By Juan Escandor Jr.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
AGAIN, “SURVIVOR ISRAEL” will rent the whole Gota Village Resort, which is owned and operated by the local government, in Ilawod, Caramoan, Camarines Sur, to film two editions of “Hisardot (Survivor).”
Jimmy Binyamini, production manager, cited “best place, good people and unique sites” as reasons for the comeback and filming three straight times.
Last year, one edition of “Hisardot” was shot and shown until last month on Israeli national television Channel 10.
This time, the shooting will start on Feb. 28, while filming will end in late May or early June.
The no-celebrity shoot will last 40 days and the celebrity edition, 30 days, excluding the 45-day pre-production to prepare equipment, props and sites, according to Binyamini.
Adventure site
Aside from promoting the adventure appeal of the Caramoan Islands throughout Israel, “Hisardot” will employ some 200 Filipino workers to assist the 120 production members, Binyamini said. “Caramoan is a great adventure site ideal to our show,” he said.
“Hisardot” has two parts—the “reality” and games to test the participants’ wits and survivor instincts. Like castaways on an island, they will be exposed to the cameras under very primitive conditions round-the-clock for 40 days.
“Hisardot” is actually the second media outfit of “Survivor” to film their editions on small islands strewn northeast of Caramoan, facing the island-province of Catanduanes.
The French Survivor, “Koh-Lanta Caramoan,” filmed its edition in 2008, followed by media outfits from Israel, Bulgaria and Serbia in 2009. “Koh-Lanta” was shown in Europe to an estimated 12 million viewers.
A top executive of the provincial government, who asked not to be named because negotiation was still ongoing, revealed that “Survivor USA” would also be filmed here next year until 2012. Its production crew searched many areas in the Philippines and found Caramoan the most ideal place for filming because of its unique geographical features and available facilities that meet production standards.
Ning Villanueva, provincial tourism officer, said Camarines Sur’s hosting of “Survivor” had brought in droves of foreign tourists, making it the most visited destination in the Philippines last year.
Records from the Department of Tourism office in Bicol showed that in the first nine months last year, 1,022,092 visitors came to the province, 206,937 of them foreigners. Americans comprised the biggest number of arrivals, followed by Israelis, British, Australians and Japanese.
Tourism revenues in the region reached more than P1 billion, of which P700 million came from Camarines Sur.
Protected area
Caramoan’s variety of sceneries and unique sites cater to the adventurous spirit, said Jovi Villareal, recreational officer of Gota Village. The resort is inside a 4,000-hectare national park being managed by the provincial government as agreed upon with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
Half of the area is protected and being developed for ecotourism, Villareal said.
The park has many unexplored sites, such as small tiny lakes, subterranean water passages and underwater caves in the small limestone islands. Islets are scattered sporadically and swept by plants and weed trees, and offer narrow beaches and coves accessible by boat or kayak, he said.
On the fringes are towering limestone walls suitable for rock climbing.
Geologic configuration
The primary attraction is the scenic view of a unique geologic configuration in the middle of a wide coastal marine environment.
Caramoan exhibits the so-called karst topography, according to a 1981 study of the Bureau of Mines and Geosciences. This means a landscape defined by a varied formation of limestone cliffs created through geologic processes.
“As for the “Survivor” production coming back, they must be profiting from the sceneries here that draw television viewers to their show,” said Euphi Peñano, the resort manager.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Monday, November 2, 2009
Aklan execs hail Caticlan airport plan
Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines – Aklan officials and tourism stakeholders have welcomed the proposed expansion and improvement of the Caticlan airport, the nearest gateway to the world-famous Boracay island resort, to accommodate bigger and more planes.
In a press statement, Representative Florencio Miraflores said the project would solve the problem of accessibility of Boracay to tourists, most of who pass through the airport of Kalibo, the provincial capital, and travel for one-and-a-half hours to get to Caticlan.
Caticlan airport’s obsolete facilities and short runway allow the landing of only small airplanes.
Governor Carlito Marquez said the lack of world-class transport had hindered the full development of the country’s tourism industry.
Special attention
The governor has prioritized tourism as Aklan’s development thrust, the statement said. Boracay, as one of the major tourist destinations in the Philippines, should be given special attention by the national government, it said.
He said the drawing power of Boracay had already been proven for many years and should take precedence in “the use of scant resources for tourism development.”
Fast-track project
The two Aklan leaders said they would seek the help of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in “fast-tracking” the Caticlan airport project. They belied reports that local officials here were against the implementation of the project, the statement said.
The expansion and improvement of the airport will be undertaken with the highest consideration for passenger safety and environmental protection, the statement said.
MANILA, Philippines – Aklan officials and tourism stakeholders have welcomed the proposed expansion and improvement of the Caticlan airport, the nearest gateway to the world-famous Boracay island resort, to accommodate bigger and more planes.
In a press statement, Representative Florencio Miraflores said the project would solve the problem of accessibility of Boracay to tourists, most of who pass through the airport of Kalibo, the provincial capital, and travel for one-and-a-half hours to get to Caticlan.
Caticlan airport’s obsolete facilities and short runway allow the landing of only small airplanes.
Governor Carlito Marquez said the lack of world-class transport had hindered the full development of the country’s tourism industry.
Special attention
The governor has prioritized tourism as Aklan’s development thrust, the statement said. Boracay, as one of the major tourist destinations in the Philippines, should be given special attention by the national government, it said.
He said the drawing power of Boracay had already been proven for many years and should take precedence in “the use of scant resources for tourism development.”
Fast-track project
The two Aklan leaders said they would seek the help of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in “fast-tracking” the Caticlan airport project. They belied reports that local officials here were against the implementation of the project, the statement said.
The expansion and improvement of the airport will be undertaken with the highest consideration for passenger safety and environmental protection, the statement said.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Commercial flights to Guiuan expected
By Vicente Labro
Inquirer Visayas
TACLOBAN CITY – The opening of an airport in historic Guiuan town in Eastern Samar, to commercial flights and the completion of other infrastructure projects will attract more tourists and investors on Calicoan Island, officials said.
Guiuan Mayor Annaliza Gonzales-Kwan said commercial flights would start next month after the completion of the P155-million Guiuan Airport Development Project.
In an interview on Sunday, Kwan said that she had talked with Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific Air officials about her request for flights to and from Guiuan.
Cebu Pacific promised to start flights in November, she said, while the PAL manager in Tacloban had “endorsed favorably” the plan to the airline’s head offices in Manila.
The project included a new apron and taxiway, a passenger terminal building, a fire department building and perimeter fence, as well as the installation of a single-phase electrical line and asphalt overlay of the runway, Kwan said.
The mayor also disclosed that the P38-million water system project in Calicoan Island had already been completed. “In the past, many investors in Calicoan had backed out because of lack of potable water,” she said.
Potable water will be supplied to seven of the town’s villages, including four in Calicoan – Pagnamitan, Baras, Ngolos, and Sulangan.
Kwan said two major telecommunication companies had also put up towers in Calicoan, allowing people to use their cellular phones.
Guiuan has a big tourism potential because of its natural wonders and rich heritage, said Presidential Assistant for Eastern Visayas Cynthia Nierras, who was in Guiuan to attend the inauguration of the town’s Tourism Information and Pasalubong Center on Saturday.
Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan, sailing under the flag of Spain, first set foot on Philippine soil in Homonhon Island, which is a part of Guiuan, on March 16, 1521.
Inquirer Visayas
TACLOBAN CITY – The opening of an airport in historic Guiuan town in Eastern Samar, to commercial flights and the completion of other infrastructure projects will attract more tourists and investors on Calicoan Island, officials said.
Guiuan Mayor Annaliza Gonzales-Kwan said commercial flights would start next month after the completion of the P155-million Guiuan Airport Development Project.
In an interview on Sunday, Kwan said that she had talked with Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific Air officials about her request for flights to and from Guiuan.
Cebu Pacific promised to start flights in November, she said, while the PAL manager in Tacloban had “endorsed favorably” the plan to the airline’s head offices in Manila.
The project included a new apron and taxiway, a passenger terminal building, a fire department building and perimeter fence, as well as the installation of a single-phase electrical line and asphalt overlay of the runway, Kwan said.
The mayor also disclosed that the P38-million water system project in Calicoan Island had already been completed. “In the past, many investors in Calicoan had backed out because of lack of potable water,” she said.
Potable water will be supplied to seven of the town’s villages, including four in Calicoan – Pagnamitan, Baras, Ngolos, and Sulangan.
Kwan said two major telecommunication companies had also put up towers in Calicoan, allowing people to use their cellular phones.
Guiuan has a big tourism potential because of its natural wonders and rich heritage, said Presidential Assistant for Eastern Visayas Cynthia Nierras, who was in Guiuan to attend the inauguration of the town’s Tourism Information and Pasalubong Center on Saturday.
Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan, sailing under the flag of Spain, first set foot on Philippine soil in Homonhon Island, which is a part of Guiuan, on March 16, 1521.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Cebu is Asia’s 4th best islands for 2009
Travel + Leisure magazine ranked Cebu as the fourth best, among Asian island destinations in World’s Best Awards 2009, a listing of the best hotels, airlines, cruises in islands and cities all over the world.
No other Philippine city, island, resort, hotel, or airline made it to the listing in other categories.
The awards are based on the American magazine’s 14th Readers’ Poll survey conducted from mid-January to the end of March this year.
“An unprecedented number of new names and places made their debuts on this year’s list, sometimes unseating longtime favorites,” says Travel + Leisure editor in chief Nancy Novogrod.
Cebu got a rating of 79.68 points, ranked behind Bali (87.41), Maldives (84.43), and Phuket (80.93).
Respondents were asked to rate the islands based on natural attractions, activities and sights, restaurant and food, people and value.
They had to rate a candidate on a scale of 1 to 5 where “1” means poor and “5” means excellent.
In the Condé Nast Traveler annual Readers’ Choice Survey, Cebu occupied the seventh spot in the best island destination in Asia/Indian Ocean three times: in 2008 at 70.9, which is two points short of 2007’s 72.3 points and 2004’s 72.8 points.
Twice, it has been ranked 8th best island destination: in 2006 with 71.0 points and in 2005 with 69.5 in the same magazine survey.
Both Travel + Leisure Magazine and Condé Nast Traveler are American publications based in New York.
No other Philippine city, island, resort, hotel, or airline made it to the listing in other categories.
The awards are based on the American magazine’s 14th Readers’ Poll survey conducted from mid-January to the end of March this year.
“An unprecedented number of new names and places made their debuts on this year’s list, sometimes unseating longtime favorites,” says Travel + Leisure editor in chief Nancy Novogrod.
Cebu got a rating of 79.68 points, ranked behind Bali (87.41), Maldives (84.43), and Phuket (80.93).
Respondents were asked to rate the islands based on natural attractions, activities and sights, restaurant and food, people and value.
They had to rate a candidate on a scale of 1 to 5 where “1” means poor and “5” means excellent.
In the Condé Nast Traveler annual Readers’ Choice Survey, Cebu occupied the seventh spot in the best island destination in Asia/Indian Ocean three times: in 2008 at 70.9, which is two points short of 2007’s 72.3 points and 2004’s 72.8 points.
Twice, it has been ranked 8th best island destination: in 2006 with 71.0 points and in 2005 with 69.5 in the same magazine survey.
Both Travel + Leisure Magazine and Condé Nast Traveler are American publications based in New York.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Tourist Privilege Card
By Ruby de Vera
Philippine Daily Inquirer
TOURISM is a major industry in the Philippines. With our beautiful white sand beaches, old churches, and hospitality we are famous for around the world, the influx of tourists has steadily increased over the years.
They say there are almost as many malls as there are islands in this country, and the malls have become attractions themselves. The SM Mall of Asia has become such. Touted as the largest mall in the Philippines, it boasts of a unique malling experience. Because of its location, the mall is an ideal tourist destination, making it a one-stop shop for all things tourist.
From quality Filipino products and services to foreign exchange counters, not to mention countless restaurants serving Filipino cuisine, tourists are treated to our famed culture and hospitality. SM Mall of Asia’s proximity to a number of hotels makes it a short ride away for shopping, not only for homegrown products, but for a lot of international brands as well. With this in mind, Mall of Asia has introduced the Tourist Privilege Card, an exclusive benefit card for foreign visitors.
Cardholders can avail of amazing discounts, rewards and freebies at participating establishments at the mall, which includes hundreds of retail outlets, restaurants and entertainment and leisure options. They get to grab VIP seats at the Cinema and iMax, straight discounts and free food items and a round of drinks at selected restaurants, more discounts and free items from retail shops and a lot more.
Cardholders also get to experience the package pick-up service so they don’t have to carry their purchases around; they can arrange to have them delivered to their hotel so they can continue shopping or just hang out at the mall. There is also a tram service shuttle that is available to take them around Manila’s hottest tourist destinations.
The unique bayside mall is not only about the generic malling experience –,its sprawling grounds are also hosts to a number of hip, hot and timely events: From art and photo exhibits, musical performances, sold-out concerts and other themed activities, it will surely make for a great, fun-filled visit at the country’s lifestyle hub.
To avail of the Tourist Privilege Card, simply present your foreign passport at any of the Concierge Stations, where the accommodating staff will be happy to help you. For more information about the Tourist Privilege card, you may call 556-0680 or log on to http://www.smmallofasia.com.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
TOURISM is a major industry in the Philippines. With our beautiful white sand beaches, old churches, and hospitality we are famous for around the world, the influx of tourists has steadily increased over the years.
They say there are almost as many malls as there are islands in this country, and the malls have become attractions themselves. The SM Mall of Asia has become such. Touted as the largest mall in the Philippines, it boasts of a unique malling experience. Because of its location, the mall is an ideal tourist destination, making it a one-stop shop for all things tourist.
From quality Filipino products and services to foreign exchange counters, not to mention countless restaurants serving Filipino cuisine, tourists are treated to our famed culture and hospitality. SM Mall of Asia’s proximity to a number of hotels makes it a short ride away for shopping, not only for homegrown products, but for a lot of international brands as well. With this in mind, Mall of Asia has introduced the Tourist Privilege Card, an exclusive benefit card for foreign visitors.
Cardholders can avail of amazing discounts, rewards and freebies at participating establishments at the mall, which includes hundreds of retail outlets, restaurants and entertainment and leisure options. They get to grab VIP seats at the Cinema and iMax, straight discounts and free food items and a round of drinks at selected restaurants, more discounts and free items from retail shops and a lot more.
Cardholders also get to experience the package pick-up service so they don’t have to carry their purchases around; they can arrange to have them delivered to their hotel so they can continue shopping or just hang out at the mall. There is also a tram service shuttle that is available to take them around Manila’s hottest tourist destinations.
The unique bayside mall is not only about the generic malling experience –,its sprawling grounds are also hosts to a number of hip, hot and timely events: From art and photo exhibits, musical performances, sold-out concerts and other themed activities, it will surely make for a great, fun-filled visit at the country’s lifestyle hub.
To avail of the Tourist Privilege Card, simply present your foreign passport at any of the Concierge Stations, where the accommodating staff will be happy to help you. For more information about the Tourist Privilege card, you may call 556-0680 or log on to http://www.smmallofasia.com.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Students get a peek into the ‘real world’
By Amy R. Remo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
AMADEUS PHILIPPINES has found a way to prepare travel and tourism students for “real work” in the “real world,” while they are still in school.
And that is by forging long-term agreements with some of the country’s top colleges and universities to provide their students with e-learning courses that would train them in using the global distribution system (GDS).
Amadeus Philippines general manager Albert Villadolid said it had forged separate agreements with De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, Far Eastern University, Lyceum of the Philippines University, San Sebastian College, University of the Philippines and University of San Jose Recoletos.
Under these separate agreements, Amadeus Philippines will provide all its partner schools with a wide range of e-learning courses that will be used in the training of college students on the intricacies of the travel and tourism industry.
In particular, the students will be trained to use the Amadeus GDS, a system, which is being used worldwide to book hotel reservations, airline flights, insurance and rent vehicles.
Students will also learn to use the hotel management systems and SMS systems for bookings.
“We expect our partnerships with some of the country’s leading schools to create a steady pool of globally certified travel professionals, trained in using the most widely deployed global distribution system in the world,” Villadolid noted.
In a related development, the company also said that Enderun Colleges, the Philippine affiliate of Les Roches International School of Hotel Management in Switzerland and the Alain Ducasse Formation in France, have entered into a similar partnership with Amadeus Philippines for the training of its students on the use of the Amadeus Property Management System (PMS).
The Amadeus PMS is directly linked to the Amadeus GDS and includes its inter-hotel chain communication capability and e-mail confirmation facility.
Villadolid said that the Amadeus platform was the popular choice among travel agencies, airlines, hotels, cruise liners and car rental companies.
Amadeus is the world’s leader in providing the travel industry systems solutions to manage the distribution and selling of travel services, covering 217 markets around the world.
It is the technology partner of 94,162 travel agency locations, 764 airlines, 76,814 hotel properties, 17 cruise lines, 43 rail companies, 11 ferry companies, 44 travel insurance providers, 22 car rental companies serving 36,000 locations and 1,000 corporations to optimize their distribution and internal operational requirements.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
AMADEUS PHILIPPINES has found a way to prepare travel and tourism students for “real work” in the “real world,” while they are still in school.
And that is by forging long-term agreements with some of the country’s top colleges and universities to provide their students with e-learning courses that would train them in using the global distribution system (GDS).
Amadeus Philippines general manager Albert Villadolid said it had forged separate agreements with De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, Far Eastern University, Lyceum of the Philippines University, San Sebastian College, University of the Philippines and University of San Jose Recoletos.
Under these separate agreements, Amadeus Philippines will provide all its partner schools with a wide range of e-learning courses that will be used in the training of college students on the intricacies of the travel and tourism industry.
In particular, the students will be trained to use the Amadeus GDS, a system, which is being used worldwide to book hotel reservations, airline flights, insurance and rent vehicles.
Students will also learn to use the hotel management systems and SMS systems for bookings.
“We expect our partnerships with some of the country’s leading schools to create a steady pool of globally certified travel professionals, trained in using the most widely deployed global distribution system in the world,” Villadolid noted.
In a related development, the company also said that Enderun Colleges, the Philippine affiliate of Les Roches International School of Hotel Management in Switzerland and the Alain Ducasse Formation in France, have entered into a similar partnership with Amadeus Philippines for the training of its students on the use of the Amadeus Property Management System (PMS).
The Amadeus PMS is directly linked to the Amadeus GDS and includes its inter-hotel chain communication capability and e-mail confirmation facility.
Villadolid said that the Amadeus platform was the popular choice among travel agencies, airlines, hotels, cruise liners and car rental companies.
Amadeus is the world’s leader in providing the travel industry systems solutions to manage the distribution and selling of travel services, covering 217 markets around the world.
It is the technology partner of 94,162 travel agency locations, 764 airlines, 76,814 hotel properties, 17 cruise lines, 43 rail companies, 11 ferry companies, 44 travel insurance providers, 22 car rental companies serving 36,000 locations and 1,000 corporations to optimize their distribution and internal operational requirements.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Airline to invest $10M in Subic
By Riza T. Olchondra
Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines - A private airline offering domestic and foreign chartered flights is spending $10 million to set up its home base at the Subic Bay International Airport.
Pacific Pearl Airways aims to start operating out of SBIA in December this year, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Administrator Armand Arreza said in a phone interview. Arreza signed the memorandum of agreement last week with PPA president Kristoffer Jimenez.
Pearl Pacific is set to start operations with two Boeing 737-200 aircraft capable of seating 114 passengers for international flights, and turboprop aircraft for initial domestic flights from Subic to Boracay, Bohol, Cebu and Davao.
Local flight destinations will expand as the company establishes its presence in the local airline industry, according to Pearl Pacific’s Jimenez.
Jimenez said that the airline would be offering competitive rates without sacrificing quality service costs. He said this was made possible by tax incentives and other perks offered by the free port.
Jimenez added that Pearl Pacific would eliminate stopover hassles with its direct flights, enabling passengers to gain more savings and more quality holidays as it significantly cuts travel lag time.
Pearl Pacific also plans to fly to other destinations like Taiwan.
Jimenez noted that Subic has a “very strategic location.”
“A lot of tourists come here—foreigners and locals alike. It is also a booming place in terms of businesses,” he said.
Pearl Pacific was organized in September 2006 and is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, with necessary permits from the Philippine Civil Aeronautics Board and the Air Transportation Office.
“[Pearl Pacific is] just waiting for approvals from abroad. They want to fly to Taiwan and are awaiting government permits for that,” Arreza said.
Arreza said the investment proved that Subic was still an investment attraction despite the current global crisis.
“What we have witnessed now proves that there’s still life after FedEx,” said Arreza, referring to the US courier giant which used the free port as its Asia-Pacific hub. Last February, FedEx transferred to China, where domestic cargo volume alone exceeds that of Asia’s.
Arreza said that being an international airport, the SBIA can host just about any kind of air transport requirements, singling out Subic’s cargo-sorting capability as its edge over other airports in the country today.
Arreza said he expected more flights to and from Subic in the near future as the SBMA aggressively promotes business and tourism establishments.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines - A private airline offering domestic and foreign chartered flights is spending $10 million to set up its home base at the Subic Bay International Airport.
Pacific Pearl Airways aims to start operating out of SBIA in December this year, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Administrator Armand Arreza said in a phone interview. Arreza signed the memorandum of agreement last week with PPA president Kristoffer Jimenez.
Pearl Pacific is set to start operations with two Boeing 737-200 aircraft capable of seating 114 passengers for international flights, and turboprop aircraft for initial domestic flights from Subic to Boracay, Bohol, Cebu and Davao.
Local flight destinations will expand as the company establishes its presence in the local airline industry, according to Pearl Pacific’s Jimenez.
Jimenez said that the airline would be offering competitive rates without sacrificing quality service costs. He said this was made possible by tax incentives and other perks offered by the free port.
Jimenez added that Pearl Pacific would eliminate stopover hassles with its direct flights, enabling passengers to gain more savings and more quality holidays as it significantly cuts travel lag time.
Pearl Pacific also plans to fly to other destinations like Taiwan.
Jimenez noted that Subic has a “very strategic location.”
“A lot of tourists come here—foreigners and locals alike. It is also a booming place in terms of businesses,” he said.
Pearl Pacific was organized in September 2006 and is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, with necessary permits from the Philippine Civil Aeronautics Board and the Air Transportation Office.
“[Pearl Pacific is] just waiting for approvals from abroad. They want to fly to Taiwan and are awaiting government permits for that,” Arreza said.
Arreza said the investment proved that Subic was still an investment attraction despite the current global crisis.
“What we have witnessed now proves that there’s still life after FedEx,” said Arreza, referring to the US courier giant which used the free port as its Asia-Pacific hub. Last February, FedEx transferred to China, where domestic cargo volume alone exceeds that of Asia’s.
Arreza said that being an international airport, the SBIA can host just about any kind of air transport requirements, singling out Subic’s cargo-sorting capability as its edge over other airports in the country today.
Arreza said he expected more flights to and from Subic in the near future as the SBMA aggressively promotes business and tourism establishments.
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