What do you do when you want to go out of Cebu City but your busy schedule won’t allow you to get that far? What do you do when your taste buds want something different and adventurous but your choices in the city is nothing but ordinary?
Embark on a food trip. Albeit a not so distant one.

Thirty minutes out of the city proper, or 45 minutes depending on how you want to enjoy the ride, is a perfect weekend foodtrip getaway – Liloan.

Liloan (in Cebu) is probably anice escape away from the city.  It’s basically the first logical stopover for a quick bite and trip to the loo (at Jollibee usually) at the first leg of your trip. Or, the last pit stop (for pasalubong of Titay’s Rosquillos and torta) on your last leg before you hit the city proper on your way back.

Of course people go to Liloan for the parola (lighthouse). But for the seasoned out-of-towner, Liloan is just one of those quaint towns reminding you that, alas, you’re out of Cebu City proper! One does not know that beneath its homely charm is a treasure trove of gustatory delights waiting to be discovered.

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Arroyo Welcomes Coca-Cola’s Decision to Stay in Philippines

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo hailed Wednesday the decision of US softdrink giant Coca-Cola Company to stay and expand its operations in the Philippines after it gained full ownership of Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines Inc.

Located in the interior portion of the village of Gabi in Cordova in Mactan island, Cordova Bay town homes are built at par with houses in middle-end subdivisions elsewhere in Cebu but sold at lower cost.

The total area of Cordova Bay Townhomes is also smaller compared to other subdivisions in Lapu-Lapu City and in other areas of Cebu.

The amenities already in the subdivision include the landscaped entrance, guardhouse, and water tank. Still to be constructed, as of late last year, are the parks and playground and clubhouse.

ERIKA. The Erika house model is a single, detached two-bedroom home that can be expanded (on some blocks only) to accommodate a third bedroom. The lot area ranges from 125 to 172 square meters, floor area ranges from 67 to 50 square meters.

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Sun.Star Cebu - Cebu’s new branding line: inspiring, gateway to Asia

INDUSTRY leaders in Cebu have decided to market the island as “a gateway to Asia.”

Tourism leaders picked “Inspiring Cebu, a gateway to Asia” as the province’s new branding tagline.

Sun.Star Cebu - French, Finnish investors eye Cebu

MEMBERS of different chambers of commerce in at least eight countries are exploring the possibility of investing in Cebu Province, with some saying they will make it a venue of their companies’ expansion.

Dominique Lebastard, chief of the economic department of the French Embassy, said it is only “logical” for businessmen to look at Cebu as an investment site considering its accessibility and skilled work force.

Manila Standard Today — Cebu Pacific’s IPO set June

Cebu Air Inc., the airline company of business tycoon John Gokongwei, has advanced its plan to conduct an initial public offering to June this year instead of next year.

Cebu Pacific will join broadcasting giant GMA Network with its plan to conduct an IPO this June.

In separate filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the legal counsels of the two companies said their clients planned to offer their shares to the public in June and asked the commission to exempt them from the submission of an audited financial report for the first quarter of 2007.

Business Visayas: Cebu’s tourism to grow with more international flights

Tourism Secretary Joseph “Ace” Durano said Cebu’s tourism development got a boost with the decision of three airlines to open more flights to the central Philippine island.

Durano said airline company China Southern will launch its Shanghai-Cebu flights that will fly three times weekly starting this May.

”That first flight is going to be fully booked,” he said during his speech at the opening last Friday of the 3rd Tourism and Lifestyle Expo at SM City Cebu.

Philippine Airlines orders 2 Boeing 777-300s and has option for 2 more

SEATTLE Philippine Airlines has ordered two 777-300 jets from Chicago-base Boeing and reserved purchase rights for two more.
The two firm orders are worth about 500 (M) million dollars at list prices, although airlines can negotiate substantial discounts. The orders and purchase rights are for extended-range versions of the 777-300 — a twin-aisle, twin-engine passenger jet.

Summer must have started here in the Philippines. Welcome sunshine!

Summer time is here and for sure beaches and vacations always come to mind during these times. Bantayan is an option for those who find Boracay too expensive or too far. Though, I personally haven’t been to Bantayan yet, I have been to Boracay though for a couple of times. But this place sure is in my wish list of places to visit.

As what I have heard Bantayan is almost like Boracay less the commercialized atmosphere. Same powdery, white sand beaches, crystal clear waters which is ideal for snorkelling or diving. There are also caves and dive spots to visit, just hire a boat to get you to the destinations you wish to visit.

By land, one can take the two-hour bus ride from the northern bus terminal in Cebu City up to San Remigo or drive your own vehicle. From there, inter-island ferries to Santa Fe in Bantayan Island and to Malapascua are available. For those who have their own vehicles the ferry charge is somewhere around P1,000++. There is also a night ferry from Cebu City to Sta. Fe; travel time is about nine hours.

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Singapore Cos to Pump US$400 MLN Into Shipbuilding Sector

Cebu’s shipbuilding industry has attracted two Singaporean firms which are planning to invest about US$400 million or roughly P19 billion in the fast-growing industry, a Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) official said.

Marina Administrator Vicente Suazo said he will facilitate the meetings between the Singaporean investors and the National Maritime Leasing Corp. (NMLC) and the Philippine Import-Export Credit Agency (Philexim).

Saudi royal family to invest in Bohol resort - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

Saudi Arabia’s royal family is buying up a chunk of Panglao Island in Bohol, where they intend to put up a six-star resort.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo herself disclosed the news in a speech at the Bohol Youth Day celebration on Saturday at the Carlos P. Garcia Sports Complex here where she also rallied support for Team Unity senatorial bets.

The President made the disclosure to prove “the Philippines has regained world confidence because of its growing economy and stabilizing politics.”

Ms Arroyo said the Saudi Arabian royal family, through its Kingdom Holdings, expressed their intention to invest $150 million in Panglao through a tie-up with Ayala Land.

Of the 10 largest shopping malls, 4 are in China, 3 in the Philippines, 1 in Malaysia, 1 in Canada, and 1 in the United States.

Out of the top five largest shopping malls in the world, the biggest 2 are in China, 2 are in the Philippines, as per Forbes magazine:

The largest is South China Mall in Dongguan, China, followed up by Golden Resources Mall in Beijing. The third is the Mall of Asia in the PHilippines, the fourth is the West Edmonton Mall in Alberta Canada, while the fifth is the SM Megamall in Mandaluyong Philippines.

The 9th largest mall is also in the Philippines - SM North Edsa Mall.

World’s 10 Largest Shopping Malls - Forbes.com