vetlongwalks wanders

How to Secure a Korean Tourist Visa

2025-03-04T23:03:00.010+08:00

Planning a trip to South Korea? Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you secure your tourist visa with ease.

For Residents of Visayas: Residents of Visayas can apply through the Korean Consulate in Cebu, located at the 12th Floor of Chinabank's Corporate Center; Lot 2, Samar Loop Cor. Road 5 in Ayala Business Park. The application is free if your stay is less than 60 days.

For Residents of Luzon and Mindanao: Applicants from Luzon and Mindanao need to apply through the Korean Visa Application Center (KVAC) located at 9F~10F, Brittany Hotel BGC, 6 McKinley Pkwy, Taguig City, Metro Manila. There is a fee of ₱900 (as of the time of writing). Alternatively, you can send your application by mail to KVAC via WE Express, which costs ₱1,000 plus the KVAC fee per applicant. For more details, visit: . I believe this is the only accredited courier of KVAC for tourist visa processing. You do not send them via LBC or 2Go and not addressed to the embassy directly. It will be KVAC who will lodge your application to the embassy.

Step-by-Step Guide

Document Preparation:
- Gather all required documents. If you can't provide a certain document, write a cover letter explaining the reason.
- Check the list of requirements here: . Choose the one that's applicable to your profile. Scroll through the list until you find the one applicable to your profile (there are twelve C3 profiles there: Employed Individual, Businessman, Housewife, Student, etc.). Below is list of requirements for employed individuals (C3-9) only.
- ■ C-3 (Short Term Visit) Visa Requirements for Employed Individuals
  1. Application Form
  2. 1 piece of Passport size colored picture
  3. Original Passport
  4. Photocopy of Passport Bio-page (page 2)
  5. Original & Photocopy of valid visa/s and arrival stamps to OECD member countries for the past 5 years (If applicable only)
  6. Copy of PRC Card or IBP Card (If applicable only)
  7. Original Certificate of Employment [must include applicant's position, date hired, compensation, office address, HR landline number (cell-phone number is not allowed), HR e-mail address]
  8. Original Personal Bank Certificate [must include account name, account number, account type, current balance, account opening date, 6 months average balance (ADB)]
  9. Bank Statement (original or certified true copy of bank statements/passbook for the last 3 months)
  10. Photocopy of ITR (Income Tax Return) or Form 2316
  11. Visa Fee: GRATIS (59 days below stay in Korea) / PHP2,000 (60 to 90 days stay in Korea)
  
  (If personally invited by Korean ) - authentication not required
  - Invitation Letter written in Korean
  - Photocopy of inviter's Passport or Identification Card
  (If invited by Company in Korea ) - authentication not required
  - Invitation Letter written in Korean
  - Photocopy of Korean Company Business Permit
- If you own qualified credit cards (BDO Gold and Elite, BPI Gold and Elite, RCBC Gold and Elite, Metrobank, check the link below for specific credit card types), you may apply through the simplified process until December 31, 2025. Instead of submitting items 8 to 10, you will need to provide:
  1. Certificate of Employment (original)
  2. Copy of Credit Card (with card number)
  3. Latest 3 Months Credit Card Account Monthly Billing Statements (copy)
  All other requirements, except for items 8 to 10, must still be submitted. For more details and to see the list of qualified credit cards, visit: .
- If possible, print your documents in A4 size paper.
Securing an Appointment:
- Visit the to book an appointment at the Korean Consulate in Cebu. Don't be surprised if the link is dead. It happens from time to time. They usually open slots on Tuesdays at 2:00 PM. So just check the website from time to time. Simply follow the prompts. When you're at the portal, choose "Visit a diplomatic mission" and select Cebu.
  - There is a specific time slot for individual tourist applicants. Choose the time slot that is applicable to you.
  - There is also a time slot allocated for travel agencies. So ensure that you select the correct one.
- For KVAC applicants in Manila, you may opt to walk in.
- Appointments typically open every Tuesday at 2 PM. Follow the prompts on the site to book a slot. Note this applies to Cebu application, being a Cebu-based applicant myself.
Application Submission:
- Visit the Korean Consulate in Cebu or the KVAC in Manila with your documents. For Cebu applicants, come at least 15 minutes before your scheduled appointment.
- The staff will advise a tentative date for passport pick-up.
- Act accordingly while at the consulate. They have instructions like no taking of photos.
Processing Time:
- The visa processing time usually takes around 10 or more days.
- Check the status of your application online at: . Once result is in, you may drop by the consulate again to pick up your passport and visa grant notice (if approved).
Visa Grant Notice:
- Instead of a visa sticker, you will receive a printed paper (visa grant notice) like below.
- You can download and print the notice yourself once your visa is approved. Alternatively, you can wait until you pick up your passport. You will be given a copy of the visa grant notice then.

At the time of my own application last June 2024, there weren't that many applications, so securing a slot was relatively easy for me. This might vary for you, so it’s always best to be prepared and act promptly. If you have more travel tips or questions, feel free to share!

Bohol Part 2: Bohol Diver's Resort

2018-02-27T00:06:00.000+08:00

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Note: This is a repost with revisions from a September 2008 post.

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Hello, folks! In part 1 of the Panglao-Balicasag Getaway post, I gave you a rundown on what prompted me to travel to Bohol. I showed you how we traveled to Panglao on a whim. I also shared with you all the great dinner that my sister and I had at one of the seafood restaurants found in Island City Mall in Tagbilaran.

Let me now proceed to the real reason for this attempt at travel blogging-–me wanting to share my own travel experience in the hopes of encouraging you and others out there to buy the ticket and explore the world. For this post, however, I will just talk about the resort where we stayed at. I've already mentioned in part 1 that during this vacation, we stayed at Bohol Diver's Resort. The resort is one of the many places you can stay at along Alona Beach in Panglao, Bohol.

Bohol Diver’s by day	Bohol Diver's reception in daylight

The gazebo	The resort's pool and beachfront (view from the reception area)

The resort's restaurant	The resort's bar by the beach	(also fronting the pool)

Now let's get on with the actual pictures of the room where we spent overnight. Let me warn you ahead that this is not a luxurious accommodation. Haha, as mentioned countless of times throughout the blog, I'm a bit of a stingy traveler. It's not that I don't want luxurious accommodations, because I do. The option to stay at a less fancy room is because of the reality that I actually don't have much money, haha. Nevertheless, that doesn't stop me from visiting places here in the country.

The room number	Rows of rooms made of nipa and sawali

Each of this nipa-sawali-made rooms costs PhP800 per night. Note that this area is not fronting the beach. You will need to walk a few meters to get to this place from the reception area. It’s a good exercise though after all the hours spent on your swivel chairs (if you work in an office setting).

My vetlongwalks' mark at the guise of showing the bermuda grass fronting the rooms above	The interior of our PhP800-room (two double beds, fan room with shower)

The bathroom	The room with moi

Note that the purplish curtain near the bed, shown in the upper right pix above, serves as the door to the toilet and bath. Yup, no lock! I didn’t mind this as I’m positive my companion is no pervert. Anyway, the picture next to the toilet shows me with my back to the door (of course, indulging the selfietitis, hehe). Like I mentioned, this accommodation is nothing fancy. However, it suited our needs just perfectly. I believe this room can accommodate at most four people. So if you're traveling in four that should only set you back two hundred pesos per person. Not bad, right? While this doesn't boast a beachfront, I believe you can appreciate the greenery and the bit of exercise to the beach.

The view fronting our room	The walk to the beach

As I mentioned previously, you’ve to walk a few meters to get to the beachfront. A few more meters going down, you’ll get to the beach. I think this should only take three or five minutes tops walking from Room 23 to the beach. Generally, you won't be passing a public area. The whole place is exclusive to resort guests. Anyway, if this type of accommodation does not suit your fancy, you can actually choose the pricier rooms near the beach.

Dark, showered, ready to head back to Cebu	The fancier accommodations

The last picture shows my lone photo of the beach. Although the beach has crystal clear waters, the presence of lumot(seaweeds) is just a turn off. But then again, August is that time of the year where nobody thinks about going to the beach for precisely this reason. Lumot aside, I don't mind going back to this resort for a little bit of sun and sands. If you want to feel like a foreigner in your own shores, February is that time of the year where most of the guests were Europeans. At least, that was our experience was when we were there around that month. We were practically the only Filipino guests at that time.

After a good night's sleep, I woke up very early to try to catch the sunrise. When I was by the beach, a man approached me asking if I was interested in going to Balicasag Island and do some dolphin watching. I negotiated for an affordable price and headed back to our room to get my sister for a short trip to Balicasag Island. That said, enter cue to bid farewell and I hope to see you for part 3: dolphin watching and Balicasag Island.

##################### UPDATE: February 27, 2018

Below are some information lifted from Bohol Diver's website.

For part 3, I will finally give you the rundown for the actual Balicasag Island getaway. See you there!

Bohol Part 1: A Getaway

2018-02-20T01:22:00.000+08:00

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Note: This is a repost with revisions of a September 2008 post.

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“Why wait for forty when you can be happy now?”

The above line, lifted from Melanie T. Lim’s book Wide Awake (a compilation of articles from her Sunstar column), struck a nerve in me, or at least, it awakened something within me. As soon as I finished reading all the articles, I debated between attempting to awaken my culinary skill (if i have it in me, that is) or going for an unplanned (no-budget) trip to Panglao in Bohol. Superego told me that I could not possibly go for that trip because I just cooked an almost half a kilo (roughly six to eight servings) of humba to be consumed by my lonesome self. Moreover, I just bought some more ingredients for an attempt to cook another dish. I simply could not put off cooking else the ingredients would go to waste. Id, on the other hand, argued that traveling always guarantees me pleasure. There’s nothing more pleasurable than traveling, hopping on a boat and going to another island, whiling away time on a sandy beach and forgetting about life’s worries. To clinched it, Id reasoned that there’s just no pleasure at the prospect of eating all those humba. This turned out to be the winning argument, hehe. Of course, who would want to consume the same dish for more than three consecutive times?

All these arguments and counterarguments happened between ten thirty to twelve Sunday afternoon. At twelve noon, I sent an SMS to my sister in Labangon to ask if she was interested in coming with me to Panglao. I told her that it would only be an overnight trip. See, I need to be back at the city the next day because I have yoga class then, and I didn’t want to miss it.

At around 3:00 p.m., my sister and I were at the Ocean Jet terminal over at Pier 1 on our way to Tagbilaran, Bohol.	One-way ticket @ PhP520 (inclusive of terminal fee @PhP20 while two-way ticket costs PhP800).

A look of the inside of the Ocean Jet vessel; a view from Seat 36C	Me @ Seat 36C and my sister Che @ 36D (air-conditioned)

The pictures below were taken upon our arrival in Tagbilaran port. The ride was definitely the most bumpy ride I had ever experienced. The boat captain was directing the boast as if we were on an emergency. The weather was actually fine, but the ferry ride gave me a slight headache because the vessel was rocking from left to right. It was truly a heck-of-a-speed to reach Tagbilaran. At it turned out, the same boat we were in was the same boat that would ferry passengers from Tagbilaran to Dumaguete, then on to Siquijor. The captain was apparently trying to catch a tight schedule.

Our arrival in Tagbilaran Port	The Welcome to Tagbilaran Sign

We arrived in Tagbilaran around 5:35 p.m. The sun had started to set when we arrived. The travel time was roughly two hours.

Almost sunset	Trike-fare schedule posted at the Tagbilaran port

From the Tagbilaran Port, my sister and I headed to Island City Mall, or ICM. ICM is like Tagbilaran’s version of SM, not an SM affiliate though, I think. To get there, we hopped on a trike and was charged fifty pesos as one-way fare from the port to ICM. We headed to ICM to get ourselves some sunblock. However, we ended up buying a few things such as a skirt for my sister, a pedal, a tote bag, t-shirt, and underwear for me, courtesy of the power of plastic. We finished the rush shopping at around 7:00 p.m. and went straight to ICM’s The Prawn Farm Grill and Seafood for dinner.

The restaurant’s interior with my sister facing the mall.	Moi @ the restaurant with my back to the mall.

As we were famished, we ordered the restaurant's offering of seafood platter. The whole platter was good for four persons and set us back to PhP595. We also had iced tea and green mango shake. It cost forty pesos and sixty-five pesos, respectively.

Seafood platter	Our drinks

We were unable to finish the whole platter; thus, like typical Filipinos that we are, we had half of the platter in a doggie bag. The cheapskate in us had this brilliant idea of buying a one-piece chicken meal and extra rice over at KFC so we’ll have something to eat to go with the leftover seafood platter for breakfast the next day.

After the very filling dinner, we hired a trike to take us over to Bohol Diver’s Resort in Panglao. As it was already 7:30yish p.m., the trike driver pegged the fare at PhP300. Had we arrived earlier, we would have gone the cheapskate route and take the jeepney bound for Tawala. One can find jeepneys over at the Dao Terminal, which is just across ICM. It’s also in this same terminal that you can find buses heading to different towns in Bohol such as Tubigon.

Around quarter to 9:00 p.m, we arrived at the Panglao resort. Bohol Diver's Resort is one of the many resorts found along Alona Beach.

Bohol Diver’s front area (view from the gazebo fronting the reception area)	Reception area

This would be my third stay here, and in these three occasions, they’ve never asked for a deposit. They’d only ask you to fill out some forms. Once done, they give you the room key and take you to your chosen room. I find this gesture a very trusting act because a dishonest guest could easily slip out of the resort without paying the next day. That’s because one need not go back to the reception area, but may head straight to the beach and out of the resort through the other side. Thus, I give it to their staff-–their attitude is truly amazing. Hopefully, no guest would take advantage of this.

Bohol Diver’s Resort at night	Just us cam-whoring

Okay, enough with the cam-whoring. I just realized that this post has become so long. Thus, let me cut this short, and point you to Part 2 of this post.

Thank you for bearing. I hope to see you at Part 2, featuring Bohol Diver's Resort, and Part 3, featuring Balicasag Island.. Ciao!
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UPDATE: February 20, 2018

As of writing, the Prawn Farm restaurant featured here remains in operation. You can find the restaurant at the Ground Floor of Island City Mall (ICM) in Tagbilaran City. From their Facebook page, you can contact them at this number: 0917 304 3879. They are open all days of the week from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Bohol Travel Guide

2018-02-13T02:20:00.000+08:00

Bohol will always be one of the best places I would not hesitate recommending to both local and foreign tourists. The place has much to offer whether you are on a budget or has more money to burn. Bohol is easily reached via airplane through Tagbilaran Airport. Soon, in August 2018, the Panglao Island Airport will open and begin operations to serve the public. For the more budget conscious, the island maybe reached by slow boat or by fastcraft. Tagbilaran Port is the more popular port of destination coming from Cebu and other neighboring towns in the Visayas. However, one may choose to arrive in Bohol through the ports in Tubigon, Getafe, etc. as well. In getting around the city, the major mode of transportation is the tricycle. The tricycles function like the regular taxi. They do not have a specific route unlike the jeepneys. They take passengers from one point to another. Fare varies depending on the distance. In getting to nearby Panglao Island, most arrange for a fixed-rate fare. On the other hand, jeepneys ply to other towns of Bohol, such as Tubigon, Jagna, Anda, etc.

Beaches and Resorts

While this town is much smaller than neighboring Cebu, Bohol does not lack in hotels and resorts. In fact, it boasts to being home to the following luxurious hotels:

South Palms Resort Panglao
Henann Resort Alona Beach
Eskaya Beach Resort and Spa
Amorita Resort (Panglao)
The Peacock Garden (Baclayon)
Bluewater Panglao Beach Resort (Panglao)
The Bellevue Resort Bohol
BE Grand Resort
Bohol Beach Club
Donatela Hotel

For the budget-conscious, the Dumaluan Beach Resort comes highly recommended.

Scenic Beauties and Whatnot

Apart from its crystal clear waters, Bohol is also home to world-famous Chocolate Hills. There is also the Loboc River, where guests can take a cruise down the river and enjoy lunch at a floating restaurant. Another famous destination in Bohol is the man-made Mahogany forest. The Sagbayan Peak is also another place to visit. For gastronomic adventure, the Buzz of Bohol Bee Farm is a must-visit. For the adventure-seeker, one can never get wrong in visiting the Danao Adventure Park. This is an eco-tourism adventure park where tourists can do a host of activities such as river trekking, ziplining, cliff rappeling, etc.

Personally, I have not tried all of the activities nor visited all the scenic places of Bohol. But for the few that I have tried, I truly had a great time then. Below are some of my Bohol stories. You might want to check them out for tips, or generally, just to get you an idea of Bohol from the perspective of this single visitor. I hope you enjoy my travel stories.

HK Hotel: Dorsett in Kwun Tung

2017-08-31T22:44:00.000+08:00

During a company-sponsored trip to Hong Kong in 2013, our group stayed at the Dorsett in Kwun Tung, located at 84 Hung To Road, Kwun Tong. Classified as a chic business hotel, this 4-star hotel was the next best hotel I have ever stayed at by far. I only say it's the best because I normally stay at budget-rate accommodations. Obviously, the room itself and its amenities were way better compared to where I stayed at previous travels abroad. The hotel was definitely an upgrade from the accommodation I had on my first trip back in 2007. If you've ever stayed at one of the many sleazy units in the Chungking Mansion, you'd definitely agree with me. Sizewise, it's definitely bigger. Although it's only a 21-square-meter room, trust me, it's considerably big by Hong Kong standards. As it was paid for by the company, I was not privy to the exact price we paid for this superior room accommodation. We actually availed of a group tour provided by a high school classmate through his company Swix Travel and Tours. If you want to book directly with the hotel, do check out the hotel's website as I sometimes see them offering rooms at discounted price.

The Hotel Lobby

Photo Credit: www.dorsetthotels.com	Our Group

One of the things I like best about this hotel is its proximity to a McDonald and a 7/11 outlet. Yeah, I'm not too adventurous with local food. I'm fine with anything familiar. Nah, scratch that. The only reason I'm fine with it is because I normally scrimp on food, haha! Hong Kong is definitely a place to be when it comes to an array of restaurants offering good food. If only I could afford to sample them all, I'd definitely go with the fine restaurants. However, as this was a company-sponsored trip, I actually did not save for this trip. I also wanted to stay within the budget given to us. In my mind, if I go beyond the budget allotted to us, then I forfeit the very privilege that the whole trip was free! So I'm grateful for that. Besides, the McDonald breakfast is hearty, hehe!

Location

Hotel Building	Location Map

If you'd click on the map (to enlarge the image), you'll see that McDo and 7/11 are just walking distance. A few blocks from the hotel is APM shopping mall and the nearby Kwun Tong MTR station. Both establishments are probably some five- to ten-minute walk, depending on your pace. Free shuttle bus service is offered between the hotel and APM shopping mall, Tsim Sha Tsui, and Airport Express Kowloon Station. You can arrange this at the hotel's tour desk. Below are a couple of pictures of the hotel neighborhood.

Random Pictures Near the Hotel

The room I was assigned, together with two other female colleagues, was Room 1513. The room had a double bed and a sofa bed. Surprisingly, perhaps due to the location of the room, our beds were not placed side by side. We, instead, have two adjoining rooms! I had the sofa bed (but it was as if I had the room to myself) while my two companions shared the double bed in the other room. I can't recall if the adjoining room has their own 40-inch-flat-screen TV. Anyway, here are a few pictures of our room.

Room 1513

My Part of the Room, with Sofa Bed	The Adjoining Room, with Double Bed

One of the things I love about my side of the room is its kick-ass chandelier. It's a personal thing since I love chandeliers. Even though the ceiling was not high, putting the chandelier there, instead of a regular light fixture, still works (I think). But I'm no expert on interior designing, so do not take my word for it, especially that you know my bias for chandeliers.

My Side of Room 1513

My Very Own Sofa Bed	The Chandelier

Another thing that I love about this room is its bathroom, especially its rainfall shower head. It also has a bathtub. While it's not as big as you'd want it, it still is bigger by Hong Kong standard. We were so ignoramus that we failed to use the bathtub because we bought the wrong bath product. We would have wanted to have a bubble-bath experience since it so not available in our own homes, haha! Anyway, one of the fascinating thing that was installed in this bathroom is its glass divider. I think a glass divider was used to make the bathroom space look bigger. So imagine our surprise when we saw it the first time, and it actually was facing the adjoining room. Haha! We were laughing so hard as to how we're able to take a bath when we're in full view of the other room. Of course, there was a shower curtain, but still. Luckily, after much inspection, we found the remote that controls the blinds. Haha, of course, if you're the exhibitionist type, then you have the freedom to let the blinds remain up! I think the fascination for the glass bathroom was the reason that I actually failed to take a picture of the whole bathroom and focused, instead, on the blinds! Fun times. :) Another worthy thing I remember of this room is its own hair dryer in the bathroom. It may not be a big deal to most of you, but understand that in the Philippines, regular hotels actually don't carry one in their rooms. It's the bigger hotels that have it, I think. As a side note, understand that in the Philippines, it's actually acceptable--even normal and regular--to go out with your hair still wet. It kind of announces to the world that you've actually taken a bath before going out, haha! Travels abroad have taught me that in most places, going out with wet hair is a no-no. Thus, a blow dryer is a normal fixture in a bathroom in their hotel rooms. I also love that the room has several outlets. When you share a room with more people, it will be a blessing to have more power outlets, as expected, people will be needing to charge their phones, cameras, power banks, or laptop (even) at some point in their stay at the hotel.

More of Room 1513

40-inch-flat-screen TV	Bathroom with Glass Divider	Bathroom Power Outlet

Know that the Kwun Tong area is like an industrialized part of Hong Kong. So you can expect to see quite a number of factories located in the area. It's definitely not your Nathan Road, but I believe it will still be worth your money. At the time of travel, the hotel was barely a year old. Perhaps it's the reason it shouts NEW during our time of travel. Based on our experience at the hotel, I'll definitely recommend it. If your goal is to do night market shopping, then you're better off staying away from this hotel. However, you must remember how efficient the transport system in Hong Kong is. In my mind, the distance between where you are staying and where you want to go see places is negligible because of how easy it is go from place to place via the reliable MTRs or the trams. Below are our view from Room 1513. If I'm not mistaken, the hotel has thirty floors. I'm sure the higher floors offer a greater view of the city and the harbor.

The Views from the Fifteenth Floor

Here are some random beauties found on the fifteenth floor of the Dorsett, Kwun Tong:

The hotel also boasts of having its own business center, outdoor swimming pool, and a 24/7 gym. The swimming pool was one of the things I regret not ever seeing. Had I researched about the hotel prior to the trip, I would have loved to avail of this facility. Or at least, visited it while there. The photo below was grabbed from the hotel's own website:

Well, that's it, pancit! If want to be near the Night Market, perhaps the Evergreen Hotel might suit you (check out REVIEW here). Or, if you have a business at the University of Hong Kong (HKU), perhaps the Best Western PLUS hotel near HKU is best for you (check REVIEW here). Have a nice trip in Hong Kong!

behind the scene

2017-08-24T00:45:00.000+08:00

Big thighs aside, one of the quirky things I do when I have an opportunity to set foot in a new place is to take my vetlongwalks mark. It's no easy task especially if you don't have a strong core (too much fat, ehem, ehem!) But thankfully, once in a while, you are fortunate to be with travel buddies who help you achieve what you set out to accomplish. Though many years have passed, I could still remember to this day the support given by friends from work. Only T is seen in the picture, but the rest, including D, D, E, probably J as well, cheered on and gamely took the picture.

The picture above was taken by D during a trip in Seoul back in August 2010(?). This was taken at the Rose Garden, located at the Everland Resort (199 Everland-Ro, Pogok-eup, Cheonin-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea).

This one below, on the other hand, was taken during this year's trip to Siquijor last May.

This was at Tori's Paradise in Dumanjog, Siquijor. The resort had its own swimming pool and beach with white sands

Oh, fun times!

2018 Philippine Holidays

2017-07-20T01:24:00.000+08:00

It's that time of the year once again: the plotting of your holiday plans for next year. Earlier today, Malacañang released the official regular and special non-working holidays for 2018. Officially known as Proclamation 269, the memo signed by Pres. Rodrigo Duterte listed ten regular holidays and eight special non-working days for next year.

To the members of the labor force who wish to rake in more money instead of go on vacation, legal holidays are computed as follows:
To the members of the labor force, legal holidays mean an opportunity to rake in more money. That is, if they choose to report to work instead of going on vacation.
a. If employee did not work, salary paid for that day shall be 100%. It means you get your full daily rate. Sweet.
b. If employee worked that day, salary paid shall be double your daily rate. Daily rate applies to the first eight hours.
c. If employee did OT that day, salary paid shall be double your rate + additional 30% of your hourly multiplied by the number of hours worked.
d. If employee worked and the day happens to be a rest day too, salary paid shall be double your daily rate + 30% of the double pay.
e. If d + OT work, OT work paid shall be 30% of hourly rate of the double pay x 130% (reg. day) x 130% (rest day) x number of works worked.
For Special (Non-Working Day), salary computation is as follows: a. "No work, no pay" principle applies.
b. If employee did not work, salary paid for that day shall be 130% of daily rate.
c. If employee worked that day, salary paid shall be and additional 30% of hourlyily rate. Daily rate applies to the first eight hours.
d. If employee worked and the day happens to be a rest day too, salary paid shall be an additional 50% of the daily rate.
e. If d + OT work, OT work paid shall be an additional 30% of his hourly rate (hourly rate of basic daily wage x 150% x 130% x number of hours worked.)

HK Hotel: Evergreen Hotel Kowloon

2016-07-29T03:00:00.000+08:00

Address:48 Woo Sung Street, Jordan,Kowloon [Credit: Evergreen Hotel Website]

This was where my brother and I slept on our last night in Hong Kong. As my flight on Saturday was around 9 A.M., my brother thought that it's best that we moved to a hotel nearer the airport. When he booked this, he was under the impression that transportation to and from HK airport might be difficult. I normally don't like moving from one accommodation to another, but I didn't put in an argument because I thought he wanted to be near the night markets on our last night in HK.

As we just came from Best Western Plus in Sai Ying Pun (check Review HERE), the first impression when we got to our room (Rm. 309) at Evergreen was: DARN, it's TOO SMALL!!! According to our booking details, the room is just 14 square meters(or 151 sq. feet). Haha, we have gotten used to the spacious accommodation back at Best Western Plus. The cost of the room was also relatively higher than in the other hotel. The average night rate at the other hotel was around PhP2,400++ [380HKD], while my brother paid PhP3,302.94[528HKD] for the night here in Evergreen. The rate was inclusive of taxes. Unlike in the other hotel, this rate came with buffet breakfast of Chinese and Western cuisine. Unfortunately, only my brother got to enjoy the breakfast as their buffet opens at 6 A.M., and I had to leave the hotel much earlier. As it was my first time to go to the airport on my own via public transportation, I thought it prudent to leave early to give me enough time allowance to navigate my way through HKIA.

Room 309 - Standard Twin Bedroom

a) Pantry/Cabinet -- b) Toilet -- c) Shower Area
As you can see, there's NOT MUCH room for movement here. Immediately next to the single bed on the right is the wall to the toilet and bath, which is directly opposite the room's main door. The room is equipped with usual hotel amenities: TV, AC, WIFI, etc. At the time of our stay, they forgot to put some shampoo, though. It was NO big deal as we have our own. Disposable comb was also provided. I learned to appreciate BWP's provision of free bottled water as there was none here. If you have a big luggage, I can't imagine where you can stow it away. I don't think even a regular-sized luggage can be stowed in the room's sole cabinet. The bench (not shown, underneath the TV) across the bed can accommodate only a small bag or two. I'd like to note also, that Room 309 seems to be newly renovated. The tiles in the bathroom appears new. On our arrival, it's unfortunate that the elevator wasn't working. Although, we're only at the 3rd floor. So taking the flight of stairs wasn't that much of a hassle. I guess I'm only saying this because the bell hop carried our bags, hehe. The elevator became functional the next day, though. So great.

While this hotel may not be Best Western Plus nor Dorsett Regency Kwun Tong (the hotel where I stayed during my HK trip in 2014), this room is way better than the accommodations I had on my very first trip to HK in 2007. The redeeming quality of this hotel is its LOCATION, especially if you are the shopper type. Evergreen Hotel is literally just a few meters walk to Temple Street or the Night Market. Right next to the hotel's entrance is 7-Eleven. Haha, to me - any hotel where there's a nearby 7-Eleven is just awesome!

Oh, I didn't notice this back in Best Western Plus, but when I was browsing the TV channels, I saw one channel devoted to real-time FLIGHT details at Hong Kong International Airport. If that's NOT cool, I don't know what is. I don't know if it's a common-enough occurrence, but this is definitely my first time to see this in all my travels abroad. Truly neat!

Evergreen HOTEL is just 5-minute walk away from the nearest MTR Station: Jordan Station Exit A. Airport buses A21/N21 also has a STOP near the hotel (FROM HOTEL: 8th STOP - Ning Po St. / FROM AIRPORT: 10th STOP - Nathan Hotel),. Depending on traffic, travel time to the airport is roughly 60-70 minutes. Fare is only 33HKD.

8th STOP: Ning Po St.

Evergreen Hotel Kowloon LOCATION MAP
[Credit: Evergreen Hotel Website]
I wish I had a few more nights in this hotel so I could have explore more its neighboring establishments. My stay here was a quick leave bags (to catch Ngong Ping 360), explore Night Market, sleep, and leave very early kind of deal.

Nevertheless, I hope this review helps you decide where to stay when you find yourself in the lovely city of Hong Kong. Oh, if you find yourself in the Kwun Tong area, perhaps the Dorsett Kwun Tong is more suitable for you (check the REVIEW here). Have a nice trip in Hong Kong!

Happy Travels!!!

HK Hotel: Best Western PLUS Hotel

2016-07-21T16:27:00.000+08:00

Address: 308 Des Voeux Road West, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong
The decision to choose this hotel had everything to do with its location being near the University of Hong Kong, where my brother's conference was held. My brother couldn't have picked a better place to accommodate us during this engagement. Not only was the hotel just a few minutes walk from the school, but it's also very near two MTR Stations namely Sai Ying Pun and HKU Stations. Plus, you could never go wrong when there's a nearby Mc Donalds, 7-Eleven, Starbucks (if you're a coffee drinker) around.

In front of the hotel is a TRAM stop for West-bound locations and a 2-minute walk is a TRAM stop for East-bound locations.

green tram stopping at 78W stop (west-bound) diagonally across the hotel is 11E stop (east-bound)(in front of 7-Eleven)
Lastly, A10 and A12 buses from the airport also have a STOP near the hotel. In getting to Best Western PLUS Hotel, my brother and I got separated. He got on the A12 bus without realizing that I didn't get in. The bus had left, and his call to the Chinese driver to "WAIT" was ignored!!! (Haha, I was supposed to be his tour guide, this being my 3rd time while it's his first time. Unsaunz, nahablin ang guide, haha!) Thankfully, prior to getting out of the airport we each managed to buy a local SIM. So, I was able to send him an SMS to get off at the 4th STOP of A12's route: Water Street. I followed suit in the next A12 bus that came along the airport's bus terminal. When I got to the 4th STOP, I was thrilled to know that the hotel is practically within sight of the bus stop. Simply amazing location!!!

A10 BUS from the airport about to make a left turn to its designated BUS stop (middle picture). Hotel is just a few steps away and within view from the BUS stop. Fare is fixed at 44HKD from the airport.
For the duration of the conference, we stayed in one of the hotel's Superior Twin Rooms on the 12th floor, Room 1215.

Two-seater table. Two Single Beds. The beds have been slept in. Thus, the linens are wrinkled. The room above is about 23 to 27 square meters in size. This is normal size in most hotels, but I believe by Hong Kong standards, this is a pretty good sized room. What I love most about this place is its VARIOUS storage. It has a fairly-sized closet with a safety deposit box. The dresser table have layers where you can place your footwear and other stuff.

The hallway leading to the room is another love. It has storage after storage. One of the compartments hid a personal refrigerator. Along with the cups and saucers is an electric kettle. Instant coffee, tea, sugar, and cream are replenished each day. Two 500 mL bottled water are also provided daily.

Across the hallway above, is the toilet and bath. It is another love. The room has one big mirror at the center and two on the sides positioned in a slanted way. The mirrors generally reflect one's image in all angles.

Right next to the toilet is the bath. The shower area is a bit small, but surely big enough than most standard HK bath. It has glass sliding doors to maximize space. Water is hot and cold. What I dislike with the shower is that water takes time to warm, but when it does - it easily turns hot, too. So one needs to be careful when showering. The flooring used is some kind of hard plastic - the kind used in bathtubs. Right across is a dresser with a hair blower. Usual toiletries are given; shampoo, bath gel, disposable toothbrush/toothpaste. Towels are replaced daily even if you follow hotel instructions NOT to dump the towels on the floor. Placing towels on the floor is the staff's cue to put new towels. Toiletries were replenished as needed, not daily during our stay.

The toilet and bath didn't have rubber slippers. Disposable slippers in the room are provided daily. Flooring of the entire room, except the hallway in the room is carpeted. The entire 12th floor hallway is also carpeted.

Check-in time like in any other hotels is at 2 P.M., while check-out time is at 12 noon. My brother and I arrived at the hotel around 11 A.M. The staff asked us to wait for another hour so they can clear and prepare a room for us. We left our bags at the concierge and went out for lunch before heading to Macau. We didn't mind waiting for an hour to check-in because we were there much earlier and they didn't charge us for checking-in early. So, it's all great. Upon check-out, I had to wait for my brother as it was his credit card that was used during check-in. I checked-out for the both of us around 12 noon. However, the manager on duty required the presentation of the credit card used during check-in. My brother's conference was yet to finish at 1:30 P.M. at that time, so I was just given the printout of the bill pending his return to the hotel. So, I just waited at the lobby. Good thing the entire hotel provide free WiFi. Our room also has access to WiFi all day. Breakfast was NOT included. For breakfast to be included, an additional 85 HKD is charged.

The above accommodation was booked through booking.com in the amount of HKD1422.4 for 4 nights, excluding 10% service charge. Below is the actual bill in the amount of HKD 1,564.64. I don't know how the breakdown was done, but the amount paid here is exactly the same as the amount quoted by booking.com, plus the 10% service charge. Hong Kong Dollars to Philippine Peso exchange rate at that time was 1 HKD to PhP6.25. Thus, hotel accommodation for 4 nights and 5 days was PhP9,779 or PhP 2,444.75 per night.

Given the time and budget, I won't mind returning to this hotel in future travels to Hong Kong! This hotel is also very near Shun Tak Center, where the HongKong-Macau Ferry Terminal is located. From the tram stop 11E, Shun Tak is at 19E (just 4 stops away!)

If you want to be near the Night Market, perhaps the Evergreen Hotel in Kowloon is more suitable for you (check the REVIEW here). But if you find yourself in the Kwun Tong area, perhaps the Dorsett Kwun Tong is best for you (check the REVIEW here). I hope this review helps you decide where to stay when you find yourself in the lovely city of Hong Kong.

Happy Travels!!!

LES MISÉRABLES Experience

2016-05-05T02:50:00.000+08:00

It's been a little more than a month since I saw the musical Les Miz. A few days may have passed, but the memories remain as vivid as if it happened just yesterday. The ticket that we purchased was for the March 19 gala show. It was set to start at eight o'clock sharp. Not wanting to be late, we left our hotel in Makati at around 5:30 PM. Yes, we were THAT excited! It was good thing that we left early as it took us a while to get ourselves a cab to take us to the Theater at Solaire, the designated venue of the play. As you can see, I could not contain my excitement. Even while inside the cab, I could not wait to arrive at the venue. But of course, Manila traffic never fail to disappoint, haha!

When we arrived at the venue, I readily asked my brother to snap a photo of me as soon as we saw this poster. Yes, pabaga (thick-faced) much!

But that was nothing compared to what my brother had us do in this picture, haha!

Makibaka! Fight!

Moi	My Sister

As soon as we had the pictures taken, we went to the reception desk of the Theater to get our tickets. As we're from Cebu, we booked our tickets online and only had printouts of the reservation made. Upon confirmation of the reservation, we were given our tickets.

As we arrived earlier than the 8 PM call time, we decided to grab a quick dinner at the casino's food court. Haha, although it was just the food court not a regular restaurant at the casino, the food choices were a tad expensive for me. More so because I was jobless at that time, haha. Though unemployed, I managed to watch this play courtesy of my sister who paid for the tickets to be paid when able, hehe.

The Food Court

After the quick dinner, we proceeded back to the Theater. Inside the theater, it was rather surreal. I could not believe I'm watching an actual production of the play. See, back in high school, this play was often presented at our school. It was during high school that I learned of this play and came to love it. It also helped that the likes of Lea Salonga actually performed in THE Broadway production of this play. Of course, the ultimate dream was to watch this or Phantom of the Opera in New York. A girl could dream, right? It was for this reason that my siblings suggested that we watch it when we heard that the production was coming to Manila back in 2015. A bonus to this was watching a Filipino playing the character of Fantine in the person of Miss Rachelle Ann Go.

Us Excited to Watch the Play

When the curtain dropped, there was only silent expectation. I really could not believe that I'd have the opportunity to watch a real production of the play. The musical was more than I expected. The overall production value was superb. It was everything a play should be. It was like every high school lesson from our beloved high school professor Ms. Ligaya Rabago coming to life. The play was just amazing. I love everything--the music I know nothing of. That's me saying I can't tell a difference between two notes.
The Curtain Is Up

Satisfied Patrons

guest post at bisdak.org

2016-04-26T12:25:00.000+08:00

By the lack of updates from this blog, it's quite obvious that I haven't done much traveling over the past couple of years. Thus, if I should be posting in the next few weeks, I'll only be doing late posts for posterity. Be that as it may, I will still inject bits of information that will help you to plan your own travel adventures.

Anyhow, just to get back into the writing groove, my brother asked if I could write a post or two over at his blog. You may want to check out The Bisaya Travels at bisdak.org. Click on the photo below to head to his site:

The above picture of me in a hammock at Pass Island in Coron, Palawan is my said guest post.

His blog features his own exploration of destinations and eats in the Philippines. Among the places he's wrote about are the following:

MT. APO, DAVAO

CANIGAO ISLAND, LEYTE

GIGANTES ISLAND, NORTH OF ILOILO

SOUTH CEBU ITINERARY

DUMAGUETE CITY, NEGROS ORIENTAL

PHOTOS: Screengrabs from bisdak.org!

Visit his site and do share your thoughts! Happy exploring!

LES MISÉRABLES MANILA

2016-03-19T02:24:00.004+08:00

Les Misérables will tour Manila in 2016!!!
WHAT???
I first heard of this news back in September 2015.
O-M-G!!! I was both excited and saddened. Excited because I've always wanted to watch one on Broadway, and it being performed in Manila is next to the real dream! Saddened because it happened at a time when my work situation wasn't doing all too great! Thus, the chance of ever seeing it was next to impossible for financial reasons. But thanks to people called siblings, I might just get what I wished for as a teenager.

I took this when I went to City of Dreams in Manila last January, and learned that Solaire was just nearby. I am THAT excited!
Growing up in UP Cebu exposed me to theater. Sadly, I'm the shy type and isn't a performer. Thus, I am content being part of the audience. Still, this specific type of performing arts is something I enjoy. I even like musical theater even though I'm not musically inclined. My favorite is Les Misérables. I can no longer recall when I first heard of it, but definitely it was back in my UP days. I think it was around my high school when Miss Lea Salonga was cast as Eponine on Broadway! Anyway, my siblings know that I love this play! I can't sing "On My Own," but listening to it just warms my heart! IF I know how to sing, it will definitely be a song choice. My former and original two work dudes could vouch for it. So, I was ecstatic when I received e-mails from my sister and brother suggesting that we watch it, and that they would initially shoulder my ticket for it! YAY!

OK, enough back story!
Meet the Cast - Some of them at least!

CAST IMAGES SOURCE: Click on link to see other cast and full bio of actors! ---> lesmis.com

Click on the IMAGE BELOW for Schedule, Ticket Price, and Booking

WATCH THIS YOUTUBE VIDEO: 'Les Miserables' Manila cast performs 'One Day More'

Les Misérables started its Manila run last March 11 at THE THEATER at SOLAIRE and will be on until April 24, 2016.
What do you think? Aren't they worth watching?

10 Dove Spreads Its Wings

2016-03-18T05:34:00.000+08:00

Who hasn't heard of 10 DOVE Street?

If you are visiting Cebu, chances are high that a friend or a colleague has suggested that you check out this fine dining place serving delectable food and delicious cakes!

If you are a foodie, you may have tried eating at its defunct location in Sto. Nino Village, Banilad or at their not-so-new, but fully operational location at Oakridge Business Park along A.S. Fortuna St., Mandaue City.

If you are a loyal patron and swears that the pictures aren't the 10 Dove Street that you remembered, well, you're right!

because

10 DOVE Street has opened its newest branch!
This is GOOD NEWS to those who find the A.S. Fortuna branch far! Your favorite dove has a new nest at the just opened ChongHua Hospital Mandaue near Park Mall and City Time Square. ChongHua is located on Mantawi International Drive, Subangdaku, Mandaue City, Cebu.

It is located inside ChongHua's Medical Arts Building at the Upper Ground (UG) Floor (left building). If you're coming from ParkMall, it's past Harrison Park Mandaue.

Above is the hallway between the EXECUTIVE HEALTH UNIT and ADMISSION offices, and towards the end of it, on the left is where you'll find the DOVE. This is just a few steps away from the entrance of Medical Arts. If you're coming from the hospital entrance(LG), go up one floor and walk to your right, towards the Executive Health Unit.

This 10 DOVE Street branch is OPEN from 7 A.M. to 9 P.M. and they serve ALL-DAY Breakfast for PhP185!
According to 10 Dove Street's FB Page, this branch had its soft opening on February 20! As for me, I only learned about it TODAY when my sister treated me for dinner! What about you? Have you been here?

FREE 6"x"6 Mini Square Softcover Photobook

2016-03-14T16:28:00.000+08:00

Do you love taking snapshots of where you've been?
Are you a PAYPAL user?
Why NOT avail of this PAYPAL EXCLUSIVE DEAL?
Create your own mini PHOTOBOOK for FREE!!!

Head to PHOTOBOOK PHILIPPINES and create your customizable photobook!

The PAYPAL exclusive is for a 6"x"6 Mini Square Softcover Photobook. So, select that size and choose from the different customizable designs as shown above.

This 6"x"6 Mini Square Softcover Photobook will have 40 pages. You can add more pages in multiples of 2 for a cost of PhP12.50 per page. Paper used will be 190 gsm Photo Lustre. However, if you want a MATTE finish, you can add PhP70! Ordinarily, this product will cost you PhP1,200. But with this PAYPAL Exclusive, you can get it for FREE and pay only the shipping cost.

Click on the START BOOK button to start making your project. You'll be prompted to SIGN-IN. If you don't have a Photobook account yet, it's best to REGISTER for an account so you can save your project and return to it when you need to.

Once you have an account, start making your project!!! Upload photos that you want to appear in your photobook. Add texts to highlight memories. Simply explore the easy-to-use online designer!

After you're done inserting pictures, adding texts, and you're satisfied with your design, proceed to making your ORDER. Add your project to your shopping cart! Fill-in your necessary shipping and billing details.

Upon payment, USE PAYPAL and make sure you INPUT THE PAYPAL Coupon CODE: PAYPALFREE66XSSS

NOTE that this PROMO CODE is valid only until March 31, 2016!!! Upon payment and order confirmation, you should receive an e-mail from PHOTOBOOK of your Order Details and ORDER Confirmation.

For my own photobook, I opted for a MATTE finish. Shipping cost is PhP300!! Total cost is PhP1,570, but paid only PhP370 thanks to PAYPAL FREE Voucher!

According to Photobook mail, production will take 2 to 3 days, and delivery of finished product within 24 days!!! I ordered mine last March 12, 2016 and let's see if I'll get it and the PhP370 won't go to waste!

What are you waiting for?
Head to PHOTOBOOK PHILIPPINES and create your customizable photobook before March 31!

Disclaimer: I'm not connected with PAYPAL nor PHOTOBOOK. As a PAYPAL user, I simply got a promotional e-mail regarding this offer and I thought of availing the deal and sharing the same information to others. I've compiled some travel pictures before using CLICKBOOK of Graphic Arts and I thought of trying out Photobook Philippines this time. Well, because it's free, hehe!!!

GDC 2016 - PASS IT ON

2016-01-23T17:13:00.000+08:00

The past two years were certainly a drought for me with regards to traveling. Work had not been great monetarily and I had to prioritize other things. Travel was one of the things that got voted as least priority. YES, I feel the pain of not being able to fly out, but I am OK with my decision because I have now come to believe that there are reasons for everything and there is a right season for things, even the Bible says so and the Bible to me is TRUTH.

Photo Credit: FourGirlsInk on Etsy

Ecclesiastes 3:1
This year, I'm hoping things will be different. I wish to resume my travels even just to nearby places of my beloved Cebu. How I can accomplish that is beyond me since just last December, I quit work and has not commenced any job application. Despite this uncertainty I remain hopeful that things will work out. Case in point. GDC 2016.

Early of September last year, it was announced that CCF Main will hold this year's GDC or Global Discipleship Congress. At that time, I know with certainty that I can't go because of the money situation at the office where I used to work. Nevertheless, the thought of going to GDC persisted in my mind. I just thought, if GOD wants me to attend the conference HE will make a way for it to happen. Fast forward to middle of December, I received an unexpected blessing. The money I got is just enough for the GDC ticket (PhP3,000), and the plane ticket (Php 2,154). YEY! You know who you are, and I am forever grateful for allowing God to be an instrument to this.

#CCFAnsweredPrayer.

As to the rest of the funds for the trip, well, I will just have to bid farewell to my Benjamin Franklins. See, since I fell in love with traveling years ago, I try to set aside a little for traveling. If I save enough, I convert them to USDs so I won't be tempted to spend them. Haha, there had been so many occasions that my coffers were empty because of our delayed salary situation. Nevertheless, I hung on to my Franklins until I find a good enough reason to convert them back to Ninoys. Well, I found my reason in this: PASS IT ON. God-willing, I will be there, even if I have to drink lots of Hemostan just to stop my bleeding!

Photo and Video Credits: http://www.gdcasia2016.com/

This may not be the usual travel I always have in mind (as I will return home BROKE - haha!) but this is MORE than I could ask for. I am hoping that with journeys like this I can see more of how beautiful our world is even in the midst of trials and turmoils around when we know GOD is with us, and IN US!

To GOD BE THE GLORY!

sole travel this 2014

2014-01-31T17:04:00.002+08:00

much like last year, my travel plans are limited this year. this 2014, i only have a single destination in mind: CORON, PALAWAN.

i first visited the place august 2012. while i'm no swimmer, i still like the waters of palawan. thus, when my sister said that she booked a flight to return to palawan, i followed suit.

as there will only be my sister and i traveling this march, we opted to avail of a tour package courtesy of coron island loop. for the itinerary below, we each will pay PhP5,809. excluded in the quotation are the entrance fees to some of the destinations. if one wishes to forego visiting a certain place in the tour, then one need not pay. such arrangement is done to accommodate budget constraints.

below is our chosen tour package and corresponding itinerary:

below is the list of entrance fees:

reservation for the said tour package is PhP1,700 and balance shall be paid upon arrival.
hopefully, nothing untoward will happen and this travel plan will not be foiled.

tangub city's 2013 christmas symbols

2013-12-25T17:55:00.000+08:00

as promised, here are the enchanting christmas lights at the beautiful town of tangub city. all these pictures were taken while battling through the crowd who went to the town plaza to witness the lighting ceremony. these are the reasons why i believe tangub city is a must-visit during christmas time, at least to those like me who find beauty in the glittering lights! hope you enjoy them as much as as i did, and hopefully encourage you to visit the little town of tangub city in misamis occidental, in mindanao.. ENJOY, ENJOY!!!

the pictures above were just few of the many installations in the town plaza. unfortunately, my sister and i failed to roam the entire town as we were pressed for time. at the town's church, there were also display of giant parols(lanterns). last year's display were truly magnificent, i bet these year's were equally comparable.

anyway, the opening ceremony was ended with a fireworks display. unfortunately, i don't have a kick ass camera. so, i only have a very few decent pictures of the fireworks.

from last year's and this year's experiences of the christmas symbols, i highly recommend visiting the place after opening night. that is, if you can afford to miss the fireworks display. at least after the opening night, the crowd won't be that many. also, you could have the chance to get inside each installation and view what's inside. some of these installations are airconditioned. during opening night, they didn't allow the people to enter to give way to the judging of entries. this year's christmas symbols was a continuation of last year's theme, christmas around the world. thus, the installations you just saw were actually famous landmarks from around the world.

the christmas symbols display will last through three king's in january 2014. it's january 6, i think - where they will have the closing ceremony and to be ended with another fireworks display!!!

christmas symbol 2013 pre-opening activities

2013-12-16T02:03:00.001+08:00

i didn't do much traveling this year. early on, i've decided to cut back on my trips to focus on another life goal. NAH!!! my travel fund had dwindled, haha. anyway, despite this set back, i managed to push through with the plan to revisit tangub city to witness the opening of this year's christmas symbols.

the travel experience to tangub had both good and bad points. it was more than fantastic as i learned that Christmas lights still never fail to bring a smile to me. the exhilaration i felt looking at the lights and taking quick snaps of the scene before me was priceless. i initially regretted returning to tangub on opening night because of the crowd. i didn't expect the whole tangub or ozamiz would flock the small town plaza! but they all came, and for good reason. despite the super late opening, and the 'amazing race' to return to ozamiz city that same night (OK, way past midnight) - the return to tangub was worth it. i say WORTH IT because i love Christmas lights and there's nowhere in the country that i've been to that's remotely comparable to what the little town of tangub offers to the public. during Christmas time the whole town plaza of tangub is literally transformed into something very magical.

my trip last year encouraged my sister to visit tangub city this year to experience herself the magical Christmas lights. she and i left the city of ozamiz a little after one o'clock. after less than hour drive via commuter jeepney (PhP25), we arrived in tangub. my sister and i brought our packs with us, and was confronted with a problem. big backpacks were not allowed at the town plaza. it's a little issue as we didn't book an accommodation as our plan was to leave tangub at 8 p.m. to return to ozamiz for our flight back to cebu the next day. so, from the town terminal, we headed straight to 'cawaesha inn' known to the locals as 'akawi'. the whole inn was fully booked as there was a CFC (couple's for christ) event that weekend. thankfully, after a small talk with the innkeeper, he offered to let us leave our backpacks at no cost in the inn's spare bedroom. after entrusting our bags, we left the inn to roam the plaza.

town plaza fronting the municipal hall

men doing final touches to the entries

more tangub men busy at work

more preparations underway

as an outsider, i felt the excitement as i watched the people of tangub did their final touches just a few hours to the opening. word around was that this last minute work was due to the previous night's rain. the picture above shows men working on the stage to test the lights for that evening's program, electricians checking up wires, and dancers of the 'sinanduloy' fame rehearsed for that night's presentation. much like any festivities in the country, an event isn't complete without food. thus, nearby you could see eateries and their staff preparing food such as pork/chicken barbecues to cater to hungry guests.

someone just couldn't wait for the lights to lit up

do come back for pictures of the enchanting christmas lights!

'manila' with a british twang

2013-09-18T02:47:00.000+08:00

this isn't exactly travel related. but hey, london + manila, two beautiful destinations, it should merit a mention here, right?

truthfully, this post has nothing to do with the two lovely places. i just wanted to share the video below for the novelty of it. the video is of a british trio who collectively calls themselves 'blake'. these british singers sang live a popular tagalog song entitled 'manila' before thousands of filipinos in london. the song was originally popularized by a 70's (correct?) band called 'hotdogs.'

ain't their accent a darling?

anyway, the video was lifted from the group's official site. or at least the youtube link was from their site.

cebu trick art museum

2013-09-01T21:48:00.001+08:00

Today marks the opening of what could become one of the must-see places in Cebu - Cebu Trick Art Museum. One of my frustrations of not living in the capital is the limited venues available in my beloved Cebu as far as museums go. So, i was so glad when I learned that a new museum will be opening in my city. Thus, as soon as tickets became available, I readily purchased a ticket for myself.

I initially planned on going solo but decided against it. Cebu Trick Art Museum is an interactive museum and could best be enjoyed if you go with a friend or in a big grou - definitely not solo. So, I was glad I went there with my two siblings.

Cebu Trick Art Museum is located at the 3rd level of J Centre Mall (or JMall), along A.S. Fortuna St. in Mandaue City. Entrance to the museum is pegged at 400 pesos. But as an opening promotional, they only charged 200 pesos for the first 2,000 tickets sold. Your PhP200 will let you enjoy roughly 50 paintings rendered in 2D or 3D trick art, especially designed for photographs. It also comes with a 4D simulation ride. Although as of writing, the 4D simulation ride won't be available until after the 10th of September. Thus, visitors who came to the museum today were given a complimentary pass for the 4D ride.

Overall, the museum provides a unique experience to visitors. Except for some lighting issues, I definitely didn't regret visiting this place. It truly will bring out the child and the inner actors in you. Without doubt, this place is very good for the uninhibited. So, don't forget to bring your cameras when visiting the place. Make sure the batteries are fully charged, or bring a spare.

Here are a few pictures we have of the visit. Unfortunately, we didn't go there prepared. Our cameras weren't kick-ass and they died on us. So, some of the pictures were of low quality as they were taken using only a low-tech phone camera.

UPDATE: March 15, 2016 - I'm saddened to report that Cebu Trick Art Museum is NO longer operational at J Center Mall. It will soon be replaced by SSS Mandaue Office. I have no idea if CTAM has transferred location. All I know is when I last went to JMALL, all I saw was a banner announcing that SSS Mandaue Branch will soon open at the space formerly occupied by the museum.

siquijor accommodation: hambilica cottages

2013-05-02T01:30:00.000+08:00

do not underestimate mystic island, siquijor EVER!!!
a couple of friends and i went to siquijor holy week of last year (april 5-8, 2012). we went there without reserving a room to stay. we figured that siquijor isn't as popular as the other beach destination in the country. the mystery and supposed mysticism surrounding this beautiful island has made few people tentative about visiting siquijor. in fact, i had a hard time convincing people i know to visit the place. with the idea that siquijor isn't a usual travel spot, we figured it would be easy to find a place to stay while there. boy, were we wrong. BIG TIME WRONG as most of the resorts/inns were fully booked!!!
from the siquijor pier, we hailed a tricyle to take us to san juan, siquijor. while we didn't make reservations, i was confident that we could easily find a place to stay in siquijor. top two on my list were coco grove beach resort and coral cay resort. both these resorts were fully booked when we arrived. thus, we asked the driver to take us to any resort he knows of. he took us to a couple more places, until we settled in here:

we settled here, because we were already tired from finding a place to stay. plus, the tricyle driver started grumbling. prior to finding this place, we somehow half-agreed to just settle in the open-cottage in one of the resorts (forgot the name). the woman owner was so accommodating to us. she just regretted that there weren't any more available space in her resort, saved for the open-cottage. we begged her that should we be unable to find a place to stay, we'd go back there and take up her offer to stay at the open cottage and pay 100 pesos per night.
well, we didn't go back as we decided to stay at hambilica resort. most of the resorts in the area were actually cliffside resorts. most don't have beach fronts. while hambilica has its own beach, it's not exactly the white beach you often see advertised. nevertheless, it beats the other resorts and for a non-swimmer like me, it more than suffice. besides, the owner was also very welcoming and warm.

below are a few pictures of the resort. pardon the poor quality, as i still don't have a kick ass camera. i'm too cheapskate to buy the really, really great one.

from hambilica: road to its left and right

left: resort's entrance / right: parking area

reception area

we occupied the second floor of this structure
PhP1,800 per night

the room's double bed / fan room / shower / no breakfast

the room's two single beds. the door (dark frame beside the beds) opens to a balcony

including the benches in the balcony, this room can actually accommodate 6 people

arboretum / huts. the whole hambilica compound has several huts with tables and chairs where guests can dine or just chitchat.

duyans. the place has several hammocks for guests' use

hambilica's own beach

overall, the beach in this area isn't that grand. but like i said, in this part of san juan, siquijor - most of the resorts are by the cliffs. so, it's an advantage that hambilica has its own. at the time of visit, the resort was short on staff. thus, they couldn't prepare food immediately. anyhow, you can actually cook your own food here. just below our room, there's a dirty kitchen which guests can use. except for the beach, i don't mind coming back here. the room is very spacious, which should benefit people traveling in groups. also, the place is walking distance to capilay spring park.
NOTE: for white sand beach, head to salagdoong beach in maria and kagusuan beach (southeastern part of island. unfortunately, i haven't been to the latter, but google it and the pictures of this amazing, deserted beach are amazing.)

how to get to siquijor

2013-04-29T08:40:00.000+08:00

siquijor pier. april 5, 2012

to get to the beautiful island that is siquijor, i'll be using cebu as the jump off point. just for a quick run through, here are places you should be to get to siquijor 1) lilo-an, santander (south of cebu) and 2)sibulan and dumaguete city of negros oriental. do read "how to get to dumaguete city" for details. technically, that post is considered as the Part 1 of "how to get to siquijor." today's posting shall be it's Part 2. so, i invite you to read on.

so, you've safely arrived in dumaguete city, what now?

well, simply head here: dumaguete port. hop on a tricyle and ask to be drop off at the port ("pantalan"). as of writing, fare per person is 9 pesos.

dumaguete port. april 5, 2012
left: towards the city / right: towards the port

walk towards the port, past the gate. once inside, secure your ferry tickets to siquijor. choose from the many ferry companies that lines the building. as of writing, ferry tickets cost PhP120. just bring 200 pesos to be on the safe side.

dumaguete port. secure tickets from among the many ferry (Delta Fast Ferry / GL Shipping) companies (left).

GL Shipping Lines Daily except Saturday (right)
Dumaguete-Siquijor: (a.m.) 5:45/10:15/ 12nn /(p.m.) 2:00/4:30
Siquijor-Dumaguete: (a.m.) 5:50/7:00/9:30 / (p.m.) 1:00 / 3:45

once you have tickets, pay for terminal fee (left). terminal fee is 15. pesos

with tickets in hand, get inside the passenger terminal building, and wait for boarding.

waiting area (left). ferry boat (right)

travel time is 1-2 hours, depending on how fast your ferry is. in our case, it was 2 hours via MV Jaylan. after such time, you'll dock at the siquijor pier.

siquijor pier(left). hehe, have to insert my vetlongwalks' mark. view from the pier.(right)

from the dock, walk a short distance where you can find the loading/unloading area. if someone is picking you up, they'll be waiting around this area. if not, there are jeepneys to take you to the different towns in siquijor. in our case, we went there during holy week, so there weren't any jeepneys. thus, we walked a bit further, out of the gate to where you will find several tricycles (motorbikes on 3 wheels) for hire.

jeepney loading/unloading area(left). motorcycles just outside the pier gate. view towards the pier.(right)

just outside the gate, you'll find siquijor's tourist assistance center. alongside the center, you will find the ticket booths, where you can secure tickets back to dumaguete city. opposite the tourist assistance center is an eatery (carenderia), that doubles as waiting area. past the line of tricycles, you will find siquijor town.

tourist assistance center(left). siquijor town(right)

WELCOME to SIQUIJOR, SIQUIJOR! The town is also named siquijor. Note that there are 3 main seaports in siquijor, namely larena, lazi, and siquijor.

siquijor, siquijor

how to get to dumaguete

2013-04-26T22:40:00.000+08:00

being from cebu, i believe bohol or dumaguete are the best destinations to jumpstart and indulge your travel lust. for one, these places are near enough to cebu that it's not scary to venture even alone. moreover, getting to either place is easy. but for this post, i'll focus on dumaguete, specifically on how to get to dumaguete.

How To Get to Dumaguete

	Cebu Pacific's Flight Schedule. Flying by air has the shortest travel time (more or less 45 minutes, but is the most expensive. The airport is located in Brgy. Boloc-boloc, Sibulan Negros Oriental - 15 to 20 minutes to Dumaguete.

Fast Ferry and Boat Schedule. Lifted from schedule.ph.Click on the image on the right to enlarge the picture and see the fast craft (ocean jet, weesam)/slow boat (cokaliong, george and peter lines) schedule. Fare ranges from PhP900 to 1,500, and travel time is 4 hours.

As for me, my experience is limited to traveling by land and sea. I chose this mode of travel for practical purposes, plus I don't mind the long bus ride. So, if you believe this travel arrangement suits you, then read on for a blow by blow.

Go to Cebu South Bus Terminal

Secure Ferry Ticket
Ride the Ferry

liloan port. april 5, 2012.
sibulan park. september 9, 2005

Ride a Jeep to Dumaguete

dumaguete port. april 5, 2012. night at the boulevard, dumaguete. january 22, 2011.

Oh, aside from the above enumerated land/sea arrangement, you can also directly hop on a Ceres bus direct to Dumaguete. In this arrangement, the bus is transported to Dumaguete via a barge. I believe you need to pay separately for the barge. Note though that the above enumerated land/sea arrangement is the most common and preferred way to get to Dumaguete.
Anyhow, I hope this guide is of help to anyone wishing to check out Dumaguete City. If this is your first time to travel here, then explore the city and neighboring towns. Check out Drew Arellano's own Dumaguete experience ---> HERE to get you started. Once you've had enough of the place, then you can either return home to Cebu or hop on another ferry and head to the country's mystic island of Siquijor. Click ---> THIS to know how to proceed to Siquijor.

watch out for MCIA's soon-to-be revamp

2013-04-23T19:17:00.001+08:00

in an earlier posting i lamented that while cebu is one of the top destinations in the country, it's current airport is rather wanting in many areas. being the second largest airport in the country in terms of passenger traffic, its facilities are rather old, and entire space is small. but there's some GOOD NEWS!!!

i was checking my col financial account earlier and there was this piece of news about MCIA (Mactan Cebu International Airport). as i'm not one to believe news readily, i googled the subject and i found myself in the country's public-private partnership (PPP) center's website. the website features all the PPPs happening and currently under bidding process. from its april 10, 2013 status update, filed under "projects with live bidding", i found the following information:

info/photo credit: public-private partnership center

the following texts are lifted from the same website mentioned above:

Implementing Agency

Project Description

Estimated Project Cost

Phase 1: (Initial Investment) PHP 8.873 Billion
Phase 2: (Future Expansion) PHP 8.647 Billion

PPP Structure

Prospective Bidders of the PhP 17.2 Billion Project

The MPIC-JG Consortium led by MPIC-JGS Airport Holdings Inc.
AAA Airport Partners, which is led by the Ayala-Aboitiz joint venture A2 Airport Partners with Texas-based ADC & HAS Airport Worldwide, Inc. Its O&M partner is Houston Airport System.
Filinvest-CAI Consortium, led by Filinvest Development Corp. with Changi Airports Mena Pte. Ltd. - The group appointed Changi Airport Saudi Ltd. as its O&M partner.
San Miguel-Incheon Airport Consortium, led by Incheon International Airport Corp. with San Miguel Corp.’s Optimal Infrastructure Development, Inc., Mactan Capitana Holdings, Inc. and Skylake Incuvest & Co. Incheon will also act as the O&M partner.
First Philippine Airports, led by First Philippine Holdings, Inc. with Infratil Asia, Ltd. Its O&M partners are Wellington International Airport Ltd., NZ Airports Ltd., and Infratil Ltd.
Premier Airport Group composed of SM Investments Corp., Citadel Holdings, Inc., Zurich Airport International AG and Prospector Investments Holdings, Inc. Switzerland-based Flughafen Zurich AG is the O&M partner.
GMR Infrastructure and Megawide Consortium, led by Megawide Construction Corp. together with India-based GMR Infrastructure Ltd. The consortium tapped Delhi International Airport (P) Ltd. and GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd. as its O&M partners.

my untrained eyes tell me these 7 are some big guns. so, there's something to look forward to with cebu's airport soon. pre-qualified firms will be announced on may 17. said firms will have until my birthday, august 2 to submit their bids. notice of award will be issued on september 17, to be followed by the october 4-contract signing.

FUN TIMES AHEAD for TRAVELERS to CEBU!!!

travel plans 2013

2013-02-09T21:19:00.000+08:00

what are your travel plans for 2013?
the above question is an appropriate question to ask at the beginning of the year. however, as i'm not a consistent and timely blogger, you will understand why the said question is only asked now. but before i answer that question, (as if someone actually is interested in knowing my plans,) let me mention that earlier today and yesterday, i attended ccf's leadership training seminar 2013. the seminar ended with a message from pastor peter tan-chi reminding attendees about not limiting GOD. with that fresh in my mind, i'd like to believe that more travel opportunities will come my way this year. last year, i've only visited 3 new towns in the country namely, siquijor (april), coron palawan (september), and tangub city (december). this year, i only have two plans so far. they are as follows:

1) Destination: Hong Kong and Macau

Travel Dates: September 14 to 21, 2013
- haha, i only bought the tickets. as of writing, i don't have the pocket money yet. hopefully, i can save up enough for the trip. if not, well - it's probably not meant for me to visit the place again yet. during my 2007 hk-macau trip, i only made it to disney's gate, hehe. see, it wasn't part of our itinerary to go there. but line's cousin insisted that we should at least take a peek at disney. so we did. true that we didn't get to go inside, but we still had loads of fun being there. this year, i'll be traveling with my sister and our travel buddies during our trips to palawan (el nido 2010/ coron 2012), vietnam and cambodia (2011).

2) Destination: Tangub City

Travel Dates: November 30 to December 2, 2013
yes - i was at tangub last december 2012. why the heck am i planning to go there again? well, i just loved the christmas lights that i want to actually see them again. besides, every year the town thinks up of something different each year. moreover, this time, i want to be there during the opening. the pictures and videos i took during that trip also caught my sister's interest. thus, she actually booked the flights already. as for me, i only booked the cebu-ozamiz trip. i don't have the return trip yet, hehe. will book the return flight as soon as i get wind of a sale. much like the september trip, i don't have the moolah yet for this trip either.
so far, these are the only two places i have in my travel calendar. but as pastor peter reminded earlier - i should not limit GOD. we should not limit HIM. so, i'm hoping that there will be more travel opportunities to come. if not, i'm still happy with my two.