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Review: Highway 21 Hotel in Iloilo City, Visayas

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February 24, 2010

Hotels, Mindanaoan Update, Reviews, Tourism, Travel

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My first night in Iloilo City was spent in Highway 21. Classified as a pension house, I actually thought that this nice place located right in the heart of Iloilo City was more of a hotel. The perfect choice for budget conscious tourists, Highway 21 Iloilo City is located along the busy General Luna Street.

highway 21 hotel

Highway 21 is actually right beside the Sarrabia Manor, a well-known hotel in Iloilo. Compared to Sarrabia, though, Highway 21’s rates are way cheaper.

I stayed at the new wing of Highway 21. The rooms found at the new wing are slightly higher than those found on the annex area but I thought the added expense was worth it. The new wing had an elevator while the annex didn’t have one. Plus all the rooms at the new wing had free, fast wireless Internet connection. That was important.

The room that I got was fully air-conditioned, equipped with cable TV, hot and cold shower, private bath and telephone. I actually didn’t expect a good looking room since I only paid P850.00 for my stay (single occupancy) but I got a pretty neat one. My room also had a good view of the bustling city.

Yes, I had wireless web connection so I was able to work for a bit before I hit the sack that night.

The staff members were friendly and helpful. The lobby, albeit small, was nicely decorated. The small cafe in the lobby area (where guests can also have heavy meals) was okay. The restaurant staff members were courteous and even helped me decide what to eat for dinner. They recommended these – calamares and grilled porkchop. Yum!

porkchop highway 21 calamares highway 21 iloilo

Now for photos of my room, check them out after the jump.

Mindanaoan goes to Iloilo City

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February 23, 2010

Beauty, Cagayan de Oro City, Flights, Leisure, Mindanao, Mindanaoan Update, Musings, Personal, Tourism, Travel

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Mindanaoan has always been very curious of Iloilo City, the largest province in Panay Island. We’ve all heard the many stories about this beautiful city – just how malambing Ilonggos are, just how fascinating the tourist sites are, just how delicious their delicacies are, just how booming their business sector is and just how warm and friendly the people in Iloilo are.

So when I recently got the chance to travel to this beautiful city located at the Western Visayas Region, I no longer had second thoughts. Off I went to the city formerly called “Irong-Irong.”

From Cagayan de Oro City, Mindanao, I took an airplane ride going to Cebu City (roughly 30 minute ride). From there, I took another flight, this time from Cebu to Iloilo (roughly 50 minute flying time). If you’re in a bit of a hurry, taking plane rides is the best and easiest way for you to travel from Mindanao to Iloilo. Of course, it may be a bit more expensive than taking the RORO ship or a bus.

When my plane finally landed on Iloilo soil, this welcomed me:

iloilo city airport

Mindanaoan senatorial candidate Atty. Adel Tamano meets Davao media people

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February 14, 2010

Broadcasting, Davao City, Events, Marawi City, Media, Mindanaoan Update, Personalities, Photos, Radio, Society, blogging

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Nacionalista Party senatorial candidate Atty. Adel Tamano recently met with several members of the Davao City, Mindanao traditional and new media. The young senatoriable, who hails from Marawi City and is the first ever Filipino Muslim scholar-graduate of Harvard Law School, was recently in my hometown Davao City for the 3rd National Ulama Conference. Tamano got the support of the ulamas, by the way, and there are strong talks that the 5 million Filipino Muslims will support the Adel Tamano for Senator Movement. Adel Tamano, by the way, is the son of the late Senator Mamintal Tamano.

Atty. Adel Tamano is also the former president of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, where he introduced so many changes. A constitutional law professor, a published writer, former spokesperson of the Genuine Opposition and now spokesman of the Nacionalista Party, Atty. Adel Tamano also holds the distinction of being the first ever Filipino Muslim who served as commencement speaker at Harvard Law School.

Adel Tamano is being endorsed by popular action star Robin Padilla, fellow Mindanaoan and Moro National Liberation Front chairman Nur Misuari and singer-actor Ogie Alcasid.

Mindanaoan would like to thank all of the members of the Davao City press who attended the media briefing

adel tamano meets davao media

More photos of Atty. Adel Tamano’s press briefing in Davao City after the jump

Surigao del Sur National High School bags top plum in SMART’s Doon Po Sa Amin challenge

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February 12, 2010

Announcements, Campus, Education, Features, Headline, Mindanaoan Update, News, Surigao, Surigao del Sur, Technology

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Kung Mindanaoan gani, lahi ra gyud! This is definitely what you’ll exclaim after reading this good piece of news. Congratulations to Surigao del Sur and to Barobo National High School! And of course, congratulations to the coach and to the students who bagged the top plum in the finals of SMART Telecoms’ Doon Po Sa Amin challenge. SMART talaga

For the second consecutive year, Surigao del Sur’s Barobo National High School made it to the finals of Smart Communications, Inc.’s (SMART) Doon Po Sa Amin (DPSA) Learning Challenge.

sweep smart barobo national high school surigao del sur

SMART Public Affairs Community Partnerships Senior Manager Darwin Flores (right) awards the team from Barobo National High School composed of (from left) Jade De los Santos, Jennifer Noveras, head coach Romulo Morata and ICT coordinator Alex Mistula for winning the grand prize during the 2nd Doon Po Sa Amin Learning Challenge.

This time, however, the institution went all the way to emerge as overall champion for its entry, “Sumbada: Buhay Lambat.” The same entry also bagged the Best in Technology and Livelihood category award.

The awarding ceremony of the 2nd DPSA Learning Challenge was held last February 5 and 6 at the A. Venue Hall in Makati City. The competition, a part of the Smart Schools Program’s (SSP) web-based project Doon Po Sa Amin, is a search for the richest and most significant online local content generated by student-teacher groups from SSP partner schools.

Barobo National High School’s winning entry “Sumbada: Buhay Lambat” is a descriptive study on the local fishermen’s practice of Sumbada, its legality and the impact on the fishing industry.

“Our entry is all about awakening the minds of the people in our locality,” says Jade de los Santos, a student-member of the team. Sumbada is an illegal fishing method that uses very fine nets and active gears to catch fish. “Throughout our region, it is only in our locality that sumbada is being practiced,” he adds.