Siargao port construction gains positive reviews

6/23/09 - The present administration is now in full gear for the rehabilitation and construction of new seaports to provide convenient transport facilities to domestic and foreign tourists in the country.

In Siargao, having been known as the surfing capital of the Philippines, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) – Port Management Office in Surigao bared several port projects in Surigao del Norte slated for expansion or rehabilitation.

These include the rehabilitation of causeway in the port of Sta. Monica in Siargao Island, a six hundred (600) meters long and six (6) meters wide concrete Causeway project amounted to P40Million. It was reported that some portions of the causeway were already damaged as evidenced by massive cracks.

Another is the construction of new port in Pilar town in Siargao Island with a total estimated budget of P30Million. The scope of work covers the construction of wharf and RO-RO ramp with a back-up area and a drainage system plus port lighting system.

Dredging of channel (waterway) in the port of Del Carmen, municipality of Del Carmen, Surigao del Norte amounted to P50 Million. Re-channeling of waterway in Brgy. Consolacion in Dapa amounted to P3Million. Another dredging of channel (waterway) in Dapa port amounted to P38Million.

Still in Dapa, the construction of new port in Brgy. Jubang amounted to P75 Million. It covers the construction of wharf and RO-RO ramp with a back-up area and a drainage system plus port lighting system.

After hearing the news about the new port project currently undertaken by PPA in Brgy. Jubang, Aling Nita Libay of Brgy. Jubang could not help but express her gratitude to the Arroyo administration for the support they have given.

“I believe these port projects in Siargao will have a big impact especially here in our barrio,” Aling Nita said adding that the project is a tool for the community’s development.

Meanwhile, Sixto Virtudazo in Pilar town believed that with the proposed construction of the new port in the game fishing capital, it is now easier for the local and foreign tourists to reach them.

“Mahayahay na isab karajaw an amo pagkadto sa Surigao kun magdaya kami nan mga butang didto. Salamat karajaw sa ini na proyekto. (It is also easier for us to reach Surigao City if we bring goods there. Thank you very much for this project),” he said.

Indeed, even local officials here are confident that with the construction and rehabilitation of these ports and terminal facilities, traveling to these seaports is now convenient not just to the local and foreign tourists but also to the people living in the area. (PIA-Surigao del Norte)

Read More

Siargao Fiesta

Jan 15-16   DAPA

                    Poblacion 1 to 13 - Dapa

Jan 25-26      Brgy. Consolacion - Pilar

Mar 18-19     Brgy. San Miguel - Dapa

                    Brgy. San Jose - Del Carmen

Mar 20-21  SAN BENITO

Apr 4-5       Brgy. Esperanza - Del Carmen

                    Brgy. Jaboy - Pilar

                    Brgy. Malinao - Gen. Luna

                    Brgy. Pelaez - San Isidro

                    Brgy. Rizal - Sta. Monica

Apr 9-10      Brgy. Halian - Del Carmen

                    Brgy. Sering - Socorro

Apr 19-20    Brgy. Salog - Socorro

Apr 25-26     Brgy. Buhing Kalipay - San Isidro

                    Brgy. Mahayahay - Del Carmen

Apr 30 & May 1  Brgy. Alegria - Sta. Monica

                    Brgy. Mabuhay - Del Carmen

                    Brgy. Tawin-Tawin - Gen. Luna

May 1-2      Brgy. Del Pilar - San Isidro

May 2-3      Brgy. Bailan - Sta. Monica

                    Brgy. Datu - Pilar

                    Brgy. Sta. Cruz - Socorro

May 3-4      Brgy. Matin-ao - Burgos

May 4-5      Brgy. Sta. Paz - San Isidro

May 9-10    Brgy. Bitaug - Burgos

May 11-12  Brgy. Dumoyog - Del Carmen

May 12-13  Brgy. Garcia - Sta. Monica

MAY 14-15 SAN ISIDRO

                    Brgy. Cabawa - Dapa

                    Brgy. Cabugao - Del Carmen

                    Brgy. Consuelo - Gen. Luna

                    Brgy. Nueva Estrella - Socorro

May 15-16    Brgy. Del Carmen - San Isidro

                    Brgy. Mabini - Sta. Monica

                    Brgy. Del Pilar - Socorro

                    Brgy. San Carlos - Dapa

May 19-20    Brgy. Honrado - Socorro

                    Brgy. Salvacion - Pilar

                    Brgy. Sayak - Del Carmen

May 21-22  Brgy. Pilaring - Pilar

May 22-23  Brgy. Mabuhay - Pilar

May 24-25  Brgy. La Januza - Gen. Luna

                    Brgy. Tigasao - San Isidro

                    Brgy. Bay-ang - Socorro

May 25-26  Brgy. Doña Helen - Socorro

                    Brgy. Sta. Felomina - Dapa

                    Brgy. Caub - Del Carmen

May 26-27    Brgy. Songcoy - Socorro

May 29-30    Brgy. Antilpolo - Del Carmen

May 30-31    Brgy. Katipunan - Pilar

Jun 4-5        Brgy. Tambacan - San Isidro

Jun 6-7        Brgy. Cancohoy - Del Carmen

Jun 7-8        Brgy. Sta. Fe - Dapa

Jun 8-9        Brgy. Catangnan - Gen. Luna

Jun 10-11    Brgy. Neuvo Campo - San Benito

                    Brgy. Sto. Niño - San Isidro

Jun 11-12    Brgy. Maasin - Pilar

Jun 12-13    Brgy. Corridor - Dapa

                    Brgy. Quezon - Del Carmen

                    Brgy. San Miguel - San Isidro

Jun 13-14    Brgy. Macapagal - San Isidro

Jun 14-15    Brgy. Corazon - Gen. Luna

                    Brgy. Jamoyaon - Del Carmen

                    Brgy. San Mateo - Burgos

Jun 16-17    Brgy. Jubang - Dapa

                    Brgy. Asinan - Dapa

Jun 17-18    Brgy. Suyangan - Gen. Luna

Jun 18-19    SOCORRO

                    Brgy. Navarro - Socorro

                    Brgy. Rizal - Socorro

                    Brgy. Taruc - Socorro

Jun 21-22    Brgy. Daku - Gen. Luna

Jun 23-24    Brgy. Katipunan - Del Carmen

                    Brgy. San Juan - San Benito

                    Brgy. Caridad - Pilar

                    Brgy. Pamosaingan - Socorro

Jun 25-26    Brgy. Dagohoy - Dapa

                    Brgy. Lobogon - Del Carmen

Jun 26-27    Brgy. Buenavista - Dapa

                    Brgy. Magsaysay - Gen. Luna

                    Brgy. Roxas - San Isidro

                    Brgy. Sta. Fe - Gen. Luna

                    Brgy. Tambo - Sta. Monica

Jun 28-29    Brgy. Bitoon - Del Carmen

                    Brgy. Don Paulino - Dapa

                    Brgy. Mabini - Pilar

                    Brgy. Maribojoc - San Benito

Jun 29-30    Brgy. Abad Santos - Sta. Monica

Jul 2-3         Brgy. Anajawan - Gen. Luna

Jul 14-15     Brgy. Cabitoonan - Gen. Luna

Jul 15-16     DEL CARMEN

Jul 21-22     Brgy. Magsaysay - Sta. Monica

Jul 25-26     BURGOS

Jul 26-27     Brgy. Sta. Cruz - Gen. Luna

Jul 27-28     Brgy. Libertad - Sta. MOnica

Jul 28-29     Brgy. Punta - Pilar

Jul 30-31     Brgy. Libertad - Gen. Luna

Aug 15-16   Brgy. San Roque - Socorro

                    Brgy. Bagakay - Dapa

                    Brgy. San Roque - Pilar

Aug 17-18    Brgy. Baybay - Burgos

Aug 27-28   STA. MONICA

                    Brgy. Mabuhay - Sta. Monica
                    Brgy. T. Arlan - Sta. Monica

Sep 1-2       Brgy. Consolacion - Dapa

Sep 17-18   Brgy. Monserrat - Dapa

Sep 21-22   GENERAL LUNA

                    Pob. 1 to 5 - Gen. Luna

Sep 24-25   Brgy. Sudlon - Socorro

Sep 27-28   Brgy. Dayaohay - Pilar

Sep 28-29   Brgy. Cambas-ac - Dapa

Sep 30 & Oct 1 Brgy. Bongdo - San Benito

Oct 6-7        Brgy. San Fernando - Del Carmen

                    Brgy. Osmeña - Dapa

Oct 11-12   PILAR

Oct 13-14    Brgy. Tuboran - Del Carmen

Dec 7-8       Brgy. Centro - Pilar

Dec 24-25   Brgy. Pacifico - San Isidro


Note: For corrections about the details above please contact us.

Read More

Australian wins 3rd Siargao Int’l Women Surfing Cup

5/25/09 - Two time runner-up World Champion Serena Brooke of Australia surfed her way to victory during the recently concluded 3rd Siargao International Women Cup held on May 11 to 14, 2009 at Cloud 9, Brgy. Catangnan, this town.

Brooke surfed away with a hefty US$2,000 check for the win defeating 23 other women tube riders from Australia, China, Japan, United States and some local folks of Siargao, Baler in Quezon, and La Union province.

During the closing ceremony held recently at the town’s boulevard, Brooke thanked the people of Siargao for their hospitality and warm welcome.

The veteran professional surfer made the crowd pleased when she donated half of her prize to the local women surfers of Siargao.

Other winners proclaimed include Philippa Anderson of Australia who finished in second place with US$1,000 prize. Behind Anderson, Erina Tanaguchi and Kim Wooldrige came in third, Brooke Farris, Nildie Rittenbach, Manel Alcala and Daisy Valdez in fifth.

Special awards also include “Highest Filipina Out of the Money” went to Nielvie Blancada, Mocca Edmusa, Michey Galang and Karen Betsayda. Best Wipeout Award went to Misha Luechinger.
The 3rd Siargao International Women Cup is proudly supported by the Provincial Government of Surigao del Norte with support from the Department of Tourism. (PIA-Surigao del Norte)

Read More

Report: Bad weather prompts Arroyo to cancel Siargao trip

5/7/09 MANILA, Philippines – Stormy weather caused by typhoon "Emong" (Chan-Hom) has forced President Arroyo to cancel her engagement in Siargao Island in Surigao del Norte Thursday.

Bombo Radyo reported that while the weather in Siargao is fair, it is inclement in Luzon, from where she is scheduled to take a flight for the island.

A Malacañang statement on Wednesday said President Arroyo was to formally open a sea fishing derby by flinging a baited fishing hook into the Siargao Island waters.

The sea fishing derby is designed to establish and promote Siargao Island not only as a game fishing capital for local and international anglers but also as a favorite tourism destination and surfing paradise.

It is expected to make Siargao Island break into the tourist industry's lexicon of "must visit" destinations. - GMANews.TV

Read More

Cebu Pacific beefs up Cebu hub operations anew; re-opens Siargao airport

3/11/09 - Low-fare airline Cebu Pacific (CEB) will start flying directly from Cebu to Siargao on March 4, providing travelers from the Visayas and Mindanao regions easy access to internationally-renowned surfing sites.

The airline will re-open Siargao airport with a thrice weekly service: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, sparing travelers to the surfing destination a three-hour bus ride and ferry from Surigao City, Surigao del Norte. CEB is the only airline flying this route.

Last March 3, CEB also started a thrice weekly direct service between Cebu and Dumaguete, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

The lowest available year-round 'Go Lite' fare for Cebu-Siargao and Cebu-Dumaguete starts from P1,188 and P688, respectively.

Candice Iyog, CEB VP for marketing and distribution, said, "The country has so many world-class natural attractions. Cebu Pacific strives to provide ample and convenient access to these sites in order to encourage tourist arrivals and economic development in these destinations."

CEB will further intensify its Cebu hub operations by expanding its Cebu-Ozamiz service from four times weekly to a daily service. The airline will also increase its Cebu-Cagayan de Oro service from 28 times weekly to 36 times weekly, with the help of an additional Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday evening service.

The airline is also offering a Manila-Siargao connection via Cebu. The lowest available 'Go Lite' through fare for this route starts from P2,188.

CEB continues to be the largest airline operating from Mactan Cebu International Airport. From Cebu, it flies to 19 domestic destinations and four international cities.

Now on its 13th year, CEB continues to have the youngest aircraft fleet in the Philippines, comprised of 11 Airbus A320, 10 Airbus A319, and seven ATR 72-500. (Michelle de Guzman, Cebu Pacific/PIA-Surigao del Norte)

Read More

Google Earth 5.0 maps Philippine seas, visits Mars

2/9/09 - Filipinos interested in exploring the country's mysterious underwater attractions should look no further than their own computers with the launch of Google Ocean, a new feature that enables users of Google Earth to dive beneath the water surface, explore 3D underwater terrain and browse ocean-related content contributed by leaders in ocean science and advocacy.

According to Google CEO Eric Schmidt, Ocean in Google Earth combines underwater terrain and expert content to provide users with an opportunity to explore some of the most difficult-to-reach parts of the world. In developing Google Ocean, the company used sonar data from the US Navy, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association and others to create a visual representation of the topographic landscape hidden beneath the sea.

Google Ocean users can now see vivid images of Apo Reed, explore famous Philippine dive spots like Siargao's Cloud Nine and Boracay's Bulabog Lagoon and see videos, images and articles about the exotic marine life of the region.

"With this latest version of Google Earth you can not only zoom into whatever part of our planet’s surface you wish to examine in closer detail, you can now dive into the world’s ocean that covers almost three-quarters of the planet and discover new wonders that had not been accessible in previous versions of this magical experience," said Al Gore at the launch event in San Francisco.

"Moreover, with the new historical imagery feature, you can look back in time and see for yourself the unprecedented pace of change taking place on the Earth — largely because of human influences. For example, you can watch the melting of the largest glacier in Glacier National Park--the Grinnell Glacier—image by image, for the last decade."

Dr. Michael Coyne, Director of seaturtle.org, said the new Google Ocean will add an important new dimension to tracking of all ocean wildlife, including sea turtles, whales, sharks, birds and seals. "Google Earth is a great way for researchers to visualize wildlife tracking data and Google Ocean allows us to see how marine animals move in relation to their environment," he stated.

"Google Ocean is revolutionary for our research, an amazing educational tool and it's just plain cool. It's the next best thing to being in the ocean itself," added Dr. Wallace J. Nichols, a research associate at California Academy of Sciences.

The Ocean feature is on by default in the newest version of Google Earth. As users zoom in on the ocean they will see a dynamic water surface, and once they dive beneath the surface they can navigate 3D sea floor terrain. The feature includes 20 content layers, containing information contributed by the world's leading scientists, researchers, and ocean explorers. These include:

* An "Explore the Ocean" layer containing photos and videos about ocean hot spots around the world contributed by over 80 individuals and organizations

* A National Geographic Magazine geo-quiz and overlays from their new Atlas of the Ocean

* Videos from the archives of Jacques Cousteau, featuring never-before-seen footage of historic ocean expeditions

"What this project helped me begin to understand," said John Hanke, Director of Google Earth and Maps, "is the role the ocean plays in global climate change and the impact that humans are having on the oceans and the creatures that live in it. It was a serious omission on our part not to include a better treatment of the oceans when we launched Google Earth, and I'm very happy that we've been able to address that. We now have a good substrate for publishing and exploring data about the 'other' two-thirds of the planet."

The new feature was developed in close collaboration with oceanographer and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Sylvia Earle and an advisory council of leading ocean advocates and scientists.

"I cannot imagine a more effective way to inspire awareness and caring for the blue heart of the planet than the new Ocean in Google Earth, " said Earle.

"For the first time, everyone from curious kids to serious researchers can see the world, the whole world, with new eyes. In a stroke, Google Earth brings life and character to the blue part of the planet, and makes obvious the many ways land, water, atmosphere and living systems connect. Many 'aha!' moments are sure to come as people discover new patterns, new correlations, and countless personal discoveries while vicariously diving into the waters of the world."

Also launched today were several new features of Google Earth, including:

Historical imagery: In previous versions of Google Earth, users could only view only one set of imagery for a given location. Now users can activate a time slider to see both new and older satellite imagery from around the globe, enabling them to observe a single location's development over time.

Touring is a simple new way for users to create narrated tours of imagery and content in Google Earth. By simply pressing the "record" button, users can fly from place to place, zoom in or out and click on content balloons, providing voiceover narration along the way. Whether creating a tour of one's family home or an in-depth study of environmental change, the tours are easy to create and even easier to share.

Mars 3D is the latest stop on Google's virtual tour of the galaxy. Users can travel to Mars with the click of a button and see high resolution imagery and 3D terrain. They can fly to the top of Olympus Mons, the tallest volcano in our solar system, read geo-located excerpts about different locations on the planet from A Traveler's Guide to Mars, observe where various Mars Rovers and Landers have touched down and much more.

GPS Tracking - Previously only available in the Plus and Pro versions of Google Earth, now all users can upload tracks from GPS devices to Google Earth, making it easy to visualize and record running, hiking and biking routes.

Google Earth 5.0 is now available in 40 languages (previously 26), including Filipino, as well as, English, French, Italian, German, Spanish (Spain), Spanish (Latin America), Dutch, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian, Polish, Turkish, Thai, Arabic, Swedish, Finnish, Danish, Portuguese (Portugal), Romanian, Hungarian, Hebrew, Indonesian, Czech, Greek, Norwegian, Vietnamese, Bulgarian, Croatian, Lithuanian, Slovak, Slovenian, Serbian, Catalan, Latvian, Ukrainian, and Hindi. (abs-cbnnews)

Read More

One of RP’s brightest options to speed up economic development

1/30/09 - Tourism, now one of Southeast Asia’s major dollar earners, is among the Philippines’ brightest options to speed up its economic development and hasten the attainment of the goal to become a First World country in the next two decades.

There are a lot of things positively going for Philippine tourism. For one, Filipinos are natural tourism assets themselves — warm and hospitable and are largely at home with English, the world’s language of business.

Their being largely Christians also gives them instant affinity with Christians from the United States and several European nations, the country’s traditional markets.

The Philippines is never short of natural attractions, which are among the best in the world. Centuries of foreign rule has enriched its history and culture, which are now reflected in a wealth of historical sites and cultural festivals.

Some of the country’s major tourism destinations which annually receive more foreign visitors as well as those that show great potentials have been designated as priority areas by the national government and programmed for more intensive promotion and infrastructure development.

The tourism destinations are mostly found in Clark-Subic areas, Metro Manila-Tagaytay, the Cordilleras, Ilocos region, Cebu-Bohol-Siargao, Northern Palawan, Boracay and Davao.

Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano said the plan to fast-track the promotion and development of these different areas had earlier been identified and included in President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s 10-point “legacy agenda.”

The country’s identified target tourist markets are South Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore for the short haul, and North America, the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany and France for the long haul.

This year, DOT has targeted three million tourist arrivals. This figure is projected to increase to five million by 2010. The five million tourist arrivals will translate into more revenues for the country.

”Assuming each visitor spends at least US$ 1,000 here, then that’s as much as the $ 6 billion to $ 8 billion in overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) remittances that have been propping up the economy for years,” Durano said.

Tourist arrivals rose by 3.98 percent to 2,607,118 in the 10-month period from January to October this year, from 2,507,738 in the same period last year. North America (comprising of Canada, Mexico and the USA) remain the top sources of visitors to the country, with 559,484 arriving for the first 10 months, followed by Korea (515,394), Japan (305,543), China (140,685) and Taiwan (103,134).

Figures from the United Nations World Trade Organization (UNWTO) indicate that in 2020, tourist arrivals is forecast to rise to 1.6 billion from 843 million in 2006. In the Asia-Pacific region, tourism is forecast to rise to 397 million in 2020 from 167 in 2006. A 7.3 percent annual growth rate in intra-regional traffic is projected by the year 2020.

The ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) region has also strong growth prospects. Arrivals in the region is forecast to increase to 136 million by 2020, while the growth in intra-regional traffic will rise to about 7.7 percent by the year 2020.

The beaches and the dive sites of Cebu, Bohol, Siargao, Palawan and Boracay are frequented by Koreans and Japanese. Laoag and Vigan are favorite destinations of the Taiwanese because of its proximity to Taipei and the availability of direct flights between Kaoshiung and Taipei and Laoag International Airport, aside from the various natural, cultural and historical attractions.

Mainland Chinese, on the other hand, prefer entertainment centers like casinos and world-class business and investment facilities and opportunities being offered by Manila, Tagaytay, Clark and Subic.

Cebu City, known as the “Queen City of the South” and center of business and trade in Central Philippines, is also the springboard of tourism in the Visayas. One of Cebu’s major attractions is the cross planted by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan on April 14, 1521.

The 1,268 haystack mounds popularly known as the Chocolate Hills are the main attractions of Bohol. Also of special interest is the Tarsier, the smallest primate found only in the province.

Siargao, situated in northeastern Mindanao, is Asia’s “surfers’ paradise.” Located there is the so-called “Cloud Nine” which is the best known surfing break. Siargao enjoys the world reputation of being on the “Top Surfing Waves.”

Metro Manila is the gateway to the “magical islands” of the Philippines. It combines the rhythmic cadence of the horse-drawn calesas with the pulsating beat of dazzling nightlife, high-tension discos, bards, restaurants and 24-hour diners.

Palawan is known as the Philippines’ last frontier. It has perfect spots for swimming, scuba diving and other water sports. El Nido beach is still the loveliest place where to commune with unspoiled nature’s beauty.

Boracay remains the favorite and number one tourist destination in the country. Its seemingly endless stretch of fine white sand beaches, clear blue waters and serenity are alluring characteristics of the island that attract many visitors from all over the world.

When in Laoag, don’t forget to visit the old churches and the preserved heritage houses in the Ilocos and relive the ambiance of the 18th century. While in Ilocos, visitors may also feel the heat of the sand dunes of Calayab, the “Sahara Desert of the North” and marvel over the beauty of Lake Paoay, visit and see the torture chambers in Sarrat and Bacarra as well as the Cape Bojeador Lighthouse in Pagudpud.

Davao is the biggest city in the world in terms of size. Its beauty and wealth is partly vested in its vast greenery and mountain ranges and virgin forests, fertile valleys and coastal planes.

While the DOT will spearhead the task of promoting these destinations, other national government departments will complement the effort by providing necessary infrastructures to make the tourist sites more accessible and pleasantly convenient. (PNA)

Read More

Idol, Friendster top Pinoy's Yahoo search

1/28/09 - How does one describe a Filipino—the common name for an about 90-million population, a tenth of which are overseas and the remainder spread in 17 regions and 81 provinces, each one as different as the next?

With the newest Yahoo! Philippines Top Searches 2008, which revealed the most-searched items by Filipinos on the Internet, one might start with the word varied.

From celebrities—real or not—to vacation spots and even job opportunities, Filipinos clearly mine the Internet for a wide range of topics.

Overall, at least 20 million registered Internet users in the Philippines unknowingly decided to put US reality TV show American Idol, island getaway Boracay, child singer Charice Pempengco, social media site Friendster, hit movie High School Musical 3, jobs (as in work), SM Mall of Asia, actress Marian Rivera, the capsized MV Princess of the Stars and the Beijing Olympics among the top 10 most-searched items.

Dividing the search terms by category still offered no respite as Filipinos seemed more eclectic by this metric. While entertainment-related items dominated most of the nine categories, which ranged from technology to travel, Filipinos have also shown particular interest to world events like the US presidential elections and job opportunities outside the country.

For news, Filipinos tapped their keyboards for US President-elect Barack Obama, blogger Brian Gorrell, recently kidnapped journalist Ces Drilon, the China milk scandal and ZTE scandal, as well as the seven wonders of nature, among others.

Celebrity hawks favored local actress Angel Locsin, superstar Angelina Jolie, TV show Heroes star Hayden Panettiere, Brunei-born actor Wu Chun and singer Vanessa Hudgens, among others.
Foreign TV shows slightly beat local ones as the most searched for by Filipinos. Amazing Race Asia, American Idol, Gossip Girl, Hannah Montana, Prison Break and Heroes were pitted against local counterparts Dyesebel, Pinoy Big Brother, Pinoy Dream Academy and Marimar.

Singers Arnel Pineda, David Cook, the Jonas Brothers, Rihanna, Sarah Geronimo and Avril Lavigne were among those who dominated in the music category.

Tech-savvy surfers favored the Asus eee PC computer, Apple’s iPhone, online encyclopedia Wikipedia, Pag-asa weather forecast, board-exam results and the ubiquitous YouTube, among others.

Under recreation, people turned to boxing champ Manny Pacquiao, basketball star Chris Tiu, video-game Grand Theft Auto, the Olympics 2008, tennis star Maria Sharapova and, curiously, the Rubik’s Cube, among others.

Recession or not, travel fiends hit the information highway to search for mountain city Baguio, beach-ridden Bohol, Palawan, Siargao and Puerto Galera, as well as the Queen City of the South Cebu, to name a few.

For the “my flavor” category, Filipinos raised TV show Deal or No Deal, YouTube stars Moymoy Palaboy, reality TV shows Pinoy Fear Factor and Survivor Philippines, among others, to the very top.

Meanwhile, Filipino surfers gave new meaning to the category Sari-sari (miscellaneous) when they searched for currency converters, diet recipes, gaming blog “RAN online,” cartoon show Naruto, Philippine newspapers, online games, Philippine holidays, Hollywood movie Transformers and, quite ominously, “work abroad.”

Tough times may be ahead but using the Internet is a relatively low-cost endeavor. Filipinos may be a diverse bunch but if they share something in common, it’s that irresistible notion of getting something at a bargain, a feature the Internet offers in spades. (abs-cbnnews)

Read More

Cebu Pacific flies to Catarman, Calbayog, Virac, and Cauayan Offers P500 all-in seat sale and Manila-Osaka Zero promo fare

Cebu Pacific (CEB) is set to take delivery of its seventh brand-new ATR 72-500 aircraft which it will use to fly to Catarman and Calbayog in Samar, Virac in Catanduanes, and Cauayan, Isabela starting next month.CEB will also mount additional flights for Manila-Naga from daily to 10 times weekly starting on February 14 and Manila-Busuanga from daily to 11 times weekly starting on February 15.
The new service to Catarman, Samar and Virac, Catanduanes will start on February 14; flights to Calbayog, Samar and Cauayan, Isabela will start on February 18.
Candice Iyog, CEB VP for marketing and distribution, said “We are expanding our Manila hub operations with the arrival of our brand new ATR and will make more areas accessible through our low fares and new planes.”
To mark the announcement of these additional services, CEB is offering a promotional P500 all-in ‘Go Lite’ seat sale for flights from Manila to Busuanga, Calbayog, Catarman, Cauayan, Naga and Virac. The airline has also included select Cebu hub flights to Cotabato, Dumaguete, Iloilo, Legaspi, Ozamiz, Siargao and Tacloban in the promotion.
CEB also announced a zero ‘Go Lite’ fare seat sale for its Manila-Osaka service. This is exclusive of applicable surcharges and government taxes.
The seat sale will run from January 9 to 14, 2009 and is good for travel from February 1, or the start date of respective flights, to March 31, 2009.
CEB will fly Manila-Catarman and Manila-Virac every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday; Manila-Calbayog and Manila-Cauayan on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
For flight schedules and bookings, passengers may log on to www.cebupacificair.com , call the reservations hotline (632) 70-20-888; or visit their nearest travel agent.
Now in its 13th year, CEB has the youngest aircraft fleet in the Philippines. It flies to 15 international cities and 27, soon to be 32 domestic destinations with the addition of Siargao, Catarman, Calbayog, Virac (Catanduanes), and Cauayan (Isabela) in the coming weeks. (Cebu Pacific)

Read More

About Siargao

Siargao Island is composed of 48 islands and islets-politically divided into nine municipalities: Burgos, Dapa, Del Carmen, Gen. luna, Pilar, San Benito, San Isidro, Santa Monica, and Socorro.

Siargao Island contains the largest mangrove forest reserves in Mindanao, at Del Carmen. Long stretches of wetlands indicate a potential for commercial seaweed propagation. Siargao Island is greatly influenced by the winds and currents coming uninterrupted from the Pacific Ocean, intensified by the Mindanao current running westward through the Siargao Strait.

Siargao Island is situated at a coordinate of 9°52′N, 126°03′E.

Offshore, a classic tropical island lies protected within its surrounding coral reef with dozens of coconut palms dressed in the center circle of the island. Off to the right, well within the massive coastal reef, lies a shining white sand bar, (Pansukian, or Naked island) some 200 meters long. The tide of Siargao is diurnal with tidal curves typically present, especially on the east coast of the island.

The Island's Pacific-facing reefs are situated on the edge of the Philippine Trench, and the extremely deep offshore waters assure the ocean swells have undiluted power when they encounter the many coral and rock reefs. Siargao has excellent surfing conditions, particularly during the southwest "habagat" monsoon from August to November, when the prevailing wind is offshore.

The best known surfing wave on Siargao with a worldwide reputation for thick, hollow tubes is "Cloud 9". This right-breaking reef wave is the site of the annual Siargao Cup, a domestic and international surfing competition sponsored by the provincial government of Surigao del Norte.

The tide of Siargao is diurnal with tidal curves typically present especially on the east coast of the island.

It is the Surfing Capital of the Philippines.

Siargao Municipalities

> Burgos

> Dapa

> Del Carmen

> Gen. Luna

> Pilar

> San Benito

> San Isidro

> Soccoro

> Sta. Monica

Read More