It was exactly 8am when we left our hostel to visit our one and only pit-stop in Kidapawan – The Lake Agco. Our halal-habal driver was already in front of our hostel waiting for the two us and few minutes after, we started our habal-habal adventure. Our driver advised that we buy food in the city because food is quite expensive in the resort area.

Lake Agco trail in Kidapawan

For the unfamiliar, Lake Agco is one of the main attraction in Kidapawan City. This place is located at the foot of Mount Apo in Ilomavis, Kidapawan City in Mindanao. It is a blend of calm lake and thick forests which make this a lovable place to visit and stay. The area where the lake is located is the Sacred Tribal and Ancestral Grounds of Manobo Tribes of Mount Apo.

Bumpy Roads

There are areas that still has bumpy roads and travelers can have a really exciting ride in a habal-habal. It was an exciting ride for me since its been more than five years from the last time i had a habal-habal ride.

Banana Plantations

It will take almost an hour to reach Lake Agco. Though some users can feel uncomfortable with the ride on the habal-habal, nobody will have an issue with the view they get on either side. Travelers are sure to get impressed with the scenic beauty of the trees as well as mountains. Along the way, we passed by scenic country side mostly covered with Banana, Mango, Durian and Rubber plantations.

Durian Tree

Mount Apo has been declared as a preserved area and is almost surrounded by mountain ranges. While traveling towards Lake Agco, visitors will be able to have a view of the Nipa huts where the locals live.

Mount Apo Souvenir Items

The people here never wanted to move out of this place where their ancestors used to live. They deserve appreciation as they have maintained forests as well as greeneries in this mountain as it is. One of the unique features of this lake is that it is also known as boiling lake which means that the water in the lake will have a higher temperature.

Melo Villareal beside the Lake

Travelers are not advised to swim in this lake. The lake is located almost 50 to 100 meters away from the resort. One of the main reasons of water having higher temperature is because Mount Apo is regarded as a Dormant Volcano. Visitors who wish to have mountaineering are allowed to climb the peak of the mountains which can also be seen from the resort.

There are Mountain resorts in Lake Agco. These resorts are mostly managed by a cooperative that comprises of different tribal members in that area. These resorts have rooms designed for a comfortable night stay. Another interesting feature in this resort is that they also provide camping sites for all those who love to have some adventure.

Other facilities inside the resort include the presence of a sari-sari store followed by a huge cold spring pool and several hot spring pools. Even spa is also available for the tourists in the resorts on demand.

Travelers are also allowed to bring their foods inside the resort since the resorts do not have any restaurant inside. Tourists can also shop in vendor stands that sell souvenir products and vegetables such as fresh sayote, kamote as well as other kinds of leafy vegetables.

For reaching Kidapawan City, travelers will have to board a bus or a van from Davao city or Cotabato City. There are routine bus services to Kidapawan from the bus terminal in both Cities. From Kidapawan City, It only takes almost 45 minutes to an hour to reach the Lake.

For your Habal-habal requirement, you can contact Apol (0946) 669-1048 in Kidapawan City. A habal-habal ride to lake agco will cost you P240 per way for a maximum of 3 passengers per ride.

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It was our second day in Cotabato City and to avoid too much humidity, we left our hotel early. Our first stop? The Golden Mosque of Cotabato City.

The Golden Mosque in Cotabato City

Traveling to and from the Golden Mosque is a bit exciting. We rode an Awang bound jeepney from the town to Sinsuat Avenue in Barangay Kalangan (near the Husky Terminal) then had a habal-habal ride to the Grand Mosque. Im still not used to riding a habal-habal but thanks to the paved road and scenic villages along the way, it helped me forget how scary the habal-habal ride was.

A Mosque surrounded by the River and the Sea

Habal-habal or motorcycle is the only way to get there. I paid Php. 70 roundtrip and it’s worthwhile to ask your driver to stay until you’re finished with your visit and photo shoot. There’s not much else out there and there are certainly no buses to take you back to the city.

A perfect place to worship

Passing by several villages with houses that are usually built in wetlands, I noticed that whenever we passby a group of people, its always followed by a smile which always making me feel I am welcome in their community. That was that simple but was truly awesome…. It’s really more fun in the Philippines.

Biggest Mosque in the Philippines

Upon reaching the place, a friendly soldier who provides security to the place welcomed us and requested us to sign their logbook. The Ilocano solider informed us that we can roam around the Mosque and take photos freely. I was really amazed and I cant believe that Im still in the Philippines while exploring the Golden Mosque.

Cotabato City Grand Mosque

The Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Masjid, Grand Mosque or Golden Mosque of Cotabato City is the largest mosque in the Phillipines and is considered an Islamic architecture masterpiece. The grand opening was held in December of 2011 and since then it has become one of the most commonly visited tourist attractions in the city.

Perfectly Painted Walls

This multi-million project which believed to cost more than Php200 million was built in a land donated by the Dilangalen Clan. The construction of the mosque lasted for almost 3 years and they are now in the process of finishing other details.

The Dome

Anyone who flies in and out of Cotabato City is sure to see the Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Masjid from the air; it’s golden yellow domes and white structures stand out among the green surroundings.

Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Masjid

Once you arrive in Cotabato City your options are limited. Luckily, the one option you have is inexpensive. It’s about seven and a half kilometers out to the Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Masjid, which is out near Moro Gulf and alongside the Tamontaka River.

Melo Villareal in Cotabato City

Even though this is a very modern Masjid, the design is tasteful and balanced. If you have any interest in seeing significant places of Muslim worship, you should not miss the Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Masjid. The vast buildings and courtyard open up to greet you and allow for contemplation as well as stunning photography.

The golden domes against the blue Philippine sky are dramatic and eye-catching. 800 male and 400 female worshippers can be accommodated and the minarets are 141 feet tall.

Travel to Cotabato City itself is considered off the beaten track for people who are visiting the Philippines, but the trip is well worth it. Sometimes, travel advisories are just meant to be ignored. Honestly, I feel much safer each time I visit some of my favorite places in Mindanao.

You can really only understand the grandeur of such a place by visiting it yourself. As the popularity of the Golden Mosque has increased, travel to and from Cotabato City has been increasing dispite of negative publicity and travel advisories.

And there are many other things to see in the city itself. This is off the beaten path for now, but expect to see this area of the Philippines rise in popularity in the coming years. There is so much to see in Mindanao – The land of Promise.

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It was another long weekend and as usual I don’t have a concrete plan where am I heading. But thanks for having friends who have planned the trip 5 weeks ahead which made it so easy for me to spend my long weekend out-of-town without worrying where to go, where to stay and how to get there.

Banaue Ethnic Village and Pine Forest Resort

Somebody in their group had a last minute cancellation which means “one slot” is perfectly waiting for me. Getting a bus ticket has never been that easy since they already bought the ticket ahead of time. I arrived early in Ohayami Bus station in Sampaloc to meet the rest of the group. The area was so crowded and full of chance passengers not to mention that there’s no enough waiting area for passengers who are waiting for their Bus.

Banaue Ethnic Village

After an hour, I found my self inside the Ohayami Bus en route to Banaue Ifugao where we will be staying overnight before we head to Sagada – our main destination. There were 3 bus stops and it took us almost 10 hours before we finally reached Banaue. We rented a Jeepney in the town center which brought us to Banaue Ethnic Village and Pine Forest Resort where we will be staying overnight. The ethnic village is located almost 7 kilometres from the proper town of Banaue.

Breakfast in Banaue

Banaue Ethic Village is one of the best places to stay in Ifugao if you want to experience staying in an authentic Ifugao house. One of the major attractions of this ethnic village is the traditional huts that provide visitors with a memorable and cultural experience.

Inside my Ifugao Hut

Banaue Ethnic Village and Pine Forest Resort is a 20 hectare privately owned resort sits in what local known as “Apar Nga’-o”, tucked well away from the crowd and the busy highway.

My shoes were frozen

The roads are so well constructed that I didn’t even felt the long distance I had to travel from the town to reach Banaue Ethnic Village. Though the 10 hour journey was tiring, finding yourself in a totally different place is really rewarding for me.

Native Ifugao Hut

From the entrance itself, I was astonished to see the a small road with both sides covered by Pine trees that led us towards the main area of the resort. The resort is located on spectacular mountain slopes surrounded by pine trees, Ifugao houses and a camping grounds. I just love the cold morning weather and as we walk towards the resorts main building, I smell a strong aroma of Benguet Coffee they are brewing… that was a fantastic welcome drink!

Natural Pool

After our breakfast, the helper guided me towards my own Ifugao hut. One of the major attractions is that all the lodges are built in the traditional Ifugao housing style with some modern touch to provide comfort to visitors. Just below the lodges, there is a natural pool surrounded by an organic farm with growing herbs and vegetables.

Organic Farm

The resort also hosts a mix of traditional cultural as well as educational activities which i felt gave me more insight in to the culture and traditions of the Ifugao people.  I also made a visit to their small museum which mainly gives information about Ifugao houses including how they are built.

After a whole day of activity in Banaue and Batad, we went back to the resort and had a dinner followed by a bonfire experience right in the middle of the camping grounds.  I have got so much of nice memories to carry with me and took so many snaps to capture the wonderful time I spent in Banaue Ethnic Village and Pine Forest Resort.

Bonfire in Banaue

This is one of the best local accommodation that I have ever seen. It can be considered as the ideal place for all those visitors who are looking out for a relaxing experience with an attitude to learn and understand the history.

Contact Info :
Banaue Ethnic Village and Pine Forest Resort
Apar Nga’-o Viewpoint, Banaue Ifugao
Tel: (074) 386.4082
Manang Jane : (63) 928-5214533

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April 13, 2012 – Sooo Pinoy Food Tour Day 3 in Cebu – Previous Post : Kan-anan Restaurant Cebu.

Every journey has its final stop and for our Sooo Pinoy Food Tour Cebu Leg, our final stop was in Hotel Elizabeth’s Flora Cafe. Flora Café is a Mediterranean inspired restaurant but they are also offering various international cuisine. With its unique ambience the restaurant can cater to about 100 persons for breakfast and dinner.

Halo-Halo All You Can

It was actually 3 hours before our flight back to Manila when we arrived in Flora Cafe to tryout their featured Pinoy Food. Their first featured food was everybody’s favorite Halo-Halo. This summer, they are offering Heap All You Can Halo-Halo promo. For Only P99 pesos per person, you can enjoy this Pinoy dessert with wide array of Halo-Halo condiments from ube halaya, leche flan, beans, langka, pinipig, etc.

Eat all you can Grill

To sample their Eat all you can Grill promo, they served  mixed Grilled Meat and Seafood – a mixture of beef, pork ribs, chicken leg quarter, sausage, squid and blue marlin grilled to perfection.

Hotel Elizabeth Cebu Lobby

Flora Cafe has a Summer Promos starting April 2 where they will be having Bento-Bento daily at Php 325 net , Eat All You Can Grill at Php 555 net every Fridays, Heap All You Can Halo-Halo at Php 99 net daily from 2pm-5pm, and their USDA Black Angus at Php 585 net every Saturdays. All served with Bottomless Iced Tea except for the Heap All You Can Halo-Halo.

Cafe Flora Cebu

Flora Cafe is providing different hotel and food promotions depending on the season, so checkout their website to see their current offerings.

I havent tried staying in any of their properties and I must admit, that was my first time visiting Hotel Elizabeth. I was truly impressed with the hotel’s exterior and interior design. With their world class hotel, I wonder how where they able to provide affordable accommodation.

Thank you Unilever Food Solutions for continuously promoting Pinoy Food! Learn about the best dishes around Cebu from the Sooo Pinoy, Food Trip na Pilipinas Campaign! Please like the Sooo Pinoy page on Facebook or follow @SoooPinoy on Twitter.

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April 13, 2012 – Sooo Pinoy Food Tour Day 3 in Cebu – Previous Post : Island Grill Express Cebu.

Our second to the last stop was in Parklane Hotel’s famous Kan-anan Restaurant. The restaurant was just opened last May 15, 2011 and is located at the 4th floor of Cebu Parklane International Hotel.

Humba Cebuano

The restaurant is primarily dedicated to showcasing the best Cebuano cuisine, in fact, the restaurant features various Cebuano Specialty dishes from the Island of Bantayan to the southern parts of Cebu.

Authentic Cebuano Dishes

You can explore and taste some of the authentic Cebuano dishes which include Labtingaw, Kinusit-kusit na Nukos, Madonggada, Humba, adobong tang-kong and kinilaw nga nangka and other local dishes. Highlighting the well known dishes from North to South of the whole island stretch, Kan-anan is definitely one of the restaurants to visit in Cebu.

Kan-anan Restaurant in Cebu

During our visit, Executive Sous Chef Arman Polon served Humba – a specialty winning recipe from Ronda Cebu. The hotel hosted a Humba themed cooking challenge in Ronda and the winning recipe will be part of the restaurants signature dishes.

So whats the secret of their Humba? They cook it with Sprite and perfectly sweetened with muscovado sugar.

Thank you Unilever Food Solutions for continuously promoting Pinoy Food! Learn about the best dishes around Cebu from the Sooo Pinoy, Food Trip na Pilipinas Campaign! Please like the Sooo Pinoy page on Facebook or follow @SoooPinoy on Twitter.

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April 13, 2012 – Sooo Pinoy Food Tour Day 3 in Cebu – Previous Post : H Cafe Cebu.

Our next stop was in one of the delectable food stalls in SM Cebu called Island Grill Express. Food Court in any SM Mall is also one of the favorite destination of foodies not only because of its affordability but also because of the never ending food choices. For our visit in Island Grill Express, they served a popular dish in central and western Visayas called Balbacua.

Cebuano Balbacua

Cebu offers a never ending food trail, if you cant go to small eateries mostly found in city sidewalks then head to where you can find authentic, affordable and wide variety of Cebuano Food Choices – The SM Food Court.

Grilled Porkchop

This popular dish has so many versions much like our favorite Pork Adobo where each destination may have another way of preparing Balbacua. In Cebu, Balbacua is very similar to Kare-kare when it comes to the taste. It has more or less the same ingredients except that it has no blanched vegetables and shrimp bagoong on the side. Balbacua is very popular among Cebuanos especially in the Carinderia scene.

My Favorite Bami Noodles

It is a no-frills kind of dish but is very tasty when eaten with rice. What I like about the Cebuano’s version is the thick and sweet flavorful sauce that is mixed with ox tail and feet that is cooked to tenderness. They also served Tinolang Isda – a Jack Fish in Tamarind Soup.

Island Grill Express SM Cebu Food Court

One of the best selling dishes in Island Grill Express are Grilled Pork Belly, Crab Relleno, Grilled Squid and Calderetang Kambing. For dessert, they served their best selling Manggo Buko Pandan and their famous Leche Flan.

Owned and Managed by Hedy Sarrosa and Nino Bascon, Island Grill Express opened its first branch in 1994 followed by their Ayala Branch in 1996. They are now have a franchise in Davao and Cagayan de Oro.

Thank you Unilever Food Solutions for continuously promoting Pinoy Food! Learn about the best dishes around Cebu from the Sooo Pinoy, Food Trip na Pilipinas Campaign! Please like the Sooo Pinoy page on Facebook or follow @SoooPinoy on Twitter.

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After our Manila Post Office Building tour, we went straight to the old Metropolitan Theater in Manila – one of the most beautiful art deco buildings in Manila. I’ve been wanting to visit this building since 1995 when I’m just starting to publish online travel articles via Geocities.com but I’m not sure how to get a permit to get inside the old building.

Metropolitan Theater Manila

I learned that entering the building premises is prohibited but thanks to Mr. Lawrence Chan for organizing the walking tour and for securing the permit for the rest of the participants.

Metropolitan Theater Facade

This huge architecture was inaugurated on 1931 and just like the Manila Central Post Office building, this building was also designed by famous Filipino Architect Juan M Arellano – now considered The “Father of Philippine Architecture”.

Ballet Studio

The guide mentioned that the theatre was already declared as a National Cultural Treasure by the former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo back in 2010. During its Heydays, the theatre can accommodate a maximum of 1670 which includes 846 people for Orchestra followed by 116 in Loge and 708 in the balcony.

Beautiful Statue in the Grand Hall

The beautiful female sculptures in the façade of the Theater is a work of art of an Italian sculptor Francesco Riccardo Monti, who lived in Manila from 1930 until his death in 1958. These Oriental / Siamese female sculptures were only added in the building after the World War II as part of MET’s restoration.

Everything is dilapidated except for the new chairs

Francesco Riccardo Monti also sculpted the relief depicting the Muses on the old Meralco building on San Marcelino. The theatre was severely damaged during the 1945 war for the liberation of Manila and it was restored back in 1978 by former First Lady Imelda Marcos. The theater was again closed following a dispute among the Manila City administration as well as Government Service Insurance System.

Watch Out anything may literally fall

In May 1948, a Magnolia Ice Cream House was constructed in the left side of the building’s facade while MET is in the process of being reconstructed.

Inside the MET

The decoration that has been made on the front facade is absolutely stunning and it gave me a glimpse of the MET’s glamorous old world. Some of the walls inside the building are decorated with precast cement made by the House of Precast in Mandaluyong. When we went towards the back of the theatre, We saw that all the rooms in the building needs complete restoration.

Oriental Dancers Sculpture

We also had a chance to explore some of the rooms including the huge hall in the second floor that looks like an old grand salon with several chandeliers and wooden tiles. I believe thats the room that was previously called Metropolitan Ballroom where important gatherings are being held.

Scary Hallway

Finally, we were able to visit the verandah where we saw some statues being placed. On both sides of the building, I found some sculptures that looks like a Siamese or Oriental dancers.

Metropolitan Ballroom Circa 1934 (Philippine Night. Given by The Filippino Bluejackets of the U.S.S. Henderson on Wednesday Evening Sept. 12, 1934 at Metropolitan Ballroom, Metropolitan Theatre Building) Photo Courtesy of History.Navy.Mil

I can’t imagine how busy this building was back in the days when there were fewer hotels that offers conference halls for the gathering of “Alta Sociedad” and for government / military events.

The Grand Metropolitan Ballroom Now

This colonial building has all it takes to impress visitors. I was very excited to see the tiara that is domed with stylish minarets. The exterior of the building was made superior with the presence of whimsical rope designs.

Verandah on the 4th Floor

It was totally a different experience and for me this neglected building is really quite different compared to other colonial buildings that i have ever visited. It has all it takes to be a National Treasure of the Philippines.

View from the Verandah

The lobby walls as well as the interior of the buildings in the theatre were decorated with stylish relief carving of Philippine plants. To add to the architectural beauty, the lobby used to have two Amorsolo ‘Murals’ which was titled ‘the dance’ as well as the ‘History of Music’ (now at the GSIS museum for safekeeping).

Beatiful Sunset View from the MET Verandah

The whole building was designed in an Art Deco style by architect Juan Arellano since the Art Deco style was one of the most sought after designs across the world at that point of time.

Travel Bloggers Exploring the Metropolitan Theatre Manila

Sadly, the building is now totally closed and all the rooms are all dilapidated and completely covered with dust. I must admit, I kept on imagining that the place was still beautiful while walking around the building. I tried to think that place was still busy but the creepy hall and worries about our safety just cant help me concentrate in imagining the place in its glorious past.

Exploring the Metropolitan Theatre in Manila was such a memorable experience for me. I really hope a real restoration will take place soon before its too late. It was reported in the news that the theater was reopened last June 23, 2010 in which new chairs was installed but apart from those new chairs, nothing was restored in the entire building and everything are already dilapidated.

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Last month, I joined a free Postal Heritage walking tour along with fellow travel bloggers. Our first stop was in the famous Post Office Building in Manila. Lawrence Chan – the tour organizer informed the rest of the group that our tour was probably one of the last tours they have since the building will be turned into Manila’s version of Singapore’s Fullerton Hotel.

Manila Post Office from Jones Bridge courtesy of Ramon F Velasquez

All participants gathered in Liwasang Bonifacio (formerly Lawton) and before we started our tour, we introduced ourselves in front of everyone since most of us are not yet familiar with each other. Surprisingly, most of the participants are bloggers, writers, photographers and artists.

Mr Lawrence Chan

Manila Central Post Office Building is probably one of the most beautiful building in Philippines according to fellow tour guides I’ve met. The building was located inside Plaza Lawton (named after Henry Ware Lawton 1843-1899) which is where an old bus terminal was located back in the 80′s. Although the place was renamed in 1963 to Liwasang Bonifacio, Filipinos continue to refer to it as Lawton.

At the Back of the Post Office Building

When I first stepped in to this building back in 2004, I was astonished to see the tremendous architectural design of the whole building which has got a rich history in place.

Huge Ionic Columns

I was very excited to have this walking tour since some parts of the building that i want to visit are restricted for regular visitors. I learned that the post office has 3 old gas stations located at the back of the building facing the Pasig River. And I also saw a range of trucks inside the Manila Post Office which takes the mails from different parts of the Metro and delivers it to the people living around the cities as well as villages nearby.

Stamp Collectors Exhibit

I was a little bit emotional and nostalgic upon seeing sacks of undelivered mails because it is nowadays a rarity to find letters and airmails ever since there was a boom in the Internet usage across the world where people like us can send and receive mails within seconds.

Parcel Examination Area

When we went inside the building with the guide, we used the left side entrance which lead us to the abandoned smaller buildings. Our guide informed us that the Post Office has a Museum but it was not open to the public for some reasons. After touring the back of the post office where they have the huge canteen, we headed to the first floor of the Post Office building where stamp collectors are gathering every weekend to meet fellow philatelist. This is also the place where bidding takes place for older stamps and money, which is all going to be a part of history in few months from now.

Philippine Stamp Collections

I was very happy when I received a pencil which denotes Philippine Postal Corporation and was also given a starter kit of stamps. It was a very nostalgic feeling getting these stamps and pencils from Manila Post Office. Mr. Rence Tan also showed us a huge exhibition of stamp collections with different themes from local stamp collectors. I had a glimpse to see the first basketball stamps and cat designed stamps in the world showcased only at our very own Manila Post Office.

Postwar Manila Post Office Photos courtesy of Skyscrapercity.com

Our guide also informed us that up until now, some people are still using telegram and registered mails and the process is still being embaced by some customers. While walking around the post office, I was totally surprised to see the high ceiling as well as the neoclassical architecture with which the post office has been designed with. The whole architecture of Manila Central Post Office was designed by Architect Juan M Arellano – the same architect who designed Manila’s famous Jones Bridge and the Manila Metropolitan Theater which is located right across the Liwasang Bonifacio.

Manila Central Post Office building was built in the year 1926 and is located on the river side of Pasig River which is one of the popular rivers in Manila. The facade of the building has ionic columns while the rest of the building has corinthian columns.

I would like to thank Mr. Lawrence Chan – VP of Filipinas Stamp Collectors’ Club (FSCC) for such a wonderful experience. Joining the tour was truly enjoyable specially if the tour guide that has overflowing ideas and information about the subject.

Next Stop : Exploring the Metropolitan Theater Manila

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The country’s new tourism campaign “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” was recently launched in London via double-decker buses, taxi cabs, and underground stations. The 25 double-decker bus and 50 black cabs sport a uniform design of the campaign slogan and logo and different faces of the Philippines. The subway stations, on the other hand, feature images of the Ifugao Rice Terraces and the Puerto Princesa Underground River, both proclaimed as World Heritage Sites.

It’s more fun in the Philippines Promotion in London

Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Ramon R. Jimenez, Jr. said that the timely execution of the ads has been deliberate and well-studied. “Imagine the gross impact of these ads. London has a population of about 7.5 million and attracts around 15 million international visitors, half of the total arrivals for the country. We are generating awareness not only among the British population, but also among visitors to United Kingdom (UK), rated number seven among the most visited countries in the world,” the Secretary explained.

Moreover, the bus and underground rail two-week advertising effort coincides with the worldwide marketing campaign through CNN International. Meanwhile, media hype through the London cabs will continue to run until early next year, with the opportunity to capture the millions of visitors attending the Queen’s Jubilee and the London 201 2 Olympics and the season 2012 2013 of the Fulham Football Club of the English Premier League, estimated to draw 690 million household viewers.

The bus routes are in selected areas in Central London (i.e. Chelsea, Sloane Square, Golders Green, Swiss Cottage, Oxford Circus, Hyde Park Corner, Piccadilly, Aldwych).

The London cabs come with a 30-minute digital ad which will feature the 30- seconder “It’s more fun in the Philippines” TVC and 15-seconder tarsier TVC recently launched worldwide via network giant CNN. “The Philippine Department of Tourism is the very first national tourism organization to advertise through the taxis’ digital platform and these will be shown in the 1,400 units owned by Verifone Media. Using receipts with the meme “Commuting: kayaking in Kayangan Lake in El Nido, Palawan is another medium to capture the interest of passengers. We will soon furnish these cabs with flyers to contain more fun information,” the tourism chief said.

Meanwhile, different Philippine posters are found at strategic stops near London’s touristic areas such as Covent Garden, Leicester Square, Oxford Circus, Piccadilly Circus and Tottenham Court Road.

The UK is a major source market for the Philippines being the top generator from this region. Last year, it ranked 9th overall with an unprecedented 104,000 arrivals, registering a 7.78% increase over the 2010 performance.

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Harold’s Hotel is a newly opened premier hotel located in Gorordo Avenue, 7-10 minutes walk to Ayala Center Cebu. They are currently offering special room rates for their superior, de luxe and executive rooms.

Harolds Hotel Promo Rates Cebu

Superior – Php 2, 500
De luxe – Php3,200
Executive – Php 5,500

Harold’s Hotel in Cebu has 90 guest rooms, all rooms having complimentary WIFI internet.

Harolds Hotel
146 Gorordo Avenue cor. Rosal Street,
Camputhaw, Cebu City 6000
Trunk Line: (63-32) 505 7777
Facsimile : (63-32) 505 9888
www.haroldshotel.com

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