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WE were
able to visit Cebu last week for the opening of the Cebu
Auto Show courtesy of Chery Cars.
Although
it was a whirlwind trip, motoring journalists such as
this writer, Ronald de los Reyes, Brent Co, Kris Lim and
Neal Palabrica were able to see most of the place and
treated to hospitality by no less than Chery Cebu
managing director and Iseway Motors dealership network
manager Raymund Basubas, along with the group of
Manila-based Chery officials that included Ricky Lam,
Tito Yupangco, Aimee de los Santos, Walter Inguito,
Raquel Ocampo and Allen Wu.
Developments are almost everywhere in
Cebu these days. Local and foreign tourists arrive on a regular
basis at the city’s busy airport. Several airlines have
added flights to and from the province, while a major
company has diverted several of its bigger planes there.
I was amazed to see that the one we flew on was a 747
and the one we took on the way home had just arrived
fresh from
Japan.
Construction is everywhere. An SM mall is now standing
in a reclamation area, while two others just in front of
the newly built Cebu International Convention Center in
Mandaue City are almost finished. Several new buildings
are also being built in an area that used to be the
former airport beside Waterfront Hotel in Lahug. The
Marriott Hotel, where we stayed for two nights, is just
a stone’s throw from the Ayala Mall, which is teeming
with people all day long.
The
beaches of Cebu, especially those in Lapu-Lapu City, are
also full of developments. Just before we rode our
bangka for a tour and dip at nearby Olango Island, we
saw a number of huge hotels being built along the beach.
One that is undergoing construction had fine white sand
along its coastline à la Boracay.
Punta
Engano in
Lapu-Lapu City,
where the Queensland resort is located, is a good
jumping point for those who go island-hopping. Olango
Island is also a good diving spot since small, colorful
fishes are plentiful and very enjoyable for those who
dive and snorkel.
One
thing I noticed is the lax attitude toward the
environment of some of the people in the area. Unlike in
Palawan, where everyone is being taught the virtue of keeping the waters clean,
we saw trash that was thrown in the sea.
But most
of Cebu is clean and orderly. It’s like going to Macau
some 10 years ago. With the upsurge of tourists coming
in,
Cebu is now full of cafés, bars, and massage parlors catering to
both local and foreign visitors.
We saw
no heavy traffic during rush hours. Seldom did we see
traffic enforcers on the street, leading one of our
colleagues to comment, “Traffic personnel are the real
cause of monstrous traffic in Manila!”
Government officials of Cebu must start thinking ahead.
In urban development, roads must be given top priority.
Cebu has no mass transport system in place, although
there are minibuses and jeepneys plying through and
around the city. A good and systematic system must be
implemented before it’s too late. Look at Metro
Manila.
It’s one helluva mess!
****
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