Another Missed Opportunity

Here's what I recently got from cebu pacific e-newsletter:

A P999 Christmas Seat Sale for Domestic and International destinations!

For January-March 2010 travel

Tis' the seat sale to be jolly with our P999 Christmas sale for domestic and international destinations! The seat sale starts now until December 6, 2009, for travel from January 1 to March 31, 2010.

All our 32 domestic destinations are up for grabs at the ‘Go Lite’ seat sale fare of P999. This includes direct flights from Cebu to Butuan and Surigao, as well as flights from Manila to Kalibo (Boracay), Naga, San Jose (Mindoro) and Laoag. We also fly direct from Davao to Zamboanga, Iloilo and Cagayan de Oro.

Avail of P999 ‘Go Lite’ seats from Manila to Taipei and Kota Kinabalu, and from Clark to Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore and Bangkok.

Flights from Manila to Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh, Macau and Guangzhou, and flights to Hong Kong and Singapore from Manila and Cebu are also available for only P1,499.

You can fly for only P1,999 to Incheon from Manila or Cebu, and to Busan from Cebu, or opt to travel from Manila to Shanghai, Kuala Lumpur or Jakarta.

Manila-Osaka seats are also available at the ‘Go' fare of P1,999.

Hurry, grab your Christmas seats for P999, book now at www.cebupacificair.com.

Until December 6, only. Needless to say, it's too late... better luck next time...

Urduja Was Also in Butuan

I didn't know Butuan was also devastated by typhoon Urduja not until I read the latest from MindaNews. Few nights ago, I got a text from somebody that it was raining cats and dogs there. It didn't immediately dawn on me that some parts of Butuan, especially the downtown, is a flood-prone area. I thought that only Surigao should watch out for the typhoon (as can be read from my previously-posted article in my recently-created blog).

Good thing, my house is in a safe place... and so is my mango tree. :)

Piso Fare

Since I've been posting cebu pacific articles in this blog, let me share with you what i received from my email last saturday, november 21, which i just read this morning.

P1 More Chance! Grab the PISO Fare while you can!

More than 50,000 seats up for grabs

Asia’s third-largest low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific brings back the ‘Go Lite’ PHP 1 seat sale to all international and domestic destinations starting now until November 22, 2009 only, or until more than 50,000 seats have been sold out. Travel period is June 15-September 30, 2010.

32 domestic destinations are up for grabs through this website promo, including Cebu-Siargao, Cebu-Ozamiz, Cebu-Clark, Manila-San Jose, and Manila-Kalibo (Boracay).
We're offering the lowest fare alternative for international flights with our PHP 1 sale, including flights to Taipei, Kota Kinabalu, Pusan (Korea), Osaka and Jakarta.
Passengers with check-in luggage will just add PHP 100 upon booking. The PHP 1 is exclusive of government taxes and administration fees.

Hurry, this is your last chance! Grab the PISO Fare while you can! This promotion is only available via www.cebupacificair.com

Historical Butuan (part 3)

The ancient vessel then was about 15 to 18 meters in length as mentioned in Pigafetta's account in their 1521 voyage when Magellan?s voyage reached the Philippine shores.

In 1977, local Butuan historian Adolfo Busa Sanchez wrote in his book "1521 Limasawa" that the "balanghai" is more of a royal family boat. It is large enough to house the entire family of a datu or rajah.

"It can be converted into a warboat and it has a capacity of from 25 to 30 passengers or warriors. It is a kind of a boat about 15 to 17 meters long, built on its sides like a wine cask, with strips of timber planks fastened by strong wooden dowels. This boat is so constructed that it can be utilized to easily navigate along narrow waterway such as rivers and big stream, and it could also be used as a fishing boat in the open sea during fair weather."

(to be continued)

Historical Butuan (part 2)

(this is a continuation of the article i posted in this blog in february this year. sorry for the delay. anyway, keep on reading :)

By 2011, Voyage Balanghai is expected to reach Micronesian nations and Madagascar as they will continue to navigate the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans by 2012 and hopefully be back in the Philippines by 2013.

"The ancient Balanghai Boat is not only environment-friendly but we can also show to the World the Filipinos and Butuanons' expertise in sea travel even before the Spaniards and Europeans came to our shores", Valdez said.

Used by the Filipino seafarers and traders in sea trading with China then, the Balanghai has definitely debunked the claim that before the coming of the Spaniards, Philippines had no contacts with the outside world.

(to be continued)

I No Longer Have Anything For Rent

I have been so busy that I forgot all about my ads.  I just realized it now after receiving numerous inquiries about my property which i previously posted as available for rent.  Well, here's an update:  my house and my bachelor's pad are no longer available for rent.  But it is STILL UP FOR SALE.
 
for inquiries, please email me at guiamadelo@gmail.com :)

Now I Know!

I just found out that my articles that were scheduled to be posted in my blog were not posted at all! I used LetterMeLater.com for this purpose, but dont get me wrong. LeterMeLater.com has nothing to do with my so-called "lapse of judgment" (still remember that not-so-popular phrase? hehehe)

It turned out I was using the wrong email address for the posting of my articles. I remember Jomar Hilario emphasized "never ever mess up with your email address" in his internet marketing seminar that i attended eons ago. My fault.. :(

Anyway, I hope I could make up for my errors by being active in this blog.. from now on.. :)

there's such thing as free lunch!

one of my fondest memories during my recent vacation was our shopping spree with my family and relatives at gaisano mall in butuan city hours before my flight back to manila. we were about to take the escalator to the second floor of the mall when i noticed a stall where promo girls were offering free taste of a liquid drink. i didn't even bother to check the brand of that choco milk when i grabbed a cupful and gave it to my cousin. she was even more surprised when she saw me starting to distribute those drinks and shouted, "my treat!" to everyone else in the group!

hahahahaha! i was having the time of my life! while my cousin? she did not know what to do - whether to run away from me in embarrassment or just simply disown me. hahahahaha!

as if that was not enough, while we were waiting for our food at a nearby restaurant, i made sure my cousin noticed me when i went out, got another drink, and drank just outside the restaurant for my family and relatives to see. if it were not for the glass wall, they would have had stoned me with meatballs! hehehehee

Indian Mangoes!

Last October, a tenant of my house texted me that the indian mango tree in my front yard was producing so much fruits that he had no choice but to give sacks of those to the neighborhood kids. Knowing how yummy those fruits are, I told him to save some for me. He was amused that I would take the time to go to Butuan just for that. Hehehe...

To cut the long story short, my family and I were able to harvest those mangoes. I even brought my share of about five pieces of mangoes all the way to manila. Afraid that it might rot while enroute to Manila, take note, I handcarried it!

For those of you who are wondering what's with those mangoes, I'll tell you why. It is the only kind of green mango that my mother can eat with so much gusto without having to worry about her sensitive teeth. As she describes it, it's just like almost eating sweet potato but still with the familiar identity and taste of a mango. I absolutely agree!

Want some? :)

yes, my house in butuan is still up for sale!

i admit i posted a number of articles that are irrelevant to the real reason why i set up this blog. i apologized to those who got confused..

anyway, to those who are wondering if my house in butuan is still up for sale. of course, yes! in fact, one of the bachelor's pads has just been recently vacated. hence, it is now available for rent.

if interested, please let me know. :)

and they named her... katrina

few weeks ago, i got a text from a Butuanon asking me if i am still interested to own a female mini pinscher (minpin). of course, i said yes!

when i learned that i will be joining a few of my officemates to davao, i was ecstatic! i said to myself, this will be the chance that i will see for myself the pet that i've been longing for (remember, i once posted in this blog that i was looking for a minpin?).

little did my family know that, days before, i had already thought of a name for our new pet. what better name could it be than SHARON, in memory of our first family pet who dominated our animal kingdom for several years and became a significant part of my good-old childhood days. (sigh!)

back to the present time: when we finally got that cute little creature, i asked everybody at home what name would they like to call her. and a number of them almost chorused, KATRINA!

katrina halili?! i was taken by surprise! and i was dismayed to realize that i would be a sentimental fool if i keep on insisting what i already had in mind. but then, i still tried to explain why i need to name her after the megastar.

in the end, i let my niece decide.sadly, she chose that sexy starlet over the ideal model of lesofat. huhuhu!

the other day, katrina got her dose of 5-in-1 injectable whatever. everyone in the vet's clinic laughed when they learned what her name is. (should i be insulted?! they are so mean! hehehe)

my only regret is that i won't be around to see katrina learn to dance to the heartbreaking tune of careless whisper. huhuhu again!

now i'm wondering, few months from now, will my katrina be able to meet a hayden kho of her life? hmmm...

woman on top

i recently spent my holy week in surigao. while waiting for my plane at the naia 3 terminal, i was already planning to capture, thru my cam, the bird's view of my beloved hometown. unfortunately, all i saw were the serene, blue waters guarding the place and before i knew it, we were already approaching that cute little airport.

good thing that, on my way back to manila, i had the opportunity to catch a glimpse of surigao from above. check out and let me know of what you think of my pictures!

Erap was in Butuan!

Here's an article I just got from ABS-CBN News. Read on:

To the immense surprise of customers, former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada visited a local Jollibee fast food chain in Agusan del Norte Thursday.

Estrada had just arrived in the region to continue his nationwide goodwill tour called "Lakbay Pasasalamat", when he decided to stop at Gaisano Mall in Butuan City and eat at a Jollibee outlet, a statement said. The awed crowd reportedly took pictures with the former president, who was eating a 2-piece Chickenjoy meal.

Margeux Salcedo, Estrada's spokesperson, said in an interview that the incident was a rare occurence. "He does not usually [eat at fast food chains] at all, it was so hard for him to eat, actually because dinudumog siya ng tao," she said.

Salcedo added that the group only decided to eat at Jollibee because one of Estrada's "Lakbay" companions, Mrs. Gina de Venecia, wife of former House Speaker Jose de Venecia, mentioned that she was hungry and wanted a Chickenjoy.

The Jollibee restaurant was also filled with other bigwigs, all companions of Estrada during his campaign, including Atty. Adel Tamano, Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, former Senate President Ernesto Maceda, and actor Rez Cortez.

Salcedo said the "Lakbay Pasasalamat" is Estrada's way of thanking fans who supported him through thick and thin. "When he was in jail in Tanay for six years, he promised himself na kung makakalabas siya, he'll go around and thank his supporters. It is for [former] Pres. Estrada to thank the Filipino masses for never forgetting him even if he was incarcerated, even if he was accused [of plunder, graft, and corruption]," she said.

Estrada and his escorts visited the Butuan municipal hall during his tour. Their motorcade, however, a regular feature of the "Lakbay Pasasalamat" where Estrada throws out candies to the crowd, had to be canceled because of the rains.

Estrada and his escorts are set to visit Surigao after touring Butuan.

Historical Butuan

Here's something that Butuanons can be proud of. Interested? Read on:

The historical wooden boat which did not use any single nail and built in a lashed lug technique believed to have been used by Malay settlers in their vast sea travel during pre-Hispanic times will be used again to circumnavigate the World.

This time, the Philippine's Mount Everest team with tourism officials and scientists composed of Leo Oracio, Ervin Pastor Ermita, Noel Winceslao, Karina Dayondon, Janet Belarmino-Sardina, Dr. Ted Esguerra, Fred Jamili and Dr. Walter Villasco will circumnavigate the World using the remodeled ancient Balanghai Boat.

Dubbed as Voyage Balanghai, Department of Tourism Undersecretary Art Valdez, who served as RP's Mt. Everest Team Captain, will accompany his team with experienced master sailors who will assist the team's voyage.

(to be continued..)

bachelor's pad for rent

my two-bedroom house is no longer available but my bachelor's pad is! it was vacated just this weekend. rental rate is at P2,500 per month.

the pad has its own mini-receiving area, mini-kitchen, mini-bedroom, comfort room, and laundry area, among others. outside the pad is a spacious lawn where one could park his/her vehicle and/or just lounge at the mini-garden.

my pad is good for a maximum of three persons. it is safe especially for kids since my gated compound is situated few meters yet from the main road.

if interested, please contact me at 0918-367-3455 or check the unit at 1st street, saint joseph subdivision, butuan city. you may look for libeth gesultura-trangia for assistance. she may not be around all the time, hence, i suggest you text/call me first.

for directions, please check my prior posts. :)

an update..

to those who are inquiring about my bachelor's pads, i regret to inform you that these units are no longer available for rent. however, if you want a larger space, then what i can recommend you is a two-bedroom bungalow house. it also has a covered parking lot and garage.

if interested, please contact me at +63-918-367-3455 or you may visit the property. for directions, please check my previous post or click this link. :)

house for rent

my two-bedroom house in butuan is now available for rent.

interested? just check out the property.

its address is: 1st street, saint joseph subdivision, butuan city.

it is around 3 houses away from the waiting shed near the intersection of santan street and villa kanangga road. right side going to or facing the back of capitol. nearest landmark is the aneco post where the signage "house for rent/sale" is currently posted.

just look for ms. libeth gesultura. her house is beside the said aneco post. or just text me at 0918-367-3455.

ciao! :)