A WORKING MOM'S PEN HAVEN

I've recently visited Cebu for the nth time and since my companion was a first timer, I had tour guide duties to fulfill.  And it dawned on me that this is not my first time to be touring a newbie in Cebu.  What shocked me is that I almost end up doing the same thing.  And always, always bring home the same pasalubong.  I never go home without Cebu's tasty treats since my kids would check on their "bilins" every single one of my trips to Cebu. Here's my Cebu pasalubong list and where to find the best of them: 1)  Cebu Lechon -  CnT lechon is still the best there is.  I've only gone to 2 of their branches, one is in front of SM Cebu, the old one and the other is along V Rama.  But I've heard that there's a branch that opened near Ayala Center, got to check that one out. 2)  Cebu Danggit and Dried Pusit - Although you can buy these popular ones anywhere in the city, Taboan market is the cheapest place where you can buy them.  If ...

One of the things that surprise me most is the fact that everyone who has some kind of employment can actually afford a house and lot.  Well, a lot of things like preference, accessibility, community etc will come into play but in terms of affordability, one actually have a choice out there.  Thanks to socialized housing programs, Filipinos who are employed can avail of a house and lot for as little as P2,000 a month through pag-ibig financing.  How cool is that right? However, in most areas where these socialized housing is available, most developers would require a hefty downpayment which is the main hindrance why most forego their purchase.  Most developers ask around 10-20% down payment which is roughly about 50-100k, something that the average Juan may not readily have.   In most cases though, developers stretch the down payment to 12 to even 24 months to pay just to accommodate their budgets.  However, for this market whose jobs are u...

All of a sudden I have this craving for sweets! Granted was advised by my cardio to lay off sweets a bit because my FBS stats are not that good, it’s not that bad either! But as I’ve always had a knack for sweets since my childhood. i can finish off a bar of chocolate without any help. But what kept my sugar afloat was the fact that I do not like sodas nor coffee. And so most of the time instead of ordering a coke with my meal, I’d choose the lesser evil ice tea or juice. But nowadays, I really save on calories and what best to binge off on sweets than in the sweetest city in the country - Bacolod! So here I’m listing out my top 3 sweet places in Bacolod. 1) Calea Of course, who doesnt know Calea! Anyone who’s ever been to Bacolod knows or at least may have been introduced to the place. It’s home to an endless number of cake variants. The best of which are the cheesecakes and the blueberry cheesecake is to die for!  The chocolate Bomb Ice cream is also a must try! When I was la...

I've been to Iloilo several times and I can say that each time I have to go there again, I find myself excited.  I am really looking forward to all those new things I've heard about the place recently.  Well, because of this, I think it's high time to list out the things that I want to check out in Iloilo on my next trip there: 1)  This "Heaven on Earth" or "Stairway to Heaven" thing in San Joaquin Everybody's raving about it this new destination at the Garin Farm in San Joaquin Iloilo. It's now a pilgrimage site for Catholics but it's also a selfie worthy spot that I can't wait to visit soon. 2)  Camella Savannah City Iloilo Iloilo city is at the cusp of evolution and I want to witness this as it develops into a megacity that it is designed to be.  When I was there the last time, new national developers have flocked over to take their stakes in the area transforming the city into a thriving self-sustaining community that...