The construction of the Camotes Airport in the town of San Francisco would be starting soon.
This was announced after the national government released the initial budget for the airport. According to the local officials, a budget of P265 million has already been released.
Funds have already been downloaded from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to the Department of Transportation (DOTr), according to Cebu 5th District Rep. Duke Frasco.
This is because to be able to establish Cebu’s third domestic airport, DOTr will be its lead agency.
Last year, a request was sent to Malacañang to assist the local officials with the budget. According to Frasco, this budget is for a 27-hectare Camotes Airport.
“Pagka June, nalipay kay ko kay I received another message from the Office of Sen. Bong Go and the Office of the President that na release na ang budget for the airport from DBM to DOTr,” he explained.
However, it was mentioned by Frasco that the P265 million was just an initial allocation. They are still hoping for additional funds for its success.
“So Phase 1 pa lang ni (P265 million). Hopefully naa na tay additional budget next year,” Frasco said.
Instead of spending hours to reach the lovely island of Camotes, once the airport is done and operational, travel time would only be more or less 30 minutes.
On Saturday night, the Department of Health Central Visayas (DOH-7) released its official, consolidated data of the COVID-19 cases in the region as of July 31, 2021.
Today, the whole island of Cebu — Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, and the Cebu Province — recorded 684 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, 271 new recoveries, and 18 new deaths. This brings Cebu’s total confirmed cases to 67,157, while the active cases increased to 7,576 (from 7,184).
Breakdown of cases:
Cebu City – Total confirmed: 29,749 (+297 new) – Total recoveries: 26,139 (+96 new) – Total deaths: 922 (+6 new) – Active cases: 2,688
Lapu-Lapu City – Total confirmed: 8,580 (+87 new) – Total recoveries: 7,257 (+115 new) – Total deaths: 193 (+6 new) – Active cases: 1,130
Mandaue City – Total confirmed: 8,152 (+56 new) – Total recoveries: 6,948 (+5 new) – Total deaths: 243 (+0 new) – Active cases: 961
Cebu Province – Total confirmed: 20,676 (+244 new) – Total recoveries: 17,007 (+55 new) – Total deaths: 872 (+6 new) – Active cases: 2,797
Summary of COVID-19 cases in Cebu:
Total Active Cases in Cebu: 7,576 (from 7,184)
Total Confirmed Cases in Cebu: 67,157 (+684 new)
Total Recoveries in Cebu: 57,351 (+271 new)
Total Deaths in Cebu: 2,230 (+18 new*)
A total of 5,276 laboratory results were released for today.
NOTES from DOH-7:
*As per DOH-7, the additional deaths in the report are not due to the overnight spike in deaths but due to more accurate data collection and validating efforts. Not all of those deaths occurred today but occurred more than a week ago.
Reports maybe subject to change as these claims undergo thorough validation by the local healthcare offices and health personnel.
Due to the alarming rise of the number of COVID-19 cases, the entire island of Cebu — Cebu City, Cebu Province, Lapu-Lapu City, and Mandaue City — will be placed under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) starting August 1 to 15, 2021.
As it has been a while that Cebu is placed under MGCQ, we might need to familiarize ourselves with a lot of restrictions again.
With Cebu City Acting Mayor Rama and other city officials still set to release an Executive Order (EO) on the MECQ anytime soon, the national government via the IATF has cited the May 2021 guidelines to give us a heads up on the upcoming changes.
Curfew
Only authorized persons outside of residence are exempted from the curfew and we will probably have uniform curfew hours as all of Cebu is under one quarantine restriction. Cebu city currently has the curfew 10pm-4am
General Movement
Our room for movement will be greatly decreased as strict home quarantine shall be observed by everyone. Travel should only be for accessing essential goods and services, and for work in permitted establishments.
Persons under 18 years old and above 65 years old, those with comorbidities, pregnant women and those with immunodeficiencies is expected to always stay at home except for obtaining essential goods and services or for work.
Gatherings
There will be no mass and social gathering even those inside the house that involve multiple households converging in one.
Religious gatherings are only up to 10 to 30 percent capacity
Wakes and burials can only be attended by the immediate family
Open-air restaurants are only for dine-in customers, or just take-out while alfresco dining is permitted up to 50 percent capacity.
Government
Fully operational with a skeleton workforce. This is with the exceptions of essential for the provision of health services, government services, and government services.
Transportation
Road, rail, maritime, and aviation sectors of public transportation at such capacity and protocols in accordance with guidelines issued by the Department of Transportation (DOTr)
This means that public transport such as jeepneys, buses, taxis, and others are still allowed to operate subject to a 50 percent maximum capacity or depending on the DOTr.
Public transportation will remain limited to authorized persons outside of residence during the imposition of MECQ.
Exercise
Allowed under general area of their residence. Individual outdoor exercises while wearing face masks are allowed within the barangay or village.
Businesses allowed to operate (at half capacity)
Media establishments
Dental, rehabilitation, optometry and other medical clinics
Veterinary clinics
Banks, pawnshops, money transfer services & capital markets
Water supply, janitorial/sanitation services & energy sector
Telecommunication companies, internet service provider & cable television provider
Airline and aircraft maintenance & aviation schools
Shipyard operations
Lotteries will be open with limited capacity
Hotels or accommodation establishments are allowed to have guests and clients for legitimate purposes under a state of public health emergency.
Prohibited from operating
Entertainment venues such as theaters;
Recreational activities such as internet cafes and arcades
Amusement parks & indoor and outdoor sports courts
Gyms, spas, and swimming pools;
Outdoor tourist attractions
Indoor tourist attractions such as libraries and museums
Border restrictions and access will be primarily for the purpose of checking that there will be no people under 18 years old and above 60 years old going out.
This decision to tighten quarantine restrictions was not made lightly, let us all follow the guidelines and remain safe and healthy for ourselves and for everyone else. Let us all help out by staying at home as much as possible.
This line is how you hook Cebuanos to a buffet. Yes, you heard it right our favorite buffet resto, Seafood Paradise have opened another branch in SM City Cebu. Now, every mall visit can be a buffet celebration as they serve everything here, and when I say everything, I mean everything without limit.
Seafood and More
A seafood paradise indeedfor they offer variations of seafood dishes served in different stations. The mouthwatering sight of all the fresh seafood at your disposal will definitely wake up your appetite.
They also have mixed seafoods like crabs, shrimps and scallops cooked and oozing with all your favorite sauce such as cajun sauce and white garlic sauce.
Aside from the abundance of seafood, they also serve chicken and pork viand, barbeque, ramen, pasta, and Cebu’s pride, local-made desserts such as puto maya, ube maja, crinkles, biscuit, hopia, and many more. All these with just P399.
With Over 25+ dishes to choose from, you’ll have all your cravings satisfied, you just have to make sure you’ll have room for all of them in your stomach.
Here are all the dishes served:
Unlimited Seafoods
Seashells and Seaweeds
Chicken & Pork Meat
Shrimps & Oysters
Blue Crabs in White Sauce
Baked Scallops & Baked Tahong
Kinilaw
Local and Native Delicacies for Desserts
TUNA Sashimi & Japanese Ramen
Lechon On Weekends
Ultimately, my palate was hooked by their creamylicious and sought-after Blue Crabs in White Sauce, their Kinilaw and chicken intestine paired with its delectable sauce. But that’s just in one sitting because there was definitely a 2nd plate, a 3rd and even a 4th.
One unique feature of this buffet restaurant is its resident chef on a special corner for fish meat cutting and other requests (limited only).
Boodle sa Bilao Series
They also have alacarte dishes and boodle sa bilao series if you’d want to order them.
They have the island vibes to a T with painted sea views and elegant decorations surrounding you. They have also brought their signature barrio fiesta feels by their bahay kubo stations and people just eating in abundance and smiles. So what are you waiting for? Visit Seafood paradise and experience a filling of the most delicious dishes.
Promo Alert!
First 100 Customers will be given a 10% coupon + Free Flow of Ice Cream and a Live band to Serenade You.
On Friday night, the Department of Health Central Visayas (DOH-7) released its official, consolidated data of the COVID-19 cases in the region as of July 30, 2021.
Today, the whole island of Cebu — Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, and the Cebu Province — recorded 629 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, 498 new recoveries, and 20 new deaths. This brings Cebu’s total confirmed cases to 66,473, while the active cases increased to 7,184 (from 7,078).
Breakdown of cases:
Cebu City – Total confirmed: 29,452 (+186 new) – Total recoveries: 26,041 (+149 new) – Total deaths: 915 (+10 new) – Active cases: 2,496
Lapu-Lapu City – Total confirmed: 8,493 (+70 new) – Total recoveries: 7,142 (+144 new) – Total deaths: 187 (+1 new) – Active cases: 1,164
Mandaue City – Total confirmed: 8,096 (+81 new) – Total recoveries: 6,943 (+46 new) – Total deaths: 243 (+0 new) – Active cases: 910
Cebu Province – Total confirmed: 20,432 (+292 new) – Total recoveries: 16,952 (+159 new) – Total deaths: 866 (+9 new) – Active cases: 2,614
Summary of COVID-19 cases in Cebu:
Total Active Cases in Cebu: 7,184 (from 7,078)
Total Confirmed Cases in Cebu: 66,473 (+629 new)
Total Recoveries in Cebu: 57,078 (+498 new)
Total Deaths in Cebu: 2,211 (+20 new*)
A total of 3,544 laboratory results were released for today.
NOTES from DOH-7:
*As per DOH-7, the additional deaths in the report are not due to the overnight spike in deaths but due to more accurate data collection and validating efforts. Not all of those deaths occurred today but occurred more than a week ago.
Reports maybe subject to change as these claims undergo thorough validation by the local healthcare offices and health personnel.
Craving some solace or some quality quiet time by the beach? How about a whole tropical island all to yourself?
Get to know Sulpa, a hectare-wide islet that is untouched, all-natural, and covered in tropical trees!
Sulpa Island is one of the six satellite islands of Olango. It’s a tiny strip of forest and beach beside the Olango Reef Flat. It’s a small island retreat entirely surrounded by seawater. If you chance a stay that’s just you and your friends or family, the place can be your very own exclusive tropical paradise!
Photo by Aligato John Ray of The Island Nomad
Photo by Aligato John Ray of The Island Nomad
Photo by こげぱん
Photo by VR360 CebuTrip
Photo by なみへい
Located about 4 km from Mactan, and under 1.5 km from Olango, this uninhabited islet is a tropical escape ready to welcome you to a relaxing time in isolation.
Sulpa island is a sleeping island in the morning. There isn’t any activity here, save for the birds fluttering and chirping about, the lazy lapping of the waves, and the relaxed rustling of the leaves on the trees. This is the best time to go if you’d like to experience having the islet all to yourself – something we definitely recommend!
Later in the day, however, the island wakes up and life arrives at the island. Locals and visitors usually come by at noon or the afternoon to lounge and enjoy a picnic. A few vendors even swing by on their motorboats to sell basic goods and some food. It’s assuring to know that even if you’re in isolation, the comforts of modern civilization will still be available to you.
Photo from Babse Babsi Studios Facebook Page
Photo by Martin Nilsson
Photo by Simply Boholana
Photo by こげぱん
There aren’t any facilities on the islet, just a few cottages and barbecue areas for cooking a quick lunch. The lack of human intrusion really adds to its rawness, and that makes it all the more exotic!
The island terrain is rocky, and there’s only one beachfront to enjoy the sand. From here, you can swim and snorkel and simply marvel at the untouched beauty of the sea. There is also a diving jump off point west of the island. The depth is about 50 meters, perfect for beginner divers.
Sulpa Island is a great destination to soak in nature and bask in the sun. It’s quiet and peaceful, just perfect to unwind and get away from the city for a bit!
Photo by Misaki Fukuda
Photo by なみへい
Photo by Simply Boholana
Photo by Kaoru Shiramomo
Photo by Simply Boholana
Photo by Franco Silingardi
Photo by Simply Boholana
RATES & OTHER INFORMATION
Day Use:
Entrance Fee: ₱100 per person
Other information
There is no electricity on the island.
Cottages and picnic areas are available.
Camping is allowed.
HOW TO GET THERE?
Exact location: Sulpa Islet, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu – 25 minutes from Mactan Island
BY BOAT: If you’re hopping to Sulpan from Olango, you can hire any boat from the Island shores to bring you to and from Sulpa. Rates will vary and will depend on your haggling skills. For reference, an island-hopping trip to three islands in a day usually costs ₱3,000.
Alternatively, if you’re starting in Cebu or Mactan, you can head over to Parola area in Cordova and hire a boat to take you directly to Sulpa Island. The trip will cost around ₱3,000 as well and takes 25 minutes one way.
On Thursday night, the Department of Health Central Visayas (DOH-7) released its official, consolidated data of the COVID-19 cases in the region as of July 29, 2021.
Today, the whole island of Cebu — Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, and the Cebu Province — recorded 831 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, 168 new recoveries, and 13 new deaths. This brings Cebu’s total confirmed cases to 65,901, while the active cases increased to 7,078 (from 6,421).
Breakdown of cases:
Cebu City – Total confirmed: 29,428 (+286 new) – Total recoveries: 25,990 (+114 new) – Total deaths: 911 (+1 new) – Active cases: 2,527
Lapu-Lapu City – Total confirmed: 8,027 (+159 new) – Total recoveries: 7,008 (+3 new) – Total deaths: 183 (+0 new) – Active cases: 1,239
Mandaue City – Total confirmed: 8,430 (+96 new) – Total recoveries: 6,896 (+0 new) – Total deaths: 243 (+1 new) – Active cases: 888
Cebu Province – Total confirmed: 20,016 (+290 new) – Total recoveries: 16,741 (+51 new) – Total deaths: 851 (+11 new) – Active cases: 2,424
Summary of COVID-19 cases in Cebu:
Total Active Cases in Cebu: 7,078 (from 6,421)
Total Confirmed Cases in Cebu: 65,901 (+831 new)
Total Recoveries in Cebu: 56,635 (+168 new)
Total Deaths in Cebu: 2,188 (+13 new*)
A total of 5,112 laboratory results were released for today.
NOTES from DOH-7:
*As per DOH-7, the additional deaths in the report are not due to the overnight spike in deaths but due to more accurate data collection and validating efforts. Not all of those deaths occurred today but occurred more than a week ago.
Reports maybe subject to change as these claims undergo thorough validation by the local healthcare offices and health personnel.
Imagine a long stretch of white beach where everywhere you step, your feet sink into soft white sand. The water is clear and sky-blue, sparkling in the daylight. Your options of drinks and snacks are endless, and you get to enjoy your refreshments beachside.
Stop imagining, because you can live this for real at Bounty Beach!
Located in Malapascua, Bounty Beach is the main beach of the island, boasting pristine and powdery white sand alongside glittering waters stretching out into the horizon. This about 800-meter stretch of pale pretty sand is where most of the bars and restaurants are located in the island, making it the best destination for a relaxing time by the beach.
Photo from We Wander Facebook Page
Photo from We Wander Facebook Page
If you’re up for a bit more adventure, there are also a couple of dive shops awaiting guests, where you can snorkel or even deep dive into the magical waters of Malapascua!
The Beach
Bounty Beach runs along the southern edge through the southeastern end of Malapascua, measuring around 860 meters long and about 30 meters wide at its widest. The whole stretch of beach is covered with a thick layer of powdery white sand and finely-crushed sea shells. If you ask me, spending an hour or two to walk down Bounty Beach is one of the best ways to spend your time!
The beach has multiple access points, with roads connecting the beach to the main roads and paths to the island. If you ever find the sea calling you while you’re in Malapascua, just head south! All the locals are also familiar with the locations of the all the beaches on the island, most especially Bounty Beach.
Along the coastline you can find dozens of bars, resorts, restaurants, and dive shops.
Beachside Lounging
Bounty Beach houses a lot, if not most, of the island’s bars and restaurants. Every day, the bars host Happy Hour – first every sunset, and second every evening around 7PM to 9PM. The bars serve cocktails and snacks, best enjoyed by the beach in their many lounging areas and chairs.
Locals in Malapascua fish for their livelihood. You can find fishermen casting their nets from their boats early in the morning and even late at night. Their catch, if not shipped or sold in the mainland, is immediately cooked at the nearby market and establishments. That’s a guaranteed fresh catch-of-the-day meal!
When not in use, the parked boats also add character to the beach. Malapascua Island is already a peaceful tropical island with a completely laidback feel. The boats parked on the sand remind us of the simple joys and add to the idyllic environment in Malapascua.
Malapascua is also known to be one of the best sunset spots in Cebu. As the day lazily passes (and boy does time flow slowly in the island!), make sure you get a comfortable spot in Bounty Beach to enjoy a vivid and colorful sunset over the island.
The beach is also lined with dive shops offering lessons and tours. From island hopping to deep dives, there’s something for everyone with every level of experience.
All around the islands of Malapascua, the sky-blue seawater glitters and sparkles in the sun. Bounty Beach is not exempt from having such magical waters! Boating, snorkeling, and diving all are highly enjoyable because the waters get so clear up close, it’s almost like looking through liquid glass!
Photo from We Wander Facebook Page
Photo by @bryanchu
Photo from We Wander Facebook Page
The quality and clarity of the water really shines the most when you go diving. You’ll get clear views of thresher sharks, manta rays, and all kinds of fish. The Monad Shoal is one of the most famed dive spots, accessible by a 25-minute ride from Bounty Beach. The shoal is an underwater island 20 to 30 meters deep that is a treasure trove for marine life sightings, including hammerhead sharks and eagle rays.
OTHER INFORMATION
Day Use:
Entrance Fee:none
Open hours: The beach is 24 hours open, but the bars and restaurants will close late at night.
HOW TO GET THERE?
Exact location: Bounty Beachfront, Malapascua Island, Daanbantayan, Northern Cebu — approx. 4-5 hours away from the city (with boat/ferry ride).
BY COMMUTE: From the North Bus Terminal, take a bus bound to Maya. The trip costs ₱230 and should take 3.5 to 4 hours. Alight at Maya Port then ride an outrigger boat to Malapascua.
A one-way boat trip costs ₱1,500 split between 15 passengers, making it ₱100 per person at full capacity. If the boat isn’t full, you can opt to pay the boat fee, albeit being more costly per passenger. Boat trips are scheduled hourly between 6:30AM and 4:30PM, 7 days a week.
Upon arrival at Malapascua, you can then hire motorcycles to take you to Bounty Beach, or book one to be your ride for the day for ₱300 per day. Alternatively, walking can take you anywhere in the island. The island is about 2.5 km long and 1 km wide, small enough that you can walk from one end to the other in an hour.
BY CAR: Navigate with Waze or Google Maps and set your destination to “Maya New Roro Port” in Maya, Daanbantayan, Cebu.
On Wednesday night, the Department of Health Central Visayas (DOH-7) released its official, consolidated data of the COVID-19 cases in the region as of July 28, 2021.
Today, the whole island of Cebu — Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, and the Cebu Province — recorded 585 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, 296 new recoveries, and 13 new deaths. This brings Cebu’s total confirmed cases to 65,070, while the active cases increased to 6,421 (from 6,138).
Breakdown of cases:
Cebu City – Total confirmed: 29,142 (+177 new) – Total recoveries: 25,876 (+110 new) – Total deaths: 911 (+3 new) – Active cases: 2,355
Lapu-Lapu City – Total confirmed: 8,271 (+105 new) – Total recoveries: 7,005 (+44 new) – Total deaths: 183 (+0 new) – Active cases: 1,083
Mandaue City – Total confirmed: 7,931 (+81 new) – Total recoveries: 6,896 (+36 new) – Total deaths: 242 (+1 new) – Active cases: 793
Cebu Province – Total confirmed: 19,726 (+222 new) – Total recoveries: 16,692 (+106 new) – Total deaths: 844 (+9 new) – Active cases: 2,190
Summary of COVID-19 cases in Cebu:
Total Active Cases in Cebu: 6,421 (from 6,138)
Total Confirmed Cases in Cebu: 65,070 (+585 new)
Total Recoveries in Cebu: 56,469 (+296 new)
Total Deaths in Cebu: 2,180 (+13 new*)
A total of 4,130 laboratory results were released for today.
NOTES from DOH-7:
*As per DOH-7, the additional deaths in the report are not due to the overnight spike in deaths but due to more accurate data collection and validating efforts. Not all of those deaths occurred today but occurred more than a week ago.
Reports maybe subject to change as these claims undergo thorough validation by the local healthcare offices and health personnel.
The wait is over for the Philippines. We have a living and legit weightlifting fairy everyone.
On Monday, July 26, at the Tokyo International Forum, Hidilyn Diaz dubbed as the queen in Philippine weightlifting have made history for the first ever Gold Olympic medal of the Philippines. The first ever gold in 97 years, since we started competing in the Olympic Games in 1924.
Photo by Arius Raposas
Looking strong and powering through, she literally lifted the Philippines for the win in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics weightlifting competition having a total lift of 224kg which set an Olympic record.
Diaz started strong with lifting 97kg on her 2nd snatch attempt. But it wasn’t until the 30-year-old Filipina went head-to-head with China’s Liao Qiuyun in the clean and jerk that the heat of the competition rose.
Clean and Jerk
2nd attempt by Qiuyun: 123kg
2nd attempt by Diaz: 124kg
3rd attempt by Qiuyun: 126kg
3rd attempt by Diaz: 127kg (New Olympic Record)
On her last lift, she struggled and was a bit shaky but powered through heaving her chest out, raising both arms and letting out an internal shout/grunt. The moment she lifted the 127kg above her head everyone watching got goosebumps.
Repetition creates results and no dream is impossible as we show Diaz’s records here:
2008- Beijing China (1st Olympics)
2012- London
2016- Rio de Janeiro Brazil (Silver medal)
2021- Tokyo, Japan (Gold medal)
For the first time in the history of Olympics, the Philippine anthem was heard and Diaz paid respect to the flag with a salute and tears in her eyes as I imagine every proud Filipino watching there was having goosebumps and crying too.
Diaz Awards & Wins
Awards left and right are now being given to the Philippine pride, Hidilyn Diaz for the honor she has given to our country.
P35.5 MILLION
P10 million (from the government as mandated by law)
P10 million (from Manny V. Pangilinan)
P10 million (from Ramon S. Ang)
P3 million (from Deputy Speaker Mikee Romero)
P2.5 million (from the local government of her hometown Zamboanga City)
