then roll. Cut into half then serve! VERY EASY and RICH!

Next dish is a Sunpride Bacon Wrap!

You have the liberty on what to wrap with the bacon. Upon, getting from the pack, it is a very good layer of meat and fat, real bacon! Plus, the cut is perfect! My favorite will be an enoki wrapped with the bacon, but you can also wrap some shrimps or other meat. Then, do it on a concept of pan grilling... After which, glaze your dish! Oh so, yummy!!! Indeed, a perfect appetizer!

Third, the Special Alfredo Pasta with Sunpride meat products!

I would admit that making a pasta dish is not my forte as a cook. But I really enjoyed watching this cooking demo plus a tip of how to make your alfredo sauce thick without much putting of cream! Take note, use a cooking cream. Preparing the meat is fun to watch, Chef Tatung used Sunpride's longganisa, ham and bacon. That's so tastefully, meaty rich! He put in some butter and flour, then pour some chicken stock, that created a magic, the sauce became thick even without cream yet. Furthermore, the last addition to the sauce is the cooking cream and some cheese. Then, mix the pasta to the sauce. Indeed, that sauce is great to look at, it satisfied my eyes. Then to plate, top it with the meat and some parsley! Ohlala!

Alright, again, congratulations for Sunpride Foods for their 50th anniversary and there are more things to expect with Sunpride in the coming months! As the tagline says, "Cook with Pride!" Indeed, a very good ingredient for some simple dishes to prepare for our families or friends especially this coming Christmas holidays!

Thank you very much for this opportunity to watch the cooking demo online and indeed, a learning process for a home cook like me. Cheers to more year, Sunpride!

Thank you also for visiting my avenue, www.ten7avenue.com.

Event | Cebu LandMasters Inc. Unveils Newest Project - Abaca Resort Mactan

Set to be completed in 2024, the new Abaca Resort Mactan is CLI’s very first resort development and will feature a timeless Sky Villas concept to serve as the platform for memorable getaways. The photo above is a perspective of Büro Ole Scheeren’s architecture and innovative design of the re-imagined luxury resort to open in 2024.

 
Another project is unveiled by Cebu Landmasters Inc. (CLI) in Mactan, Cebu. It will be known as the Abaca Resort Mactan. This project is also expected to be completed in the year 2024.

Check out the story here:

Cebu Landmasters unveils the new Abaca Resort Mactan, opening in 2024

 

Leading developer in VisMin Cebu Landmasters Inc. (CLI) strengthens its hotel portfolio in the region as it reveals its very first resort development – the P2.5 billion Abaca Resort Mactan. The expanded luxury boutique hotel is set to be completed in 2024.

 

The 125-room all-suite accommodation featuring exclusively panoramic ocean views is envisioned to fill the gap for luxury resorts catering to global travelers in Cebu’s thriving tourism scene in preparation for international mobility. It will rise 17-stories high on a 4,500 sqm. property formerly occupied by the multi-awarded Abaca Boutique Resort in Punta Engano, Lapu-Lapu City, a tourism growth center.

 

CLI purchased the property in 2019 and has signed up The Abaca Group to continue operating the hotel and providing luxury experiences tailored for local and global tourists. To design the resort and infuse it with a unique sense of place sought by an emerging breed of high-end travelers, CLI tapped internationally renowned architectural firm Büro Ole Scheeren whose projects won numerous awards globally. Some of their notable work are CTBUH Urban Habitat Award 2020 Winner DUO in Singapore, the World Building of the Year 2015 The Interlace in Singapore, and MahaNakhon Tower in Bangkok, a mixed-use high-rise development that upends the conventional typology of the skyscraper. The resort’s design is also locally supported by the Philippines’ leading architectural firm AIDEA.

 

Abaca Resort Mactan is CLI’s first resort development and will feature a timeless Sky Villas concept to serve as the platform for memorable getaways. Each room will offer the luxury of space and will range from 40-50 sqm for the Oceanfront Suites, and up to 105 sqm for the Sky Villas which will have its own one-of-a-kind floating infinity pools that will be offered in both 1 and 2 bedrooms.

 

Aside from its awe-inspiring architecture, the resort will feature a luxurious infinity pool, an elevated cascading plunge pool, 360-degree roofdeck bar, a private beach and panoramic ocean views. These will be enhanced by a gym and spa, kids center and function rooms for events.

 

Abaca Resort Mactan will also be distinguished by culinary offerings that have won for The Abaca Group a loyal following in highly cosmopolitan Cebu. The resort will have three outlets, offering new food and beverage concepts for the resort  –  a live-fire Asian concept on the main level, a new normal, all-day dining format and fantastic banquet facilities that can seat over 200 persons. Abaca restaurant will return and have a new home on the impressive rooftop with panoramic views of both the city and the sea.

 

“We have always wanted to contribute towards making Cebu a thriving economic and tourism destination,” according to CLI chairman and CEO Jose Soberano III. “Abaca Resort Mactan will put Cebu on the radar of this emerging breed of global travelers seeking world-class, authentic and unique holiday experience.”

 

The Abaca Group’s Founder, Managing Partner and Executive Chef Jason Hyatt says, “as one of the country’s preeminent developers, we are honored that CLI has chosen to partner with us once again through their hospitality arm. Being added to their portfolio of established global brands like Accor, Radisson and Ascott is so inspiring.”

 

Following the opening of the new Abaca Resort Mactan in 2024, Cebu Landmasters targets expanding its hotel portfolio to 1,433 rooms by 2025. This is in line with CLI’s strategy to build-up its recurring business contributing 10% to the company’s topline.

 

“We see tourism in the Visayas and Mindanao driving the economy once global mobility is restored,” according to Soberano. With direct flight connections all over the world, Cebu will be the natural gateway to the Philippines for many travelers seeking to enjoy the country’s world-acclaimed beaches and other attractions. “We will be ready for that boom.”

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This is another project at a strategic location and envisioned to be a great venue for events post pandemic. I am excited for this as well as their ongoing projects in Davao City. Looking forward to these developments.

Thank you for visiting my avenue, www.ten7avenue.com.