Filipino Sojourner: Lapu Lapu City

Showing posts with label Lapu Lapu City. Show all posts

Laag-Laag sa Cebu (Part 12): Why Cebuanos Call Mama Mary as Birhen sa Regla?

Birhen sa Regla image that I brought from Cebu

There is one church on Mactan Island that piqued my curiosity during my first visit to the Province of Cebu. That church is dedicated to the Virgin Mary under the title of “Birhen sa Regla”.

“Why regla?”, I asked. Is Mama Mary a patron saint for ladies suffering dysmenorrhea and pains related to menstruation? Is regla the Cebuano word for blood?

These questions popped to my mind because we Tagalogs define regla as menstruation. I didn’t find having a patron saint for ladies suffering menstrual pains implausible because the Catholic Church has many saints for “random” and “weird” things. An example would be St. Eligius who is the patron saint of gas station and garage workers. In fact, there is a saint who is called upon during menstrual cramps. He is a guy and the general of the Theban Legion named Maurice.

A little Google search revealed that my assumption that regla means menstruation is wrong. Regla is actually an abbreviation of the Spanish word reglamento, which means rule. In short Birhen sa Regla is Our Lady of the Rule in English.

The veneration of Our Lady of the Rule was said to be begun by St. Augustine. According to tradition, St. Augustine has an image of a black Virgin Mary and through that image the saint received the rule that he used to guide his monastic community.

The altar of Opon Church featuring the image of Birhen sa Regla

The islands of Cebu and Mactan were placed under the care of the Augustinians. Thus, it is not surprising that they brought the veneration of the Birhen sa Regla to the islands. The veneration became so popular that the people of Opon (the old name of Lapu-Lapu City) has a big fiesta honoring the black virgin.

The image of Birhen sa Regla was so dear to the people that they offer their precious jewelries for every answered prayer. The image was adorned by precious things until the parish priest decided to remove it after a robbery incident.

I was so oblivious of the fame of the Birhen sa Regla that I didn’t even know that the church where I attended a Sunday mass during my first visit to Cebu housed her famous image!

As newbie collector of Marian images, I found the image of Birhen sa Regla in Cebu unique to the many Marian images that I saw in this archipelago. I considered her as a defining image of Cebu.

I brought home an image of the Birhen sa Regla and she is now placed in our living room.

What I like with this image is that she holds another image that is so popular in Cebu. And that is the image of the Santo Niño.

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Read more of my latest adventure in the island of Cebu!

Laag-Laag sa Cebu (Part 3): Feasting on Consolacion’s Fresh Talaba
Laag-Laag sa Cebu (Part 2): Finding Consolation in Consolacion Church

Laag-Laag sa Cebu (Part 1): My Boat Ride Under the Bridges of Mactan Channel

A Foretaste of Cebu in Mactan Cebu International Airport
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5 Hotels in Mactan Island and My Attempt to Find a Place to Sleep

Tourists in a tight budget will have a hard time looking for a place to sleep in Mactan Island. As in my case, I had a hard time looking for Mactan hotel that is affordable but still a suitable place to stay. However, for those who have the budget, there are so many hotels and pension houses to choose from in Mactan Island. Some of the hotels are located near the airport. There are some that are located near downtown Lapu-Lapu and more accessible to shops, restaurants, and public transportation that are going to Cebu City.

Here are some of Mactan hotels that were included in my canvass:

GV Hotel

Address: G.Y. Dela Serna St., Poblacion, Lapu-Lapu City
Telephone Number: (032) 340-3017 and (032) 495-4388

Looking at the website of GV Hotel makes me smile. The rooms that could be found in the GV Hotel in Lapu-Lapu City are a far cry from the rooms that they are showing their website. The GV Hotel in Mactan Island is at least three levels higher than the apartelle that could be found in Quezon City. However, I am not complaining. This is the place where I stayed for the whole duration of visit in Mactan Island. GV Hotel is affordable but is a nice place to sleep to. It is also in the Lapu-Lapu City’s poblacion or town center.

Each room in GV Hotel have its own bathroom that have shower, an air-condition, and a cable TV. The place is clean and secured. I leave some important things to my room but none of them were stolen or lost. You could request for room cleaning without additional fee. Heater and hot shower can only be found at deluxe rooms. However, Mactan Island’s weather is quite warm that you do not even need a hot shower in wee hours of the morning during the coolest season in the country.

The hotel personnel are nice and approachable, but do not expect them to wear the attire that is found at their website. For tourists that are in a tight budget, I recommend this hotel. In December, GV Hotel offered the promo rate for their hotels, which I gladly availed. I am not sure though if the promo rate is still being offered.

For me, GV hotel is the best of the cheap Mactan hotels that I found.
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Mactan Pension House

Address: M.L. Quezon National Highway, Pajo, Lapu-Lapu City
Telephone: (032) 340-5524

This is the second affordable Mactan hotel in my canvass. It is located in the highway and is accessible to the Lapu-Lapu town center and the airport. Transportation to Cebu City is just outside the pension house.

The rooms in this pension house are fully air conditioned, with hot and cold shower. Every room also has cable TV and telephone in every room. Mactan Pension House also offers breakfast room service and laundry and pressing service.

Hotel Cesario

Address: M.L. Quezon Highway, Pusok, Lapu-Lapu City
Telephone: (032) 340-0211
e-mail: welcome@thebellavista-hotel.com

Hotel Cesario is the first Mactan hotel I saw when I came out of the Cebu – Mactan Airport. I saw their service vehicles for fetching their visitors from the airport. Hotel Cesario is on the same highway as Mactan Pension House and also near to city center of Lapu-Lapu City and the transportation to mainland Cebu.

The hotel offers free airport transfers, room service, and fax and photocopying services. The room rates are inclusive of the Buffet Breakfast for two persons at 1565 Café and free use of swimming pool at Bella Vista Hotel. 1565 Café and Bella Vista Hotel are just beside Hotel Cesario.

Amenities include fully air conditioned and carpeted rooms with direct dial telephone system. All rooms have cable TV. This hotel accepts all major credit cards.

Best Suites Hotel

Address: APP Building II, Quezon Avenue, Lapu-Lapu City
Telephone: (032) 236-9999
e-mail: bestsuiteshotel@yahoo.com

Best Suites Hotel has air conditioned fully furnished bedroom suites with hot and cold shower. Each room have cable LCD TV, broadband internet access, PABX telephone system. For security, they have a 24-hour CCTV security cameras. They also offer laundry and dry-clean services. Best Suites Hotel is a Mactan Hotel that has its own coffee shop.

The Regular and Best Suites have two single beds and kitchen.

Waterfront Airport Hotel and Casino

Address: 1 Airport Hotel, Lapu-Lapu City
Telephone: (032) 340-4888
e-mail: wahc@waterfronthotels.net

Waterfront Hotel is the best Mactan hotel that I saw during my visit to Mactan. It has the best rooms and the best amenities and, of course, the least affordable. Because of this I did not took a canvass for this hotel. This hotel is located right inside the Mactan – Cebu Airport and is just few steps away from the airport terminal.

Waterfront Hotel offers internet connection for every room. It has a swimming pool and a café inside the hotel lobby. It is beside the Casino Filipino and there is also a KTV bar for those who are aching to have nightlife at Mactan without going away from the hotel.

For room rates, visit the Waterfront Airport Hotel and Casino website.

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This post is the second part of my travels in Mactan Island.
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Mactan Island

Mactan Island is an island located Southeast of Cebu City. Politically, the island is being shared by Lapu-Lapu City and the municipality of Cordova. The island is the place where the Mactan Cebu International Airport is located. It is connected to the island of Cebu by two bridges.

The island of Mactan is famous for being the homeland of Lapu-Lapu. He is the chieftain who slew Magellan and his Spanish crew on a battle on the beach of Mactan Island. A shrine was built to commemorate Lapu-Lapu's victory against the Spaniards.

Places to See in Mactan

Mactan Island is famous because of Lapu-Lapu. Because of this, the well-known tourist spot on this island is the Mactan Shrine or also known as Lapu-Lapu Shrine. Local and foreign tourists visit Mactan Shrine to see the place where Magellan and his crew were defeated by Lapu-Lapu and his hordes. Read more about Mactan Shrine are on the third part of this blog post.

Another place to visit is the Birhen sa Regla Church, which is also known as the Opon Church. This church is the largest in Mactan Island. Anyone, especially the Catholics, who want to join the Holy Mass can freely enter the church. Be reminded though that the mass in this church is in Cebuano so it is better that you read the day’s readings in a lectionary before you go here. From Cebu – Mactan Airport, the Mactan Church could be reached by taxi or jeepney. The cheapest option is to ride a jeepney from the airport with the signboard that says “Mercado, Simbahan” (Church).

Birhen sa Regla Church is a nice church but not as big and grand as the Cebu Cathedral.

Downtown Lapu-Lapu City is another place to visit when obtaining various necessities. The place has banks, grocery shops, bakery, and a market. This a good place to buy your pasalubongs if you do not want to go to Cebu City. Downtown Lapu-Lapu City could be reached by riding a jeepney with a signboard saying “Mercado” from the Cebu – Mactan Airport.

Where to Sleep in Mactan Island?

There are various hotels and pension houses on Mactan Island. Some of these hotels are located near the Cebu – Mactan Airport and others are located along the highway going to downtown Lapu-Lapu City. Be aware though that hotels on this island are quite expensive and the average rate of rooms per day is about 1,000 pesos (about 50 US dollars).

You could also try some of the “rooms for rent” that are located on the fringe of Lapu-Lapu City. However, be sure to check the rooms or apartments before striking a deal with the house owners.

More details about hotels and pension houses in Mactan Island could be found on the second part of this blog series, entitled "Looking for Mactan Hotel."

Going Around Mactan Island

Mactan Island is just a small island and there are many ways to go to any places on it. The major means of transportation for commuters is by riding the jeepneys, which are locally known as multicabs. There are jeepneys for every major destination on Mactan Island. It is just a matter of knowing what jeepney to ride when going to your destination.

The island has a terminal for jeepneys that goes directly to Cebu City and Mandaue City. This terminal is in the vicinity of downtown Lapu-Lapu City. There is also a jeepney route that goes directly to the Cebu – Mactan Airport. These jeepneys ply the Airport to Mercado route. Tourists on tight budget can ride a jeepney inside the airport to go to downtown Lapu-Lapu City.

There are also public tricycles that are useful if you are going to places that are outside the routes of jeepneys. One tricycle can carry up to six passengers. You could hire a tricycle for “special trips” but the tricycle driver charges a minimum of 50 pesos for such services.

Taxi and vehicle-for-hire are also available but they are usually found in the vicinity of the Cebu – Mactan Airport. You could also rent a motorcycle from the locals in the island. However, their minimum rate is 1,000 pesos per day, exclusive of the fuel for the motorcycle.

Places to Eat in Mactan

Finding a good place to eat in Mactan Island is not a problem, especially if you are in Lapu-Lapu City. McDonalds, Jollibee, Greenwich Pizza and other fast food restaurants are available. The city also has the Gaisano Mall and grocery shops wherein you could buy some supplies. Fresh foods and fruits are available at the market in downtown Lapu-Lapu City.

Of the many bakeries in Lapu-Lapu City, the most notable is Mang Tinong’s Bakery which is located almost everywhere. I recommend their Elorde Bread, which you should buy when still hot. Their ensaymada is too sweet.

Sinugba with puso.

Cebu is famous for its barbecues which are known locally as sinugba. There are barbecued pork meat, chicken, and even hotdogs that are all affordable. These are partnered with their “puso,” which is cooked rice wrapped in palm leaves. You could taste the delicious sinugba in barbecue stalls in the market in downtown Lapu-Lapu City. In less than 100 pesos, you can have a one full meal. Just be warned that the barbecue may be half-cooked or too burnt so you should prepare your stomach.

Mactan Island is quite a nice place to stay because it is urbanized enough like in Metro Manila. Restaurants and stores could be reached easily. Though it is urbanized, the place is not as polluted as Metro Manila. However, with just one historical spot, this island is obscured by Cebu City.
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