MANILA, Philippines - What would you pack for a trip to Legazpi City, Albay? At the launch of Cebu Pacific and Visa’s Juan Hundred in 1: VISAng Daang Lipad promo, an excited group of frequent flyers faced the welcome challenge of buying items to bring to a fictitious trip, with real credit from Visa. Held at the Genting Club in Maxims Hotel, Resorts World Manila, the event gave us a taste of what it might be like to shop for a trip on a rush –– because that’s what it would be like for the lucky winner of 100 free roundtrip flights to any local and international destination, courtesy of Visa and Cebu Pacific. Candice Iyog, VP for distribution of Cebu Pacific was there to explain the mechanics.
Each with a postcard that bore a Cebu Pacific destination, we were given 30 minutes to purchase items we would bring to that destination, using any Visa credit, debit and prepaid card. Assigned a “shopping buddy” to guide us through Resorts World’s stores and monitor our purchases, at the end of the allotted time, we had to return to Genting Club and “defend” our purchases. It wasn’t hard to tell that we all had varying degrees of shopaholic inside us –– and having to justify our acquisitions proved to be the most difficult challenge of all.
I was given a postcard that had a picture of the Mayon volcano in Legazpi City, which I visited only last year. On a whim, we decided to try the Mayon volcano trek. Not that I had been on a lot of treks, but that one was definitely memorable. Black volcanic rocks that have amassed with every eruption formed a steep terrain that seemed impossible to tread –– for me, especially, because I was wearing a dress and flip-flops. Like I said, it was spur of the moment and I had no choice but to wing it.
Our group of 30 was driven on 4x4s to the foot of the site, and from there we proceeded on foot. Mine, clammy from my inconvenient fear of heights, slipped almost with every step, and with each gust of wind, a Marilyn Monroe moment arose. Adding to my problems was my lack of athleticism –– I could have helped myself by coming prepared. This is why for the Cebu Pacific Air-Visa challenge, I chose to “buy” lightweight rubber shoes, the kind that you could roll up, wash up and dry within a few minutes. I also looked for one with extra traction. I also got a set of three magenta leather pouches for a more organized travel tote. These would come in handy during my next visit to Legazpi City or anywhere.
“Defense” time was like Philo oral exams all over again –– it was about thinking on our toes and simply stating what made sense at the moment. One bought fancy earrings to wear to Boracay; one bought an iPod Touch; another, a frequent traveler no doubt, managed to buy everything he would bring to Bangkok –– clothes, accessories, toiletries. He was awarded with a Panasonic Lumix LX-5 for his ingenuity and shopping strategy.
2013 is the year of travel
For the winner of the 100 local and international flights, it’s going to be a year of living out of a suitcase –– packing, unpacking, checking into hotels small and grand, taking photos of scenery, food and, surely, numerous self-portraits. It’s a non-transferable prize that can be maximized through a smart travel plan, but mainly, it’s a dream for many adventurous travelers.
Iyan Jameson of Visa Philippines and Guam country manager said, “Visa is a symbol of a universal currency that can be used in over 200 countries around the world. And since Filipinos display a general desire to travel and see the world, we partnered with Cebu Pacific for this multi-year, multi-country alliance. We expect this campaign to make an incredible impact on the tourism market and really make sure that the world knows that the Philippines is a must-see country.”
The “Juan Hundred in 1: VISAng Daang Lipad” promo is made possible through a five-year partnership embarked on by Cebu Pacific Air and Visa credit, debit and prepaid cards. Simply use your Visa card to purchase flight tickets from the cebupacificair.com. A single purchase amounting to at least P1 is equivalent to one raffle entry. For the complete mechanics for the promo, visit and like the Cebu Pacific Air Facebook page. Click the “Book a flight now!” button on the Juan Hundred in 1: VISAng Daang Lipad tab. Full mechanics will be available. One lucky winner will receive 100 free flights to any of Cebu Pacific’s 32 local and 19 international destinations. Flights are non-transferrable. Promo runs until Nov. 17. The grand raffle draw will be held on Nov. 28.