Tourism Promotions Board’s must-visit spots of the month

 Featuring a full-pack adventure in Badian, Cebu

BY MB LIFESTYLE

  

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Tourist at Kawasan Falls, Badian Cebu (Photo from Tourism Promotions Board PH)

There are a lot of places to travel and enjoy in the Philippines both for locals and tourists, and when one visits the country, exploring the Visayas region will never be off the list because of its vibrant culture, pristine beaches, and divine destinations. It’s where most of the exciting outdoor adventures take place.

Cebu, in particular, is named as the most-visited province in the Philippines for numerous reasons. One of which is its abundance in places ideal for adrenaline-packed activities which exhilarate one’s mind and body, like what the town of Badian offers to every visitor’s adventure trip. 

A must-visit town in Cebu, Badian has been known for its canyoneering spots and activities such as river trekking, falls jumping, and beach destinations that have breath-taking panorama and white sands. Here’s a travel guide on how to indulge in this town’s enchanting landscape, away from the jam-packed resorts, this coming holiday season.

A trip to the stunning natural landscapes of Badian, Cebu

Badian is located in the southern part of Cebu Province. Going there from Manila is quite a long trip, but what’s at the end of the line will make it worth it. Here’s how to travel to Badian, Cebu from Metro Manila.

1. Going to Cebu province: Take a plane from Metro Manila to Mactan-Cebu Airport. Travel time is around one hour and 32 mins. Allot a P2,000 to P3,000 budget for airfare. 

2. Going to South Bus Terminal: Ride a taxi to get to Cebu South Bus Terminal. It will be less than an hour ride with a fare ranging from P200 to P300.

3. Going to Badian town: Ride a bus with the signboard Bato via Barili and alight at the town of Badian within 30 mins. Bus fare ranges from P120 to P230.

Eating your way through Badian

Prepare your taste buds for a whirlwind romance with local flavors and don’t miss these local delicacies.

The Badian town is famous for its fresh seafood, whether they are grilled or barbecued. From fresh fish to squid and shrimp, they have a wide selection of grilled seafood dishes at local restaurants, even in their eateries. Never miss their grilled tuna belly and squid stuffed with vegetables.

Kawasan donut (Photo from Badian Municipal Tourism Office)

For those who have a sweet tooth, Kawasan donut or as some may know as Choco Lanay donut is a must-try energizing treat. These local choco donuts only cost P20 per serving. For an affordable price, one can devour that melted chocolate-filled dough goodness sprinkled with cocoa powder as a snack through the long day adventure or a simple sweet finish to a meal. This treat is an ideal travel companion. 

No one will be left out in the feast as the place offers a variety of food to cater different cravings and preferences. For savory preparations, home-made grilled chorizo and local Badian lechon will indulge your senses with their irresistible smell and distinctive taste. These grilled chorizo pork sausages seasoned with garlic and other spices are best enjoyed with rice and a zesty dipping sauce. You can find chorizo being sold at the local market, or you can try it at one of the local restaurants. It’s one of the stars of the street food scene in Badian.  

Badian local lechon (Photo from Tourism Promotions Board PH)

Badian local lechon, on the other hand, is also a popular dish in town. This dish is usually served during special occasions and celebrations, but one can also find it at some of the local eateries in the area. Cebu is famous for it, and Badian serves up its own crispy-skinned, succulent masterpiece. These are just some of the delectables one can enjoy in the town while skipping from one adventure to another.

Discover and experience breath-taking activities

Badian brings a treasure trove of experiences for their unique and colorful festivities and recreational activities and spots.

Banig Festival (Photo from Badian Municipal Tourism Office)

Every year, the town celebrates the vibrant Banig Festival in July, which usually starts off with a colorful parade of various competing groups/teams with unique themes. This celebration is aligned with the feast day of its local patron saint - James the Apostle - as the town’s way of expressing devoutness and gratitude for their source of livelihood. It's an exciting and bright honoring of traditional woven mats (banig) featuring parades, street dances, and the chance to snag some handcrafted souvenirs. Some tourists are lucky enough to catch such an event in a year.

Kawasan Falls (Photo from Tourism Promotions Board PH)

Besides the festivities, there are a lot of stimulating activities that visitors can revel in. In Badian, there are pristine sites ideal for canyoneering and hiking like Kawasan falls and Matutinao River, which has been awarded multiple times as one of the clearest rivers in the country.

Badian canyoneering (Photo from Tourism Promotions Board PH)

With the breath-taking landscapes, turquoise waters, peaceful spots, these beckons for a refreshing dip aside from adrenaline-pumping adventure. One can dive-off cliffs, navigate narrow canyons, and soak in the untamed beauty of Cebu’s rugged terrain. Don't forget to bring cameras – being in such paradise is an experience to be immortalized.

Before embarking on a Badian journey, make sure to download this Tourism Promotions Board PH travel app for Android and IOS.  It’s a trusty sidekick, complete with interactive maps, insider tips, and exclusive discounts – the key to discovering more Badian magic.

Badian, Cebu, isn't just a destination; it's a heaven full of experiences waiting to sweep you off your feet. Bring out your inner explorer

Why Celebreate Bayanihan?

Jef Menguin

Leadership Consultant & Immersive Learning Designer

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I am a Filipino entrepreneur. I help organizations as leadership consultant, professional speaker, and corporate trainer. I design online courses, hosts webinars, and virtual workshops.

My Quora account is focused on answering questions about career, leadership, and business. I also write about Filipino life and what people's of the world can learn from us.

Bayanihan

[1]

 is a Filipino cultural concept and tradition wherein community members voluntarily help each other for a common purpose. It embodies the spirit of communal unity, cooperation, and mutual assistance. Historically, it was exemplified by neighbors helping to move an entire house by carrying it to a new location, but now it extends to various acts of community assistance.

Bayanihan is significant for several reasons:

1. Promotes Community Bonding: Bayanihan fosters unity, camaraderie, and close-knit relationships among community members. By working together, people strengthen their social ties.
2. Showcases Filipino Values: It encapsulates core Filipino values such as cooperation, selflessness, and community over individualism. Celebrating bayanihan helps in preserving and promoting these intrinsic cultural values to younger generations.
3. Overcoming Challenges: Through collective efforts, communities can overcome challenges more efficiently. Whether it's recovering from natural disasters, organizing community events, or helping someone in need, the joint effort makes tasks more manageable.
4. Boosts Morale: Acts of bayanihan showcase that individuals are not alone in their struggles or endeavors. Knowing that one has the support of the community can significantly boost morale and mental well-being.
5. Teaches Valuable Lessons: Participating in bayanihan teaches individuals about teamwork, leadership, responsibility, and the power of collaboration.

To keep the spirit of bayanihan alive:

1. Educate the Younger Generation: Share stories, experiences, and the historical significance of bayanihan with younger Filipinos to ensure they understand and appreciate this unique tradition.
2. Participate Actively: Whenever there's an opportunity to help within the community, get involved. This active participation helps in keeping the tradition alive.
3. Promote Bayanihan Spirit: Encourage and organize community events or projects that require collective effort, allowing community members to experience bayanihan firsthand.
4. Recognition: Acknowledge and celebrate acts of bayanihan, no matter how big or small, to motivate and inspire others.
5. Integrate in Modern Contexts: In today's digital age, bayanihan can also be practiced online or in urban settings. Encouraging acts of kindness and collaboration in modern contexts ensures its continuity.

Celebrating bayanihan is not just about keeping a tradition alive; it's about valuing community, mutual help, and the essence of Filipino cultural identity. It serves as a reminder of the strength that comes from unity and cooperation.

Footnotes

[1] 

Bayanihan: Culture That Turns Ordinary Filipinos Into Heroes

Is Austrian German the same as Swiss German?

 

Shayn M.

21,614 followers

75 following

Is Austrian German the same as Swiss German?

All German-speaking countries share the same literary language with a few minor differences in vocabulary and some minor differences in spelling conventions. These aside, The German of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland is much less different than British and American English.

BUT this only concerns the written language- dialects are spoken on a continuum in all German-speaking countries, although in Austria and Germany, there has been a strong tendency to drop dialects and speak only Hochdeutsch. Regional accents are the biggest giveaway here (although dialects are not dead at all and do continue to be used).

The Swiss, on the other hand, have gone the other way and dialect is used almost exclusively in daily life. All the Swiss dialects are Alemannic, and these have some continuities with some of the West Austrian and South-West German accents but each dialect in Switzerland also has distinct features. İn other words, the spoken language of Bern is not the same as that of Zürich, or Graubünden.

Nonetheless, all Swiss German speakers can also speak Hochdeutsch when needed and are effectively diglossic.

‘Dance like it’s the last night of the world’

Direct from a triumphant run in Sydney, Cameron Mackintosh’s acclaimed new production of Miss Saigon arrives in Manila for the first time ever in March 2024

BY MANILA BULLETIN

  

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AT A GLANCE

• ‘The production has given talents like Lea Salonga, Jon Jon Briones, Joanna Ampil, Rachelle Ann Go, and countless others a platform to showcase their extraordinary skills and passion.’

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I'D GIVE MY LIFE FOR YOU Miss Saigon centers around the tragic romance of American GI Chris and Vietnamese bar girl Kim

The heat is on in Manila as GMG Productions, in association with GWB Entertainment, has announced that Cameron Mackintosh’s globally acclaimed production of Boublil & Schönberg’s Miss Saigon is heading to The Theatre at Solaire in March 2024. 

 

The internationally acclaimed new production of Miss Saigon opened in London in May 2014 to record-breaking advance sales and critical acclaim, winning an unprecedented nine Whatsonstage Awards. It then opened on Broadway and a hugely successful US Tour followed with The New Yorker calling it “A dynamite Broadway revival.” UK’s The Daily Telegraph wrote, “This thrilling new production spills out beyond theater and speaks directly to the times we live in—magnificent performances.” The Daily Mail said, “The greatest musical of all time just got even better!” It has just completed a hugely successful run at Sydney Opera House and, following limited seasons in Melbourne and Adelaide, the show will land in Manila, a city that has a deep connection with this musical, in March 2024.  

 

Sir Cameron Mackintosh has shared his enthusiasm for bringing the title to the Philippines. “I’m absolutely thrilled to be bringing my spectacular new production of Miss Saigon to Manila,” he said. “Without a doubt, it is the best production of Saigon I have ever produced, with one of the most brilliant casts that have ever performed the show around the world. I can’t envisage another show of this scale being done in Manila for the foreseeable future.” 

 

Carlos Candal, GMG Productions’ CEO added that “Following the incredible success of Hamilton, and continuing with GMGP’s commitment to bringing the absolute pinnacle of musical entertainment to Manila, I could not be more excited to be presenting Miss Saigon at the Theater at Solaire. Filipinos have a deep connection with Miss Saigon because it has been the stage where countless Filipino artists have had their moment to shine. The production has given talents like Lea Salonga, Jon Jon Briones, Joanna Ampil, Rachelle Ann Go, and countless others a platform to showcase their extraordinary skills and passion, and we’re excited to welcome a new company of world-class performers to share the new staging of this phenomenal production.”  

 

A retelling of Giacomo Puccini’s classic opera, Madame Butterfly, Miss Saigon moves the love story to 1970s Vietnam. The audience follows a young Vietnamese woman named Kim as she navigates the chaos of Saigon during the Vietnam War, falls in love with an American G.I. named Chris, and embarks on an extraordinary three-year quest for reunion, all while harboring a heart-wrenching secret. 

 

Miss Saigon has music by Claude-Michel Schönberg with lyrics by Richard Maltby Jr. and Alain Boublil, adapted from original French lyrics by Alain Boublil, with additional lyrics by Michael Mahler. The new production is directed by Laurence Connor with musical staging by Bob Avian and additional choreography by Geoffrey Garratt. The production design is by Totie Driver and Matt Kinley based on an original concept by Adrian Vaux; costume design by Andreane Neofitou; lighting design by Bruno Poet; projections by Luke Halls; sound design by Mick Potter; and orchestrations by William David Brohn. Music supervision is by Alfonso Casado Trigo and Guy Simpson.

 

The Manila season is presented at The Theatre at Solaire by GMG Productions, with tickets on sale on Nov. 6 only through TicketWorld. Theatre fans can also enjoy exclusive first access to the show with UnionBank of the Philippines as the show’s official sponsor and pre-sale partner or through the GMG Miss Saigon waitlist at www.gmg-productions.com. Pre-sale period is ongoing until Nov. 3. www.gmg-productions.com

Caring for healthcare: Celebrating Philippine Nurses’ Week

BY MANILA BULLETIN

Oct 28, 2023 00:05 AM

  

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It was Oct. 17, 1958 that then President Carlos P. Garcia signed Proclamation No. 539, which designated the last week of October to be Nurses’ Week in the Philippines. The observance of this has since then been entrusted to what used to be known as the Filipino Nurses Association, now called the Philippine Nurses Association (PNA). Incidentally, the PNA has also celebrated its 101st anniversary this year, with a gathering held at the Iloilo Convention Center from Oct. 24 to 26. 

Nurses have always been important contributors in the world’s healthcare industry. They provide immediate attention to those who are in need of medical aid, as partners of doctors and other medical professionals. They are the forward-facing or client-facing, to borrow terms from modern business parlance, players of any medical institution, often the first to deal with clients (a.k.a. patients). The difference is, nurses go beyond just the “business” of healthcare. They embody, in almost every sense of the word, “care” in the medical profession. 

Together with physicians and other medical practitioners, nurses have played pivotal roles in the country’s struggle against Covid-19. Their contribution has undoubtedly been one of the most significant. Many Filipino nurses have been recognized for their work, not just in the country but also overseas. One such example was the story of that Filipino nurse working in the UK, who gave the world’s first Covid jab in 2020. 

Yet even before the Covid-19 era, nurses have also been one of the major contributors in the Philippine economy, with many of them working abroad as overseas Filipinos. Their contributions have been so recognized that for a great number of foreign nationals, it was quite common for their experience with Filipinos to be one of the medical kind, with nurses leading the way. 

The PNA, as part of its 2030 Roadmap, recognizes this and wishes to improve this culture of excellence among Filipino nurses. It seeks to continually develop and train “globally competitive Filipino nurses providing quality and excellent care,” whether in the country or elsewhere. This will be done primarily by providing and sustaining “relevant and responsive continuing education for nurses.” 

Past the surge of nursing graduates in the early 2000s, there seems to have been no shortage of the need for nurses. This is, of course, not surprising especially in a post-pandemic world, where healthcare remains to be one of the most crucial aspects of any functioning society. Nurses play a crucial role in this society and the Philippines can and should always be proud that, whether here or abroad, Filipino nurses are at the forefront of providing genuine care for those who are in need of any medical help.