A value-priced Hong Kong holiday from Cebu Pacific

Have you met anyone who has been to Hong Kong and not relish the thought of ever going back again? I believe, I haven’t.

For whatever the reasons may be – be it to visit the tourist attractions, both natural and manmade, savor authentic dishes, indulge in the time- honored Filipino pastime of shopping, or simply spend a few days of leisure at one of its many luxurious hotels – Hong Kong is almost always a welcome destination for anyone and everyone.

Recently, Cebu Pacific Airways was more than pleased to introduce the airlines’ latest holiday travel extravaganza at a reception held at the ballroom of the Cebu Marriott Hotel, beautifully transformed into a little slice of Hong Kong, complete with a towering pagoda and bright colorful lanterns, executed by Mari Hilario and Alonso Obregon.

The "Funtastic Hong Kong" tour package, with rates starting from as low as $200, depending on the choice of hotel, includes a roundtrip economy class airfare from Manila to Hong Kong, airport transfers via shuttle, hotel accommodations, daily breakfast outside the hotel with supplemental rate for breakfast inside the hotel, and a one-way transfer from the hotel to the Symphony of Lights/Avenue of Stars at Tsim Sha Tsui Harbor.

The choice of hotels is extensive, ranging from three-star accommodations to five-star ones. Likewise, optional tours to popular tourist destinations, such as a full-day Macao excursion that showcases the charm of Chinese and Portuguese heritage enhanced by arrays of modernized architecture, or an enjoyable full-day shopping at the Lo Wu Commercial City at Shenzhen, China are available. The additional good news for Cebuanos and residents from neighboring Visayas islands and Mindanao is that the package includes roundtrip tickets from their place of origin as long as the transit in Manila will not exceed 48 hours.

Hong Kong, anyone?

* * *

Eugene Frederick Castillo, musical director of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, was guest conductor at the Peace Philharmonic Philippines’ opening performance of its Chamber Classics Series 2005, entitled "Soul Moments," at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral.

The Benedictine monk and organist Fr. Manuel Maramba played the Toccata in G by Theodore Duboir, while violinist Brian Cimafranca performed a Vivaldi violin concerto and the Immaculate Mother Variations arranged by guest artist Antonio Arambulo. The Peace Philharmonic Philippines is a product of the 10-year orchestra development program initiated by the Salvador and Pilar Sala Foundation. International pianist Ingrid Sala Santamaria, chairman of the organization, has selflessly dedicated her life to this endeavor. The PPP is the only existing cultural institution dedicated to the training of orchestra musicians and soloists, thereby enriching the social and cultural makeup of the Cebu community.