This Week in Cebu (September 11 to 17, 2016)

Residents of Cebu will enjoy a long weekend after September 12 was declared a regular holiday for the Eid’l Adha (Festival of the Sacrifice) celebration. Eid’l Adha is one of the two greatest feasts in the Islamic world. The long weekend started on September 9, which is a special non-working holiday in Cebu in honor of the late President Sergio Osmeña, Sr.

Gloomy weather will dominate as rain showers are expected to occur during the whole week. The middle of the week will be partly cloudy with a 60% chance of rain throughout the day. The rest of the week will see around 60% to 70% chances of rain as thunderstorms are expected in the last two days of the week.

Chef Tatung Sarthou brings his culinary skills to his hometown as the Original Pino Restaurant offers the From Heart to Platter lunch and dinner buffet. Diners can feast on the gastronomic masterpieces of the Cebuano chef along with popular dishes offered at the restaurant.

Now based in Manila, Chef Tatung is the resident chef of an early-morning show of one of the major television networks in the country. He also established a number of restaurants in Metro Manila.

Chef Tatung is also known for his book, Philippine Cookery: From Heart to Platter, where he introduces readers to Filipino cuisine using different basic cooking methods. The book also features a number of recipes from the chef, including adobong pusit (squid stewed in different spices), kare-kare (stewed oxtail), and tinolang manok (chicken soup).

Find out the best places to dine in while in Cebu at The Culinary Paradise of Cebu: Where to Begin? (Part 1) and The Culinary Paradise of Cebu: Where to Begin? (Part 2)

Mayor Gabriel Luis Quisumbing issued a heart alert against dengue after the Mandaue City Health Office did not receive an accurate report on a number of dengue cases. Mayor Quisumbing said city records indicated only 170 cases of dengue in Mandaue City from January to July. But the actual number of dengue cases is 550 since many of these cases have remained unreported. The mayor also tasked Dr. Edna Seno, the City Health Officer, to check on the number of dengue cases in the city. Mayor Quisumbing added that Cubacub, Labogon, and Casili have the highest number of dengue cases in the city.

Health authorities are also exercising precautions against the Zika virus. Renan Cimafranca, head of the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit Central Visayas Office of the Department of Health, said they are closely monitoring entry points for the Zika virus in Cebu, including airports and seaports.

Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) 7 Director Dr. Terence Bermejo added that measures were taken across the region to facilitate timely detection and treatment of people afflicted by the virus. The BCQ set up thermal scanners at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA). The agency also conducted insecticide spraying at the arrival area of the airport, the terminal, as well as areas within a 400-meter radius of the airport.