In 2021, almost all national beauty pageant winners and crowd favorites were from Cebu. Despite the sudden surge in popularity, Cebuanos are no strangers to the world. In fact, Lapulapu, the first Filipino ever mentioned in historical records, was Cebuano. Hailing from the small island of Cebu, Cebuanos have distinct mannerisms that set them apart from other ethnic groups in the Philippines. (Disclaimer: this is from a local’s point of view and it varies to a certain degree for different people.)

They like shortcuts and sound angry

Believe it or not, Bisaya is the most spoken dialect in the Philippines, and in Cebu, the variant of this dialect is Cebuano. Aside from a few variants on some words, a distinct characteristic of Cebuano Bisaya is that Cebuanos love to create shortcuts. An example would be the word “kalayo” which means fire. Other Bisaya speakers would say “kalayo” but a Cebuano would say “kayo”. They also like using contractions. If a Cebuano were to say, “Palit ko og bugas” (I will buy rice), they’d rather say “Palit ko’g bugas”. 

Like other Bisaya speakers, Cebuano speakers usually have a harsh accent and manner of speaking. Most Cebuanos can get really intense especially when they get excited, want to prove a point or when they’re actually angry. As a Cebuana myself, I personally think insults in the vernacular hit harder than when they’re said in English. In fact, for speakers of other dialects like Tagalogs and Ilonggos, Cebuanos sound like they’re fighting all the time. After all, those two ethnic dialects mentioned earlier are known for their sweet, gentle tone. 

They love the hype of new establishments

Cebuanos are always updated with the opening of new malls, restaurants, and other events. In a small area like Cebu, word spreads like wildfire (especially with gossip!) and usually, everyone will eventually know. Therefore on day one of ANY opening, you can always count on Cebuanos to flood the area. New malls will be filled with people and there’s a 99.99% chance you’ll see someone you know. New restaurants will have long lines that end at the other side of the building. This trait probably shows the Cebuanos’ curiosity and adventurousness in wanting to try new things.

This Cebuano behavior usually brings large profits to new businesses in the first few months. So how will your business fare in the later months? That brings us to our next point.

They are practical people

Eventually, the hype for what’s new starts to die down as the new becomes old. Cebuanos will then discern the practicality of going to a certain establishment. Like if a certain mall or supermarket is too far with nothing too special, they will rarely visit it. Or if a restaurant is too overpriced but with mediocre food, they stop going there altogether. That’s why in Cebu, the test of time is the best way to see which restaurants or businesses are thriving. Cebuanos tend to patronize reasonably priced restaurants with hearty food that they believe is worth the spend.

A Cebuano insider tip is that the best restaurants with value for your money are usually the older ones with lots of people on the waiting list. It’ll be a stretch of patience but it’ll be worth your while.

They are patient and reasonable people

Back when Typhoon Odette struck Cebu in December 2021, many were affected. However, many Cebuanos still went out of their way to help the less fortunate despite the lack of water, electricity, and decent signal. One thing I noted about Cebuanos is that we complain quietly. Years ago, when a typhoon struck NCR, they were quick to call, “Nasaan ang pangulo?” (Where is the president?); in Cebu, we took matters into our own hands, helped others, and showed appreciation to the linemen who were trying to get the power back. One thing this experience taught me is that although our accents are harsh, Cebuanos are considerate, appreciative, and reasonable. 

They’re half urban half rural

When people talk about Cebu, they may have completely different ideas in mind. For some it might be the progressive city life, for some, it might be the beach and marine life or for others, it might be the cool fresh mountain air. However, they’re all correct because Cebu really has all those. Sure, a one or two-hour drive away may be far away to get groceries on a daily basis but if it’s a getaway to go to the beach or the mountains, it’s safe to say that it’s pretty close by. For special occasions or breaks, a staple of beaching is in Mactan where many world-class resorts await and a staple of “bukid” (mountain in Bisaya) is in Busay where the cool air and cold drinks are. However, Cebu has many more places to offer like Moalboal, Oslob, and more but these are a lot farther (4-6 hour drive) and these places are better enjoyed with prior planning than as a spontaneous trip. 

Although for a quick trip to watch the latest movies or to just hang out, there are malls like Ayala (Center Cebu or Central Bloc), SM (City or Seaside), and Robinsons (Fuente or Galleria). For a really tiny city, Cebu has a lot of world-class malls to choose from for a quick stroll. 

Overall, Cebuanos are just like other Filipinos – they are happy, resilient, and resourceful to name a few. Since the Philippines is an archipelago, the distance between ethnic groups creates unique cultures within themselves and that’s what makes Filipinos so interesting. They possess their own distinct identities and yet they carry the same Pinoy pride.

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Gail Ma

A medical student who is passionate about writing and loves to travel in her free time.

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Last December 16, 2021, Supertyphoon Odette (internationally known as Rai) struck multiple parts of Visayas and Mindanao including Surigao, Palawan, Cebu, Bohol,  Negros Oriental and Southern Leyte. While the total death, missing person, and injury rate in all affected areas are not as grave, the real impact is in the destruction of infrastructures, homes, and cities as a whole. 

Having survived the typhoon myself, I saw my home, Cebu City, transform into a ruined wasteland overnight. Roofs and debris scattered all over the street, trees, and powerlines knocked over, blocking the roads, and come nighttime, extremely dark streets lit only by the moon and headlights from passing cars. It took me a while to get (very spotty) service after the typhoon and I checked the news online to see the full picture of the aftermath. 

All affected cities looked like scenes straight from a post-apocalyptic movie the morning after the tragedy. With a pandemic ongoing and the lack of anticipation on how severe the typhoon would become, everyone was not prepared for the lifestyle changes it would bring: no electricity, signal, and water – with the Cebu City government announcing that everything would be back to normal in a month. Worse was the lack of media coverage and news to unaffected areas like Manila and abroad due to the termination of ABS-CBN’s contract by the Duterte administration during the start of the pandemic. This in turn left many worried fellow Filipinos in the dark about the whereabouts of their loved ones who lived in those areas. 

In the first few days after, hundreds of people would queue in the streets in search of gasoline, water, cash, groceries, and charging stations. While everyone is virtually affected by the crisis, not everyone is in the same boat. The privileged are able to move into temporary shelters like hotels and condominiums with generators, many poor people lost their homes to the typhoon. While some would pray for rain to spare them from the hot weather while others don’t wish it because they lost a part of their entire roof or house. 

Cebu City is known for its relief efforts when neighboring areas are affected by calamities. Being the second-largest metropolitan in the Philippines, it serves as the business and trade hub for the Visayas. In fact, many donation drives were initiated in Cebu with the help of other provinces to help provide relief packages to affected communities despite the damages. Thankfully with the cooperation of electricity and water providers from unaffected regions, Cebu is slowly being rebuilt into normalcy.

While electricity and water were slowly being restored in different affected areas, not everyone was able to celebrate Christmas and New Year with water and electricity but nonetheless, Cebuanos are grateful and humble people. Despite their situation, they are cooperative and resilient and they do their best to continue on with their lives while helping others and waiting for full restoration.

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Gail Ma

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Philippines’ beaches can be experienced anytime of the year. I am glad I live where I don’t have to wait for a particular season to see the beaches.  It is a place to hang around, celebrate love stories, family life, Christmas, Easter, any event, or just the most perfect place when you can’t think of any better one at all.  Its promises are always pleasurable.

Just like Cebu, Panglao, Bohol is a renowned destination among local and foreign tourists due to its white-sand beaches and rich, well-preserved marine life perfect for snorkeling and diving enthusiasts. This tourist destination is also known for its proximity to other wildlife wonders like the popular Chocolate Hills, spectacular water forms like rivers, falls, and springs, and home to the cute and cuddly tarsier recognized as the world’s smallest primate animal, which is native only to the island. Visiting Bohol is like getting a box of chocolates — you’re definitely in for a treat.

I don’t clearly remember, but the first time I came to Bohol was when I was just a child.  To be honest, I was quite excited about this 4-day trip because it felt like everything on my sight was all new for me though I have heard so many great things about the place from friends and relatives.

Traveling to Bohol

There are many ways to get to Bohol if your first point is either Manila or Cebu. If you start from the airport in Manila, you can take a direct flight to Tagbilaran City, Bohol, which is the province’s capital. From there, you can hire a van or car to take you to Panglao Island which is usually around 30-minutes travel time.

If your starting point is Cebu, take a ferry boat in Pier 1. You can have two options here: a fast-craft ferry boat or a regular one. If you take the first one, travel time is around one and a half hours while if you take the latter, it usually takes you four hours to get there. For the first option, the fare is around P500 – P2,500 while the second option is  P300 – P1,500. The fare rates vary per type (regular, economy, tourist, business class, etc) and they also have occasional promo rates. They also have ferry schedules at least every hour daily.

When you arrive at Tagbilaran Port, you can go to Panglao Island in a number of ways, too. You can ride a taxi/cab, a private van or car, or if you’re feeling adventurous, you can ride the local tricycle / public vehicle, too. Either way, you’ll get to Panglao resort in 45 minutes to an hour depending on which hotel or resort you’re booked. The cost is around P600 per person for a taxi/cab or private car while the van costs higher or around the same as taking the cab or car.

For this trip, since I am from Cebu, I took the fast ferry boat and hired a private car to go to the hotel. We were booked at the BE Grand Hotel in Panglao, Bohol, and the place is 10 minutes away from Alona Beach, which is one of the most famous beaches in the area.

We chose BE Grand Hotel because it is a secluded place but not too far away from Alona Beach where all the bars and busy nightlife are. True to its name, the grandeur of this 4-star resort hotel is remarkable with its vast pool area, wide and beautiful beachfront, modern restaurant and bar, elegant rooms, and cool amenities like its state-of-the-art gym, recreation room with games like pool and table tennis and a section for the kids to play, karaoke room, and a lot more. We had so much fun playing pool and ping pong and spending most of our afternoons enjoying the food and cocktails by the relaxing pool.

On Day 2, we decided to go snorkeling in Balicasag Island. We asked our hotel to book us with their partner tour package company, Scotty’s Action Sports Network, Inc. for the said activity. The tour package consists of a snorkeling activity to see the turtles and other marine life in Balicasag Turtle Island and a sight-seeing activity in Padre Pio Island. There were nine of us in the motorized boat with two guides/staff and we had the two activities for about two hours. It was the best time to get underwater photos of turtles and I was in awe of the beauty of the marine animals and ecosystems that live underwater. Initially, I was too afraid to go past the deep blue ocean since it was my first time to try it, but then, seeing the colorful fishes just swimming around me took my fear away.

On the last day, we decided to just enjoy the beach and the sun one last time so we spent the whole afternoon swimming and enjoying the view together with mostly foreign tourists in the Alona Beach front. Seeing the locals and foreign tourists enjoying the warm weather and cool sea breeze and the water feels like summer in November and it should even get better towards the end of the year and the beginning of the year without having to deal with the crowd.

Indeed, Alona Beach in Panglao, Bohol is a good start towards getting a feel of what Panglao, Bohol has to offer. If you live in a Western country where it’s freezing cold because of the winter time, traveling to Bohol or any part of the Philippines for that matter is a great idea to do as we have the most perfect weather during this time of the year plus you get to enjoy the food and the places here without breaking the bank.

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Jocelyn Medico

A writer by heart who is fascinated with topics related to the Philippines, motherhood/parenting, self-development, health and lifestyle, food, and travel.

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You’ve probably heard of Cebu because of Sinulog, the yearly religious and cultural festival celebrating Santo Niño and one of the biggest festivals in the Philippines, but there’s more to it. If you’re planning to get a last-minute vacation before the year ends, Cebu should be one of your top destinations to consider. Cebu may be considered the second largest urban area in the Philippines but it has been a top favorite go-to vacation place because it has an interesting balance of a lively city life and a laid-back, quiet haven. Also known as the “Queen City of the South”, it is home to several white sand, virgin beaches and other fascinating cultural and natural tourist spots, Cebu has local and foreign tourists in awe of its beauty and rich traditional heritage.

But over the years, tourists are not only attracted by the picturesque Cebu sights but also with its distinct flavors in the local food scene.  You’ll definitely experience #foodgasm just by mentioning the word, Cebu. “Kaon ta, bai!”, is the common phrase you hear from people when you are in Cebu. Like other places in the Philippines, Cebuanos love to eat and have a lot of great dishes and delicacies in their arsenal.

Here are the top ten foods and food places to try when you visit Cebu:

• Lechon de Cebu. Lechon de Cebu will always be number one on the list. Lechon can be found in numerous provinces and even have festivals celebrating this mouth-watering roasted pork dish (like the Lechon Festival in Balayan, Batangas every June 24^th), but Lechon de Cebu is the top favorite among the rest because of its unique blend of flavors. It’s so in-demand that Cebuano lechon restaurants can actually arrange for you to send one whole or per kilo lechon via air travel anywhere in the Philippines. Must-visit lechon restaurants are CnT Lechon and Rico’s Lechon.

• Puto Maya and Sikwate. This breakfast and snack combination is a staple in Cebu. You can find it sold in the streets early morning near churches or public markets, or even just around the neighborhood. Puto Maya is made from “pilit” or glutinous rice mixed with “gata” or coconut milk and some ginger. Sikwate is our local take on the Western hot chocolate drink made from “tablea” or compacted cacao shaped into small medallions, which is then boiled and added with sugar. Typically, this combo is also best served with sweet mangoes from Cebu. You can try this delicacy anywhere but if you prefer a gourmet one, try Tablea Chocolate Café.

• Tuslob-Buwa. If you’re feeling adventurous, this savory local dish might be your next favorite. “Tuslob” which means “to dip”, and “buwa” which translates as “bubbles”.   This dish is made from pork brain and liver and mixed with garlic, onions, some soy sauce or fish sauce and cooked in pork lard, which makes it tastier. It is cooked until the mixture transforms into a gravy-like consistency. When it reaches its desired state, that is when you would dip “puso” or hanging rice to the mixture and enjoy it. It originated from Pasil, Cebu, which is a famous fish market here. Originally, tuslob-buwa vendors sell it in big batches literally cooked in big woks in the streets near Pasil Market.

Note: Pasil Market has a reputation of being a bit unsanitary so if you plan to try tuslob-buwa there, you should check the vendor’s place first.

• Pungko-Pungko. Aside from tuslob-buwa, street-food is so alive in Cebu with pungko-pungko in almost every corner of the city’s busy streets. It got its name from the word “pungko” which means “to squat” because initially, pungko-pungko vendors would bring a big white storage box as a food container and fill it with fried food like hotdogs, squid balls, shanghai rolls, “ginabot” or deep-fried intestines, and puso, and buyers would literally squat to eat whatever food they ordered out of the pungko-pungko box. Today, you can find more convenient pungko-pungko places like the one near Cebu Doctor’s University in Mandaue and Saucy Pungko in Tisa. 

• Barbecue Overload. If you haven’t realized yet, Cebuanos love street food and what other way to show that than having barbecue. The most famous place to visit for good barbecue with a wide variety of choices is Larsian near Chong Hua Hospital in Cebu City. Find vendors who will grill you fresh seafood, pork, chicken, and other grill-worthy food items you wish to devour.

• Pochero. Whether it’s rainy or not, you should definitely try the Spanish-inspired beef stew pot here in Cebu. Pochero is one of the comfort foods that locals and tourists enjoy any time and any season. In other places in the Philippines, it may be called “bulalo”, but the Cebu Pochero has its distinct local flavor that you’ll love. It is basically beef and bone marrow with bok choy and corn slow cooked for hours. You’ll know it’s the perfect pochero when the meat falls off the bone when you touch it with a fork and the soup has that savory-sweet taste to it. You can check out Kusina Uno in Mandaue or Marjo’s Pochero in Cebu City near Cebu Capitol.

• SuTuKil. “SuTuKil” is an abbreviated term for three commonly practiced seafood cooking styles in the Visayan region, and that is, “Sugba”, “Tuwa”, and “Kilaw”.  “Sugba” or “to grill” is almost a default cooking style especially because most restaurants have a wide variety of fresh catch of fish and other seafood. “Tuwa” or “to stew” is also a common method in preparing a seafood dish. Like its Tagalog version called “Tinola”, you combine seafood with vegetables such as cabbage, pechay, or bok choy, tomatoes, and ginger and allow it to simmer. Lastly, “Kilaw” means “to eat raw”. It is a local version of the famous Japanese dish called “sashimi” wherein you fillet fish or choice of seafood and allow it to sit in vinegar along with other ingredients like tomatoes, ginger, onion, and sometimes, green mangoes, just like a salad. Best places to try SuTuKil are the following: STK ta Bai near Capitol Cebu or Sutukil Seafood Market Restaurant in Punta Engano, Mactan.

• Mango Pizza. Tired of the usual pepperoni and cheese pizza? Try this sweet twist to your favorite snack – mango pizza! Decadent sweet mango puree sauce topped with green peppers, mushroom, and cheese.  The Pitstop Restaurant in Capitol Site Cebu offers this delightful treat since 2015.

• Siomai and Ngohiong. If you want to get a quick snack or just craving for cowboy-style dimsum, then you should definitely check out Siomai sa Tisa, Kuya Jeff’s Siomayan, and Ngohiong Express. Siomai and ngohiong is the perfect pair to go if you’re craving for Chinese food but on a budget. This combo along with the famous puso or hanging rice and a bottle of ice-cold softdrinks will definitely satisfy your cravings.

• Halo-Halo. Just a few blocks from Siomai sa Tisa, you can see a lot of food stalls that offer budget-friendly halo-halo. Grab a special halo-halo at Melton’s Halo-Halo in Katipunan St. After that sumptuous dimsum meal or any Cebuano must-try food you intend to try, this Filipino dessert will cap of your Cebuano food adventure. The term “halo” which means “to mix” describes how you should enjoy eating this dish. In each halo-halo serving, you will find a combination of sweetened banana, sweet potatoes, sweet beans, gelatin, tapioca, leche flan, ube halaya, shaved coconut, corn flakes, and many more (depending on where you get your halo-halo) over shaved ice and milk, and topped with a scoop or two of your choice of ice cream. If it doesn’t sound like a heavenly dessert for you, then I don’t know what is.

Cebu is not only a place to go for its scenic tourist spots and beautiful beaches. The foods that locals typically consume on a regular basis gives you an idea that Cebuanos love to eat and socialize at the same time, evident in how most of the top foods listed are predominantly street food or dishes that can be shared by a group. So, the next time you plan to have a vacation, plan a two-three day tour in Cebu and be amazed of what the city has to offer.

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Jocelyn Medico

A writer by heart who is fascinated with topics related to the Philippines, motherhood/parenting, self-development, health and lifestyle, food, and travel.

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As you already know, Filipinos love to take a lot of photos.  Whether it’s a special occasion like birthdays, weddings, and travels, or even just a normal day at home, work, or school, Pinoys love to take photos of themselves and the activities they do on a regular basis more than most people in the world and here are some reasons why:

1. We love to update our social media accounts and great photos are a good way to update our statuses.
2. We like to document important events in our lives and remember every memory by taking photos of specific details during those events.
3. We like to showcase our creativity with every pose or snap of activities we do in a day.
4. We aim to be in sync with the latest fashion trends, places to eat or travel, experiences, etc.
5. We love to show our family and relatives from all over the world what we’re currently enjoying and sharing that happiness, even when we’re miles away.

These are just some of the reasons why we love to do a #selfie any time of the day.  And true enough, there are a lot of exciting new places to visit and take a selfie.  If you happen to visit Cebu, here is a must-see place to spend at least half a day at, and that place is called Neri’s Ville Selfie Corner.

Situated in Sitio Bombil, Barangay Lusaran, Cebu City, Neri’s Ville is one of the hottest spots for selfie addicts to visit.  The place boasts a lot of Instagram-worthy selfie spots that would really take your social media game to a whole new level.  There, you can see some Bali, Indonesia spots and New Zealand inspired hobbit houses that would surely make you become a child at heart again.  What I also love when we visited is that you can really appreciate nature and a great view of the mountains and greenery all around.  The fresh air and vibrant colors you can see in each selfie spot is a great way to relax and unwind from hustles and bustles of city and a hectic life, in general.

Visitor Information

Rates

• Entrance fee: ₱50 per person, free for children below 4 years old
• Hours Open: 8AM to 7PM, everyday
• Overnight: No overnight stay option yet

How Can I Go There?

Neri’s Ville Selfie Corner is at Sitio Bombil, Barangay Lusaran, Cebu City

Via Public Transport: From Cebu City, ride a 62B or 62C or any jeepney going to Talamban via Pit-os.

Then, stop by Pit-os Flying V gasoline station and ride a motorcycle (or habal-habal) going to Sitio Bombil in Barangay Lusaran. One-way fare per person is Fare is ₱80-100. Traveling time is around 45 minutes to an hour from Pit-os.

Via Owned Vehicle: Get directions through the Waze or Google Maps app by searching for “Lusaran Cebu City”.  Also, ask locals to help get you to the location because there is not a lot of signs going to that location.

Other Recommendations:

• Bring your own food/snacks and beverage.  They only sell water there, although there are two food stores selling local food snacks and drinks but not a lot of variety.
• Bring a hat, shades, extra clothes, if you come during day time.
• Come with a friend or in a group so your photos will be properly taken.  If you come solo, bring a good selfie stick or a camera stand to take good photos of yourself.

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Jocelyn Medico

A writer by heart who is fascinated with topics related to the Philippines, motherhood/parenting, self-development, health and lifestyle, food, and travel.

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