This Week in Cebu (January 29 to February 4, 2018)

Motorists traveling to Mandaue City this Saturday should anticipate road closures for the 25th Annual Silhig Festival. Plaridel Street, A. Sanchez Street, and S.E. Jayme Street in Brgy. Paknaan, Mandaue will be closed to traffic on February 3 from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Eight contingents would be participating in the street dancing contest for the said festival.

A beauty contest and float parade will also be held for the celebrations. The Silhig Festival aims to showcase the cottage industry generated by the silhig lanot (buri or common palm broom), which is a source of livelihood for locals.

Diners looking for Cebu lechon (roast suckling pig) and seafood in Lapu-Lapu City can head to Mactan Alfresco. This open-air food park houses various establishments offering local and international cuisine in a hawker-style setup. One of the highlights of the place is the lechon pit where customers can learn about lechon-making. Customers can also feast on crabs, shrimps, and manok Bisaya (native chicken), to name a few. Acoustic bands also perform at the food park on Thursdays and Fridays, while cultural shows are held on Saturdays and Sundays.

Locals and travelers looking for a nature-inspired getaway can head to Terra Manna Camping & Resort. Located in Lambug, Badian, Cebu, this four-ha. resort and garden is a place where visitors can do glamorous camping or glamping. They offer standard, double, and family tents for rent. Those who want to enjoy a staycation can also make use of their various accommodation options for two to six persons.

To get there, travelers can ride a bus heading to Badian from the Cebu South Bus Terminal. Travel time to Badian is approximately 3.5 to 4 hours.

The Sinulog Festival may already be over, but tourists can pick up Sto. Niño statues as pasalubong (take-home gifts) from Cebu all year round. The original Santo Niño, which is believed to date back to 1521, is kept in a glass box inside the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu. Replicas of the image of the Holy Child and other religious items can be bought at the Basilica Store in the south wing of the church. There are also other religious shops outside the entrance of the basilica which carry Sto. Niño statues of different sizes.

Dance Princess Maja Salvador will stage her fourth major show in Cebu. The Maja On Stage concert will be held this Feb. 4 at the IEC Convention Center Cebu. The show will include special guest appearances from Cebuana singer Anna Fegi and Maja’s Wildflower co-star Joseph Marco, among others. The Cebu leg of her tour will be followed up with shows in Singapore and Manila. Ticket prices range from PhP800 to PhP3,300.

Airline company Air Juan has opened a seaplane terminal at the South Road Properties (SRP). Six Cessna Grand Caravan Seaplanes will service routes going to Malapascua Island, Sumilon Island, Kalanggaman Island, Gigantes, Lakawon, Camotes, Panglao, and Anda in Bohol. This is in addition to routes going to Bantayan, Biliran, Maasin, Sipalay, Siquijor and Tagbilaran which are serviced by landplanes from Mactan Cebu International Airport. At present, only select destinations can be reached from their SRP terminal. All destinations are expected to be fully operational on March.

Local transport group Cebu Integrated Transport Cooperative (Citrasco) is set to file a petition asking for a fare hike. The group is asking the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) for an increase of PhP5.50 for jeepneys in Central Visayas. If approved, passengers would now pay twice as much for jeepney rides. The hike would set minimum fare to PhP12 from the old rate of PhP6.50. Aside from jeepney drivers, bus operators in northern and southern Cebu are also planning to increase bus fares.