NUSTAR Launches a NU Universe of Rewards

Cebu City, Philippines – NUSTAR Resort Cebu, the premier lifestyle destination in Visayas and Mindanao, has unveiled a “NU universe” with the makeover of its NUSTAR Rewards cards.

Guests were treated to a night filled with wonder – from ethereal LED walls to a captivating body-painted models who took to the runway to showcase the new cards, the event was nothing short of out of this world.

Alan Teo, Chief Operating Officer, NUSTAR Resort & Casino.

“This isn’t just about renaming our card tiers or changing their appearance. It’s a reminder of our commitment [to] providing you with a universe filled with rewards and benefits,” Alan Teo, NUSTAR Chief Operating Officer said in his welcome speech.

From the Stars to the Universe

The event showcased 360-degree seamless graphics flashed on LED walls, an immersive photo op area featuring the NUSTAR facade, and a mesmerizing card reveal intertwined a live voiceover and the body-painted models. Complemented by heavy canapés and DJ Divine Maitland-Smith’s electrifying beats, the NUSTAR ballroom was transformed into a cosmic symphony of sound and light.

The highlight of the evening came with the reveal of the newly renamed and redesigned NUSTAR Rewards cards, featuring the tagline You Are the Star—highlighting the personalized experiences each card. The cards have been reimagined as Classic, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and VIP Elite to Star, Sky, Sun, Zodiac, and Universe.

VIP guests were in for a surprise as they were gifted the first and exclusive dibs on the new cards, including their very own cards, giving them immediate access to the enhanced benefits and ensuring VIP experience at the highest level.

Galaxy of Benefits

Members can look forward to a universe of rewards that extends beyond the gaming floor, featuring curated experiences tailored to their unique lifestyles. They can now enjoy generous points-earning rates, priority access to numerous dining and retail offers, and exclusive birthday privileges.

NUSTAR Rewards is actively expanding its network to enhance the member experience. Currently, NUSTAR Rewards heralds a prestigious lineup of established brands as partners, including Louis Vuitton, Bulgari, Celine, Tiffany & Co., Estée Lauder, Jo Malone, Kenzo, BOSS, Burberry, Tory Burch, Loewe, Porsche Design, Saint Laurent, Versace, Givenchy, Eye Society, Univers, Off-White, Chow Tai Fook, Luk Fook, ROX Playground, Sole Republiq, Beyond the Box, and Hagod Spa. Dining partners offer a diverse array of culinary delights, including Mott 32, Barcino, Good Luck Hotpot, Kazuwa Prime, Koshima by Nonki, Taiwan Shabu-Shabu, Yeonwha the Premium by Kaya, Abaca, Xin Tian Di, Fina, Il Primo, Huangdi, Fili Café, Fili Lobby Lounge, and Axis Entertainment & Sports Bar. Members can earn points that unlock even more exclusive privileges to maximize their Rewards Card.

A NU Gateway of Possibilities

The NUSTAR Rewards Mobile App offers members a new level of convenience and control over their rewards beyond mere tracking points and status.

Booking via the app will allow members to pay using their points. The app also features a Rewards Shop, where points can be redeemed for curated items, and a Virtual Card, enabling seamless earning and redemption of points with every transaction.

Communication is also made easier with the NUSTAR Rewards app’s integrated messaging inbox, ensuring users stay up to date on exclusive promotions and upcoming events.

Your NU Universe Awaits

NUSTAR Rewards’ new cards are now available and new members are invited to explore the galaxy of benefits the program offers. Existing members are also encouraged to exchange their old cards for the new ones at the Rewards Counter located at the Atrium of NUSTAR.

Visit www.nustar.ph/rewards for more information.

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PCVF: AFP retains control of EDCA Sites

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY- Representatives from the Presidential Commission on Visiting Forces (PCVF) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) recently joined a Town Hall Forum on the Philippines-United States Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) and Facilitated Activities, to discuss the VFA, Status of Forces Agreements (SOFAs), and the activities these agreements facilitate at the grassroots level, providing an opportunity for an academic exchange of views on SOFAS.

LtC Francisco Garello Jr, DPAO Head, 4th Infantry Division, PA, stresses a point during the Nov. 6 Town Hall Forum on the PH-US Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) hosted by Xavier Ateneo History & International Studies Department. Also in the photo are Dennis M. Lalata, PCVF Consultant, and Lance J. Calub, DMO, PCVF. (RMB)

“It’s important to have forums like this,” noted Lance Jestin Calub, Development Management Officer IV, Presidential Commission on Visiting Forces (PCVF) . “It’s important to have dialogues like this because ultimately, the policies with respect to the VFA should be informed by voices that are not typically heard. And that’s what the PCVF actually does. We go around the country and talk to people, talk to communities about the VFA, and we let that information feed to the policy process.”

The town hall forum, held 06 November 2024 at the Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan (Xavier Ateneo) Corrales Avenue Campus, was participated mainly by faculty members and students of the History and International Studies Department, said Fr Amado Tumbali SJ, department chair. (RMBN)

Among the issues raised during the discussion concerned the operational status of Lumbia Air Base in  Barangay Lumbia, one of the original five EDCA sites.

EDCA sites are more formally referred to as “Agreed Locations”.  The term “Agreed Locations” is defined under Article II, Paragraph 4 and elaborated under Article III of the EDCA, Calub noted.

Lumbia Air Base, formerly known as Lumbia Airport and Cagayan de Oro Airport, serves as a minor air base of the Philippine Air Force (PAF), is now the home base of the Philippine Air Force 15th Strike Wing, the primary attack unit of the PAF. It operates different aircraft such as the OV-10 attack planes, SF-260 ground attack aircraft, MG-520 “Defender” attack helicopters, and the newly acquired Augusta Westland 109 attack helicopters. (MaxDefense Philippines, 2017)

Another PAF unit, the 10th Tactical Operations Group, also operates at Lumbia. The airport has been selected by the US military for building their facilities under the EDCA.

Lumbia Air Base is the home of the Philippine Air Force’s 15th Strike Wing. (MaxDefense Philippines)

Under the EDCA, US forces are allowed to set up storage facilities and station forward personnel to maintain them, and must also be accessible for use by the AFP. The US military calls these facilities pre-positioning areas wherein supplies, equipment, ordnance and vehicles can be pre-positioned in storage in preparation for disaster preparedness and possible conflicts.

“An EDCA site is not a base. When we talk about EDCA sites, we cannot refer to them as a VFA base. It may just be a building, a warehouse, an airstrip, there are just small sites within a base. They are there to support US forces activities in cooperation with the AFP, mainly in relation to Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR),” Dennis M. Lalata, PCVF Consultant, clarified.

EDCA-Fact-Sheet courtesy of the US Embassy in the Philippines.

In reply to a query from the audience on the status of Lumbia Air Base, Calub stressed that even if it is an EDCA site, the AFP through the PAF, retains operational control of the air base.

Beyond operational control, EDCA Agreed Locations are AFP-owned, AFP-controlled installations.  In accordance with Article V, Paragraph 1 of the EDCA, ownership and control over Lumbia AB is retained by the AFP.  Operational control is a separate term that is identified in the EDCA (see Article III, Paragraph 4; Article VI, Paragraph 3) and also enunciated in Saguisag v. Ochoa, G.R. no. 212426, 12 January 2016, Calub elaborated further.

HADR have become an important aspect of the EDCA. For instance, the US Marines were among the first responders after  Typhoon Yolanda (International name  Haiyan ) hit the Philippines on November 8, 2013. Upon the urgent request of the Philippine government, American and international relief agencies arrived three days after the storm passed to provide aid and assistance to the thousands of injured and homeless. The US alone  provided over $37 million in aid.

Most recently, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on October 23rd ordered EDCA sites to make full use of EDCA facilities for the AFP airlifts in humanitarian assistance for victims of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (international name: Trami). The President said the government would activate EDCA sites to transport relief goods, equipment, and personnel for relief and rescue efforts to affected areas.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and US President Joe Biden with their spouses at the White House in May 2023. Image: The White House (Wikimedia Commons)

US forces within EDCA sites are not allowed to join AFP soldiers in military actions within the country. But they do share intelligence and information with the AFP, and vice versa. But there are limitations, and only for specific operations. Furthermore, there are restrictions on  access to our military camps by foreign military personnel, Calub added.

PCVF Consultant Dennis M. Lalata fields a question from the forum audience. (RMB)

Lalata, a PCVF consultant since 2014 who has been directly involved in research, strategic planning, national security and development advocacies for some 37 years, explained that EDCA is a 2014 arrangement by which the US can rotate forces and access agreed-upon Philippine military bases with the right to build storage facilities and to preposition equipment, but does not permit permanent basing.

The US initially allocated $82 million for infrastructure at five existing EDCA sites, with a future expansion to $100 million to encompass the new sites. The five original sites are Basa Air Base in Pampanga; Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija; Antonio Bautista Air Base in Palawan; Benito Ebuen Air Base in Cebu; and Lumbia Air Base in Cagayan de Oro.

On April 3, 4 new bases were identified as EDCA sites in Luzon: Naval Base Camilo Osias in Santa Ana, Cagayan; Lal-lo Airport in Lal-lo, Cagayan; Camp Melchor Dela Cruz in Gamu, Isabela; and, Balabac Island in Palawan (Cabrisante, 2023)

Four new EDCA sites have been added to the five existing locations. On this map, red markers refer to new sites, and yellow to existing ones. (Google Earth)

“In addition to the five existing sites, these new locations will strengthen the interoperability of the US and Philippine armed forces and allow us to respond more seamlessly together to address a range of shared challenges in the Indo-Pacific region, including natural and humanitarian disasters,” the US Department of Defense (DoD) declared.” The DoD will work in lockstep with the Philippine Department of National Defense and Armed Forces to rapidly pursue modernization projects at these locations.”

The five EDCA sites incorporate 15 infrastructure projects, but just five have been completed to date. They include a HADR warehouse, fuel tank and Command & Control (C2) fusion center in Palawan.

The U.S. Embassy in Manila previously disclosed that $11.4 million has been allocated for EDCA works at Fort Magsaysay, $1.8 million for Antonio Bautista; $2.7 million for the Benito Ebuen, and $3.7 million for the Lumbia Air Base for humanitiarian assistance and disaster response warehouses and runway lighting improvments.

Comparative aerial images of Lumbia Air Base showing improvements facilitated by EDCA. As new hangars are built; various residential subdivisions are also sprouting in the vicinity of the air base. (Satellite imagery from Satellites.pro and Google Earth courtesy of CDODev.com)

The US$28-million rehabilitation of Basa Air Base’s 1.7 mile (2.8km) runway was completed on November 2023. Construction has also begun on a 1.8 mile (3km) runway on Balabac, which will also receive an HADR warehouse, barracks and other military facilities.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. (4th from right) and US Deputy Chief of Mission to the Philippines Robert Ewing (3rd from left) lead the ribbon cutting and blessing of the rehabilitated runway of the Basa Air Base in Floridablanca, Pampanga on Monday (Nov. 6, 2023). This is the largest Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) project between the Philippines and the United States at over PHP1.3 billion. (Photo courtesy of the PAF)




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Kagay-anon Chef hailed as one of Food & Wines Best New Chefs of 2024

A Kagay-anon Chef based in New Orleans, Louisiana has been named as one of the Best New Chefs for 2024 by one of America’s leading culinary magazines.

Nicole “Nikki” Cabrera Mills
(courtesy of Pêche Seafood Grill)

Nicole “Nikki” Cabrera Mills is listed among 13 peers from seven restaurants cited in the Food and Wine’s Meet The 2024 Class of F&W Best New Chefs in its special October 2024 digital issue.

“A high-wire act of crowd pleasers and eclectic, pan-Asian influences in one of the pickiest food cities on the planet,” reads the F&W citation on her portrait.

Heading the scouting committee for the 2024 class of Food & Wine  Best New Chefs is new F&W restaurant editor Raphael Brionwith  editorial staffers (like Editor in Chief Hunter Lewis) and BNC alumni (among them 2021 F&W Best New Chef Paola Velez).

Brion describes Nikki’s oeuvre in his article Gulf Seafood Gets a Filipino Glow-Up at This Must-Visit New Orleans Restaurant published on the same issue.

“Originally a line cook on the opening team at Pêche, Nicole Cabrera Mills was promoted to chef de
cuisine in 2019 and gradually made the food her own. She took this modern New Orleans restaurant and, in a transformative high-wire balancing act, shrewdly introduced bright, pan-Asian flavors, resulting in a hypnotic firecracker of a menu that appeals to locals and tourists alike.”

“At Pêche, she made the connection between Filipino and Cajun food, citing a long history of Filipinos in Louisiana that dates back to the 1700s, and today, she gravitates toward familiar flavors from the Philippines.”

“Whenever I make a dish at Pêche, I pull flavors from my past,” Nikki said.”

“We are beyond excited to announce that our very own Nicole Cabrera Mills has been named one of FOOD & WINE’s Best New Chefs of 2024! This honor recognizes Chef Mills as one of the most talented up-and-coming chefs in the country,” raved Pêche Seafood Grill on its social media page.

Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs class has shaped the future of American cuisine for 36 years, and we couldn’t be more proud to see Chef Mills join this incredible legacy.”

The team at Pêche includes (from left) Brandon Scott, Astrid Suazo, Meiryn Sagastume, Jocelyn Hernandez, Nicole Cabrera Mills, Briana Witt, T.H. Freeland, Antione Gibson, (back row) Pamela Ayla, Yvenine Telusma, Julissa Castro, Dolores Cedillo, Doris Gutierrez, Michael Anderson, and Jelsy Caballero. (Photo: Cedric Angeles)

“This accolade means a great deal to me and my team at Pêche. This wouldn’t be possible without our talented and hard-working staff,” Nikki wrote to me in an email from New Orleans. I feel very blessed to get recognized in an industry full of so many talented people. I also feel very fortunate to get to represent both New Orleans and the Philippines,”

Selection Process

“Collectively, we traveled to dozens of cities, logged tens of thousands of miles, and dined at hundreds of restaurants, searching for the most promising and dynamic chefs cooking today. What we found was 13 remarkable humans who represent the future of cooking in America,” Brion writes in the issue’s Letter to the Editor

“And that future shines bright. This year’s Best New Chefs are all coming into their own with unique culinary voices that speak loud and clear. That trait has defined every Best New Chef since the first class in 1988 — one that included chefs who went on to shape the direction of cooking in America, like Thomas Keller and Daniel Boulud.”

Chefs who have been in charge of a kitchen or pastry program for five years or less are eligible for the F&W Best New Chef accolade. The process begins with Food & Wine soliciting and vetting nominations from Best New Chef alums, food writers, cookbook authors, and other trusted experts around the country.

Food & Wine’s Best News Chefs for 2024 pose for a class photo.
(courtesy of Drew Mills)

Next, Food & Wine scouts travel the country, each dining out in dozens of restaurants in search of the most promising and dynamic chefs right now. Food & Wine conducts background checks and requires each chef to share an anonymous multilingual survey with their staff that aims to gauge the workplace culture at each chef’s establishment.

Chefs also participate in Food & Wine’s Best New Chef Mentorship Program to empower themselves with the skills and tools they need to grow personally and professionally as leaders and to successfully navigate challenges and opportunities in their careers.

Long Road to The Big Easy

Born and raised in the Philippines, Nikki grew up in  the fast growing city of Cagayan de Oro, where she finished her elementary and high school education with Corpus Christi School.

Her grandparents owned the Little Town Bakery in Malaybalay, Bukidnon where she grew up watching the production of fresh baked bread in an old fashioned wood burning stone oven.

Nicole’s family was known for growing and producing some of the sweetest corn in the area along with farm raised sheep, cattle, chickens and horses. Her mom Ella specialized in making and selling siomai and siopao at the family’s Shao Mai Dimsum stalls in Cagayan de Oro and Cebu.

After graduating from Ateneo de Manila University, Nikki moved to New York in 2001 to attend the French Culinary Institute in Soho upon the suggestion of her father Bobby.

Her culinary career began with Danny Meyer and Union Square Hospitality Group cooking at both Eleven Madison Park and Gabriele Kreuther’s the Modern at MOMA. She worked as a tournant for Chef Alain Allegretti at Atelier in the Ritz Carlton Central Park and later with Chef Dan Kluger at The Core Club.

After New York, Nikki moved to Los Angeles to work at the Thompson Beverly Hills with Chef Brian Redzikowski.

She moved back to Cagayan de Oro after L.A. to open Bourbon Street, a Creole concept bistro which was the first of its kind at the Rosario Arcade of Limketkai Center. 

Drew (leftmost) and Nikki (rightmost) Mills with the crew of Bourbon St. Bistro.
(photo courtesy of Drew Mills)

After a few years, she and her husband Drew relocated to New Orleans for Drew’s new assignment in a chain of hotels.  She later joined the Link Restaurant Group to be part of the opening team at Pêche Seafood Grill in 2013, and became its Chef de Cuisine in 2019.

In October 20-21, 2023 she discussed the theme “Where Is The South?” for  Southern Foodways Symposium in Oxford, Mississippi.

Nikki was previously featured on on The Entertainment Special August/September 2023 issue of Garden and Gun magazine, in John T. Edge’s Sublime Seafood where he described how she wonderfully brought together subtle updates that reflect her homeland, and how her cooking evolved to reflect the multiethnic makeup of her adopted city. In another article published in the 19 April 2023 issue of The New York Times Magazine, Eric Kim raved how her Citrus-Glazed Turnips elevates the humble turnip (singkamas) to a sleeper hit in a city renowned worldwide for its Creole cuisine.

Food & Wine

FOOD & WINE 2024 October Issue

Food & Wine, a Dotdash Meredith Brand, is an award-winning online resource for anyone passionate about the culinary world. With rigorously tested recipes and the most trusted restaurant, drinks, culinary travel and home coverage, we inspire and empower people everywhere to discover, create, and devour the best in food and wine.

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EuroXtreme Circus Brings World-Class Entertainment to Cagayan de Oro from November 5 – December 1, 2024

The International Show taking the Philippines by storm to captivate the City of Golden Friendship

Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines – Cagayan de Oro, the wait is over! For the first time since 1993 when its precursor, the Royal London Circus was here, the EuroXtreme Circus is bringing its world-class spectacle to Paseo del Rio, Rodelsa Circle, Barangay Nazareth. Known for thrilling audiences across Davao, General Santos, and Tagum, the EuroXtreme Circus is ready to enchant CDO with extraordinary performances under its unique Red & White BIG TOP—an air-conditioned tent that seats 2,000 people, the only one of its kind in the Philippines.

A Lineup of Unmissable International Acts

Featuring performers from Europe and Latin America, the EuroXtreme Circus brings an exciting variety of acts that promise to leave audiences spellbound:

✓Wheel of Suspense: Experience the thrill as performers defy gravity in this heart-stopping act.

✓Cezar Magic: Watch as the master illusionist astounds with daring escapes and mind-bending illusions.

✓The Flying Trapeze: Marvel at trapeze artists soaring gracefully through the air.

✓Extreme BMX Riders: Brace yourself for jaw-dropping tricks and high-energy stunts by our fearless BMX riders.

✓Xtreme Motorcycle Stunt Riders: Get your adrenaline pumping with stunts that push the boundaries of thrill.

✓Aerial Silk Artist, Katarina: Enjoy a mesmerizing, high-above-the-stage performance that combines beauty with strength.

✓Comedy Acts by Max: Our Mexican-Italian comedian brings laughter with his unique charm and humor.

✓Chupetin, the Clown: Bringing joy to all ages, Chupetin’s antics are sure to bring a smile to everyone’s face.

✓EuroXtreme Dancers and Singer Nelli: Adding rhythm, talent, and musical energy to every show.

Early Bird Promo – Get 20% Off Until November 5

Purchase your tickets before November 5 to enjoy 20% off on all ticket categories:

✓Bronze: ₱480 (from ₱600)

✓Silver: ₱800 (from ₱1000)

✓Gold: ₱1600 (from ₱2000)

✓VIP: ₱2400 (from ₱3000)

Where to Buy Tickets

Tickets are available at:

✓SM CDO Downtown Ticket Booth (Ground Floor Entrance 3, across Uniqlo)

✓Circus Site Ticketing Office at Paseo del Rio

✓Via Facebook Messenger

Show Schedule

✓Saturday & Sunday: 4:00 PM & 7:30 PM

✓Tuesday to Friday: 7:00 PM

✓Monday: No Show

Special Gala Night with Kids from Underprivileged Communities

On Gala Night, November 5 at 7:00 PM, the EuroXtreme Circus, in partnership with the Office of City Mayor Rolando Uy, will host children from underprivileged communities, giving them the chance to experience the magic and joy of the circus.

Meet & Greet with the Stars of the Circus

Catch a special Meet & Greet with the EuroXtreme artists at the SM CDO Downtown Ticket Booth from 1 PM to 2 PM, October 30 – November 1 and November 6, 7, 8, 11 and 12. This is your opportunity to meet these talented performers up close!

Final Stop in Mindanao

This is the last stop of the EuroXtreme Circus Mindanao Tour before heading to Cebu City for a special Christmas run. Don’t miss out on this unique experience, supported by our Official Partners: the CDO Local Government Unit under Mayor Rolando Uy and SM CDO Downtown.

For more details, Like & Follow the EuroXtreme Circus Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/@EuroXtremeCircus/.

For inquiries, call our hotlines: 09486836345 or 0945 600 9378.

Mark your calendars, grab your tickets, and prepare for an unforgettable experience with the EuroXtreme Circus in CDO, from November 5 to December 1, 2024!

La Aldea del Rio hits another milestone with Blessing of Amenities

Pueblo de Oro Development Corporation (PDO)’s  La Aldea del Rio subdivision marked another milestone in affordable housing for the middle-income demographic with the recent blessing of its amenities.

La Aldea del Rio is the newest Pueblo de Oro development Lower Kiam-is, Barangay Lumbia, a progressive barangay in uptown Cagayan de Oro City. The 4.3-hectare development is within a flood-free neighborhood and will have 435 housing units and 2 commercial lots.

Held October 18, 2024 at the project site, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Pingul Jr., SSJV led the blessing rites of the amenities including the Entrance Gate & Guardhouse, fully functional Multi-Purpose Hall, Kiddie Playground and Basketball Court situated in a 1.9 hectare common area.

PDO officials and staff led by President & COO Prim Nolido, Vice President & General Manager Engr. Chrysler B. Acebu hosted the event graced by Barangay Lumbia Officials and employees led by Kag. Jan Jan Calam; Engr. Arlane L. Machado– Acting Division Chief III;  with Housing Relationship Officers Gian Diego A. Samson, and Caryl D. Yee from the Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF/Pag-IBIG Fund) and representatives of partner banks BPI, RCBC, Bank of Commerce, Chinabank, and Metrobank.

Left to right: Madilyn Boyatac, Future Homeowner; Engr. Chrysler B. Acebu, PDO GM/VP Mindanao; Engr. Arlane L. Machado, Acting Division Chief III, HDMF Z ; and Prim Nolido, PDO President & COO.

Also present were industrial partners OUR HOME who shared their home designing tips and freebies; and Kal-el Construction for their affordable construction supplies. Not the least were Real Estate Brokers & Sellers, along with La Aldea del Rio Homeowners.

The blessing of the amenities showcases the PDO’s quick progress in the development of the site with the concrete pouring of its access road on April 3, 2023, and unveiling of its model house barely ten months later on February 16, 2024, and the blessing of amenities just eight months later.

La Aldea del Rio features two-story Modern Asian townhouses for a contemporary and comfortable lifestyle with a floor area of 44 sq.m., inner lot area of 44 sq.m. and end lot area of a minimum of 60 sq.m.

The units are designed to meet the needs of first-time homeowners, starter families, and young professionals. They come ready for paint and tiles, allowing homeowners more options in styling the unit’s interiors to their needs and tastes. The suggested floor plan accommodates a master’s bedroom and second bedroom. All units have one (1) toilet and bath, a service area, and a provision for a carpark.

La Aldea del Rio is within walking distance of the Lumbia Barangay Hall, elementary school, and newly-opened Cagayan de Oro City Hospital – Lumbia, making it convenient for residents to access life’s conveniences. It is near Gaisano Mall Lumbia and popular tourist spots and attractions such as the city’s famed whitewater rafting, Pueblo de Oro Golf & Country Club, Macahambus Cave, and Camarahan Pahiron Ridge.

Strategically situated in the center of twelve (12) hinterland barangays, Lumbia is leading the boom in Uptown Cagayan de Oro with no less than 58 approved residential subdivisions, 32 of which are now operational.

With a total area of 38.51 square kilometers at an elevation of 165 meters above sea level (masl, or (541.3 feet), the barangay’s population has increased by leaps and bounds from 7,222 (2000) to 14,079 (2010) and to 31,504 (2020) with a current population density of 818.1/km. population density, per the Philippine Statistics Authority(PSA).

La Aldea del Rio is available for site tours, featuring its model units and complete amenities. Buyers can own a unit for as low as P7K per month in equity payments, with other easy payment options that make owning a home within reach.

In addition, La Aldea del Rio is offering a special Ready-For-Occupancy (RFO) deal called “A Perfect Christmas.” Buyers can pay just 3% equity, with the remaining 2% as a rebate/discount, and finance the other 95% through bank financing.

Alternatively, you can pay the 10% equity in advance until December 2024 and choose from exciting freebies: a brand new iPhone 15, a living room/kitchen showcase, or a P50K rebate.

This Promo is offered until the end of the month, October 30,2024.”

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World Trade Center coming to Uptown Cagayan de Oro

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY- Barely three months after the City Council approved its biggest project in the city’s uptown area, a pioneer investor surprised the growing metropolis with another project which promises to be a disruptive game changer, not only for the city, but for the entire Mindanao and Philippines as well.

In a simple ceremony held at a local hotel, the National Development Company (NDC) and the Investment & Capital Corporation of the Philippines (ICCP) Group, sister company of Pueblo de Oro (PDO), signed a Letter of Intent to erect a 5 tower luxury condominium, a 31-hectare (ha.) Silicon Valley type mixed-use area, and a World Trade Center within  an expanded Pueblo de Oro Township.

Left to right: Rommel Leuterio, Guillermo Luchangco, Antonilo Mauricio, Rolando Uy, Prim Nolido. (CIO photo)

Present during the signing were local officials led by Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Rolando Uy and City Councilor George Goking, NDC officials led by Usec. Antonilo DC. Mauricio, Asec. Alewijn Aidan K. Ong, and Asec. Leopoldo Acot, ICCP/PDO officials Rommel Leuterio, Prim Nolido, and Chrysler Acebu, and Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation Inc. (Oro Chamber) Pres. Avalyn Cahulogan, and Incoming President Almarco Brito.

Goking, who chairs the City Council’s committees on ways and means and trade and commerce, said this event arose from last year’s Investment Forum in Shangri-La Manila sponsored by Oro Chamber and City Hall’s Oro Trade Investments Promotions Center (Oro-TIPC) to entice investors to do business in the city.

A Sign of Confidence

NDC and ICCP have long been partners in WTC Metro Manila (WTCMM), with the former being its  largest single shareholder at 36% through the Manila Exposition Complex Inc., the company that developed and owns the facility, while the ICCP Group runs and controls it, and it’s been one of the very bright spots in the investments of NDC as a government company.

The planned WTC will be situated in a 31-hectare property at the crossroads of the new Laguindingan- Pueblo de Oro Diversion Road. The new development, dubbed Southridge, would emulate the vitality of California’s Silicon Valley in the San Francisco Bay area. Development has already started for the 5.2 hectare (ha.) residential portion  of Southridge.

ICCP Group Chair & CEO Guillermo Luchangco, Mayor Rolando Uy & NDC GM Antonilo DC Mauricio link hands as Rommel Leuterio & Prim Nolido look on. (Photo courtesy of Raphy Arcaina | Rapidofoto Studios via ICCP PDO)

“We’re very happy and honored to be with the top officials of the LGU, and the head of the ICCP Group, to give honor to Cagayan de Oro as one of the leading cities in the country for development,” said NDC General Manager Usec. Antonilo DC. Mauricio. “We’re very happy to be signing a Letter of Intent with such a credible group as ICCP which has a proven track record in delivering value to its stakeholders.”

Mauricio stressed how difficult it is for the government to partner with a private group and get approval for a project, since the NDC Board includes five cabinet secretaries (finance, energy, environment, budget, and DTI as chairman of NDC), the head of Bangko Sentral, Board of Investments Managing Head, Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) Chairman, himself as NDC GM, and a private sector representative.
He stressed how NDC investments in any project, including this one in CDO with the ICCP Group, is a signal for other investors to come in. It de-risks their investment by having the assurance that the government is partnering. “I think Cagayan de Oro is ready to level up and the NDC is here to support, as a signal of government’s support,” he added.

ICCP Group Chair & CEO Guillermo Luchango, CDO Mayor Rolando Uy & NDC GM Usec. Antonilo DC. Mauricio clasp hands in solidarity during the LOI signing ceremony.
(CIO Photo by Kim D. Zaldivar)

The signing was  done in Cagayan de Oro as part of NDC’s investment theme which conform to the five investment criteria: pioneering, developmental, sustainable, innovative, and inclusive.

It was the first time in more than 20 yrs. for the NDC GM to visit Cagayan de Oro and Bukidnon, a signal for the importance NDC gives to this deal. Mauricio said most signings are  usually done in Metro Manila, but now Metro Manila should come to Cagayan de Oro in order to see and feel the vibrance and potential for growth. 

“We believe that the growth of the country lies outside Metro Manila. And to be more geographically inclusive, there will be increased growth from the provinces,” the NDC executive said.

NDC is an ISO 9001:2015 certified company by TUV SUD for equity investment, project financing, asset management, and support services. An ISO 9001:2015 certification is a reassurance of quality management systems and processes, and enables NDC’s stakeholders and the general public to continue to put its trust in NDC’s processes and procedures; its management and employees. This represents over 10 years of being ISO-certified and is a reflection of the key stable management processes and systems in place throughout the company.  

Next Metropolitan Area

For his part, ICCP Group Chairman & CEO Guillermo D. Luchangco said the WTC aims to support Cagayan de Oro as the next metropolitan area of the Philippines.

“We are planning to bring in a World Trade Center like the one we have developed in Pasay City, Metro Manila. The significance of that is the branding. WTC is an association of over 330 WTCs throughout the world. It’s a brand name we’d like to bring to CDO which fits its role as an entrepot trading center. Our main target is to bring in international exhibitions. Sixty percent of exhibitions in the Philippines are held at the WTCMM. This is what will help the country grow. An exhibition hall is one of the keys to international trade,” Luchangco noted.

World Trade Center Metro Manila (WTCMM photo)

It will be situated in an 1.6-2 ha. lot within Southridge, for which CallisonRTKL, a global architecture, planning, and design practice based in California, has already completed the master plan. Timeline is estimated at five years or less. It will have residential lots, with bigger portions for residential, offices, and retail areas with hotels and other amenities in adjacent areas. 

Meantime, PDO has started work on its Masterson Mile North Towers, the company’s premier high-rise condominium project. Approved by the 20th City Council through City Ordinance No. 2024-515 on July 22, 2024, the project will feature five residential towers ranging from 22 to 26 floors with a total livable space of 11,649 square meters and 1,006 saleable units.

Pueblo de Oro Chairman Guillermo D. Luchangco presents the Masterson Mile North Towers project during the CDO Investment Forum at EDSA Shangri-La last year. (Oro-TIPC)

The upcoming landmark is designed by international architects Gensler of California, and Casas+Architects, a testament to Cagayan de Oro’s growth towards becoming a world-class urban center.

The vibrancy of Uptown Cagayan de Oro is illustrated by ongoing projects at the Pueblo de Oro Business Park.
(photo courtesy of Trip ni Tonio)

Barely two decades and nine years on [1990s to 2024], the Pueblo de Oro Township has grown into a self-sufficient 400-hectare township with no less than sixteen residential communities, a burgeoning business park, top educational institutions, world-class all-weather golf course designed by renowned architect Robert Trent Jones II, Cagayan de Oro’s first SM Mall, and a bevy of other business establishments that has made it a truly, self-sufficient central business district, leisure and sports hub in one.

World Trade Center

A World Trade Center is an apolitical organization that can be located in any country. It supplies businesses with access to international trade services and facilities, and seeks to simplify and stimulate trade by bringing together trade exhibitions that promote international trade.

Although WTC’s vary from country to country, they are all connected as a part of the World Trade Center Association (WTCA) based in New York City, the umbrella organization for over 330 World Trade Centers in more than 100 countries representing 750,000+ businesses. The Association stands outside politics across national boundaries, in service to those who develop and facilitate international trade.

WTCMM

World Trade Center Metro Manila (WTCMM) is an exhibition center located in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines. Since 1996, it has hosted events like the Asia Pacific Economic Conference (APEC); National Women’s Summit; and the 2019 Southeast Asian Games for fencing, karate, and wushu.     

It is also home to several prestigious events such as Manila FAME, IFEX of Citem, PROPAK, WOFEX, WorldBex, Philconstuct, ADAS, Trucks and Logistics, Livestock, Agrilink and Auto Parts and Vehicle Expo, and a favored venue for corporate events as well as foreign concerts and other events.

A pioneer in the provision of world-class exhibition venue in the Philippines, WTCMM is an accredited member of the World Trade Centers Association (WTCA) headquartered in New York City, USA. WTCMM is the first exhibition venue in the country to be managed by an ISO 9001:2008 company, Manila Exposition Complex, Inc., and the first to be recognized as a member of Union des Foires Internationales (UFI), the global association of the exhibition industry.

WTCMM also is an accredited MICE venue of the Department of Tourism (DOT) and Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), a member of the Tourism Congress of the Philippines (TCP) and the Philippine Association of Convention Exhibition Organizers and Suppliers (PACEOS),

PH 4th Metropolitan Area

According to the Philippine Development Plan for 2023-2028, Cagayan de Oro is expected to be the Philippines’ fourth metropolitan area by 2025, based on its projected population growth, strategic location as gateway and logistics hub for Northern Mindanao, and role as a key education center in the south.

In fact, metropolization has already begun as evidenced by the increasing share of Cagayan de Oro to the National GDP in 2022, already third behind the established metropolitan areas of Davao and Cebu.

“Metro Cagayan de Misamis to be the prime choice for investments,” said Regional Development Council Vice Chair and NEDA Region 10 Director Mylah Faye Aurora B. Cariño.

“People always choose the best option. Thus, Metro Cagayan de Misamis will be positioned not merely as an option or alternative to older metropolitan areas, but as the optimal choice given its enabling business environment, strategic location, resource endowments and potential, and skilled work force.”

Metro Cagayan de Misamis includes Cagayan de Oro City and El Salvador City, and 11 municipalities. Ten of these municipalities, namely, Alubijid, Claveria, Gitagum, Initao, Jasaan, Laguindingan, Libertad, Opol, Tagoloan, Villanueva are located in Misamis Oriental, and one, namely, Manolo Fortich is within Bukidnon.

Meantime, Cagayan de Oro City as the capital city of Northern Mindanao continues to demonstrate exceptional progress achieving remarkable rankings across various pillars rising one rank  higher from a year ago as the Top 6th Most Highly Urbanized City in the 2024 Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI).

The city secured the Top 1 position in Resiliency, Top 6 in Innovation, Top 7 in Government Efficiency, Top 7 in Infrastructure, and Top 7 in the Most Improved category. Additionally, Cagayan de Oro moved up two spots in Economic Dynamism, now ranked Top 9 from 14th in 2023.

Northern Mindanao, or Region 10 (Camiguin, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Lanao del Norte and Bukidnon, and the highly urbanized cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan), hosted around 3 million tourists annually just before the global pandemic in 2020. Although tourist arrivals dropped to 650,000 in 2020, it has bounced back to 2.5 million in 2023, according to the DOT-10.

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Kagay-anon Composer’s Romance for Cello & Piano featured in 7th Goldenberg Concert Series in Malacañan

The composition of a Kagay-anon composer has been featured in a concert series in  Malacañan which aims to promote Filipino heritage among the youth.

Romance for Cello and Piano, a composition by Niño Cesar Borromeo Tiro, a faculty member of the Liceo Conservatory of Music, was one of the highlights of the seventh iteration of The Goldenberg Concert Series dubbed Ang Tselista.

Niño Cesar Borromeo Tiro (courtesy of Ena Tiro)

According to Tiro, the piece originally titled Romance and Allegro for Cello and Piano (also know as Two Pieces for Cello and Piano) are Romantic pieces in the style of Schubert, Schumann, and Brahms. Both pieces are dedicated to the fantastic cellist Antoni Josef Inacay.
“The Romance is an early work written as a graduating senior in 2003 originally for piano entitled Solace. Solace is comfort in sorrow, and the piece evokes loneliness and resolution in its form. It is Schubertian in its episodes and themes with a dash of the composer’s love for Jazz harmonizations. The Allegro, written in November 2018, is a powerful, passionate, unpredictable fantasy piece full of conflict, mood shifts, emotions, and utmost virtuosity,” Tiro said.

“They only played the Romance because the Allegro didn’t fit into the program’s theme. However, the two pieces can be played independently, like other two part large works,” he noted.

Frame grab from video courtesy of Alvin Noel Castillo

Held at the Goldenberg Mansion in Malacañang Palace, Ang Tselitsa highlighted cello prodigy Damodar Das Castillo, accompanied by the talented pianist, Heliodoro Fiel II. The entire event, a beautiful tapestry of Filipino artistry, deeply touched former First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos, a renowned lover of music and patroness of the arts. Also in attendance was current First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos.

Programme (photo courtesy of Alvin Nola Castillo)

Students from various schools including the Jose Abad Santos Memorial School, New Era High School, and Balingasa Elementary School shared their inspiring thoughts on their experience of the magic of classical and live music in this video shared by the Social Secretary’s Office.

With Tiro’s composition as one of the highlights, the concert showcased the exceptional talent and dedication of the performers. The piece also served as the soundtrack for the official video of the event released by the Malacañang press and Social Secretary’s office.

Tiro and Castillo are recipients of the Ani ng Dangal for Music award, which recognizes exceptional contributions to the Philippine music scene, and for reaping honors as Filipinos in international arts and music events.


The Goldenberg Concert Series, presented by the Office of the President and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, aims to bridge the gap between young Filipinos and the nation’s rich musical heritage.

It is inspired and dedicated to Stella Goldenberg Brimo, daughter of French-Jewish businessman, Michael Goldenberg, owner of the historic Goldenberg Mansion in San Miguel, Manila.

Brimo was a well-known soloist, concert pianist, and professor at the University of Sto. Tomas Conservatory of Music and St. Paul’s College. She was also a soloist with the Manila Symphony Orchestra, and  president of the Philippine Association of University of Women (PAUW) Santo Tomas University Chapter and an outstanding leader in the National Council of the PAUW.

The Goldenberg Mansion is a historic residence built in the 1870s by the Eugsters, a Spanish merchant family. Named after Michael Goldenberg, an American businessman who established the Goldenberg Department Store in Escolta, it was extensively restored by National Artist for Architecture Leandro Locsin during the 1960s, and most recently renovated under the supervision of First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos . It has now been reopened to the public as a cultural center and events space.

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Web links: The Event Video by The Social Secretary: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/aUPAkKRZq6FoH8ZK/

A short clip of the performance in Malacañang: https://youtu.be/5c_aKQ29-a4

A rehearsal video before the concert in Malacañang: https://youtu.be/QWtioW94C4Q

The composer’s YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@ninotirocomposer?si=MXCZNaITRdO-rTio

Kumbira helps sustain rise of Filipino Cuisine in Culinary World

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The Philippines longest running ang biggest culinary show and festival outside Metro Manila has undoubtedly contributed to the impressive gains made by Filipino cuisine in the global gastronomic world.

During the launching of the 28th edition of Kumbira! Culinary Show and Competitions at a local mall, Norbert Gandler, chairman of the Board of Judges, remarked how things have changed so much since he moved here from Austria 35 years ago.

Chefs Norbert Gandler (right) and Melchor F. Taylo compare notes while judging the first event during the Kumbira 2024 Live Competitions. (Mike Baños)

“The Philippines was not yet in the world map of culinary scene, but that has changed a lot. Now everybody talks about the Philippines, Filipino food, and of course, Filipino service, the most friendly in the world. This has a lot to do with the quality of Philippine chefs, and other working in the hospitality industry around the world who are known as the best employees,” Gandler noted.

Jeffrey Limbonhai, president of the Cagayan de Oro Hotel and Restaurant Association (COHARA) which has successfully organized Kumbira! for the past three decades, acknowledged the need to continue learning and building on the Filipino’s beautiful heritage, culture and cuisine.

COHARa President Jeffrey Limbonhai (courtesy of DOT-X)

“But we need to strive to move forward, and seek new ideas, innovative methods, and enhanced techniques. The past may remain the same, but the future will always change: trends fade, challenges arise,” Limbonhai observed.

“Palates are becoming more sensitive, more  discerning, The market is becoming more educated with issues regarding climate change, sustainability, and cost cutting. We have the responsibility to improve ourselves so we may improve the world around us so this in turn will also benefit us,” he added.

Indeed, since its inception in 1996, Kumbira has been sharpening the kitchen knives of culinary students and professionals all over Mindanao, which has no contributed to the increasing demand for trained kitchen and hospitality staff here and abroad.

Competing Teams line up on the stage on Day 1 of Kumbira 2024. (courtesy of DOT-X)

For Kumbira 2024, 58 teams from four cities (Cagayan de Oro, Tangub, Pagadian and Dipolog) and four provinces (Agusan del Sur, Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental, and Surigao del Sur) are competing in 23 Live Competitions such as Kumbira Masters, Barangay Cooking Challenge (Best Sinuglaw), Regional Recipe Challenge, Dining Services, Pastry & Desserts, Bar/Beverage Services, Hotel Services, Mindanao Coffee Festival, and in the Kiddie (7-12 yrs.) and Junior (13-17 yrs.) divisions.  

One of the opening day competitions. (Karen Chayne Sanchez via CDO Lifestyle)

There were 24 teams entered in the Professional Division, 20 in the College Division, 5 in the Barangay Cooking Challenge, and 5 in the Kiddies/Junior Divisions. The total number of competitors number 345.

Kumbira! also attracted 44 trade exhibitors and 12 participants in its Food Gallery for this year.

In a video message streamed from Bacolod City, Myrna Segismundo, Chairman of the National Food Showdown and a frequent Kumbira judge, while recognizing the rising global interest in Filipino cuisine, cautioned on the imperative need for a “major overhaul”.

“History and tradition will be our anchor and radar on this ship we  adoringly call Kusina Filipina which has lately been making waves in the vast seas of world cuisine,” Segismundo observed.

However, she likewise warned of the need for a “major overhaul” of the world renowned Filipino hospitality and service, which has seen better days, since there are lots of problems happening in the dining rooms these days which really need looking into.

Judges now award points for sustainability for this year’s Kumbira Live Competitions. (courtesy of DOT-X)

To help us keep our edge, she stressed the need for sustainability which equates to lower food costs, kitchen waste management, more use of local ingredients, and of course, better profits.

For his part, Gandler said the Board of Judges has included topics where competitors can score points for sustainability.

Another way through which Kumbira has been pushing sustainability in the industry is the professional judging the judges bring to the table.

“I think there is much more to winning medals and trophies in competitions like this. It should be about learning, about sharing ideas, which will then reflect in the industry,” he reflected.

Chef Sandy Daza closely observes a competitor during the first day of Kumbira 2024. (Mike Baños)

Gandler shared how all judges conduct debriefings for the competitors after every competition where every entry is discussed, what was done well, where there was still room for improvement, where the coaches and teachers should also be present.

“Let us keep the momentum, stay the course, push the envelope further, full speed ahead na, all aboard na sa Kusina Filipina, let the showdown begin!” Segismundo exhorted.

Entry to this year’s Kumbira Exhibits and Competitions was free. (Karen Chayne Sanchez vis CDO Lifestyle)

KUMBIRA is the Philippines’ longest running live competition for students and professionals, and largest culinary show outside of Metro Manila which has been staged by COHARA for the past 27 years. A prelude event dubbed Hala Kumbira! Food Festival was held on August 16, 2024 to officially launch this year’s festival.

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A look back sixteen years ago : Origins and Rise of the Home-Grown Kagay-anon Culinary Brands

Already fast gaining a reputation as the Adventure Sports Capital of the Philippines, Cagayan de Oro looks to embellish that well-earned sobriquet as a culinary destination that can stand on its own merits and reputation.

After an exhilarating day of white water rafting, zip lining and trail riding on horseback, famished adventurers have found to their delight there’s more to this “City of Golden Friendship” than adventure sports.

Like its rapids and ziplines, Cagayan de Oro’s food trips offers a plethora of sensations for the picky gourmet or just plain hungry: Havelano Square (the area framed by Hayes-Velez-Abejuela and Capistrano streets) near Plaza Divisoria; the Rosario Arcade of Limketkai Center; the Uptown strip across Pueblo de Oro and Xavier Estates; and for those who don’t mind mixing with the hoi polloi, the food sections (known locally as pa-initan) in the Cogon and Carmen public markets.

They say the culinary heritage of a particular locality starts with home cooking, and this is certainly one department where Cagayan de Oro would not be found wanting.

Family specialties like the keseo (kesong puti) and fresh milk ice cream of Mitos Ortega are yet to be found in the commercial mainstream but others which have their origins in family businesses such as the “VIP” siopao and fresh corned beef of the Canoy family which originally started as part of the VIP Hotel’s menu are now produced regularly by spin-off businesses such as the Best Bake shop.

In the city’s early days, there were not many specialty bake shops like Gloria Dychauco’s Pots’n’Pans, the Robillos’ family Rosita’s Bakeshop, Helen Cichon’s Merrymaid or Carol Abriña’s self-named snack bar and bake shop. What the locals did whenever they hosted a party or celebrated a milestone was order specialties from various families like Cuala Tablan’s moist chocolate cake which you had to order personally from her residence in Mabini-Burgos street.

Of course you could also save yourself the trouble of having to hosting the event in your home by arranging it to be held in a local hotel or restaurant but even then that was considered very expensive and only for the elite.  Favored venues for this purpose included the VIP Hotel’s venerable Embassy Hall or the smaller but definitely more classy Comedor Real in the top floor.

Bagong Lipunan Restaurant when it was still called a kitchenette.

For ordinary days when its was just impossible to cook lunch or dinner at home for one reason or another, residents had their choice of either pansit guisado or sari-sari from Bagong Lipunan Kitchenette or Yee’s Restaurant, both of which continue to do thriving business in this niche in the present day of fast-food and fine dining establishments.

The night life in the sleepy town of Cagayan de Oro in those days was limited to folk houses such as the Canoy’s Shakey’s Pizza at Yacapin-Pabayo streets which was later joined by the small but often packed Bahia Jazz Bar, or live band music from Bobby Rojas’ Thrives Music Lounge in Kauswagan facing Kong Hua school or the Payag in Gusa. There were exactly three discos: One Up! in Kalambagohan-Capistrano, Salamin in the posh Mindanao Hotel in Corrales-Chaves streets and Channel One in the rather distant Caprice-by-the-Sea restaurant in Gusa.

Cebuano-speaking peoples are more often than not inclined to sinugba or ihaw-ihaw during those days although not on the scale they do now. Payag in Gusa and Amakan along Pabayo street were two of the more upscale places where one could get a decent barbecue but the more budget conscious went to Chicken a la carte along Toribio Chaves street behind the Philippine National Bank or its bigger branch at Rizal Street.

For Magnolia ice cream or frozen delights (there was no other brand before), one went to either Ice Cream Palace along Capistrano street next to the now defunct Roket movie theatre or Tivoli in Plaza Divisoria. Somewhat later, there was also a short-lived Coney Island stall opposite Kairo theatre which targeted  the theatre crowd.

Before the fast-food wave hit the shores of Cagayan de Oro, local entrepreneurs strove mightily to fill the gap. Notable among these pioneers is the couple Elpie and Rose Paras whose Sesame Sandwich Shop (its Big Bird Burger was a worthy counterpart of McDonald’s Quarter Pounder and lives on at P.Joe’s Diner), Sugbahan Central and Tia Nanang’s Filipino Restaurant were local institutions in their day. His brother Jess and wife Nena also set up Paolo’s Ristorante, the city’s first Italian Restaurant, initially at the Casa del Chino Igua and later at a nearby location, now occupied by sister Angel and her Gazebo Café.

Havelano Square

In the early 1990s when night life and upscale culinary establishments in Cagayan de Oro were still in their nascent stage, a group of young entrepreneurs opened restos, cafes and bars which were located near historic Plaza Divisoria (the old commercial quarter of the city) approximately within a quadrangle framed by the Hayes, Velez, Abejuela and Capistrano streets, hence coining the moniker Havelano Square.

These young professionals expanded the traditional clientele of restaurants and cafes by making them affordable even to university students from nearby Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan and attractive enough for the young employees and professionals who were starting out with their families.

Among these were the X-Site music lounge (later Pulse Live Music Venue), Picasso Piano Bar of Dynasty Hotel, and Butcher’s Best. Some of its later establishments were Sentro 1850, Park Café, Bo’s Coffee, Club Mojo, D’ Sainte Piano Bar, Brewberry Café, Vienna Kaffehaus, La Tegola Italian Restaurant, and Gazebo Café.

Besides offering a wide variety of menus previously not seen in the city, the facilities themselves were modern, upscale, and spoke of the growing reputation of Cagayan de Oro as the capital city of Northern Mindanao on the cusp of an economic boom.

Through the years, some of the core establishments of Havelano Square changed ownership, changed locations, but the number of restos, bars and fast food establishments has multiplied four-fold, and have spilled over the neighboring streets as well of the original quadrangle.

Rosario Arcade,Limketkai Center in the early 2000s.
(courteysy of Nazca Graphic Design & Photography)

When the new malls started coming in, they brought to fore the fast-food revolution, with McDonald’s setting up its first outlet ever in Mindanao at the upscale Limketkai Center. These branded food chains offered stiff competition to the locals, who did not take it sitting down but struck back with their own new or upgraded creations such as Elpie Paras’P.Joe’s Diner (an American-themed restaurant), Consuelo’s Steakhouse (the cowboy-inspired beef specialty restaurant of the Aberasturi’s), Kagay-anon Restaurant (native Cagayanon fine dining), Countryside Steakhouse and Green Haven vegetarian resto of the Limketkais. Most of these latter establishments were strategically co-located at the Rosario Arcade, later renamed Rosario Strip of Limketkai Center, a food and entertainment center of 17 establishments which aims to give locals and their visitors a complete dining and entertainment experience in one location.

Xavier Square

Fast-growing real estate projects in what has since been recognized as Cagayan de Oro’s “Uptown” also set up their own “food strips”, notably Xavier Square in Xavier Estates and Pueblo de Oro’s “Golden Mile” anchored by SM Cagayan de Oro just across the street. With these developments came another new wave of food and entertainment concepts such as “real” international cuisine introduced by Turquoise Turkish Restaurant at SM Uptown; and the family KTV in tandem with the ubiquitous “sugbahan.”

https://www.facebook.com/KumbiraCDOWith the family culinary tradition established by the old families of the city in tandem with the new breed of yuppie entrepreneurs and professional chefs, the City of Golden Friendship appears to have the right combination of ingredients to ensure its place in Filipino culinary heritage. However, the Cagayan de Oro Hotels and Restaurant Association (COHARA) is taking one step further to ensure that heritage remains true to its roots and the latest developments are tucked into the fold with the establishment of Kumbira! probably the first but definitely biggest culinary show outside Metro Manila.

Miss Kagay-an Tourism 2008 Precious Gaston, FOOD Magazine Editor in Chief and Phil Daily Inquirer food columnist Micky Fenix-Makabenta and Foodie Editor in chief Myra Segismundo go about their assigned portion of the 13 Asian Ingredients.

Now in its 12th year, Kumbira’s biggest followers are the budding chefs and entrepreneurs of Mindanao’s academe for which it has unfailingly served as a source of inspiration for both the student and professionals of the industry alike. With COHARA committed to the continued upgrading and professionalization of the city’s culinary industry, the Kagay-anons can rest easy: the future of its culinary legacy is assured of being passed on in the way it was meant to be to the next generation. (an earlier version of this story was published in FOOD Magazine)

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Laguindingan Airport Expansion starts April, 2025

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY-Air travelers to and from Northern Mindanao can  look forward to a upgraded terminal experience with the expansion of Laguindingan Airport in Misamis Oriental set to officially start on April, 2025.

DOTr Secretary Jaime J. Bautista

Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista made the disclosure during the ceremonial presentation of the Notice of Award to Aboitiz InfraCapital (AIC) for the operations and maintenance of Laguindingan airport held October 11 at the new passenger terminal building.

It is the first airport Public-Private Partnership (PPP) to be successfully awarded via unsolicited bid under the administration of President Ferdinand E. Marcos, Jr.

“By April 2025, Laguindingan Airport will be officially turned over to Aboitiz InfraCapital, although I hope they can do it earlier,” Bautista said. “The substantial PHP 12.75-billion investment of Aboitiz in Laguindingan Airport aims to transform this airport into a world-class gateway that will boost connectivity, tourism, and economic growth in Northern Mindanao.”

The first phase of the Laguindingan Airport PPP project involves increasing capacity to 3.9 million passengers a year, from the current 1.6 million. Starting 2026, capacity will further increase to 6.1 million passengers depending on the attainment of key performance indicators (KPIs).

Aboitiz InfraCapital President & CEO Cosette V. Canilao

AIC President & CEO Cosette V. Canilao said they expect to complete and comply with all the requirements under the Notice of Award by next week. This will be followed by the execution and signing of the Concession Agreement with the President at Malacañang on October 23, which will be endorsed to the PPP Center.

In a notice of award dated September 23, DOTr and the CAAP informed AIC of the DOTr and CAAP Board’s approval of the resolution of the Pre-qualifications, Bids, and Awards Committee recommending the award of contract in favor of AIC, the original proponent of the project.

AIC initially submitted a P148-billion unsolicited proposal package in 2018 for the takeover of four airports, including Laguindingan airport.

The company was granted original proponent status for the project in 2019. DOTr and CAAP issued an invitation for the submission of comparative proposals on February 2024 to AIC’s unsolicited proposal  pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act. No. 11966, The Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Code.

Interested challengers had a 90-day window from the publication of the invitation to submit their counter proposals, after which the original proponent had 30 calendar days to match any responsive comparative proposals. If no such proposals were received, the project was scheduled for awarding to the original proponent by May 2024.

However, the National Economic and Development Authority Board later extended the submission of comparative proposals for the project to September 13, 2024 due to changes made last July in the negotiated parameters, terms, and conditions for the project.

Canilao stressed the project aims to be more than a mere upgrading of the airport infrastructure. Rather, AIC aims to build a future where Laguindingan Airport becomes an anchor for regional progress by catalyzing economic and tourism growth and fostering local development.

She said this entails working closely with stakeholders and communities to ensure that every development aligns with the needs and aspirations of the people it serves. Firmly believing infrastructure is more than just physical structures, AIC eyes creating meaningful impact and driving inclusive growth by engineering and building transformative infrastructure ecosystems which deliver long-term value and sustainable solutions that benefit not just the present, but future generations as well.

CAAP, DOTr, ABOITIZ INFRACAPITAL LEAD LAGUINDINGAN AIRPORT CEREMONIAL AWARD. Aboitiz InfraCapital (AIC) has formally received the notice of award to upgrade, operate, and maintain the Laguindingan Airport in Misamis Oriental. Leading the ceremonial handover last October 11, 2024, at Laguindingan Airport were (from left) Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines Deputy Director-General Danjun G. Lucas, Department of Transportation (DOTr) Undersecretary Roberto C.O. Lim, DOTr Secretary Jaime J. Bautista, AIC President & CEO Cosette V. Canilao, and AIC Vice President-Head for Airports Business Rafael Aboitiz. 

“As we take on the responsibility of operating and developing this airport, Aboitiz InfraCapital is fully committed to delivering innovation and sustainability across all stages of this project. Our vision is to make Laguindingan Airport a showcase of Filipino talent and enterprise—an airport that is not only globally competitive but also reflects our unique identity and values as a nation,” Canilao said.

Bautista acknowledged and thanked the agencies and organizations which conducted the arduous process of project evaluation, NEDA and funding approval, and assessment of the unsolicited proposal that enabled the awarding to AIC of the Laguindingan airport expansion, including the Aviation and Airport sector of DOTr, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, NEDA-ICC, PPP Center, the local government of Cagayan de Oro City and other stakeholders.

“I cannot agree more why Aboitiz is deep into airport development,” Bautista said. “They believe airports are force-multipliers in driving socio-economic progress through job creation, tourism development and expanded connectivity.”

Aboitiz InfraCapital, Inc. (AIC), the infrastructure arm of the Aboitiz Group, aims to build purpose-driven infrastructure that spurs economic growth and improves lives. It develops Economic Estates as well as Water, Digital Infrastructure, and Transport & Mobility projects that enable businesses and uplift communities.

AIC’s current business units include TARI Estate in Tarlac, LIMA Estate and LIMA Water Corporation in Batangas; Mactan Economic Zone 2 Estate, West Cebu Estate, and Mactan-Cebu International Airport in Cebu; Apo Agua Infrastructura, Inc. in Davao City, and Unity Digital Infrastructure, Inc. The company also has a minority stake in Balibago Waterworks System, Inc., the fourth-largest private utilities distributor in the country.

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