An idyllic family beach house recently opened on the roadside of Medellin.
Costa Medellin features a split-space level where there are an elevated platform and glass windows that provide panoramic views of the sea. It spans from the kitchen to the living space.
Photo from Costa Medellin on Instagram
To support the local community, the resort features furniture from a nearby town and woven materials such as rattan lamps and chairs. Their walls also have a pigmented skim coat that resembles the sand on the beach.
Wood accentuates the area; they decorated the doors using custom resin art. They also have retractable wooden screen doors when the sun is at its hottest during noon.
Photo from Costa Medellin on InstagramPhoto from Costa Medellin on InstagramPhoto from Costa Medellin on InstagramPhoto from Costa Medellin on InstagramPhoto from Costa Medellin on InstagramPhoto from Costa Medellin on InstagramPhoto from Costa Medellin on InstagramPhoto from Costa Medellin on InstagramPhoto from Costa Medellin on InstagramPhoto from Costa Medellin on InstagramPhoto from Costa Medellin on Instagram
Medellin is one of the front liners in the line-up of beautiful beaches that Northern Cebu boasts. Although the coast is mostly found on the roadside, it won’t disappoint you with the beauty you should notice.
RATES & OTHER INFORMATION
RATES:(or COTTAGE FEES)
WHOLE BEACH HOUSE: Rates vary per season – minimum of 2 nights
BY BUS: Go to Cebu City North Bus Terminal and ride on a bus/V-hire/black taxi bound for Kawit. The estimated travel time is 3.5-4 hours. Once in Kawit, tell the driver to drop you off at Eskina Mahawak.
BY CAR: Navigate with Waze or Google Maps and set your destination to “Costa Medellin” in Mahawak. Parking space is available.
During the pandemic, people were stuck indoors. We started to tune in to our hobbies, got glued to our screens, and listened to music more than ever. This is where people found solace during those somber days.
Photo from Mrld Facebook Page
Filipinos found more solace in our locally made songs since it uses our native language. As a result, more local talents surfaced. One of them is a Cebuana teenager but now based in Catbalogan, Samar.
Meriel de Jesus — more known by her stage name, mrld — has garnered almost 90 million streams on Spotify at the young age of 17. She scored viral with her first composition and release “An Art Gallery Could Never Be As Unique As You” in 2021, during the height of the pandemic.
Photo from Mrld Facebook Page
Ultimately, mrld became one of the featured artists on Spotify in May 2021 and was shown in the New York Times Square Billboard. She even finds it surreal that she was able to reach this milestone since she only started writing songs as a passion only when she was 14.
“Those numbers, they never went inside my head. All I really wanted was to release a song, kahit 10 people lang ang makikinig, it’s all good.”
mrld will have her first-ever live show at Social House in Makati City on October 28.
Showcasing your talents knows no limits, may it age and boundaries. This young Cebuana is living proof. However, you can only reach a breakthrough or milestone with hard work, not only sheer luck.
A teeming line-up of tourist spots queues in a coastal town of Northern Cebu, we warmly welcome the Municipality of Sogod.
Sogod is now making its way to the scenic scene of tourism in Cebu, home of esteemed tourist spots in the Visayas, where its cliffs meet the roaring seas, rock formations boldly create an impression on tourists.
Here are the Top 10 must-visit places that make Sogod shine:
1. Bagatayam Falls
Deep waterfalls that originated from Binaliw Spring is flowing in cascades right at Sogod – one of their unique tourist spots. It is currently a source of water for the people of Bagatayam and it formerly provided electricity to the citizens.
Photo from Sogod Cebu Government Website
Photo from Keja Sevilla
Photo from Reinsel Vercide
Photo from Keja Sevilla
Exact Location: Q253+679, Sogod, Cebu
2. Tinago Beach
Some say that the shoreline that stretches along the coastal town of Sogod is all made of pebbles but this resort proves otherwise. A beautiful white beach resort hidden can be found in this municipality, check Tinago Beach out.
Photo from Tinago Beach Resort Facebook Page
Photo from Tinago Beach Resort Facebook Page
Photo from Tinago Beach Resort Facebook Page
Photo from rona mae canete
Photo from Tinago Beach Resort Facebook Page
Photo from Tinago Beach Resort Facebook Page
Exact Location: Q2RJ+4GG, Sogod, Cebu
3. Paseo de Porferio
A known campsite in Sogod that features triangular cabanas and native huts in the glory of the mountains of Sogod can be found. Right at Barangay Bagantayam, where Paseo de Porferio can be found: you can take your ultimate camping experience. You can also bring your own camping gear and food with no corkage fee plus you can also tag your fur babies with you.
Photo from PASEO de Porferio Facebook Page
Photo from PASEO de Porferio Facebook Page
Photo from PASEO de Porferio Facebook Page
Photo from PASEO de Porferio Facebook Page
Photo from PASEO de Porferio Facebook Page
Photo from PASEO de Porferio Facebook Page
Photo from PASEO de Porferio Facebook Page
Photo from PASEO de Porferio Facebook Page
Photo from PASEO de Porferio Facebook Page
Photo from PASEO de Porferio Facebook Page
Photo from PASEO de Porferio Facebook Page
Photo from PASEO de Porferio Facebook Page
Photo from PASEO de Porferio Facebook Page
Photo from PASEO de Porferio Facebook Page
Photo from PASEO de Porferio Facebook Page
Photo from PASEO de Porferio Facebook Page
RATES
Camping: ₱70/head (entrance and overnight stay, and guests are expected to bring their own camping gear)
Native House: ₱1,000/night
Native A-Frame Package B: ₱500 – ₱550/night
Exclusive Family Room: ₱3,000/night
OTHER INFORMATION
Reservation and prior booking are advised under the new normal. Please contact the place directly via the Official FB page, contact numbers are also provided.
In the middle of nowhere in Sogod sits a vacation house made of nipa. It gives modern and rustic vibes as they combine the native and industrial design in their nipa houses which are covered with a roof made of galvanized iron. They also have an infinity pool where you can take a quick dip.
You can take your sabbatical and recollection here at a panoramic valley in Sogod where you will get to discover a peaceful dip in a jacuzzi like no other. Here you can enjoy their triangular bohemian-like cabanas:
Photo from Antonio’s Cabin Retreat and Campsite Facebook Page
Photo from Antonio’s Cabin Retreat and Campsite Facebook Page
Photo from Antonio’s Cabin Retreat and Campsite Facebook Page
Photo from Antonio’s Cabin Retreat and Campsite Facebook Page
Photo from Antonio’s Cabin Retreat and Campsite Facebook Page
Photo from Antonio’s Cabin Retreat and Campsite Facebook Page
Photo from Antonio’s Cabin Retreat and Campsite Facebook Page
Photo from Antonio’s Cabin Retreat and Campsite Facebook Page
Photo from Antonio’s Cabin Retreat and Campsite Facebook Page
Photo from Antonio’s Cabin Retreat and Campsite Facebook Page
Photo from Antonio’s Cabin Retreat and Campsite Facebook Page
Photo from Antonio’s Cabin Retreat and Campsite Facebook Page
Photo from Antonio’s Cabin Retreat and Campsite Facebook Page
Photo from Antonio’s Cabin Retreat and Campsite Facebook Page
Photo from Antonio’s Cabin Retreat and Campsite Facebook Page
Photo from Antonio’s Cabin Retreat and Campsite Facebook Page
Photo from Antonio’s Cabin Retreat and Campsite Facebook Page
RATES
Available Rooms: P3,000/ night; P4,500/ night; P2,500 / night
Own Tents: P350/adult; P150/children (12 years old and below)
Every day is summer at this vacation house in Sogod here at Summer Beach House Resort. It is made for a group outing where you can have the entire house for yourself. It features cozy bedrooms, a cute cabin house, free Wi-Fi, and unlimited karaoke.
Photo from The Summer House Facebook Page
Photo from The Summer House Facebook Page
Photo from The Summer House Facebook Page
Photo from The Summer House Facebook Page
Photo from The Summer House Facebook Page
Photo from The Summer House Facebook Page
Photo from The Summer House Facebook Page
Photo from The Summer House Facebook Page
RATES:
Weekdays (Mondays to Thursdays): ₱10,000 per night,
₱12,000 during peak season (during the months of April, May, and December).
Weekends and Holidays: ₱12,000 per night
₱15,000 during peak seasons (months of April, May, and December).
Additional payment of ₱300/pax if the group exceeds 15, which is the maximum for the fixed rates
A resort of Sogod that provides ultimate secluded privacy with a panoramic view of the coast can be found in this quiet municipality right at Coastal View Resort.
Photo form Coastal View Resort Facebook Page
Photo form Coastal View Resort Facebook Page
Photo form Coastal View Resort Facebook Page
Photo form Coastal View Resort Facebook Page
Photo form Coastal View Resort Facebook Page
Photo form Coastal View Resort Facebook Page
Photo form Coastal View Resort Facebook Page
Photo form Coastal View Resort Facebook Page
Photo form Coastal View Resort Facebook Page
Photo form Coastal View Resort Facebook Page
Photo form Coastal View Resort Facebook Page
RATES
Beach Umbrella: ₱350
Kubo: ₱500
Gazebo: ₱1,000
Room 1: ₱2,000
Deluxe Room: ₱2,500 per night; ₱500 per extra person
Who says you need plane flight tickets to Bali? Says who, Bali is right at Cebu – here in Sogod. You can find it at Robin’s Nesto. One of the exclusive beach resorts in this municipality, it features romantic rooms with picturesque interiors. It features an infinity pool that is available for all guests with an outdoor shower and guest room.
Photo from Robin’s Nesto House Rental – Cebu Facebook Page
Photo from Robin’s Nesto House Rental – Cebu Facebook Page
Photo from Robin’s Nesto House Rental – Cebu Facebook Page
Photo from Robin’s Nesto House Rental – Cebu Facebook Page
Photo from Robin’s Nesto House Rental – Cebu Facebook Page
Photo from Robin’s Nesto House Rental – Cebu Facebook Page
Photo from Robin’s Nesto House Rental – Cebu Facebook Page
Photo from Robin’s Nesto House Rental – Cebu Facebook Page
Photo from Robin’s Nesto House Rental – Cebu Facebook Page
Photo from Robin’s Nesto House Rental – Cebu Facebook Page
Photo from Robin’s Nesto House Rental – Cebu Facebook Page
Photo from Robin’s Nesto House Rental – Cebu Facebook Page
Photo from Robin’s Nesto House Rental – Cebu Facebook Page
Photo from Robin’s Nesto House Rental – Cebu Facebook Page
Photo from Robin’s Nesto House Rental – Cebu Facebook Page
RATES
Standard Hut – P7,000/night with P300 per additional pax
Exact Location: Barangay Bawo, Sogod, Cebu — approx. 1.5 hours away from the city.
11. El Mar Resort & Spa
A place of luxury and beauty can be found in Sogod. It can be found at El Mar Resort & Spa where you can enjoy the turquoise waters of Sogod that feature water activities such as kayaking and jet skiing – heating the tourism scene of this municipality.
Exact Location: Calumboyan, Sogod, Northern Cebu — approx. 1.5 hours away from the city.
Cebu continues to reign among provinces in the Philippines. Aside from being the richest province, it is also home to beautiful places to visit. One of the reasons why people are lining up to migrate here in our province. No wonder this is home to #laagans.
Among the places listed, where do you first want to go?
Social media influencers are born through social media. Some became famous for odd reasons. With the mix of commercialization as marketing experts used this as a medium to reach larger audiences — this is where social media influencers came to play.
Famous brands are tapping influencers to reach their target audiences. This is when social media influencers started to earn huge bucks of money. Ultimately, some attained the peak of their prime and success using these platforms.
Photo from NetCredit Website
Influencers are all over the globe. Our country is not an exception in being home to famous Instagram influencers. They also made the most of this platform and used their fame to call out their audiences.
Attracting not only audiences but also famous brands are lining up for them to be featured. That’s how they started to earn money, and guess what it is real money. Some are earning money off the charts just by being famous on social media platforms – one of them is Instagram.
Photo from NetCredit Website
Financial services website NetCredit recently published a list of the top 10 Filipino celebrities who make the most money through sponsorships and postings on Instagram.
Topping the list is none other than, Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach, with a reported earning of $3,669,205. The beauty queen is followed by Kathryn Bernardo, Anne Curtis, Kim Chiu, and Andrea Brilliantes.
Here are the Top 10 Filipino Celebrities with Highest Earnings on Instagram:
From this list, it is evident how social media platforms can change someone’s life. On this platform, you won’t only earn fame but with hard work and talent – you can top-up your game and be one of these famous top Instagram earners.
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama continues his ramification in achieving a Singapore-like Cebu City within his term. Among his plans to achieve such is the beautification of Cebu City, which includes the revival of the Cebu City Zoo.
Photo from Cebu Zoo on Blogspot
History of Cebu City Zoo
Cebu Zoo started from a perceived idea by Raymundo Crystal to open an official zoo in Cebu during the late 50s. It finally came to realization when Former Cebu Provincial Governor Francisco Remotigue donated lot 1298 of Barangay Kalunasan, Cebu City to the Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP). They set aside a portion of the land in 1969. An established concrete idea of the zoo began in 1973.
After the zoo was built, it was entrusted to Fr. Eleuterio Tropa who was known to be a long-haired priest who always carried a large python snake and walked barefooted. He has an innate passion for animals and is an expert zoo keeper. However, he died in 1993. The zoo was passed to Cebu City authorities which were later entrusted to the Philippine Wetlands and Wildlife Foundation Inc. (PWFC), which has no animal husbandry experience.
Photo from Cebu Zoo on BlogspotPhoto from Cebu Zoo on Blogspot
Following Fr. Tropa’s death, Cebu City Zoo started to go into shambles. Animal pens and cages started to deteriorate, which ultimately became inhabitable for the animals. An added financial challenge takes a toll as entrance fee income gradually declines and funding sources become scarce. Food sources and animal care were dependent on gate income. It was in 1997 that the zoo stabilized again. New cages were built, inspired by the conceived idea of William Oliver of Fauna and Flora International. Along with the help and support of city officials. However, it was closed after the zoo was left unattended by the previous administration in 2016 under Tomas Osmena.
Revival of Cebu City Zoo
Under the governance of Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, he included the revival of the Cebu City Zoo, which he plans to rename to “Cebu City Wildlife Protection and Rescue Resources Facility”.
Lemuel Felisario, Operations Head of the Cebu City Hall Satellite Center, said that the entire restoration concept had not been finalized, yet. When they are done clearing, the facility will become an area for the rescue and treatment of sick animals.
“Wala pa ta kayo gyud naka-concept nga zoo ni. We might consider other places, ngadto sa mountain barangays, possible nga adto gyud didto (ang zoo),”
Photo from Cebu Zoo on BlogspotPhoto from Cebu Zoo on Blogspot
“Here, right now it becomes a nursery, or it could become a sanctuary para sa atong mga gi-rescue nato nga mga mananap,”
Cebu City Hall employees have already started a clean-up drive around Barangay Kalunasan to clear the main pathways. In addition, volunteers came streaming in coming from both the public and private sectors to help the revival of the zoo.
The revival of Cebu City Zoo into its former glory looks promising, watching how the government and volunteers go hand-in-hand for its revival. It might stabilize the former zoo once again, just like it used to be stable before under government care and in cooperation with the citizens. We might get to live and watch it realize its full potential once again.
Photo from Cebu Zoo on Blogspot
What are the memories of the Old Cebu City Zoo that you can remember, Sugboanons?
There is no denying that Cebu is home to Filipino talents. Some of them are famous athletes that are also recognized internationally.
Over the decades, our athletes have been facing hurdles in exploring their talents and honing their potential. In light of this issue in our country, a thriving City in the South graced athletes a haven for athletes, including sports enthusiasts. Carcar City recently opened a sports complex where our athletes can train properly.
Photo from Mary Kyle
Carcar City Sports Complex: Envisioned Home to Future Olympians
The Carcar City Sports Complex features an Olympic-standard rubberized track and field oval, and a swimming pool. It was inaugurated last December 15, 2021, in the midst of the ravening of COVID-19, with the help of a loan funded by the Development Bank of the Philippines. The construction of this new state-of-the-art facility first started in 2017, but there were a lot of delays and halting.
Photo from Mary KylePhoto from Mary Kyle
They built this sports complex in hopes that this would be a training ground for future Olympians. Also, this new development in the city opens doors to major sporting events like the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association Meet, including Palarong Pambansa as soon as it resumes.
Carcar City: Thriving City of South
The developing city of Carcar has a lot of developments that are still ongoing. They are currently prioritizing the construction of a livestock auction market that will hopefully begin its construction by 2024. Among their plans is also the construction of a megadome that can be used for ceremonies, and activities. It will also serve as an evacuation site in times of calamities. A bright premise for Carcar.
Photo from Mary KylePhoto from Mary Kyle
The future looks sure bright for this city. It is evident, and it shone when they continue to accomplish their envisioned future plans even amid the raging war against COVID-19. The future developments that will rise – will give solace to the citizens and a break from endless news about COVID for the past few years.
Over two years after discontinuing flights on the route, flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) will start operating flights again between Bangkok, Thailand, and Cebu on December 9, 2022.
Bangkok, Thailand | Photo form Unsplash
According to the PAL advisory released last week, flights will be provided twice weekly (every Monday and Friday).
The flight from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport will depart at 1:30 p.m., while the trip from Mactan-Cebu International Airport is set to depart at 9:30 a.m.
PAL President and COO Stanley Ng is pleased to provide nonstop links to other important markets in Asia since passengers from Cebu won’t have to fly via Manila or other airports anymore.
Photo from Philippine Airlines Facebook Page
A 199-seater Airbus A321ceo aircraft will be used for the 3-hour travel from Cebu to Thailand.
Through its hub in Cebu, PAL also offers flights to Bangkok, Tokyo-Narita, and a number of destinations in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
Beginning on October 1, 2022, South Korea will no longer need COVID-19 Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) testing for inbound travelers.
Seoul, South Korea | Photo form Unsplash
According to VisitKorea, Korea Tourism Organization’s official website, the percentage of confirmed cases among foreign tourists decreased from 1.3% in August to just 0.9% in September. With this, all COVID-19 limitations on incoming travelers will be lifted.
However, walk-ins are still not permitted in the South Korean embassy’s Taguig office. Applications submitted only through authorized travel agents will be taken into consideration.
Seoul, South Korea | Photo form Unsplash
The Korean Embassy accepts appointments for visa applications online, with fresh openings every two weeks.
IKEA, dubbed to be the ‘place of wonders’, is looking to open stores in Cebu, Baguio, Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro, and Davao.
The Philippines is yet to say ‘hello’ to this gargantuan store as it is set to open their first store in the country in 2021 at the SM Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City. IKEA is filled with all the cute, but affordable furniture you could ever dream of owning. It is also famous for their meatballs, which you are about to devour. ‘Christmas in your mouth,’ as they say it.
If you have not been loving under a rock, you’ll know how online shopping has trended ever since quarantine. Hence, IKEA’s online shop is opening prior to its physical store.
According to a video posted on Facebook by Bloomberg TV Philippines in 2018, “IKEA is looking to open four to six locations in the country in the next five to 10 years, ranging in size from the traditional big-box stores to small retail outlets.”
However, the final locations are yet to be formally announced. IKEA Philippines’ Market Development Manager Georg Platzer notes that finding the right spot to put up the outlet is critical as the store would need “a very well-developed infrastructure, roads, public transport, and electricity supply” because they expect a lot of visitors. They would also need “a good logistics network” due to the large amount of goods being transported from overseas to the Philippines.
Though no exact location yet is set for its second store, we still couldn’t wait to see all these IKEA stores open in the country in the coming years, especially in our humble home, Cebu City.
Are you tired of the endless calculation when splitting bills among your friends?
GCash KKB Feature is here to the rescue. You can skip the math and automate your next bill with family or friends. It’s now easy to split the bills and never forget about collecting anymore.
New in GCash: KKB (“Kanyang-kanyang Bayad”) Feature lets this application automatically calculate the amount that will be divided when splitting the total cost of bills among peers and friends.
This feature has the following categories where you can split a total amount of money, such as food, entertainment, family, friends, gifts, shopping, transportation, travel, utilities, and other activities. Amounts requested to be split among the group are deducted exactly. It provides a seamless digital payment method.
Photo from Gcash Facebook Page
Perks You Can Make Most Out of the Feature
First, it lets you easily track payment history during the splitting of the total cost, aside from avoiding endless huddles of math calculations. You don’t have to worry if your friend will ditch you when the group is paying. You don’t have to pay an additional, “abono” as we say when your friend runs away that usually ends badly among the group.
Lastly, it also allows you to individually pay for your additional orders, especially when ordering food. However, we would like to clarify that this only works for quick splits only. Meaning, for complex divisions, such as: paying individual meals and service charges, and pitching for a group order — you will still have to do either some math outside the app or several KKB requests within the app.
Here’s how to request their KKB Feature:
Open GCash. From the main page, tap the ‘Send’ icon.
Tap ‘Send KKB’.
Tap on ‘New KKB Request’.
Input the category and due date of your amount that will be requested to be paid.
For the due date, Today is the default. However, if you decide to pay on a specific date, you can set it accordingly.
Select how you wish to split the bill.
If you ordered your own meals individually, select ‘split by item’. If you ordered food as a group then you can select ‘split equally.
If you choose ‘Split by item’, the application will ask the initiator (who made the KKB request) to determine the amount to be paid per person. If the person ordered a meal and a drink, just tap the plus button to add. It will be added in the final breakdown. After finalizing the amount, a summary will be shown of how much each individual has to pay aside from the grand total.
If you choose ‘Split Equally’, the app will ask for the total cost then it will be automatically divided among the group.
Input the GCash registered mobile numbers of those you will be splitting the bill with and tap Next.
The application can let you add those who are in your contacts but you can also manually add them yourself. Also, you can create and save groups on the app for easier division of payments in the future.
Input the item names and their corresponding costs.
Review the details and click Send.
Once the requests have been successfully created, you will be able to see under the ‘Active Tab’ in the feature if it’s unpaid. If it’s taking them a while to pay, you can nudge them then GCash will send them a notification to pay.
In case your friends pay cash in person, you can manually mark the KKB request as paid. It will transfer to the ‘Completed’ tab.
If paid, the initiator of the request will receive the fund and notification of payment.
Photo from Gcash Website
With the rapid digitalization of this age and the slow transition of society including our country to digital – digital platforms continue to develop and provide innovations for a seamless digital experience. Ultimately, this is the main purpose why technologies are made: to make people’s lives easier.
