Posts Tagged ‘cebu’

Mounted naturally in the fields of Bohol Philippines is the well known a thousand hills in the Philippines that is the Chocolate Hills of Bohol. Yes, so far as the latest survey, the hills are estimated 1,776 in numbers. That is really a thousand hills on a 50 square kilometer terrain.

The Chocolate Hills is actually the third National Geological Monument of the Philippines and is being proposed to include at UNESCO World Heritage list. This is so because the Chocolate Hills is one of a kind in the world and it is naturally formed not like the Pyramids of Egypt which are man-made only. For every one who views it personally were really amazed that these hills were not man-made or were done by nature.

The hills are cone-shaped like hills with mixture of brown (the chocolate-color ground) and green (The grassy parts) color. However, its chocolate-colored ground stand outs more that it grassy part, thus they are called Chocolate hills, that is because of their chocolate color. Some who personally visits it says that their shapes are almost relatively symmetrical, thus every tourist has the reason to exclaim “wow” about their beauty. The Chocolate hills are a rolling haycock hills and said to be compose of limestones within them. Their grassy parts have a grass species like Imperata cylindrical, Saccharum spontaneum, and some ferns.

The Chocolate Hills are said to be like the Karst Hills similar to Slovenia and Croatia, however, the Chocolate Hills does not have caves. Their existence is being compared or studied in accordance to Karst theory. You can google about the Karst theory if you wanted to know about this theory. However, there are also legends about their formations, that is it is said that a two feuding giants throw mud, hurled rocks, sand, etc to one another until they finally exhausted and end up their feuding issue.

The flat land in between the hills is being used for vegetation purpose where rice and other crops were planted on it. For these hills were distributed throughout the towns of Carmen, Batuan, and Sagbayan in Bohol Philppines. However, it is mostly concentrated at the town of Carmen. Actually, there is a government owned resort at Carmen Bohol where you can view the Chocolate Hills that is the “Chocolate Hills Complex” where you can view the hills. But, you can also view them at Sagbayan Town at “Sagbayan Peak”,a resort at Sagbayan Bohol.

The “Chocolate Hill Complex” is originally a two hills which were developed into a resort and viewing facility. The higher hill has viewing deck which you can view the Chocolate hills in a 360 degree view. Similarly, the “Sagbayan Peak of the town of Sagbayan also offers similar viewing angle with the exception only that at Sagbyan Peak you can also view the sea coast of Cebu city Philippines.

The Chocolate Hills is already a famous tourist destination long before the popularity of white sand beaches in the Philippines come into consciousness of the world about Philippine Tourism. It is already then the flagship Philippine tourist destination.

Prominent Cities of Mindanao Philippines

Despite of the negative reports bombard against the regions of Mindanao to be a risky place for tourist and locals alike, Mindanao Philippines still stand out as good place for investing your money for business and for extreme sports , a businessperson and sport enthusiast could trust of.

For the cities of Mindanao Philippines really makes the Philippines into a pedestal level in terms of commerce and beauty. What does Manila Philippines have to say about this?

Among the cities of Mindanao Philippines, Davao City Philippines is the most important city that brings great pride to Mindanao not only it is Known for its Durian fruit but Davao city Philippines is known to be the Crown Jewel of Mindanao in terms of economic progress. It is far more investment-friendly city compare to Manila Philippines and Cebu Philippines. For Davao city Philippines, first and foremost, is a Typhoon-free region which means it has a good and fair weather all year round and it has multi-cultural groups of people within it, thus, making it a good place for investing your money. Yup, it has good selling propositions.

Another city which Mindanao Philippines is proud of is Cagayan de Oro city Philippines. Cagayan de Oro city Philippines boast its well known extreme sports activities, particularly its white water rafting and river trekking activities. In terms of economic importance, Cagayan de oro city Philippines is the shopping capital of Northern Mindanao Philippines. It has a number of Malls and Shopping centers, namely, Limketkai Center, SM city Cagayan De Oro, Robinsons Cagayan de Oro, MAKRO Cagayan De Oro, Ororama Chain of Stores, Gaisano City Mall, Divisoria Night Café and Market, Carmen Public Market and Commercial Complex, Cogon Public Market and Commercial Complex, Puerto Market, Agora-lapasan Market, Bulua Market, Ayala Center Cagayan de oro, Pacific Island City Mall and other proposed malls.

Another Mindanao city which is good for Investment is Zamboanga City Philippines known as the city of Flowers. In terms of economic essence, Zamboanga city Philippines is now known as the Philippines’ Top Seaweed producer and it has the busiest port in the Philippines. Furthermore, Zamboanga city is also known as “Asia’s Latin City” because of the vestiges of Spanish culture and language mix with other dialects.

Another prominent city in Mindanao is General Santos City Philippines. General Santos City Philippines is known as the “Tuna Capital of the Philippines”. It is also the home of some media practitioners in Mindanao. Moreover, it is the home city of now world known boxer – Manny Pacquio.

Another city of Mindanao is Pagadian City Philippines. Pagadian City Philippines is the first class city in the province of Zamboanga Mindanao and was dubbed as the “little Hongkong of the South”. It is the regional center of Zamboanga Mindanao.

There are many cities in Mindanao which puts Mindanao Philippines in the good limelight despite of the dark light thrown upon its regions due to rebels hiding within its forest and abducting tourist and locals alike. Anyone could still invest their money and time to it despite of the negative reports about it.

Come and visit beautiful Mindanao in the Philippines!

From the Philippines’ conglomerated culture into its division island per island, the Philippines sprang up a multitude of colorful variety of festivals within the entire archipelago. Each island and places in the Philippines are proud to have their respective colorful festivals they could contribute to Philippines’ culture and tourist’s attractions. Their respective festivals have sprung up in accordance to the culture they have influenced by the conquering foreigners then.

So therefore, if you are planning to discover what festal activities Filipinos are busy of Here are our lists of them that you could reckon.

January Festivities

1. First of All, the Sto.Nino Festival – this festival is held almost nationwide, however it is mostly revel at Cebu Philippines. In Cebu Philippines it is called Sinulog Festival. This festival is held by dressing a two hundred Sto.Nino statue (they called Child Jesus) in many different ways and parades them on the streets or held processions of them.
2. The Bulaklakan Festival – this Philippine festival is held during January 01 at Muntinlupa City Manila Philippines. It is a yearly parade of different flowers.
3. The Feast of the Black Nazarene – this feast is held at Quiapo Manila Philippines during January 09 at Quiapo church wherein a black Nazarene statue is being parade and millions of devotees of it flock into this statue to ask blessing. Believing that this black Nazarene statue have powers to heal and bless them once they touch it.
4. Biniray Festival – this Philippine festival is also called Ati-Atihan Festival. This festival is held every January 09 at Romblon Philippines. This festival is similar with Sto.Nino festival – a feast in honor of Sto.Nino. However, there are also similar festivals like this across the Philippines. That is, Ati-atihan in Aklan, Dinagyang Festival in Iloilo Philippines, Halaran Festival of Capiz Philippines, Binirayan Festival of Antique Philippines, and MassKara Festival of Bacolod Philippines. It seems they copied one another, but anyway it is still in the Philippines.
5. The Lingayen Gulf Landing Anniversary or Commemoration – this activity is held at Lingayen Pangasinan during January 09. This celebrates the return of General Douglas MacArthur at the shore of Lingayen on January 09, 1945.This historical return marks the liberation of Pangasinan Philippines from Japanese occupation.
6. Coconut Festival – this Philippine festival is held at San Pablo Laguna Philippines. It is celebrated in a “mardi-gras celebration” to pay tribute to Laguna Philippines’ main crop – the Coconut.
7. Caracol Festival – held every January 19 at Glorietta Makati city Philippines. This festival invites anyone to come out of their respective shell (Caracol : Spanish term for snail) and make revelry and merrymaking.
8. Chinese New Year – held at January 30 –February 2 at almost nationwide but basically at Binondo Philippines and at Chinese garden at Rizal Park at Manila Philippines.

February Festivities

1. National Arts Month –tribute to Filipino talents and creativity, held at Cultural Center of the Philippines, Manila Philippines.
2. Kite Festival – held during February 02 at Dumaguete City Philippines in Mariano Perdices Memorial Coliseum. Every year a kite flying competition held here.
3. Pamulinawen – this festival is held in honor of Saint William the Hermit at Laoag city, Ilocos Norte Philippines during February 2 -11.
4. Chinese Food Festival – in celebration of Chinese New Year held at Makati city during February 03 -05.

The Visayas Pride: Cebu Philippines

Cebu Philippines is the Visayan counterpart of the Philippines’ Northern or Luzon Pride, the Manila Philippines. Similarly, both are the capital city of their respective regions in the Philippine archipelago. Moreover, both have historical importance in the Philippine history and their phoenix-like ascension from the rubble and ashes of their past historical deaths.

Before Cebu Philippines become the known city of the Visayan region today and before it was discovered by Magellan and his colleagues, it is just an island of commerce by the natives inhabited by it. The natives call it Sugbo or Zubu. Magellan perchance stumbles upon it by just a mere purpose of Trade and his search for the Spice Islands. This consequently brought the famous Philippine historical tale of Magellan-Lapu-Lapu war. Lapu-Lapu then become the heroic figure of Cebu wherein he was immortalized in the history of Cebu,in the famous shrine of Magellan Cross in the Cebu city itself, and a statue in his similitude erected at Punta Engano Mactan island Cebu Philippines. This is called the Lapu-Lapu Shrine which has a 20 meter bronze statue in his similitude.

However, despite that Lapu-Lapu’s heroic deeds against Magellan who conquered their islands, Magellan’s indoctrination of Roman Catholicism among the natives of Cebu becomes ironically the most embrace and capital religion of Cebuanos, though Lapu-Lapu who have his own religion struggle to fight against the influence of Magellan to their islands. It seems, virtually, Lapu-lapu’s fight is not honored by the Cebuanos.

That is just a part of what you can expect when you arrive at the Cebu islands – vestiges of Spanish conquest and influence. Like Manila Philippines, Cebu has also some tourist spots which tourist flocks. For example, the Lapu-Lapu Shrine which we have mention above. Moreover, there are also beautiful beaches and Hotels as well in the islands which tourists could expect. There is also diving safaris along the coastlines of the island, which a diving enthusiast tourist could enjoy.

There are also Spanish inspired festivities held in Cebu which a tourist could enjoy, like the famous Sinulog festival held every January 3 in honor of the graven- image of Señor Santo Niño de Cebu which Magellan has brought into Cebu culture. The Kadaugan sa Mactan festival is the re-enactment of the historic battle between Lapu-Lapu and Magellan held every 27th of April at the Mactan island. The Nuestra Señora de Regla Fiesta held every November 20 to 21 at Lapu-Lapu city. There are other festivities which Cebuanos and tourist alike could enjoy you could check them up on Cebu’s travel guide when you arrive there.

As we have said earlier above that Cebu and Manila have similarities with each other, like Manila, Cebu Philippines is the main center of trade and commerce in the Visayan region of the Philippines. Consequently because of its availability and viability to trade and do commerce on it, for it has become so since back then on its earliest histories, Cebu Philippines has become the business shipping capital of the Philippines. For 80 % of Philippines domestic and international shipping is located in it. Major Industries were located on it, similarly to Manila, like the Pentax Corporation, Timex Philippines, Mitsumi, Olympus, Tsuneishi Heavy Industries, NEC Technologies, Lexmark International, Lexmark Philippines Inc., Aboitiz Group of Companies, Gaisano Group of Companies, Norkis Group of Companies, and so many other multinational companies.

Cebu Philippines have its own domestic airlines,The Cebu pacific airlines.