Best of Cebu travel industry honored

Four of Cebu’s achievers were recognized during the 16th Skal Tourism Personality Awards Night held recently at the New World Renaissance Hotel in Makati City.

The prestigious annual awards, given by Skal International Makati, honor deserving individuals who excel in their respective fields of endeavors and have likewise contributed to the development and enrichment of the tourism and travel industry.

Leading the awardees was Charles Lim, president and CEO of the Cebu-based Selrahco Group and vice president of Skal International Asia, who was declared the Skalleaque of the Year. Marget Villarica of Destinations Specialists was named Tour Operator Personality of the Year. Efren Belarmino of Plantations Bay was chosen as Resort Personality of the Year, while Tourism region VII director Patria Aurora Roa received a special citation.

Skal International, the largest travel and tourism organization in the world, has over 600 clubs composed of some 23,000 active members in the Philippines alone. There are four chapters located in Manila, Makati, Cebu and Davao.

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Cebu Magazine’s contributing writer Boboi Costas, who bested close to a hundred qualified entries with his endearing feature article on Olango Island, was this year’s 11th Kalakbay Awardee for Travel Writer of the Year. Tourism Secretary Richard Gordon handed the coveted award in a formal ceremony at the Reception Hall of the Philippine International Convention Center. Other Central Visayas awardees were Danny Barrientos of Cebu City Waterfront Hotel and Julito Eraña of Waterfront Airport Hotel and Casino, who were both named as Frontliners of the Year. The Province of Bohol was chosen Destination of the Year and its Provincial Tourism Council, the Tourism Council of the Year. Cebu Pacific Air was proclaimed Airline of the Year (local) and Supercat Fast Ferry Corporation, the Inter-Island Shipping Line of the Year. The special award for Environmental Tourism went to Shangri-La Mactan Island Resort. The Secretary’s Award was bestowed on Governor Erico Aumentado and WG&A Superferry while travel pioneer and tourism frontrunner Anos Fonacier got the much deserved Lifetime Achievement Award.

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The Zonta Club of Cebu One celebrated its 35th anniversary with a tribute to its founders and dynamic past presidents at simple ceremonies held at Fiesta Maracas on Nivel Hills.

Suga Sotto-Yuvienco holds the distinction of being the charter president who still wholeheartedly and continuously supports the club’s worthy and laudable projects, such as day care centers, health and sanitation clinics, youth development and value-formation programs, college scholarship grants and, most recently, the realization of the construction of the Pink Room Crisis Center for Women, with the cooperation of the Zonta Club Two.

Among the other outstanding past presidents were Gloria Escaño, who served unprecedentally two terms; Rose Alfafara for the international linkages; Tina Bonifacio for the formation of the new chapter Zonta Club of Cebu Two; Amparo Rodil for efficiently managing the Capitol and Ermita Day Care Centers; Anita Sanchez for the promotion of interactive fellowships; Milagros Espina for the construction of the Ermita Multi-Purpose Center and chapel; Merle Cunanan, who solidified the club’s logistics; Juanita Verano for the Ermita Day Care Annex; Fe Necesario for promoting value-oriented and livelihood skills programs; Flor Streegan, who was responsible for the institutionalized scholarship linkages with Tanchan Foundation; Inday Avila for being the perennial chairperson of the preschool and livelihood projects; Tina Ebrada, who led its outreach programs through arts and sports; Mathea Baguia for conducting the fora on the status of women, children and the environment; and incumbent president Tess Chan for her selfless dedication and commitment to the club, who time and again has proven itself worthy in the Cebuano community.