Here are some of the pictures taken just today’s Christ The King 2010 in Lingayen.

Click here… or  on the Picture to see more of the memories of this year’s Christ the King 2010 in Lingayen

Despite the preparedness assured by the different agencies of our country, particularly the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council or NDRRMC (formerly known as NDCC), DOST-PAG-ASA, Philippine Coast Guard, DPWH, Department of Agriculture, Department of Education and CHED, Super Typhoon Juan seems to have beaten our best as it still manages to leave some part of our lands devastated and severely damaged. Being the first typhoon to have reached 200+ KPH over the past 2 years, this super typhoon have definitely reminded us that when the force of the nature comes down falling to us, no matter how prepared we are, destruction and damages, devastation will always be manifested.

Typhoon Juan (Internationally known as Megi) entered our area of responsibility 1:00 am of Saturday, October 16, 2010. His entrance marked the alert for our country as it is categorized as a Super Typhoon, with wind strength of 225 KPH for its center winds and gustiness of 260 KPH. All meteorological agencies, except for our PAG-ASA predicted that the typhoon would hit Cagayan when it makes its landfall for the following days. However, PAG-ASA was right when they said that the typhoon will hit the land masses of Isabela, at around 10 am to 12 noon of Monday, October 18, 2010. They were dead right because the typhoon made its landfall in Isabela at exactly 11:25 am of that day. After which, the agency predicted more that it will exit in the provinces of Ilocos Region. But a twist happened in the course of travel of this typhoon as it slowly shifted its direction for exit, aiming now at Pangasinan. So likely, parts of the country that have taken the typhoon’s strength head on were Cagayan, Isabela, Ilocos and Pangasinan. All of these countries summed up the damages left by this typhoon after ravaging our lands. The damage was estimated to be over 1 billion pesos, contributing to such is the field of agriculture, infrastructure and education. With its unprecedented strength, the typhoon also caused 10 casualties, deaths of which are attributed to drowning, being slammed by the falling trees and being hit by lightning. If not for the mountain ranges it hit when it made its landfall, the typhoon could have been more destructive as it posses strength like no other.

We should be proud that our preparedness has lessened the extent of the damages dealt to us by the attack of this calamity. But we must keep in mind that we have still experienced great lost, not only in properties, but also in lives. Let us not be complacent as calamities such as typhoon Juan could leave Philippines as a devastated land.

Photograph: Dennis M. Sabangan/EPA (www.guardian.co.uk)

After a couple of days experiencing a rainy, cloudy and windy weather, at last the weather today is much fairer. The rain stopped the wind now is lighter and we can see the sun shining. Somehow the typhoon is presently out of the country, but the effect it had caused is still well remembered. Especially in various areas of Luzon like the region 3, region 4 and the NCR where they had experienced the strongest effect and damage from that typhoon; the Typhoon Basyang.

There were houses ruined, trees billboards and electric post fall down and food crops were damaged. But worst than these devastation of properties is that this typhoon caused deaths of 18 innocent people, 20 reported deaths of fishermen and 57 more people are confirmed missing, and who knows how many more deaths and missing victims were still unreported? Though several places in Luzon is not that affected, they had also experience some problems like floods and brown outs. In all aspect it is considered that this typhoon is strong and damaging, but still we were able to survived, we must still be thankful because unlike the typhoons we had experienced last year, typhoon basyang is still not that strong compared to typhoon Emong and typhoon Ondoy. That’s why we should always watch news on TV so that we will know if there will be a typhoon that would enter again our country. We just have to be always ready and brave in facing these kinds of calamity that will come along after this typhoon basyang.

One of the most awaited dates here in the province of Pangasinan is the celebration of Pistay Dayat. Every 1^st day of May, along side with the celebration of Labor Day in the Philippines, this local festival happens. This is the time of the year when people go to different beaches and resorts in the Philippines to spend some quality time with their family and friends. I for one enjoyed this local feast and I made it happen by spending quality time with my beloved wife enjoying the sceneries just near by.

We went to the newly built Sison Auditorium. They say that it is one of the finest auditoriums in the Philippines today. To see is to believe and so we have decided to see it for our self. It was true! The design is truly of top caliber. It is hard to believe that such place do exist in this very province.

The trip was even made more enjoying for we’ve got the chance to have some picture taking with the candidates of Limgas Na Dayat 2010.This event on the other hand is the highlight of the festivity for it featured the clash of beauties and brains of Pangasinan Province.

Coming from the auditorium, we made our way to the Capitol Grounds and once again, were astonished to the great and inviting looks it possesses. The outside complex is so great that you would want to stay there for a long period of time. But that’s not all of it. Once you enter, you will again be astonished because of the interior design of the capitol building and once you get in its roof top, you will see how fine the Lingayen Beach is. All of these things are just a superficial taste of the greatness of the festivity that happens once a year in this province. Now, we can see why tourists come in here every time this celebration comes. They enjoy the great view of our place and on top of that, we make them feel like they are always welcome to come.

This event happens only once a year and so we need to enjoy it when it comes. We must exploit this opportunity to make the most out of it. Every one of us has their own way of celebrating this event. What matters in the end is that we enjoy and we are happy with the celebration of this festivity.

Hundreds have called for help but access to affected areas has been difficult if not impossible.

Some of the many Tragedies caused by “Ondoy”:

• Flooding caused by Tropical Storm Ketsana leaves up to 300,000 displaced
• More than 80 percent of capital was under water at one point Sunday
• Manila, on island of Luzon, and nearby province of Rizal bore brunt of storm
• Power, water supply fail in some areas; Roads impassable, affecting rescue efforts

Visiting Cebu is always worth the trip. We know that there is something exciting and heart-warming waiting for us. It could be a new dish we haven’t tried, a new place we haven’t visited, or new faces we would be glad to make friends with. But if there is anything we actually look forward to, time and again, it is the Cebuano hospitality.

Our Cebuano friends, old and new, always make our stay memorable. Cebu Parklane International Hotel has made its name around these parts by doing exactly that. It endeavors to represent true Cebuano hospitality by ensuring that guests are treated as friends. And we know how friends go out of their way to make us feel good, and eventually make us remember.

For sure, Parklane’s guests will remember the hotel as the go-to for casual and business affairs. The launch of Parklane’s Bridal Suite ensures that the memory will linger on. The one-of-a-kind offering features a suite that has its own Jacuzzi and television set. Indeed, a complete couple’s bathtub with audio-video facilities.

Cebu Parklane general manager Cenelyn Manguilimotan tells us since the hotel holds numerous wedding parties a month, it was with good reason that they offered a Bridal Suite.

Manguilimotan says,So we thought, why not enhance the package by presenting the couple with more than just a place to celebrate their wedded bliss? With the Bridal Suite, couples who are too tired to move elsewhere after the event can retreat to the room and stay in complete comfort and luxury.

Guests of the non-wedding kind have also much to delight in at Parklane. The new Plus Rooms give them extra amenities and perks. Indeed, more than just the standard rooms here.

“It is our commitment to guests, that we would not stop innovating to maintain our edge, she continues. We will introduce new features and projects every year. All the time we are on our toes to make their stay more pleasurable.

Along with its thrust of representing Cebuano hospitality, Cebu Parklane is also promoting Cebuano artistry within its establishment. Just recently, the hotel launched the Cebu & Nature photo contest, participated in by Cebuano arts students.

“The photos had to show Cebu and its cultural heritage. Those pictures will be used in our rooms. It is our way of making things differently, instead of the usual paintings. Through our contest, we wanted to stimulate the community and make them a part of our hotel. They are talents that we want to encourage, she adds.

The contest generated over 100 entries, with the top three contenders ending up in the hotel’s premiere spots. Some of its walls also feature murals that feature Cebu.

The 240-room hotel is popular for its buffets, found at its very own Manuel Restaurant. No self-respecting foodie could afford to skip this spread. The buffet impresses, from breakfast to dinner. Its Cebu lechon at lunchtime is a crowd favorite.

Elsewhere in Parklane, there’s Basil’s where one can dine in a poolside setting; Muze where one can sit back and relax to music and cocktails; and Bean Date at the lobby where coffee lovers can also enjoy the merienda buffet.

Even its location is spot-on. It is right across Ayala Center Cebu, and is near the IT Park and other business establishments.

Manguilimotan is proud that these features come with the Parklane brand of pampering. “It is always your relationship with your clients that counts. We are confident because we take care of our clients and we do our best to exceed their expectations. Whenever they are here, they get to enjoy the promise of the Parklane experience. We are determined to give them more.

And with that, we are given another reason to always look forward to being in Cebu.

Source:Travel and  Tourism (www.philstar.com)

MANILA

Branded as E.A.T. Danao (Eco-Extreme-Educational Adventure Tour Danao), the Danao Adventure Park – located 72 kilometers away from the provincial capital of Tagbilaran – features a wide selection of activities for guests either looking for a smooth initiation into adventure tourism or a wild adrenalin rush.

During a recent familiarization tour courtesy of the Department of Tourism, I would have preferred to take things slow, going for activities classified under “leisure travel” – bird-watching, caving, organic farm visit, kayaking, rice field walk, village tour, among others. But if you have the DOT secretary Ace Durano as the leader of the pack, playing eager tourist to the hilt and seizing each extreme adventure opportunity presented, the invitation for some high-energy action is just too hard to ignore.

Being a newcomer to this whole extreme adventure thing, I was reassured by the staff – who trained for months on how to ensure the safety and security of guests – that there’s a matching activity for every level of risk tolerance.

So first off, I joined a group of six who sampled the sky ride. It had us comfortably ensconced in a cable car that took us – leisurely – across two verdant hills and the flowing waters of the Wahig-Inabanga River.

Then, the challenge to traverse the same direction – this time, gliding through the 1.5 kilometer-long cable wire in acceleration (think Superman!) – beckoned. If it’s any consolation, you’re given the choice of going solo or in tandem. As for me, I decided on sharing my first time with a more anxious friend.

After some vacillation, we finally mustered up the guts to pull off this “stunt,” thanks to some elderly locals who egged us on – perhaps shamed us might be more accurate – in the vernacular, “Kaya na ninyo! Nakaya gani namo! (You can do it! Even we did it!).”

So off we went, committing “suislide”… and survived to tell the tale. There’s no other adjective to describe it but “breathtaking,” and I’m referring to both the high-speed ride and the stunning sights below (make that way, way below.)

Apart from the suislide or zip line, other heart-pumping activities include river trekking, river tubing, root climbing, rappelling, bouldering, and the plunge. The latter is a canyon swing facility that will drop a harness-strapped “you” 30 meters down before getting swayed like a pendulum this way and that. For those hankering for an advanced state of exhilaration, fret not: the park will soon introduce bungee-jumping. Thank goodness it was not yet ready when we were there.

There are also cottages and tents for rent because as it is, a day is not enough to enjoy all of the activities.

More than just experiential, E.A.T Danao also incorporates the educational, as guides will teach you about the surroundings and the communities that inhabit them – from watersheds, forest preservation, to history. Danao, after all, is the hometown of the Bol-anon hero Francisco Dagohoy, who launched the country’s longest revolt against the Spaniards.

Danao townsfolk used to depend on agriculture as the main source of livelihood. Now, the municipality is getting a boost from the tourism revenues.

According to Danao Mayor Tom Gonzaga, after investing P25 million in the 60-hectare property situated in the mountainous area of Magtangtang, Danao, the adventure park – co-managed by the LGU and different people’s organizations – has been earning P1 million a month since January. The bulk of that income stems from domestic tourism. “We have not earned and seen this much money before,” Mayor Gonzaga happily noted.

It has also generated employment for more than 50 locals, and probably more, as the eco-lodges and campsite are completed.

Sec. Durano said that if there’s one good lesson to glean from the example set by Danao, it is that a successful tourism project can emerge from local stimuli. “There’s high exponential success rate if a project is initiated by an LGU.”

DOT, according to Durano, only gave P200,000 to Danao and trained the local guides. “We know a project is successful when we are no longer needed,” Durano said.

Danao, on the other hand, tapped the World Bank for funding, at the same time received assistance from the provincial government, among others. Durano said, “With the right leadership, development planning, and implementation, a local government unit will be able to attract funding and create new sources of income for its people.”

The presence of the adventure tourism park also goes to show that Bohol isn’t running out of ideas on how to pep up conventional travel itineraries to this destination. Bohol is not just about the Chocolate Hills, the Loboc River, or the Panglao beaches.

But who would have thought such a remote municipality would make it to the must-see list?

According to Bohol Rep. Edgar Chatto, “The Danao I remember was a sleepy town. Nobody really visited this place. But the adventure park will radically change the identity of Danao. This will not only promote Danao but also Bohol.”

The tourism chief, who particularly noted that Danao was not even within the radar of DOT before, added, “Danao is a 4th class municipality with first-class leadership and a first-class tourism experience.”

Danao Adventure Park is a fitting venture because adventure tourism is an increasingly patronized global offering. Durano said that nature-based and environment-sensitive activities are more in demand now among foreign travelers.

He encouraged LGUs to cater to this concept, just like what Danao did. “Eco-adventure tourism is our niche, given the natural and cultural assets of our country. Let’s not try to be what we are not.”

For tour packages and other information, visit eatdanao.com.

Source: www.philstar.com