This Week in Cebu (September 11 to 17, 2017)

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar has announced that the fourth Mactan-Mandaue Bridge will be constructed between Cansaga Bay, Consolacion and Pusok, Lapu-Lapu City. Once complete, the 420-m. bridge is expected to alleviate existing traffic problems in the Mactan–Mandaue Bridge and Marcelo Fernan Bridge. The development will go together with the Cebu International Container Port in Tayud, Consolacion, which has already been given the green light by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

On the other hand, the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) is scheduled to start construction after contract awarding scheduled last August.

Tops Lookout is one of the most popular destinations for locals and tourists in Cebu City. With Top of Cebu Restaurant, people will go uphill to Busay not only for sightseeing, but for going on a food trip, too. Located 2,000 feet above sea level, diners can choose from a variety of Filipino, American, and French dishes while enjoying the panoramic view of the city. The restaurant is located just beside Tops Lookout and is accessible by habal-habal (motorcycle for hire) or private car.

Adding to the list of flower gardens in Cebu is Buwakan ni Alejandra (Flower Garden of Alejandra) in Sitio Bunga, Brgy. Gaas, Balamban. The garden boasts of 200 species of local flowers, which the owner’s husband landscaped into the area to produce a scenic view. The garden had its soft opening in May and is slowly gaining popularity among tourists and locals.

Buwakan ni Alejandra is open from 7:00 Am to 5:00 PM Mondays to Sundays. It is accessible by van-for-hire from Ayala Center Cebu or by private vehicle. Entrance is at PhP50 for adults and PhP20 for children.

Dried mangoes and danggit (salted, sun-dried rabbitfish) are popular take-home gifts or pasalubong items from Cebu. For travelers who want unique pasalubong, one option is DriveMeNuts! Peanut Chips. The chips are made of ground raw peanuts, glucose, and salt. It comes in three variants: original, chocolate, and white chocolate. With zero trans-fat and no preservatives, it’s also a healthy snack.

DriveMeNuts! Peanut Chips retail at PhP55 to PhP150. They are sold at District 32 in Mactan-Cebu International Airport, select SM Supermarket branches, select SaveMore Market branches, and Shell Select convenience stores.

CM Black Light Cebu, one of grandest events by Color Manila, is slated for September 16, from 8:30 PM to 11:00 PM at Cebu Business Park. Runners can choose to participate in the 3K, 5K, or 10K run. Interested participants can register onsite at RUNNR in Ayala Center Cebu until September 12, or through the Color Manila website. Race kit prices range from PhP650 to PhP1,200 and can be bought at SM City Cebu, SM City Consolacion, and SM Seaside City Cebu.

The weather for this week will be consistently marked with thunderstorms, mostly in the afternoon. Monday and Tuesday will be cloudy with stray thunderstorms. The weather for the rest of the week will be partly sunny with a thunderstorm looming ahead. The lowest temperature will be at 24 °C, while the highest will be at 33 °C.

The public can expect rotational power outage as the Visayas grid continues to suffer from power generation deficiency. Through their Facebook page, The Visayan Electric Company (VECO) advised last Sep. 5 that the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) issued a red alert warning for the Visayas grid due to said deficiency. The sudden shutdown of the solar power plants in Negros, Palm Concepcion Power plant, and Toledo Power Co. prompted VECO to implement rotational brownouts which lasted for 1.5 hours in some areas of Mandaue, Minglanilla, Naga, Consolacion, Cebu City, and Talisay City.