Marco Polo Plaza’s Café Marcois 5th Best Restaurant in the Philippines

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu’s favorite buffet restaurant is now recognized as one of the Philippines’ best restaurants!

In the recently held awards night at the Tamarind Hill, Singapore last January 22, 2013, Director of F&B Stephan Wieprich and Executive Sous Chef Juanito Abangan proudly represented Marco Polo Plaza Cebu, where Café Marco was announced to be the 5th best restaurant in the Philippines.  Café Marco is the only restaurant outside Luzon that made it to the top 5, and is the only hotel restaurant in Cebu that was initially shortlisted.

The Miele Guide

The Miele Guide was created to better recognize and celebrate Asia’s best chefs and restaurants by evaluating restaurants across the region, then releasing an annual ranking of Asia’s Top 20 restaurants as well as the Top 5 rankings within individual countries.

Finalists are selected after four rounds of judging “which have been set in place to ensure that a credible, transparent system is used to showcase establishments that deliver true excellence and exceptional dining. The multiple rounds of judging also ensure that The Miele Guide accurately reflects the opinions of the dining public in Asia as well as the region’s most respected restaurant critics.” (www.themieleguide.com )

The 2013 Miele Guide praises Café Marco, saying, “Tuck into Asian, Japanese and western staples at the Cafe Marco, the signature outlet of Marco Polo Plaza Hotel.  As befits its standing as a hotel cafe, there is something to please everyone on the la carte menu.  Think sandwiches, pastas and soups alongside a nice selection of Filipino dishes such as native chicken soup with green papaya, lemongrass and chili leaves, and chicken and pork adobo with banana flowers and star anise.  There is also spit-roasted chicken, Australian rib-eye and grilled pork tenderloin from western kitchen.  Those who want a nibble of everything should check out the daily buffet.”

So come up to the Marco Polo Plaza, and experience what it is to dine in one of the Philippines’ best restaurants, the Café Marco. Where everything is Simply Outstanding, Always Astounding! For inquiries and reservations, call 253-1111 loc 8245 or email mpplaza@marcopolohotels.com .

EarlyStart: Importance of day care centers

(PART 1)

For the past two weeks, we discussed the importance of teachers in early childhood education, as well as presented a study that provides us information on the day care teachers in the province of Cebu.  For the next two weeks, we will try to see how the condition of day care centers can affect the learning of our children.

Aside from the teachers, essential to the success of early childhood programs are access to a day care center or classroom that safeguards the well-being of the school children. Day care centers should be in relatively good condition (safe), and they should be kept clean and have good lighting and ventilation.

Lifelong health habits are developed starting at an early age. When day care centers have sinks, toilets, and hand washing stations that they can reach, they are able to practice good sanitation habits independently, which will lay the groundwork for a healthy lifestyle in the future.

A positive learning environment is one that optimizes student learning. It has been proven that children learn best when they can experience, touch, see, and do things for themselves. The classroom should be set up to allow for and encourage interaction. A classroom that allows children to play together and build a cohesive classroom community will help them develop their communication and social skills.

Studies have shown that the environment (building and grounds) is an essential element in quality early childhood education, and it is important for us to provide our young children with a classroom that is safe, secure and stimulating, a place where each child can grow physically, socially, emotionally, and cognitively.

The Dolores Aboitiz Children’s Fund (DACF) of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) conducted a study on the state of day care buildings in the province of Cebu. We will share what we found out about day care centers next week.

The FREEMAN with the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. is running weekly features on Early Childhood Care and Development to emphasize the importance of Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) and to increase public support for ECCD. For comments or suggestions, e-mail Hannah.Aranas@rafi.org.ph.