For a relaxing and safer Boracay trip, book 2GO Vessels

When I was still in college my mother used to have a buy and sell business and she was always trying to convince me to personally deliver her orders to Puerto Princesa Palawan—onboard a ship. But no matter hard she tried to convince (and even bribe me with a lucrative bonus) I would decline unless I was going to ride a plane.

Back then not everyone can afford airfares, so even domestic travel gave you some bragging rights if you travelled by air. It was also faster as our airport weren’t that congested and I would end up giving her a lecture on all the benefits of air travel, she’d end up delivering it herself. Besides I was also afraid of the water, and riding a ship just reminded me of Titanic, M/V Dona Paz and all those sea tragedies which were often on the news.

But even though I had so many “what-if” scenarios running on my mind, believe it or not, travel by sea (on board a cruise ship) was on top of my bucket list I made during senior year. 

Fast forward to last month, I finally got to cross out (somewhat) that item on my bucket list, when we got an invite to Boracay via 2GO MV Saint Ignatius of Loyola.

I just figured it was time to finally face my fear. I wanted to experience the waves of the sea, gusto kong mahilo, to see the dolphins, to sleep in one of the cabins and to meet the captain of the ship.


It was a chance to cross this one out from my bucketlist.  So I said yes right away after convincing Ed to go with me. He was hesitant at first and I thought I would be leaving alone.  I never knew this would turn out to be one of the best experiences of my life.

DAY 1. 
Our meet up was at the Luneta Park where a Pink Bus would take us to the Batangas Port. I didn’t expect Ed to show up since he never said yes. I took that as a no for an answer. But when I saw him at our meet up place with our luggage. I lighted up, I won him over. I knew right away that we were up for some adventure. We went straight to 2Go Hub in Luneta Park. We left Manila at around 545PM and arrived at Batangas at 855PM.

Security was tight there were guard dogs who checked (sniffed) each of our luggage. Unlike in the airports where you are limited to the bags you can carry on board, its a different story when you are riding a ship. You can bring a lot of luggage without the need of having to check them in. At 2GO you get to spend the entire trip with your bags so its really up to you to take care of them.

After the security check we boarded the ship and gathered at the lobby where we were assigned different rooms. If you are in a group of four, its best to reserve a cabin or even the stateroom to make your trip more enjoyable and secure. But if you are really up for an adventure, there are common bunks available and large air conditioned rooms which are a lot cheaper. 

We were ushered to our cabin, with four bunk beds inside. I chose the top bed. It was dinner time so we headed to the Horizon Cafe and had a little drink afterwards at The Island Fiesta Bar upstairs. If you are feeling bored or want to meet new people I guess this would be the place to do it. But for us we went back to our cabins at 1030pm. I slept 6 hours and woke up 5am for our breakfast.

The tickets already include meals but if you forgot to include them you can buy from the Horizon Cafe, the prices are pretty much what you’d expect, but are not too expensive. There are several dishes you could choose from, chicken, pork, beef, fish and vegetables, soup, rice and some desserts. If you want something heavy I suggest you buy first before you board. 

Upon checking their website (www.travel2Go.com.ph) I found out that the cheapest Super Value Class ticket is just Php 623.21; Tourist Class is Php 757.14, while a cabin for 4 is priced Php 1,032.68.

Sir Ish, our guide from 2GO, said you can book as early as a few months to reserve the rooms as there are just a few available.

Horizon Cafe

Day 2. 
We were at Caticlan at around 6am and disembarked from MV St Ignatius Loyola. We took photos of the dock with the beautiful sunrise as our backgrounds, rode a speed boat, and a van that took us to our hotel. We reached Boracay and went straight to Casa Pilar Beach Resort. But since we were too early we decided to have our second breakfast at Real Cafe where I had my fix of healthy yogurt with island fruits. Yummy!

Yoghurt with fruits

This was my room for the day , Casa Pilar is from Station 2 and a stone's throw away from the beach.

My room for the night

We had our lunch at Boracay Toilet. Don’t be fooled by its “dirty” name, as the food here was quite good! They served sumptuous Filipino favorites like sisig , kare kare, beef steak and many more. The place was instagram worthy. I had snaps of the place.  Check out my ig feed at @jlougar (lou ventigan).

Sisig

Beef steak

Iced tea

We dropped by Jonah's for their famous fruits shakes. I ordered Lemon fruit shake. We toured the Oceanarium at Crown Regency and met some mermaids, and had dinner by the beach at the Crown Regency Buffet.

After lunch we dropped by Jonah's for their famous fruits shakes and ordered by favorite Lemon fruit shake. It was still quite hot so we decided to go back to the hotel first to take a nap before our afternoon itinerary which included a tour of the Oceanarium at Crown Regency. 

The Ocean Bar is really worth checking out!

Ocean Bar

I’ve been to Boracay quite a few times but I never knew that Crown Regency had all those sea creatures, including a shark and even some mermaids! 

Crown Regency

There's my favorite Chatime at Station 2. I ordered Jasmine Green tea, no sugar with rainbow jelly! 

We spent the remaining daylight at the beach for a swim. If you don’t like crowds, I’d suggest you head to Boracay during this lean months as there are fewer people and you could really enjoy the cleaner waters.

Crown Regency also hosted our dinner by the beachfront, which capped off a pretty fun day!

Day 3.  We woke up at 6am to catch our ship back at Caticlan port by 9am. As soon as the ship left the port we all had a nap, woke up for lunch and caught a few more ZZZZs before our scheduled courtesy call with the ship captain at 3pm.


I recommend you to try and have a go at 2GO vessels. Its safe, relaxing and cheaper than air travel, plus you can sleep all you want for the rest of the day and reach Boracay all fresh and ready early in the morning . You can leave Batangas Port at night and be at Boracay as early as 6am.

Book your tickets now at  http://travel.2go.com.ph/eTicket/

Capt. Bobby Montayre has been the commanding the  MV St. Ignatius of Loyola for five years, he said despite the horror stories before, he says seafaring, or riding a ship much safer that an airplane. He also told us a lot of new safety precautions implemented by MARINA to ensure the safety of the riding public. 

Unlike before he said, all ships are not allowed to sail if there’s a storm warning even if its just signal No. 1. He also debunked the perception of overloading as it is his responsibility to check the entire ship manifest to avoid and incident. “Wala nang chance passenger ngayon’ kasi all 2Go Travel passenger ships have a computerized ticketing system and strict security measures in place.

After the interview, we took pictures of the ship, the sea and watched the dolphins, before we knew it we were back in Batangas by 6pm and back in Manila by 10pm.

I recommend you to try and have a go at 2GO vessels. Its safe, relaxing and cheaper than airline fares plus you can sleep if you want to for the rest of the day and reach Boracay early in the morning . You can leave Batangas Port at night and be at Boracay as early as 6am.

Book your tickets now at  http://travel.2go.com.ph/eTicket/

Get your money back with MediCard Select

Do you spend a huge amount of money for health and medical coverage but feel like it’s not worth paying for because you seldom get sick or go for a check-up?  And yet getting rid of your HMO coverage is out of the question because, what if you get seriously sick?

MediCard, a leading HMO provider in the country, gives a breakthrough solution for you – MediCard Select. 

The most flexible health care coverage
This product allows members of all ages to have flexible health care coverage for a minimal access and service fee and a fixed amount of fund. Also, with the new MediCard Select, members get the best value for their money because they can select for their coverage when needed – whether for maternity, pre-existing conditions, extreme sports, etc.

“We at MediCard do our best to bring quality healthcare services to Filipinos. The best part is, members of MediCard Select will get back their funds if unused,” says MediCard Vice President, Luis S. Montoya.  

Get your money back!
A breakthrough feature of MediCard Select is the revolving fund wherein the cost of health services utilized will be deducted from the amount that they paid, and the balance becomes a revolving fund that members can use again upon replenishment or can be returned to them. So no need to feel that the cost of health care coverage is not worth it – if you don’t get sick, not hospitalized nor availed yourself of any medical service, you get your money back!

Health benefits for all ages
Medicard Select offers a suite of benefits that give members of all ages the coverage they need. Qualified individuals, families or SMEs will receive coverage for hospitalization, outpatient and preventive healthcare that includes an Annual Physical Exam and the following 8 blood chemistries – Fasting Blood Sugar, Total Cholesterol, Uric Acid, Creatinine, BUN, HDL, LDL and Triglycerides, as well as emergency and dental care.

MediCard has more than 29 years of experience in providing quality health care across a range of individuals, families, and small and large corporations. It takes pride in its robust health care providers, which enables MediCard members to choose from its nationwide network of over 1,000 accredited hospitals and clinics backed by more than 40,000 accredited doctors.

Terms and conditions apply. For more information on MediCard Select, please call or email Randy Verde at 891-9629 or rverde@medicardphils.com, or Marie Joyce Reynoso at 884-9968 or mreynoso@medicardphils.com, or visit http://select.medicardphils.com/.

The Hope Christian High School Alumni Association Inc. celebrates 70th Foundation Day

The Hope Christian High School Alumni Association Inc. (HCHSAAI) will be having a Grand Alumni Homecoming in celebration of its Alma Mater's 70th Foundation Day at the Manila Hotel Fiesta Pavilion on November 20, 2016.

The host celebrants this year are the Golden Jubilarians (Minstrels '66）led by Mr Robert F. Kuan, who is the recipient of the Golden Jubilarian Excellence Award, and the Silver Jubilarians (Colours '91) led by Ms. Lyn Ching-Pascual, host of GMA7's Unang Hirit.

The program includes the awarding ceremonies for the Most Outstanding Alumni, Golden Jubilarian Excellence Award and Alumni Recognition Awards in various fields. The Golden Jubilarian Excellence Award will be awarded to  Mr. Robert F. Kuan, who founded Chowking Food Corporation and served as President from 1985 to March 2000. He currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the St. Luke's Medical Center and is a trustee at  Far Eastern College-Silang, and Brent International School of Manila. He has been an Independent Director of China Banking Corporation and also serves as Chairman of Creative Dining Incorporated, Goodview Seafood Restaurant and Hot Café. 

This prestigious award is a highlight of the homecoming. In 2014 the award was given to Dr. Cecilio Kwok Pedro, the CEO of Lamoiyan Corporation and an elder of the United Evangelical Church of the Philippines. Kwok was a school board chairman and served as acting principal of Hope Christian High School.  His devotion to God, excellence in business, and his unselfish service to Hope Christian High School are the traits that all recipients of this award share.
This year’s Most Outstanding  Alumni is Johnny T. Chan, who is the visionary chairman of Bellevue Hotels and Resorts (BH&R).

The Hope Christian High School Alumni Association champions many projects. They have annual subsidies for alumni children enrolled in Hope Christian High School as well as scholarships for desolate but deserving students. The current project of the alumni association is replacing the roof of the gym. One generous alumni donated and bought new Handbells to revive the Handbell Group. Another alumni has a fleet of fire trucks and ambulance to respond to fire and emergency rescues pro-bono. Many are also active members of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Chinese Industrial Club, Rotary International, Lions Club and Kiwanis while others are seated at the Board of Directors of other schools and religious organizations.

The guest speaker for the event will be Senator Sonny M. Angara.

A total of 70 exciting prizes will be raffled: cash, watches, and gadgets (Apple i-phones and Apple i-pads). The Grand Prize is a Ford Ecosport SUV 1.5 Titanium. All Hope Alumni and friends are invited to join the fun and laughter. Don’t miss the chance to reconnect with old friends, make new connections and reminisce about student life.

For ticket sales, please visit the HCHSAAI office at Room 703, HCHS New High School Building, 1242 Benavidez St. Sta. Cruz, Manila. Telephone number 310-8071 during office hours. You may also call or text Ms. Judy Go-Sy (0917-8107954) or Nadine Ong (0948-6675999).

Freeze the moment with McDonald's McFreeze in Frozen Royal Berry Delight

McDonald’s is giving customers more opportunities to freeze the moment with the newest McFreeze flavor!

Select stores nationwide will serve McFreeze in Frozen Royal Berry Delight – bold flavors of mixed berries swirled into an icy, refreshing drink.

Available for a limited time only, the new light and sweet beverage is perfect for cooling down and creating more feel-good moments worth freezing.

The new Frozen Royal Berry Delight, along with the other McFreeze flavors, Frozen Coke and Frozen Royal, are available for 24 hours in select stores via Dine-In, Take-Out, and Drive-Thru.

Got a McFreeze moment you want to share? Sip a McFreeze and share your story on our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/McDo.ph, or tag @McDo_PH on Twitter or Instagram. 

For the list of stores that offer McFreeze, visit www.mcdonalds.com.ph/content/page/mcfreeze.

Superstar Nora Aunor, one of the judges on ASOP Year 5 Grand Finals night

The veteran actress, singer, and Philippine cinema’s superstar, Nora “Ate Guy” Aunor, is one of the biggest names in the Philippine entertainment industry who is expected to appear as one of the board of judges for UNTV’s A Song Of Praise (ASOP) Music Festival Year 5 Grand Finals.  It will be held at Smart-Araneta Coliseum on the evening of November 7.

The UNTV-ASOP management choses Nora Aunor to give insights and critiques for the said big event because of her great dedication and priceless contributions, not only in Philippine’s movie films, but also in the music industry.

Aunor is a winner of almost 150 awards since she started her singing and acting career almost 50 years ago. Her first award was at the Darigold Jamboree singing contest where she became the champion with her winning piece “You and the Night and the Music”. It was followed by another championship award during the Tawag ng Tanghalan Grand National Finals on May 29, 1967 where she sang “Moonlight Becomes You.”

Together with Nora, other well-known personalities in the entertainment industry like the veteran songwriter and ASOP resident judge coined as “Doktor Musiko” Mon Del Rosario, OPM Male Belter Jed Madela, Lifestyle & Entertainment Editor Isah Red, Record Label Executive Jonathan Manalo, and Multi-awarded Songwriter Trina Belamide, will be the ASOP Year 5 grand finals’ panel of judges.

Guest performer to showcase the past winning entries is X-Factor UK contender The 4th Impact and to render their own version of last year’s competing songs in a production number are Jason Dy, Michael Pangilinan, Liezel Garcia and the previous Best Interpreter Leah Patricio.

The ASOP Year 5 Grand Finals will showcase its twelve songs to be performed by popular OPM singers and band.  They will vie for the titles “Song of the Year”, “People’s Choice Awards”, and “Best Interpreter” with over P1 million cash prizes at stake.

The list of the ASOP Music Festival Year 5 grand finalists and interpreters are as follows:

Tapat Mong Pangako – Composer: Gulliver Enverga; Interpreter: The Voysing
Ikaw Lamang – Composer: Jonathan Sta Rita; Interpreter: Tim Pavino
God Will Always Make a Way – Composers: Glenn Bawa and Ronald Calpis; Interpreter: Bugoy Drilon
Patawarin Mo Ako – Composer: Fernando Gardon; Interpreter: Kris Lawrence
Araw at Ulan – Composer: Joselito Caleon; Interpreter: Sitti
Ikaw Pala – Composer: Wilfredo Gaspar; Interpreter: Ima Castro
Tanging Ligaya – Composer: Angelica Soriano; Interpreter: Zendee
Ang Iyong Pangalan – Composer: Romarico Mendiola Jr.; Interpreter: Jovit Baldovino
Kumapit Ka Lang – Composer: Noemi Ocio; Interpreter: Mela Ravanilla
You Stood By Me – Composer: Vincent Labating; Interpreter: Jason Fernandez.
Pag-ibig Ka Oh Dios – Composer: LJ Manzano; Interpreter: JBK
Mula sa Aking Puso – Composer: Joseph Ponce; Interpreter: Carlo David

ASOP Music Festival is a songwriting competition on television.  This is the innovation of the notable broadcast journalist and UNTV-BMPI’s CEO and Chairman, Kuya Daniel Razon. Bro. Eli Soriano, the host of the longest-running religious program, Ang Dating Daan, and the Members Church of God International (MCGI) are the primary sponsors of the program.

The ASOP Music Festival is a non-sectarian praise songwriting competition and is open to all amateurs and professional composers. The program is hosted by the great tandem of Miss Tony Rose Gayda and the balladeer Mr. Richard Reynoso.  The show is aired every Sunday at 7:00pm to 8:30pm on UNTV.

ASOP year 5 grand finals is open to all. For tickets you may visit their website at: https://www.asoptv.com

Goldilocks celebrity ambassador Judy Ann Santos hangs out with children at Elsie Gatches Foundation

The spirit of philanthropy has a significant impact on anyone. It can brighten up your day, improve your mood, and even increase productivity. However, people don’t give back with the intention of receiving something in return. They merely do it because they enjoy it.

Smiles were seen all around during the recently concluded event hosted by the Philippines’ number one bakeshop, Goldilocks, and the Elsie Gatches Foundation.

Located in Alabang, the Elsie Gatches Foundation is the country’s largest home for children with special needs.

Attendees both young and old were encouraged to participate in Goldilocks’s Decorate Your Cake (DYC) activity, wherein guests tried to craft the most creative cake that they could think of. Multiple activities were also present. Among them were: clown performances, party games, gift donations and an abundance of food. To top things off, Goldilocks’ very own endorser, Mrs. Judy Ann Santos was in attendance to take pictures and hang out with the children.  For Goldilocks’ the event served as a means to give back to the community. The same community that has helped the bakeshop juggernaut reach its 50th year in the industry.



For more information, you may also follow Goldilocks on Twitter or Instagram at @GoldilocksPH, on the Goldilocks Facebook page, or at the official Goldilocks website at www.goldilocks.com.ph

Beeffalo by HotRocks Marikina: Its Worth The Trip

Just like  Beeffalo By Hotrocks in Antipolo, the  Beeffalo by Hotrocks in  Marikina exudes the same charm with its collection of antique items and decors adoring the restaurant. Its nostalgic the moment you step inside the place especially when you grew up in the 80s like me. I wanted to bring home the black rotary phone or buy it if the owner permits. It reminds me of my high school and college life.

Between the two restaurants , I like the Marikina branch better for its outdoorsy retro appeal. I guess I am too old, and a sucker for anything retro .  I like my restaurant to remind me of myself back when I was younger. Not to mention that the resto is instagram worthy with all the displays in the wall and that 2 antique motorbikes situated outside evokes the industrial feel of the place.

It was my first time to Beeffalo By Hotrocks in Marikina and I instantly fell in love with it, the food, interiors and its friendly crews. This is one restaurant that I would go to if I need to unwind, chill, and eat comfort food all at the same time. The one that I would recommend to my kids, relatives and friends.

There’s a reason why Marikina is a popular destination among food lovers. Its neighborhood is home to an interesting mix of establishments offering a gratifying dining experience to hungry customers near and far.

A popular fixture in the Marikina dining scene is Beeffalo By HotRocks, a charming restaurant that’s been around since 2013 and has become a favorite place for a hearty meal of ribs, steaks, pizzas and other everyday American comfort food that warm the soul. The unassuming restaurant was recently refurbished showcasing a more streamlined look but still retains its unique charm that comes from the rustic interiors evoking a refreshing sense of randomness and simplicity.

Owners Louie and Girlie Abad and their good friend Caren Diaz manage Beeffalo and can often be seen hanging out in the restaurant chatting up guests.

Lighting up the grill
Beeffalo was an offshoot of Louie and his partners’ first food venture simply named HotRocks, a hole-in-the-wall barbecue joint with branches in Pasig and Libis. When the  restaurants closed, they were determined to give the business another try but at a different location.

In October 2013, the owners opened Beeffalo by HotRocks along a quiet road on Gil Fernando Avenue in Marikina City. Admittedly, the new address wasn’t exactly the most desirable location to open a food business since it had less foot traffic and was surrounded by vacant lots.   But Louie is partial to places that are out-of-the-way, those that you have to deliberately search for and feel gratified once you’ve found them because the effort would be worth the trip.  Besides, the lot where the restaurant would be built on had all the qualities Louie wanted:  homey, airy and surrounded by lots of greenery.

Word of mouth about the restaurant’s delicious yet affordable cuisine and the high recall of the HotRocks name soon spread in Marikina and people started coming in. Customers who have been to the place were also leaving positive reviews in online sites.

Louie Abad, Owner Beeffalo by Hotrocks

 “It was a risky move at first but it all turned out great!” Louie enthused.

What was once a lonely strip along Gil Fernando is now a busy road that leads to this often-frequented food destination.  Beeffalo is a go-to place of families, couples, groups and office workers looking for a nice place to enjoy good food.

It has also become quite the novelty in the neighborhood with its rustic style décor aesthetically juxtaposed on the walls and floor. Vintage objects such as an old safe,  typewriter,  telephone and sewing machine give the place character. The walls are splashed with green accents to bring the garden vibe inside. Outside are a vintage bike and an old motorcycle among plants, trees and ambient lights.

“When we updated Beeffalo’s look recently, we agreed that we will maintain the charm and the atmosphere that made our restaurant a well-loved one from the beginning,” Louie explained. “We didn’t want to lose the ‘magic’ or the ‘allure’ of the place.” 

Evenings are quite special here. Beeffalo turns magical at night but the best spot in the house has got to be the al fresco area where tables and benches are casually splayed and customers can come-as-they-are for a laidback dinner.

Simply flavorsome

Beeffalo by HotRocks features dishes that are all original recipes of the owners, prepared by Chef Girlie.  “We are very particular about what we serve. We include a certain dish only if it passes our personal standards. Everything is made with a lot of love,” Louie said.

Come here for some of the most flavorful meat dishes in the metro including its house specialty, Baby Back Ribs, slathered in a sticky barbeque sauce, its exceptionally moist and tender meat just falls off the bone. Tasty Java rice accompanies an order of this divine dish.

Margherita Pizza

The restaurant is also proud of its steaks, one of the items from its former Hot Rocks menu.  High quality meat doesn’t need much prepping to make it tasty hence the steaks are seasoned with just salt and pepper to highlight their natural flavor. Porterhouse and T-bone are very popular among customers and come with fresh vegetable salad and mashed potatoes made from scratch everyday.

Beeffalo_ BBQ Taco Salad and Wings with Blue Cheese Dressing

Other items on the menu are the Beeffalo Wings with Blue Cheese Dip, Barbeque Platter (a medley of Isaw, Tenga, and Bulaklak),  Roasted Pumpkin or Broccoli Cheese Soups, Taco BBQ Salad and the very popular Margherita and Three Cheese Biscuit Pizzas with a heavenly thin crust.

Barbecue Sampler

Deconstructed Sinigang

 For something different, try the Sizzling Beef Ribs in Tamarind Gravy, a gourmet take on the classic Filipino Sinigang.

Grilled Tuna with Rice

Grilled liempo

Beeffalo Wings with Blue Cheese Dip

Desserts include scrumptious cakes and artisan ice cream.

Lemonade Mojito

Whether it’s your first or third time at Beeffalo by HotRocks, a visit to this old favorite haunt in Marikina never disappoints.



Beeffalo by HotRocks is open Sundays to Thursdays (11am to 11 pm and Fridays and Saturdays (11am to 12mn). For inquiries, call  Beeffalo  Marikina 0939 -1130772; and Beeffalo’s  Antipolo branch (5341160)