Cebu developer pushes forward with 700-Unit twin towers in Mactan

LAPU-LAPU CITY — A major developer in Cebu is moving ahead with a 700-unit twin-tower residential project in Punta Engaño, Mactan, citing the area’s booming tourism and demand for beachfront living.

In an interview with Ramon Carlo Yap, president, Priland Development Corporation, he said that the project, delayed earlier by the pandemic, is now back on track and already more than 70% sold and  turnover is targeted in three and a half years.

Yap said they chose Punta Engaño because it will always be a destination for quality beach and for relaxation for both tourists and locals.  "All the developments are booming, so that's why we want to be also part of this progress in Punta Engaño," he added.

The development consists of two towers with 700+ units in total.  He clarified that the project was not canceled, only delayed due to pandemic uncertainties.

"During that time we decided to move the construction because it's not a very good time to start, because it's very unpredictable, and now... we still push through with the construction because we promised to deliver the project on time," Yap said.

He also confirmed that unit prices have not changed since the pre-selling stage.

This marks the developer’s 11th project, all currently residential. But the company is set to diversify. "We will be having commercial, hotel, offices soon," Yap announced.

He also revealed they have just groundbroken their first mall in Consolacion, Cebu along with the company’s first hotel in the area. A future "high street" development is also in the planning stage.

"After this project, we will be back on track on our momentum, what we did before the pandemic," he added.

Positive outlook for Cebu real estate

Despite global headwinds including the ongoing situation in the Middle East, yap remains bullish on Cebu and Philippine real estate.

"Despite the ongoing... challenges, we still see a very positive real estate industry in Cebu, and I think in the Philippines in general. We're not stopping. I'm sure we see it slowed down, but there's still a big demand," he said.

With Punta Engaño continuing to draw both local and international attention, the new twin towers are expected to add to the area’s growing portfolio of residential and leisure developments. (Photos: MBCNewman) 

Childlink partners with local artists to bring out 12 universal values of life

CEBU CITY – Childlink Learning Center and Childlink High School, Inc collaborates with local visual artists known as Artists Beyond Border to extend education beyond the four corners of the classroom and every learning space is designed to inspire character, creativity, and purpose.

The school’s commitment to holistic education has taken on a vibrant new form. The project transformed twelve classroom doors into meaningful works of art, each representing one of Childlink’s 12 Universal Values—the guiding principles upon which the school’s educational philosophy is built.

These values serve as daily reminders that education is not only about academic excellence but also about developing individuals of strong character, compassion, integrity, and responsibility.

The artists behind this inspiring initiative are Ilyn Chua, Jovelle Mae Jaca, Vladimir Valdehueza, David Alfaro, and Mara Dado, whose collective creativity and passion brought the values to life through colorful and thought-provoking illustrations.

Each classroom door now serves as a visual masterpiece that welcomes students while encouraging reflection on the importance of living out these universal principles every day.

More than a beautification project, the collaboration reflects Childlink’s belief that the school environment itself should become an active participant in the learning process. Every artwork invites students, parents, visitors, and members of the community to pause, appreciate, and understand the values that define the Childlink community.

The initiative also reinforces the school’s dedication to promoting the arts as an essential component of holistic education. By integrating visual arts into everyday spaces, students are constantly exposed to creativity, imagination, and artistic expression.

The presence of these artworks serves as an ongoing source of inspiration, encouraging learners to appreciate the role of the arts in shaping perspectives, solving problems, and expressing ideas.

According to the school’s philosophy, creativity is one of the most important human capacities that must be continuously nurtured. In an ever-changing world where innovation and adaptability are becoming increasingly important, Childlink believes that sustaining one’s creativity is essential for lifelong learning and success.

As the first School of Character in the Visayas and Mindanao recognized by the Character Education Partnership, Childlink has consistently championed an educational approach that develops the whole child. Guided by its motto, “Learn, Link, Lead,” the school strives to cultivate not only intellectual growth but also emotional intelligence, social responsibility, leadership, and moral character.

Through programs such as its Center for Life Skills, character education initiatives, and creative learning experiences, Childlink continues to provide opportunities for students to discover and develop their unique talents and potentials. The collaboration with Artists Beyond Border perfectly embodies this mission by demonstrating how education, art, and values can come together to create meaningful learning experiences.

The completed classroom doors now stand as permanent symbols of the partnership between education and the creative community. Every student who walks through these doors is reminded that learning is a journey of both the mind and the heart, and that creativity has the power to inspire positive change.

Childlink extends its sincere appreciation to Artists Beyond Border and its members—Ilyn Chua, Jovelle Mae Jaca, Vladimir Valdehueza, David Alfaro, and Mara Dado—for generously sharing their artistic talents in support of the school’s vision. Their work has transformed ordinary classroom entrances into inspiring gateways where values, imagination, and education converge.

As students begin each school day by entering these classrooms, they are greeted not only by beautiful works of art but also by enduring reminders of the values that will help shape them into compassionate, creative, and responsible individuals prepared to make meaningful contributions to society. (Photos: Childlink)

Priland Devt Corp to hold roadshow in Iligan City

𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙣𝙚𝙭𝙩 𝙗𝙞𝙜 𝙞𝙣𝙫𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙨 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙩? Discover exciting property opportunities at the Priland Development Corporation Roadshow in Iligan City. This is the chance to meet the team, explore the latest developments and find the perfect investment for your future.

The event is on July 4, 2026 at the Kelsey's Cafe and Restaurant - Quezon Avenue Extension Corner, Ubaldo Laya Avenue, Pala-o, Iligan City. Don"t miss this opportunity--your future address might be waiting for you.

Baricuatro allocates P140M for malnutrition, food insecurity program for Cebu

CEBU CITY-- Amid a sobering reminder of the structural hurdles facing public health in Central Visayas, Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro kicked off the province’s 52nd Nutrition Month celebration with an aggressive ₱140-million counter-offensive against child malnutrition and food
insecurity.

Announced on Wednesday, July 1, at the Cebu Provincial Capitol Grounds under the national theme “Nutrisyon at Kalikasan, Ating Pangalagaan,” the massive local government mobilization arrives just as newly released data underscores Cebu’s position at the epicenter of the region’s nutritional crisis.

According to the latest 2025 Operation Timbang Plus (OPT Plus) survey released by the National Nutrition Council (NNC)-Region VII, chronic malnutrition remains a deep-seated provincial battleground. While regional stunting rates (low height-for-age) showed a slight percentage decline to 6.33%, a staggering 40,674 children under five in Central Visayas remain stunted.

Due to its dense population, Cebu Province accounts for over half of these numbers, logging 20,664 stunted children—the highest volume of stunting among all provinces nationwide.  

Furthermore, the regional data tracks 18,735 underweight children with 8,672 in Cebu Province alone and 7,152 suffering from wasting or acute thinness. This nutritional deficit is compounded by severe systemic strain; the Expanded National Nutrition Survey reveals that 35.6% of households in Central Visayas suffer from moderate to severe food insecurity, eclipsing the national average of 31.4%.  

“If you ask me what kind of Cebu I dream of, my answer is simple,” Gov. Baricuatro remarked, visibly emotional as she marked her first year in office during the July 1 launch. “A Cebu where every family has the opportunity to live a healthy and dignified life. How can we talk about economic growth, quality education, and tourism if our people themselves are hungry and their bodies lack proper nutrition?”

Capitol's tactical blueprint

To actively reverse these metrics, Cebu Province rolls out a multi-pronged intervention strategy that targets both immediate hunger and long-term health stabilization:  ₱140-Million Feeding Allocation: an expansive financial package injected directly into community-level supplemental feeding.

The Mobile Kitchen Fleet: Seven state-of-the-art mobile kitchens scheduled for deployment across rural and vulnerable sectors this July to rapidly distribute hot, nutrient-dense meals.

Mass Micronutrient Campaign: A target distribution of 600,000 Vitamin A capsules and 300,000 iron supplements to Rural Health Units (RHUs) across every city and municipality in Cebu, directly intervening in the crucial early development phases of toddlers.

Capitol Piso Health Consultant Dr. Nikki Catalan underscored that the intervention represents a shift from passive health management to active governance. “Malnutrition is not only a health concern; it is a governance concern,” Catalan emphasized. “The data on malnutrition in Cebu is not something we can ignore; it should disturb us, but more importantly, it should move us to act.”

Model localities and health systems recognized

While the regional numbers present an uphill climb, the launch also celebrated local government units (LGUs) and medical facilities showing breakthrough success in managing community health profiles under strict guidelines.

The Municipality of Dalaguete took center stage, receiving a Plaque of Achievement as a 2025 National Nutrition Green Banner Seal of Compliance Awardee for its progressive grassroot nutrition models.

The Capitol also officially recognized municipalities and health offices that recorded the lowest stunting and maternal health risks based on the 2025 metrics:   Lowest Stunting Prevalence (OPT Version 1) went to Bogo City Health Office, Borbon RHU, Minglanilla RHU, San Fernando RHU, Naga City Health Office.

Lowest Prevalence of Nutritionally At-Risk Pregnant Women went to Oslob, Alcantara, Ronda, San Remigio, Cordova.  

Retaining mother-baby friendly status, 13 provincial and district facilities were lauded for successfully retaining their Mother-Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (MBFHI) status for 2025, ensuring that foundational nutrition—specifically early, exclusive breastfeeding—is guarded at birth. Cebu Provincial Hospitals (Danao, Carcar, Bogo, Balamban); District Hospitals (Badian, Tuburan, Oslob, Bantayan, Daanbantayan); Isidro C. Kintanar Memorial Hospital; Ricardo L. Maningo Memorial Hospital; Tuan B. Dosado Memorial Hospital and Jose Ma. Borromeo Memorial Hospital.

As Nutrition Month continuous through July, provincial health officials hope that Cebu's hyper-localized, heavily funded approach sets a benchmark for how local government units can actively reclaim the health and futures of the region's youth.

PhilChoco, Taiwan university seal MOU for tech transfer to cocoa farmers in Central Visayas

CEBU CITY —Philchoco brings Taiwanese food technology to Cebu and Central Visayas cacao farmers through a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Cheng Shiu University of Kaohsiung, Taiwan signed on June 26 at the Golden Prince Hotel & Suites, Cebu City calling the event “Bean-to-bar convergence.” 

The event brought together government, academe, and the private sector to showcase bean-to-bar innovation using Philippine cacao. “Cacao is gold,” said Philchoco general manager, Aaron Que and explained that Philchoco is a bean-to-bar chocolate maker.

“What that means is we source cacao beans from local farmers from different parts of the Philippines, and we turn it into a bar, almost like a gold bar — that’s what they say, because cacao is gold,” he added.

The bar is just one shape. It can be turned into different things that the chefs in restaurants need. The convergence is the result of a benchmarking trip to Taiwan in February 2026 with Cheng Shiu University, bared Rey Calooy, Philchoco president.

Calooy said that Philchoco delegation spent almost a week in Taiwan visiting laboratories and seeing actual product development. The outcome: new products using PhilChoco’s own cacao, including coffee cookies and other innovations.

“We decided to partner with University of Taiwan, which products using our own raw materials, like PhilChoco, our chocolates, so now the result, we have an array of new products based on that convergence,” Calooy said.

The goal is to replicate Taiwan’s technology-driven agriculture in the Philippines. “For them, agriculture is based on technology. Our raw materials are limited, but their agriculture is technology-based,” he said.

The goal of the MOU between PhilChoco and Cheng Shiu University is to improve Philippine cacao quality, support local farmers, and scale up with the technology learned in Taiwan to trickle down to the farming community in Cebu and in Central Visayas.

“The long-term aim is to tie products to One Town, One Product (OTOP) and do more innovative research use local raw cacao materials. This is a beautiful collaboration bringing Taiwan’s technology to Philippine cacao, so farmers can create more innovative, higher-value products from “cacao is gold,” Calooy added.

PhilChoco is a private company and non-government organization, but it is tapping support from state agencies.  Philchoco has received a grant from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-Region 7, said Philchoco GM Aaron Que adding that Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and other programs have also reached out to the company for some initiatives for different cocoa stakeholders.

The convergence event also included regional directors from different government agencies, Taiwanese farmers, and chefs teaching new methods. The Taiwanese group did a tech transfer workshop and presented outputs from the past few days as part of the formal showcase. (Photos: MBCNewman & Philchoco)

 

#KASALAN2026, reinforces Cebu as leading wedding destination in Asia

CEBU CITY-- The #KASALAN2026 National Wedding Tourism Expo now happening ay Ayala Mall in Cebu on June 28-29, reinforcing Cebu as a leading wedding destination in Asia.

Dubbed the Queen City of the South, Cebu offers idyllic island weddings, historic century-old churches and creative event suppliers for unforgettable weddings, honeymoons, and romantic escapes.

Be it Cebuanos looking for easeful, affordable celebration packages or visiting couples searching for the ideal wedding destination, CEBU has it all and more.

Showcasing the widest array of wedding venues and event supplier options at the activity center of Ayala Center Cebu, couples are guaranteed to have the best wedding planning experience on this 2-day wedding exhibit.

#KASALAN2026 has the widest choices of wedding venues and event suppliers from Cebu exclusive and special deals & promos, not just for weddings/events but also for staycation, food, and other leisure activities!

Instagrammable setups, FREE food tastings and special freebies for lucky expo guests!  300K-worth of event-related raffle prizes!

Kasalang Filipino, a project of Kasal.com since 2003, is a nationwide wedding tourism fair road show aimed at tying key Philippine cities with one goal of promoting the local wedding and tourism industry nationally and globally.

Each Expo highlights the different customs and traditions of the region, promotes its local wedding anf event products and services, and gives attending couples/debutants the chance to know the latest wedding & event trends.

The 20th Run of #Kasalan2026 nationwide wedding tourism caravan includes Central Luzon, South Luzon, Central Visayas, Negros Island Region and Davao Region.

#Kasalan2026 CEBU Wedding Tourism Expo is presented by Kasal.com in partnership with Ayala Center Cebu, Cebu City Tourism, Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Shangri-la Mactan and Love & Diamonds.

This premier CEBU Wedding Tourism Expo is supported by the ff. premier CEBU Wedding Venues: BAI Hotel Cebu, Jpark Island Resorts and Waterparks, Dusit Thani Mactan Cebu, SEDA, Montebello Hotel, Cebu, Savoy Hotel Mactan Newtown, The Reef Island Resort Mactan, Marco Polo Plaza Cebu, Kandaya Resort, Quest Hotel & Conference Center - Cebu, Summit Galleria Cebu, Anjoworld Conference Center, Diane Residences, Mezzo Hotel, Cebu Westown Lagoon, Golden Peak Hotel & Suites Cebu, Bayfront Hotel Cebu, Oakridge Pavilion, La Joya Farm Resort and Spa, Chateau by the Sea, Costabella Tropical Beach Hotel, Sarrosa International Hotel & Residential Suites, Hotel Elizabeth, Mercure Mactan Cebu, Bluewater Resorts and the ff. Destination Wedding Properties - Discovery Coron, Discovery Boracay, The Bellevue Resort Bohol, and The Barn at Mango Ranch Negros Oriental.

The much-awaited CEBU Bridal Fair is also made possible with the ff. Event suppliers: Odysseus Wedding Rings, Vaughnn's Gold, UHAW Mobile Bar, First of April, Cosmic Embers, Ysabelle's Bridals, Nice Print Photography, PRF Events and MR Audio Lights & Visuals.

Official media partners are Business Mirror, Cebu Online News Press Corps, RMA News, CDN Digital, Alcordo Billboards & Signages and Steel Art Billboards.