Cebuanos are innately religious since the Queen City of the South can be considered as the cradle of Catholicism in the country. This is evident in the numerous religious traditions that have been passed on from one generation to another. Cebu is also home to some of the oldest churches and chapels in the Philippines. But, one chapel has a special place in the heart of Cebuanos and Filipinos in general since it is dedicated to the second Filipino saint who, incidentally, is a Cebuano. The name of the chapel is the Chapel of San Pedro Calungsod.

The chapel is dedicated to San Pedro Calungsod. He was martyred in Guam in 1672 for his missionary work and was beautified on March 5, 2000 by Blessed Pope John Paul II. On October 21, 2012 San Pedro Calungsod was beatified at Saint Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican City by Pope Benedict XVI. 

The chapel is located on an elevated lot within the SM Seaside City Complex. It was the first structure built on the complex, which essentially reflects a practice during the time of the Spaniards when towns around the archipelago were built around a church. 

Carlos Arnaiz, an architect based in the US, designed the Chapel of San Pedro Calungsod. One distinctive feature of the chapel is its 100 walls, each with a different height. The walls are facing in one direction, which makes the structure appear solid in one side and have a transparent appearance when viewed from a different angle. The chapel is big enough to accommodate 803 people at the same time. It has an adoration chapel, a baptistry, prayer niches and the 14 Stations of the Cross. It also features a special room for children. 

The chapel was designed to pay homage to the dynamic spirit of Cebu, which is gradually becoming the heart of the design culture of the Philippines. It plays host to an increasingly growing community of talented filmmakers, designers and businessmen. The chapel acts as a sanctuary of sand, stone and glass where the faithful can meditate and strengthen their resolve to meet the challenges of everyday life with help from the grace of God. 

Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma along with Cebu Archbishop Emeritus Ricardo Cardinal Vidal celebrated the consecration Mass of the chapel when it was dedicated on November 29, 2012. Prior to the mass, a motorcade from the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral brought the pilgrim image of the first Visayan saint to the chapel. Msgr. Vicente Tupas was assigned to act as the rector of the chapel by the Archdiocese of Cebu.

Holy Masses are held at the Chapel of San Pedro Calungsod every day. The Holy Mass schedule is as follows: 

Sunday:                      07:30 AM - 08:30 AM
                                    09:00 AM - 10:00 AM
                                    11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
                                    06:00 PM - 07:00 PM
                                    07:30 PM - 08:30 PM

Monday:                     12:15 PM - 01:15 PM
                                    06:00 PM - 07:00 PM

Tuesday:                     12:15 PM - 01:15 PM
                                    06:00 PM - 07:00 PM

Wednesday:               12:15 PM - 01:15 PM
                                    06:00 PM - 07:00 PM

Thursday:                  12:15 PM - 01:15 PM
                                    06:00 PM - 07:00 PM

Friday:                        12:15 PM - 01:15 PM

Saturday:                   06:00 PM - 07:00 PM - Anticipated Mass

You can reach the Chapel of San Pedro Calungsod by taking the My Bus from SM City Cebu to SM Seaside City. Once you reach SM Seaside City, you can pass through the Mountain Wing doorway and walk for around five minutes from the mall. It is not difficult to spot the chapel since it can be easily seen from the mall. If you are using your own vehicle, you can pass through the South Coastal Road and turn right into Chapel Avenue, which is located inside the SM Seaside City complex.

The Chapel of San Pedro Calungsod is a testament to the religiosity of the Cebuanos and their undying faith in God. Did you visit the Chapel of San Pedro Calungsod already? Tell us about it on the comments section below.

​The city of Bogo or Bogo City is one of the component cities of the province of Cebu and is located around 100 kilometers north of Cebu City. Among the landmarks visitors can look forward to if they take a trip to Bogo City are the Virgin Mary Shrine, which overlooks the city, and the Cebu Roosevelt Memorial College, the biggest building in Bogo City. Bogo also plays hosts to a number of resorts that cater to the needs of tourists. But, visitors to Bogo City typically looked forward to tasting one of the delicacies the place has to offer, the Pintos.

The Pintos is a local delicacy made of ground corn mixed with milk and butter, for the special variant, or margarine, for the ordinary variant. Another variant of the Pintos has cheese or coconut strips mixed into it. It is cooked by soaking it in boiling water for around one hour. The Pintos is wrapped in corn husk and can be bought at PHP 50 for 5 pieces. It is popular among local and foreign tourists. The Pintos is best eaten while it is still hot and paired with the local version of the hot chocolate, the sikwate. 

The popularity of this delicacy reached a point where it has become the start of the local festival in Bogo City. The Pintos Festival is held every May 26 and coincides with the town fiesta celebrating the patron saint of the city, Saint Vincent Ferrer. It also replaced the older festival of the city, the Kuyayang Festival. The Pintos Festival reflects the major source of income of the area, its corn plantations. Since corn is its main product, it was only logical for Bogo City to promote it through its annual fiesta. 

The Pintos can be bought in Bogo City and tourists travelling to the north can look forward to vendors selling the delicacy if the bus makes a stop in the city. But, residents of the Queen City of the South can also look forward to getting the chance to taste this sweet delicacy whenever a food expo is held in the city. Or they can simply take a short trip to Bogo City and enjoy their Pintos while relaxing in the beaches of one of the resorts in the area.

The Gabii sa Kabilin or the Night of Heritage is an annual event showcasing the cultural heritage of Cebu. The event takes its inspiration from the Long Night of Museums in Germany where museums and cultural institutions remain open at night to make them accessible to potential patrons. A common entrance pass is made available to visitors who use it to gain access to all exhibits participating in the cultural event. The pass also offers complimentary public transportation to visitors. 

The Gabii sa Kabilin shares the same concept where tickets are made available to visitors who want to join the event. The event is already on its tenth year with over forty museum and institutions in the four major cities of Cebu taking part in the event this year. The Gabii sa Kabilin aims to make museums appealing to local and foreign tourists as well as strengthen the idea that museums can enhance the understanding and appreciation of the history and culture of Cebu. It is a one of a kind cultural event in the Philippines and the whole of Asia.

​The Gabii sa Kabilin started in 2007 with only four museums participating in the event. These museums were Casa Gorordo Museum, Basilica del Santo Niño Museum, Cathedral Museum of Cebu, and Fort San Pedro. The event is organized by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. in cooperation with the Visayas Association of Museums and Galleries Inc.  The event also enjoys the support of the local governments in Cebu and the private sector. Cebu City Ordinance 2327 passed by the Cebu City Council recognized the Gabii sa Kabilin as an important cultural event.

The theme for the Gabii sa Kabilin this year is “Forging Peoples.” The theme highlights the collections of participating museum and institutions as well as creates narratives to pique the interest of the participants. The main objective of the annual Night of Heritage is to awaken the curiosity of participants on what Cebu has to offer in terms of history and culture. This curiosity will encourage them to visit the participating sites on other days since it is not possible to visit all of them during the event.

Aside from the exhibits, visitors were treated to cultural presentations and other activities in participating sites. The City Walk segment of the event gave visitors the opportunity to go on a walking tour in the downtown area where a number of participating venues are located. Some streets were closed for the event to allow visitors to freely walk from one venue to another. Tartanilla rides were also available for visitors to experience this once ubiquitous method of transportation in the Queen City of the South. Eight bus routes connected the different museums and sites that participated in the event.

The featured sites during the Gabii sa Kabilin were the National Historic Shrine Liberation Monument, Carbon Market, Colon Street, Magellan’s Cross, and the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño. Did you join the Gabii sa Kabilin on May 27? Tell us about your experience on the comments section below.

When people think about Japanese cuisine, they normally say it’s expensive and only for the affluent members of society. Well, this may not be true in the Queen City of the South since there is a place in Cebu offering Japanese food at a reasonable price, Joed’s Lutong Hapon.

Joed’s Lutong Hapon opened in 2009 when owners Joan and Edgar Malapitan decided to open a Japanese restaurant in Cebu. The couple offered Beef Gyudon and Sukiyakidon in their small carinderia in Mabolo. The dishes became an instant hit and the place became one of the must-visit places for anyone who wants to have a taste of Japan without breaking the bank.

The items on the menu of Joed’s Lutong Hapon include Yakisuba, Sukiyaki Maki, Pork Ramen, Curry Udon, Spicy Meso Ramen, Katsudon, Ebi Tempura Roll and Yakiniku, among others. All of the items on the menu were the creations of Edgar himself, who was able to study culinary arts as well as work in Japan. The prices of these menu items are between PHP 75 for the Crazy Maki Roll and PHP 350 for the Maki Sushi Mix. The place prides itself of sourcing their ingredients either directly from Japan or through legitimate Japanese stores in the city.

The original location of the place was close to an elevated basketball court along Pope John Paul Avenue formerly San Jose de la Montaña Avenue in Mabolo. While it basically looked like your typical carenderia, they offered Japanese food at a reasonable price. In 2011, the restaurant relocated to a place close to Sacred Heart School-Hijas de Cebu, which offered a bigger space. After some time, they transferred again to its current location along F. Cabahug Street in Mabolo right across Sarossa Hotel.

Joed’s Lutong Hapon has been featured in a number of well-known food blogs as well as “Rated K” on ABS-CBN and “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho” on GMA.  It should be noted that the place does not have air-conditioning, which means it may get a bit humid when it gets to hot outside. But, the restaurant does have ceiling fans to provide some respite from the humidity.

If you are planning to visit the place, it may be advisable to get there at lunchtime or just before the dinner rush since it may get crowded during this time. You should also take note that the place only offers street parking. If you are looking for authentic Japanese cuisine without taking a hit on your wallet, Joed’s Lutong Hapon is one place you should visit. We never know, you may become one of the numerous return customers of the place.

​Argao is one of the oldest municipalities in the whole archipelago. The town has a rich cultural history and is home to numerous landmarks significant to the history of the country. It also plays host to some awe-inspiring natural and man-made wonders. Aside from these cultural and natural attractions, Argao visitors can look forward to trying out the different delicacies the town is known for.  One of these delicacies is a product of the premium quality cacao seeds the town is known to produce, the Sikwate or the tsokolate.

The sikwate is the essentially the Cebuano version of the popular hot chocolate. It is made from dried, roasted and milled cacao beans, which are formed into tablets called tableya. The tableya is boiled in hot water using a special type of jug and frothed using a wooden stick called a batirol. Once froth is produced, milk and sugar are added to create a much-loved chocolate drink that gives people a nostalgic feeling.

The cacao beans of Argao are sourced mainly from Barangay Canbanua. The cacao beans produced in Argao are known to be of premium quality. The popularity of the cacao beans of Argao is highlighted by the Legend of Maria Cacao, who supposedly had a vast plantation of cacao somewhere in the mountains of Argao. After she and her partner, Mangaw, harvest the beans, they travel along the river on a golden boat to deliver them.

The sikwate is a perfect breakfast drink and can be paired with another famous delicacy from Argao, the Torta. While the tableya from Argao is already available in a number of groceries and supermarkets in the Queen City of the South, taking a trip down south to buy it from the source can be quite an enjoyable experience for anyone who wants to learn about how it is made. The sikwate from Argao is also offered in a number of restaurants and coffee shops in the city.

The sikwate from Argao is indeed one of the delicacies the town is known for. Aside from the nostalgic feeling you can get from savoring a cup of piping hot sikwate, it is also a perfect drink on cold rainy mornings in the Queen City of the South. When was the last time you relished the sweet aroma of a cup of sikwate from Argao? Tell us about it on the comments section below.

​Cebu is the home to the best pig ever. Famed chef and television personality Anthony Bourdain can attest to this after his visit to the Queen City of the South way back in 2008. He made the bold proclamation in an episode of “No Reservations” aired in February 2009 after visiting a number of places around the world to find the best pig ever.

This fact is quite evident on the number of restaurants in Cebu and other places in the country offering the Cebu lechon on their menu. But, Cebuanos are not resting on their laurels. They allowed their creative juices to run free, which eventually led to the creation of the boneless lechon. 

The boneless lechon is an innovative method of cooking the lechon. It essentially requires the deboning of the belly of a pig before special ingredients and spices are added. After this, it is cooked in the same way a typical lechon is cooked, over an open-charcoal fire. Since the bones are removed from the pig before it is cooked, customers would get all the meat they can eat. 

​There are numerous lechon houses in Cebu that have added the boneless lechon into their list of products. Three notable restaurants offering the boneless lechon are as follows:

Cebu’s Original Lechon Belly is the brainchild of Mr. Marlon Gochan who conceptualized the product way back in August 2011. He perfected the method of deboning the lechon belly before spicing it up with ingredients and slow-roasting it over open-charcoal fire. The cooking method is the same way the traditional lechon is cooked. Cebu’s Original Lechon Belly is offered in more than thirty locations around the country as well as one location in Vancouver, Canada.

They have two variants of their boneless lechon, the original regular variant and the spicy variant. The price of their boneless lechon starts at PHP 600 per kilo in the Visayas area and PHP 760 per kilo in Metro Manila. Aside from the boneless lechon, Cebu’s Original Lechon Belly also offers Lechips, Lechon Dugo-Dugo, Lechon Rolls, and Beef Stew. You can check out the website and Facebook Page of Cebu’s Original Lechon Belly for more information.

Zubuchon is another well-known restaurant offering one of the best boneless lechon in Cebu. The man behind Zubuchon is Joel Binamira, who is also the writer of the popular blog Market Manila. In October 2008, Joel played host to Anthony Bourdain and showed the author and TV host how he cooked lechon. The lechon cooked by Joel was proclaimed by Bourdain as the best pig ever. The name Zubuchon is a combination of the word Zubu, which is the name of Cebu as shown on old Portuguese and Spanish maps, and Chon for Lechon.

Zubuchon prides itself of getting their pigs from backyard sellers who feed their pigs with 100 percent organic feeds. The restaurant also stuffs their pigs with over a dozen herbs and spices before it is roasted over charcoal. Zubuchon has seven branches in Metro Cebu. The price of their boneless lechon starts at PHP 330 for a platter good for 3 to 4 persons. They also offer boneless Zubuchon meals at PHP 180. In addition to the boneless lechon, Zubuchon also offers Paksiw na Zubuchon, Pritchon, Roasted Chicken, Ensaladang Talong, and Sizzling Bangus, among others. You can check out the website and Facebook Page of Zubuchon for more information. 

Tatang’s Extra Crispy Boneless Lechon was established in 2012 by Lorenz Florendo. The name Tatang’s came from the name of the grandfather of Lorenz who wanted a classic and Pinoy name for the restaurant he wanted to open. The recipe for the boneless lechon of Lorenz was not created overnight.  In fact, it took his family a couple of months to make the perfect recipe to produce a boneless lechon with an extra crispy skin while ensuring the juiciness of the meat itself.

Tatang’s Extra Crispy Boneless Lechon was recognized in 2013 as the best boneless lechon for the year in the first edition of the Best of Cebu of Sun.Star Weekend. The boneless lechon of Tatang’s is available at its main outlet along Wilson St., Cebu City. It is also offered in at least five locations in Metro Manila. The price of the regular variant of the boneless lechon of Tatang’s is at PHP 560 per kilo while the spicy variant is priced at PHP 580 per kilo. Aside from the boneless lechon, they also offer Lechon Wraps and Lechon Flakes, among others. You can check out the Facebook Page of Tatang’s Extra Crispy Boneless Lechon for more information.

The boneless lechon is proof of the creativity of the Cebuanos who are constantly innovating the dishes they offer to their discriminating customers. The boneless lechon of Cebu has also cemented the status of the Queen City of the South as the cradle of the lechon industry in the archipelago, if not the world.

Comfort food can be defined as food that provides a nostalgic value to a specific person. There are times when comfort food has a good amount of cholesterol and carbohydrates and simple to prepare. Some Cebuanos may consider the lechon or chicharon as their comfort food. Then, there is the Chinese Lumpia at Fooda. 

The Chinese Lumpia at Foodarama along Mango Avenue or General Maxilom Avenue can be considered as one of the institutions of the culinary scene in Cebu. It has delighted the taste buds of Cebuanos long before a number of other Chinese dishes were offered in the Queen City of the South. The ingredients have basically remained the same. And it is still prepared by the same person who can probably be considered as an icon in the food landscape of Cebu, Sara Escultor or simply Manang Sara.

Manang Sara has been putting together this delicious comfort food for the past four decades. She started off when she was in her teens way back in 1973. And she has continued to satisfy the culinary cravings of the residents of Cebu. Some of these customers immediately recognize her as the one who prepared the Chinese Lumpia they crave for when they were still studying in the schools close to Foodarama.  

When the stall at Foodarama started off, its menu offerings included the empanada, humba egg, siopao, siomai, bachang and, of course, the Chinese Lumpia. The menu is basically the same with the addition of the Pancit Miki and Fried Rice. Many Cebuanos still pass by the stall of Manang Sara each time they get the chance to go to Foodarama. While a number of restaurants have tried to replicate the Chinese Lumpia at Foodarama, nothing beats the original. 

When was the last time you passed by the stall of Manang Sara and took a bite of the delicious Chinese Lumpia at Foodarama? Tell us about it on the comments section below.

Cebu is home to some of the oldest landmarks in the country, the oldest fort, oldest churches, and, of course, the oldest street in the Pearl of the Orient, Colon Street. Aside from being the oldest street in the Philippines, Colon Street is also the shortest national road in the country. 

Much has changed since the street was created with the establishment of the first Spanish settlement in Cebu, the Villa de San Miguel or St. Michael’s Town.  The street was named after Cristobal Colon or Christopher Columbus, the Italian explorer who led a Spanish expedition into the New World. The street was once the main business and commercial district of the city. The street was also where the veritable who’s who of the Queen City of the South at that time used to live, including the Cuencos, Osmeñas, Ludos, and Singsons, among others. The residences of these prominent families typically had their shops or offices located in the ground floor of the structure with the upper floors serving as their living quarters. 

Since the street was the center of commerce and trade in the city, many universities were built in the area, including the University of the Visayas, University of Cebu, University of San Jose-Recoletos and the University of San Carlos. The street is also connected to the old Chinese district of Cebu, Parian. Parian was where wealthy Filipino-Chinese businessmen used to live and sell their merchandise. 

The entry of the malling culture of the United States signaled the change in fortunes of the area. The entry of big malls in the city saw customers seeking refuge in these air-conditioned structures that offered a better ambiance to shoppers. The shift in commercial activity resulted to the closure of some businesses in Colon.

Today, Colon Street continues to attract bargain hunters and small businesses looking for merchandise they can sell in other parts of the province. Many of the old stores continue to sell items at rock-bottom prices. The area is also home to numerous shops selling second-hand merchandise or items popularly known as “ukay-ukay” or UK. Since people still flock to the area, some big-name businesses have also opened branches in Colon Street.

Colon Street was designated as a historical landmark by the National Historical Institute in 1999. With this designation, markers were installed along the road showing the significance of certain structures or areas to the history of the Philippines. Sadly, most of the markers were vandalized and only a few are currently existing.

Getting to Colon Street is quite easy since most of the jeepneys plying the roads of Cebu City pass through the street. Some of these jeepneys interest the street while others run through a part of the street itself. All you need to do is to look for a signboard showing Colon on it, or you can simply ask the driver if he will pass through Colon Street.

Check out the pictures below showing some of the things you can see when you take a walk along Colon Street.

Cebu can be considered as the educational hub south of Luzon with thousands of students from other provinces coming to the Queen City of the South to get a university education.  In fact, a number of universities in Cebu have been considered as Centers of Excellence and Centers of Development by the Commission on Higher Education or CHED for the years 2016 up to 2018. Being designated as a Center of Excellence means a university “demonstrated excellent performance in a respective field in the areas of teaching instruction, research and publication, extension and linkages, and has reached institutional qualifications.” On the other hand, being designated as a Center of Development means a university is a potential center of excellence.

A good number of the graduates of these universities have also placed in the top ten in different licensure exams. The following are seven of the best universities in Cebu, in no particular order.

The University of San Carlos traces its roots to the Colegio de San Ildefonso, which was established on August 1, 1595 by the Spanish Jesuits. But, the expulsion of the Jesuits resulted to the closure of the school. It was reopened in 1783 under the name Colegio-Seminario de San Carlos. During this time, the school was located along Martires Street. Administration of the school was turned over to the Vincentians in 1867. In 1930, the Colegio de San Carlos was transferred to P. del Rosario Street. The Society of the Divine Word took over the management of the school in 1935. The school was closed a second time during the Second World War after it was occupied by Japanese troops. It was badly damaged after it was hit by bombs from US planes in 1944. It reopened in 1945 and was given university status in 1948. 

The school produced a number of bar and board topnotchers since it became a university. The University of San Carlos was designated as a Center of Excellence and Center of Development by the CHED. For more information, you can check the official website of the University of San Carlos.

Prior to getting its university status, the University of Cebu was established on April 1, 1964 as the Cebu College of Commerce with the aim of providing ordinary young men and women good education without paying a costly price. The school wanted to give these individuals the opportunity to improve their quality of life. The people behind this inspirational undertaking were Atty. Augusto Go and his companions. The name of the school was changed into Cebu Central Colleges in 1972 after it received an approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission. In 1992, the institution was given a university status from then- DECS Secretary Dr. Isidro Cariño. On June 1, 1992, Atty. Augusto Go was installed as the first president of the university.

From a modest 239 enrollees when it started accepting students in 1964, the school has grown to a university catering to thousands of students in four different campuses. Similar to the University of San Carlos, the University of Cebu has produced numerous bar and board topnotchers. The University of Cebu was also designated as a Center of Excellence and Center of Development by the CHED. For more information, you can check the official website of the University of Cebu.

The Cebu Institute of Technology-University was established by Dr. Nicolas G. Escario, Sr. in 1946 with the help from Engr. Fidel C. Dagani, Engr. Jose A. Cavan, and Engr. Amancio A. Alcordo. The four were able to convince the future Board of Trustees of CIT-U of the viability of creating an engineering school in Cebu. Don Simplicio A. Lizares, Sr. was eventually elected as the first Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the institution while Dr. Nicolas G. Escario, Sr. served as its first president. Don Rodolfo T. Lizares, Sr. was elected as the vice president of this prestigious institution. They worked together in setting up the necessary facilities used by the school.

From a pioneering population of 512 students in high school and college, the school has grown to provide both technical and non-technical education to thousands of students from the Visayas and Mindanao areas. The school received numerous awards from various regulatory bodies in the country. It received its university status on July 7, 2010 from the Commission on Higher Education. The Cebu Institute of Technology-University is also one of the few schools in the country to be designated as a Center of Excellence by the CHED. For more information, you can check the official website of the Cebu Institute of Technology-University.

The Cebu Normal University was initially established as a branch of the Philippine Normal University in 1902. During this time, it was called the Cebu Normal School. While the school formally separated from the Philippine Normal University in 1915, it remained an adjunct of the Cebu Provincial High School. In June 1925, the institution became independent of the Cebu Provincial High School.  The school was renamed as the Cebu Normal College in 1967 before it became a chartered college in 1976 and was renamed as the Cebu State College. On June 27, 1998, the school received its university status and was renamed as the Cebu Normal University.

In 2008, CNU established two extension colleges in Balamban and Medellin. The university is the Center of Teacher Development for Region 7. The Cebu Normal University was also designated as a Center of Excellence by the CHED. For more information, you can check the official website of the Cebu Normal University.

The late Don Vicente Gullas established the Visayan Institute in 1919, which would later become the present University of the Visayas. In 1935, the institution moved to its present location along the oldest street in the Philippines, Colon Street. After the facilities were razed to the ground in the Second World War, the Visayan Institute temporarily relocated to Argao in 1946. It did not stay long in Argao as the Visayan Institute in Colon Street reopened its doors to the public a year after.

The Bureau of Private Schools conferred the University status to the institution in 1948 and was renamed the University of the Visayas. It was the first school in Cebu to receive this notable status. From its initial humble beginnings of 29 high school students, the university now serves thousands of students coming from the different provinces in the Visayas and Mindanao areas with a total of eight campuses around the province. The University of the Visayas was designated as a Center of Excellence and a Center of Development by the CHED. For more information, you can check the official website of the University of the Visayas.

The University of San Jose-Recoletos was established by the Order of Augustinian Recollects in 1947. During this time, it was called the Colegio de San Jose-Recoletos and classes were held at an old building and a part of a convent. The second year of the institution saw the blessing of its college building located along Leon Kilat Street, which was known as Carmelo Street at that time. On July 25, 1950 the San Nicolas Building of the school in front of Freedom Park was inaugurated.

The Basak Campus of the school was completed by June 13, 1981 and a little over a year after the school attained its university status. The Colegio de San Jose-Recoletos was renamed as the University of San Jose-Recoletos. The university currently has three campuses, the main campus along Magallanes and P. Lopez Streets, the Basak campus and the Balamban campus. The institution also earned numerous awards and recognition through the years. The University of San Jose-Recoletos was designated as a Center of Excellence and Center of Development by the CHED. For more information, you can check the official website of the University of San Jose-Recoletos.

The University of the Philippines-Cebu is the oldest UP campus located outside of Luzon. The institution was established on May 3, 1918 as a satellite of the University of the Philippines-Diliman. The institution was previously under the administrative control of the University of the Philippines Visayas before it was elevated into an autonomous unit by the UP Board of Regents on September 24, 2010. The move was in preparation for its elevation into a constituent university of the University of the Philippines system.

The University of the Philippines-Cebu has two campuses in Cebu. The first campus is located along Gorordo Avenue, which occupies a fraction of the twelve hectares donated by the Provincial Government of Cebu in 1929, and the second campus is located at the South Road Properties, which houses the UP Professional Schools offering degree programs like Master of Science in Computer Science and Master of Business Administration, among others. The University of the Philippines-Cebu was designated as a Center of Excellence by the CHED. For more information, you can check the official website of the University of the Philippines-Cebu.

These universities currently provide quality education to tens of thousands of students who come from different provinces in the country. All of these universities share the same objective of producing quality graduates who can contribute to the future development of the country.

Cebu is blessed with numerous natural wonders whose beauty have captivated the imagination of residents and visitors alike. One of these natural wonders is the Bojo River in the municipality of Aloguinsan. 

Aloguinsan is a fourth-class municipality in western Cebu.  Formerly a barrio of the town of Pinamungajan, a Royal Decree of the Kingdom of Spain converted it into a town in 1886. The town is blessed with a number of natural wonders, including the Bojo River, which is currently being promoted as one of the eco-tourism destinations by town officials. 

The Bojo River is a 1.4-kilometer waterway located in the Bojo River Nature Reserve, which is protected and maintained by the Bojo Aloguinsan Eco-Tourism Association. It is home to around 70 bird species and native flora.  The word “bojo” has two meanings depending on the language used. In Spanish, it means “river ceiling” while in the Visayan language, it means “hole,” which is logical since the river essentially ends up as “a hole” leading to the sea. 

The Bojo River Cruise & Eco-Cultural Tour is among the most popular tourist attractions of the town. And it is not a simply river cruise where you only get to admire the beauty of nature since the guides are knowledgeable about the flora and fauna in the area. The guides will also share the history of the association taking care of the river and its surroundings. So, the river cruise on the Bojo River will not only be a fun activity, it will also allow guests to learn something new about nature. The limestone rocks close to the mouth of the river are similar to the ones found in El Nido or Coron in Palawan. The river cruise will take around three hours to finish and guests have the option to take a dip on the clear waters at the mouth of the river. 

While walk-ins are welcome, there are a number of packages available for the Bojo River Cruise. The package rates start at PHP 800 per person for one to five guests up to PHP 450 per person for thirty to fifty guests. These packages typically include morning snacks, lunch, and the river tour, among others. The walk-in rate is PHP 400, but it only includes the river tour.

Getting to the town of Aloguinsan will require you to take at least two rides from the Cebu South Bus Terminal. Hop on a bus headed for Carcar where you have to take another ride to the town of Aloguinsan itself. You can also rent a van to take you directly to the town.

It should be noted that all tours are already centralized at the tourism office of the town, which means it is necessary to coordinate with the tourism office to manage the entry of guests and ensure their safety and comfort when they tour the river.  You can get in touch with the tourism office through (+6332) 469-9041 for more information about the Bojo River Cruise & Eco-Cultural Tour.