CEBU and DAVAO, hand in hand for a stronger Philippines!

[malaysia]

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@paulo_ortega: ikaw diay si fundraiser hehehe. nice captures of philippine scenes. no problemo about loving cebu bai, this thread is about loving the philippines thru cebu and davao, i just re-iterated the "love philippines not just cebu or davao" phrase for the newbies in this thread not for us. basin unya magtuo sila nga nagpasikatay ta dri nga in fact gi create man ni nga thread after that riotous manila, cebu and davao thread, para pod makabalo ang mga mobisita ani nga thread nga kung naa silay dili ganahan sa cebu or davao, dili ni mao nga thread ilang postingan, didto sila sa ubang thread mag post nga ang tuyo mag compare or mag pasikatay. no offense meant to ako gipost bai ha, peace...

you see this thread is full of goodies as you can see and it's very nice seeing news and pictures of cebu and davao, you can see how the philippines is developing each day. kung wala ni nga thread walay balita ang wala kaadto ug cebu or davao. so cebuanos and davaoeños continue posting news, pictures and anything under the sun basta dili lang negative.

and to all readers, especially the non-cebuanos and non-davaoeños, enjoy this side of the philippines!

[diehardbisdak]

as posted by @jimbu

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Hollywood Film Being Edited in Cebu

(9 October 2006) - Exciting things are shaping inside the editing suites of Bigfoot Entertainment as the director and editor of the newly shot film " Within " recently flew to Cebu to begin the editing of the independent feature.

"Within" is produced in tandem by FA Productions and Bigfoot Entertainment . Slated for theatrical release in summer 2007, " Within" is about a nine-year old child who, along with her father, moves to a small town to escape a terrifying past. There she befriends a girl her age. However all doesn't go well when she discovers that her new-found friend may hold a dark secret of her own.



"Within" Director Hanelle Culpepper and Editor Tirsa Hackshaw flew in all the way from Los Angeles to begin the post production work on the psychological and supernatural thriller. " Within" marks the feature directorial debut of Culpepper. Culpepper, an award-winning writer/director, has directed episodic television, including Discovery Channel's " Guilty or Innocent" in 2005, as well as worked with award-winning Screenwriter Callie Khouri ("Thelma and Louise") on her directorial feature, "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood".

Hackshaw ("The Taming of the Small" , "American Family" , "Edison") has worked with high-profile names including Bryan Singer, Joel Silver, Tom DeSanto and many others. Also a versatile screenwriter, she has written 5 feature screenplays, several short stories, and published the popular underground comic book series "K.I. - Killer Instinct" , which she has also adapted into a complete trilogy for the big screen.

"Editing Within in Cebu is going to be a thrilling process," Hackshaw explains. "Bigfoot Entertainment has everything we'll be needing to make the film the best it could possibly be, with palm trees. What more could you ask for?"

Everything from color correction, audio balancing, and special effects will be done at Bigfoot Entertainment's 20,000 sq. m. beachfront facility.

While in Cebu, both Culpepper and Hackshaw will also be conducting lectures on aspects of moviemaking to aspiring filmmakers. Culpepper's lecture will focus on the director's creative process while Hackshaw will discuss the magic of editing films.



About Bigfoot Entertainment


Bigfoot Entertainment's mission is to create an innovative, profitable and socially responsible organization and learning environment that provides quality content, products, and services for our stakeholders and the global market place.

Based in Asia, Bigfoot Entertainment is the parent company of Bigfoot Productions, Bigfoot Production Services, the International Academy of Film and Television (IAFT) and Bigfoot Partners. Through all of its divisions, Bigfoot Entertainment strives to be recognized as a globally competitive organization that provides critically acclaimed and commercially viable content as well as providing facilities, services and training to international filmmakers.

Bigfoot Entertainment's projects in Post Production include The Curiosity of Chance, an 80's teen comedy written and directed by Russell P. Marleau, and the documentary USS Cooper: The Return to Ormoc Bay. Following Irreversi, one of the next films in production for Bigfoot is the hilarious comedy feature See Dick Run, co-written by Gleissner and produced by the team behind offbeat comedy and box office hit, Napoleon Dynamite.

Bigfoot Entertainment - leaving lasting footprints in at the world of entertainment!

For more information log on to www.bigfootentertainment.com.

[diehardbisdak]

...Proudly Cebu-Made Furnitures as featured last nigh in "BANDILA" ..this piece of art is made by DEDON, a German-owned company based in Mandaue City ...can't believe they have Hollywood Stars as their customers such as Julia Roberts, Barbara Streisand and Beyonce Knowles....

[img width=500 height=225]http://www.dedon.de/img/kollektionsuebersicht/startseite_lounge.jpg[/img]


..you can see more, here: http://www.dedon.de/standorte_cb.php?Plang=en

[diehardbisdak]

.... i guess, we'll be seeing the thoroughfare of Cebu like EDSA


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MASS TRANSIT SYSTEM
KMK buses start plying Talisay-Mandaue routes
By Doris C. Bongcac
Cebu Daily News
Last updated 12:42pm (Mla time) 10/20/2006


A MANILA-based firm has brought to Cebu 15 buses to operate a mass transport system here.

Rogelio Osmeña, regional chairperson of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), said he issued a franchise for the operation of Cebu KMK Transit Corp. about two months ago.

From their garage located along Ouano Ave. at the North Reclamation Area in Mandaue City, the KMK buses are authorized to ply routes within the cities of Mandaue, Cebu and Talisay passing through the national highway.

Osmeña said he was confident that KMK operations would not draw opposition from the public utility jeepney (PUJ) drivers because the buses would be allowed to ply the main thoroughfares while the PUJs would be allowed to enter interior roads.

KMK's operation has overtaken the plans of Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña to conduct a feasibility study on the viability of having a mass transit system here that may eventually replace the Public Utility Vehicles.

Mayor Osmeña wanted to use the mass transit system in Curritiva, Brazil as a model. He has already met with World Bank representatives earlier to discuss the need for a feasibility study.

A KMK Transit employee said the firm already fielded some of its vehicles to ply their designated routes from barangay Tabunok in Talisay City to the vicinity of SuperMetro located near the Butuanon River in Mandaue City and vice-versa for a minimum fare of P8.

However, employee (who refused to be named) said that they temporarily suspended some buses to ply some routes in Mandaue City after they encountered problems with traffic enforcers.

The employee told Cebu Daily News that Traffic Efficiency and Development Management (Tedman) personnel barred their buses from using the national highway on their way to Super Metro.

The Mandaue City government earlier issued a prohibition on buses and other heavy equipment from using the national highway. These vehicles were re-routed to the North Reclamation Area to Plaridel St. then to a portion of United Nations Ave. located at the foot of the Marcelo Fernan Bridge before heading for the northern part of the city.

“Management has to settle the problem first,” the employee said.

Until an agreement is reached with the Mandaue City government, Osmeña said he would allow the KMK buses to ply routes from Talisay to the vicinity of SM City mall at the North Reclamation Area.

Osmeña said making the buses pass the vicinity of SM mall may add to the congestion in the area. But he assured that congestion would be addressed when road projects in the area are completed.

[diehardbisdak]

Sinulog pics (2006) as posted by @markiiBoi


[img width=500 height=375]http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/4894/picture004fw3.jpg[/img]


[img width=500 height=375]http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/6210/picture062tz3.jpg[/img]


[img width=500 height=375]http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/6161/picture025qa6.jpg[/img]


[img width=500 height=375]http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/879/picture027yf9.jpg[/img]


[img width=500 height=375]http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/671/picture049pg3.jpg[/img]

[bisdakgyud]

just a question mga bro, what will happen to the old sasa international airport?

[diehardbisdak]

...originally posetd by @jimbu

***************

Marco Polo Plaza

The Queen City’s newest landmark
By Rhea Catada
Manila Times

In 2005 an old run-down building that used to be the Cebu Plaza Hotel in Nivel Hills, Apas, Cebu City, was spared from demolition to serve an even bigger purpose. That is, to mark the presence of the Marco Polo Hotel Group in the Queen City of the South.

At the helm of the renovation was the 34-year-old real- estate development firm Federal Land, which found its first hotel venture as both a challenge and a key instrument to its future expansions. Overhauling a 26-year-old structure was no easy task, but at the same time the project provided the right medium for the company to make a bold statement in the hotel and real-estate industries.

“We were a bit challenged when we first saw the interiors of the building,” admits Reynaldo Villar, EVP of Federal Land. “But we were confident that this was nothing we couldn’t handle.”

With an P800-million budget, Federal Land began to renovate the edifice, with help from Recio+Casas Architectures, and opened the hotel franchise as The Marco Polo Plaza Cebu in April 2006 in time for local tourism’s peak season.

“We retained the structure but we gutted the whole building and then installed brand-new piping and electricity lines, as well as a new security system,” adds Villar, who was also appointed the hotel’s president. “We also centralized the air conditioning in the building.”

Launched in partnership with the Hong Kong-based Marco Polo Hotel Group, the Marco Polo Plaza Cebu is now a picture of grandeur.

Cebu’s newest landmark

Surrounded by 7.5 hectares of lush vegetation with landscaping by Efren Aurelio of ADI Design, Marco Polo Plaza aspires to be one of Cebu’s most prominent landmarks.

The hotel experience begins at the moment guests step into the lobby. They are immediately welcomed to an expansive space, a trademark of Marco Polo hotels.

“The overall design is inspired by the original Marco Polo Hotel interiors: grand, bright and spacious,” explains Jose Pedro Recio of Recio+Casas Architectures.

At the center, affixed to the 10-meter-high ceiling is a glorious chandelier made from Swarovski crystals, casting a subtle brilliance to the space below. Soothing ambiance music further enhances the mood, giving the guests a preview of a luxurious hotel experience.

[img width=500 height=375]http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/8452/56740435mppc2forprintingdsc031.jpg[/img]
[img width=500 height=375]http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/8213/56740433mppc2forprintingdsc031.jpg[/img]

On the right portion of the lobby is a wooden shelf full of heirloom clay jars, adding a touch of old-world elegance to the space.

[img width=500 height=375]http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/9617/56740436mppc2forprintingdsc031.jpg[/img]
[img width=500 height=375]http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/8143/56740434mppc2forprintingdsc031.jpg[/img]

“These jars are all sourced from Cebu antique suppliers,” Recio adds. “We wanted to have an effect reminiscent of the galleon trade.”

The experience

Standing at 600 feet above sea level, the 329-room hotel provides a spectacular view of the city and the Bay of Cebu. The view gets even more enchanting at night with the sparkle of city lights below.

Each room at Marco Polo Plaza sports a contemporary design, fusing European inspirations with Eastern sensibilities.

“Guest rooms were made 300 mm longer by removing the old split unit air cons,” Recio says. “The rooms now have central air conditioning and are designed with light fabrics and colors.”

Each room is equipped with opulent wood furnishings from Cebu; plush draperies and bedsheets; soft and clean beds; a comfortable, well-lit reading area; and pristine bathrooms. Suites, on the other hand, have a more spacious layout, with fluffy sofas and beds, luxurious furnishings and mood-enhancing light fixtures.

The hotel’s exuberant design extends to Café Marco, Marco Polo Hotel Group’s signature outlet. Its wooden floors and panels, earth-toned tabletops, Asian-inspired light fixtures and chair cushions of green, mustard and deep red, define the restaurant’s urban and chic ambiance. Covering 535 square meters, 400sqm are dedicated to the restaurant and 135sqm to the four show kitchens. Café Marco can seat up to 144 guests.

“The kitchens are designed to showcase the preparation of a la carte and buffet dishes,” said general manager Hans Hauri. “Expect a lot of activity and excitement from each kitchen—Asian, Japanese, Western and dessert.”

The swimming pool is also a sight to behold. The mango-shaped pool is replete with waterfalls, plus a bar offering refreshments and gourmet dishes cooked from mango wood-fired oven.

The newest addition to the hotel’s food and beverage outlets is the Lounge on the 24th floor, launched on October 6, which serves the guests of the Continental Club. Hauri calls the Continental Club a “hotel within a hotel” that embraces privacy and provides extra services to guests, such as express checkout, buffet breakfast and all-day coffee and tea.

Overall, the Marco Polo Plaza Cebu promises a one-of-a-kind experience for guests. As Hauri puts it: “Business and leisure travelers have yet another reason to come to Cebu. We can’t wait to serve them distinct Cebuano hospitality at its finest.”

[diehardbisdak]

originally posted by @jhaelnis

(update on cebu projects)

Metro Ayala Center Expansion
[img width=500 height=375]http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/9341/p1020239uz5.jpg[/img]

Cebu Boardwalk Mall Update!
[img width=500 height=375]http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/7466/p1020258ya2.jpg[/img]

Pioneer (CBP) update
[img width=500 height=375]http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/2649/p1020241zd4.jpg[/img]

Cebu Towers Commercial (CBP) update
[img width=500 height=375]http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/4515/p1020240fi4.jpg[/img]

SM City Cebu's North Building update
[img width=500 height=375]http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/1704/p1020261vj3.jpg[/img]

[img width=500 height=375]http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/7361/p1020262cw2.jpg[/img]

Crown Regency Hotel update
[img width=500 height=375]http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/6692/p1020263gw6.jpg[/img]

Sykes Update
[img width=500 height=375]http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/6738/p1020267vd5.jpg[/img]

[img width=500 height=375]http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/6661/p1020268zg5.jpg[/img]


All Photos by .:: Sinjin ::.

[diehardbisdak]

flickr.com pics by @gideon_6003

Daan Bantanyan Church







pics by @eijiro

[diehardbisdak]

...photo & text by @RUS88 of flickr.com

Casa Del Mar Golf & Dive Resort

Casa Del Mar Golf & Dive Resort is an exclusive resort located in San Remegio, Cebu (Northern Coast of Cebu). The resort is approximately 3 hours drive from Mactan International Airport. The place is very condusive for relaxation as its exclusive to members policy will definitely make sure that you get the best accommodation and a prompt service.


Mactan Shangri-la Resort & Spa

Beachfront


Cowrie Cove Bar and Restaurant


Shangri-la Pool


Garden View


Oriental Lamp Post