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Cardinal Vidal recounts many roles as Cebu archbishop
He hadn’t wanted the task of overseeing the Catholic Church in Cebu but has come to love the Cebuanos. When Ricardo Cardinal Vidal was appointed Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Cebu in the 1980s, he begged off from the job. He hailed from Luzon and did not speak a single word of Bisaya and foresaw […]
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Jessie shares secrets to delicious Argao torta
Baking the perfect Argao torta requires a confluence of several things, revealed one of the town’s top makers Jessie Magallones. The tuba (coconut wine) must be fresh and fermented just right so it is neither too sweet or sour. A clay oven or what Cebuanos call the “hurno” gives the best Argao torta results. Cooking […]
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Cebu-wide digital tourism project launched in Argao
When someone mentions torta, I usually and immediately think of Argao because I associate this popular Cebu delicacy with the town. I’m sure a lot of Cebuanos do the same. Our frequent visits to Argao however have made me realize that its indigenous industries of torta and tableya, another specialty, are just one of the […]
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Dong Juan offers great food at affordable price
Entrepreneur couple Aubrey and Barney Borja were on a mission when they started Dong Juan and that was to provide fine food at affordable prices to the average Pinoy. Six years on, Dong Juan continues to serve dishes made with only the choicest ingredients and finest herbs and spices. Take, for example, its best-selling burgers. […]
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Camping out on Basdako beach in Moalboal
Sand is not the most comfortable of beds but our weekend camp-out on White Beach or Basdako in Moalboal, Cebu had its benefits. It was cheap as a tent cost only P500 to rent, afforded us a front seat to a spectacular view of the night sky, and gave us first crack at the morning […]
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Marco Polo Plaza Cebu offers culinary treats at Cafe Marco
When they served my buko shake in its original green shell, I knew I would enjoy my lunch at Cafe Marco in Marco Polo Plaza Cebu. Anyone who spends extra effort on such details as presentation would pay even more attention to taste as well. I was right. I’m not that into food so it […]
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Bathalad, InnoPub Media launch free Bisaya poetry e-book
Literary group Bathalad Inc. and journalism start-up InnoPub Media have released an e-book anthology of Cebuano poems for smartphones, tablets and e-readers.
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The Linotype Machine: Hot affair blows cold
(This article was written by Mayette Tabada for the CJJ Media Gallery and is reprinted here with permission) For generations, men slaved over heated metal for love of the printed word. Then the affair turned cold. Before the advent of computer-aided publication, newspapers were printed using a Linotype machine. When it was introduced in 1886, […]
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Battle of Mactan: history and myth
This spot is revered by Mactan Island residents more than any other place. A marker says it was on that site that a man who had sought dominion over the island in the name of the Spanish king had died in the hands of the brave warrior chieftain Lapu-Lapu 485 years ago. Lapu-Lapu’s deed is […]
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Cebuano musical heritage comes alive at Halad Museum
(Information for this article was provided by Halad Museum curator Audrey Tomada) Halad means “tribute” or “offering” in Cebuano and the Halad Museum of Jose “Dodong” R. Gullas in downtown Cebu City serves to immortalize Cebu’s musical heritage. The museum displays memorabilia of Cebuanos who contributed to the formation of Cebu’s musical culture with their […]
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Cebu heritage walk showcases island’s history
What tourists should include in their Cebu to do list is go on a heritage walk. Cebu City’s downtown area is a heritage belt of old churches, houses, and other structures that date back to its colonial Spanish past spanning no less than 300 years. These places are of walking distance from each other and […]
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Hale Manna: House of Good Energy
Nature never travels in a straight line and at Hale Manna, which is Hawaiian for House of Good Energy, great pains are taken to ensure that this natural order of things is followed. The ground is uneven and rocky and trees are planted to match this terrain, steps are carved from rocks to serve as […]
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Cebu’s selection of white sand beaches
Cebu beaches are known for their fine white sand and clear waters. Being in the center of a long and narrow island that is 200 kilometers long and nowhere exceeding 40 kilometers in width, Cebu City is half an hour to a few hours away from white sand beaches, long coastlines, beautiful resorts, and paradise […]
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Centuries-old churches in southern Cebu
Centuries-old churches of various architectural influences that were built during the Spanish occupation of Cebu can be found along the entire stretch of the mainland and even in satellite islands. A trip down Cebu’s southern part is a glimpse into the religious aspect of Spain’s influence on Cebuano heritage. Spanish period churches in souther towns […]
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Cebu City’s heritage of churches
Cebu is an architectural feast of Spanish period churches in the styles of late Baroque, neoclassical, Greco-Roman, and Gothic or a combination of their elements. The Augustinians came with Spanish conqueror Miguel Lopez de Legazpi to the Philippines through Cebu in 1565 and zealously went about converting people to Christianity. Proof of their fervour is […]
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Marian devotees flock to Mary’s shrine in Simala, Cebu
A popular pilgrimage destination of Marian devotees in Cebu is Mary’s shrine in the village of Simala in Sibonga. The shrine is located inside an imposing and huge 3-level concrete structure that Fra. Ma. Martin call as Sanctuary Castle of Mama Mary, which also houses the Monastery of the Holy Eucharist Church. Fra. Ma. Martin, […]
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Moalboal in Cebu hosts over 10 dive sites
When people talk of diving in Cebu, they usually mention the small town of Moalboal in the province’s southwestern coast that is famous for the thousands of sardines that have come to populate its seas. Italian Sergio Forti, who manages a dive resort named Sampaguita in Moalboal’s Panagsama Beach or what they call Bas Diot […]
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Cordova’s bakasi and other bounties from the sea
Text and Photos by Boboi Costas The bakasi (saltwater eel) thrives abundantly in the town of Cordova, Mactan Island, a 45-minute drive from the city of Cebu. In taxonomic classification, eels belong to the Muranidae family which includes 200 species in 15 genera. In Buwagsong, Cordova, a local fishing community; the bakasi is a prized […]
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Smart, MyCebu.ph to deliver info on tourism, heritage sites through phone scanning
Philippine wireless leader Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) and Cebu-based website MyCebu.ph have partnered to deliver information on tourism and heritage sites to mobile phones and tablets through quick response or QR code scanning. The project is being undertaken in partnership with the Department of Tourism. Smart and MyCebu.ph will place special markers on tourism and […]
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Sto. Nino pilgrims find a place to stay in Cebu
Cebu’s Fiesta Senyor or feast of the Sto. Nino draws devotees from all over, and thousands converge every January in Cebu City to fulfill a “panaad” (devotion). There are pilgrims, however, who do not have relatives here and cannot afford to pay for rooms so the City Government puts up a “Devotee City” every Sinulog […]