Eat, Pray,Love in Cebu

CEBU, Philippines - Because most of the young people do not even know where Casa Gorordo is, a local travel agency is offering tours for the locals within the Metro Cebu.

"Ang mga batan-on ron wa katultol sa Casa Gorordo even sa Parian. Kutob ra gyud sa Ayala ug SM. Kung mo-travel man ni sila, they would go abroad, which is a pity considering that they live here, they should know the nooks and corners of their own place," said Jun Barretto, owner of Cebu Trip Tours.

This is why Barretto, a young entrepreneur, conceptualized "Eat, Pray, Love," which he describes as a "journey to authentic Cebu," where he hopes to involve the locals especially the young ones. The "Eat, Pray, Love" is a tour that allows participants to get a glimpse and be immersed in the culture of the Cebuanos, he explained.

Eat is for them to taste Cebu's famous delicacies: roasted pig (lechon) and the famous ripe mangoes; Pray is for the appreciation of Cebu's churches and to witness personally how the Santo Niño icons are crafted; and Love is for the old Cebu music, wherein Barretto brings his guests to the JRG Halad Museum, which showcases old Cebuano music.

"It's about Cebu. When you say Cebu unsay mahuna-hunaan nimo? Food, churches, music etcetera. We want that to re-introduce to the locals," he said. The tour is P2,500 per head (maximum of four people), inclusive of transportation, entrance fees, souvenir items, lunch and hotel transfer for guests who are not from Cebu.

Cebu Trip Tours has also another way for locals and even tourists to tour around the province through its "seat-in coach tour." This tour, at P1,500 per head, gives participants a cheap yet exciting way to visit Cebu's Mactan Shrine, Taoist Temple, Magellan's Cross, and other heritage sites, said Barretto. What is also unique in this tour is that travelers, locals and foreigners, can just hop in the van to join other travelers, he added. "Travelers are joined by others kay normally exclusive man ng ubang tour package. But this one, anyone can join. And, mas low ang rate, kay ang private mahal man," he said. They made the rates affordable so that the locals can also join in, especially that there are a few Cebuanos who choose to tour first their own island," he said.

Barretto, who started his travel agency in 2009, said it is also his passion to travel, and he picked this kind of business because he wants to promote Cebu and its beautiful places.

"Kasagaran sa among mga guests mga tourists, rare ra kaayo mga locals. Mao sad na'ng mga tawo. Kung naa ka ana nga lugar, wala ra kay paki. So ironic, naka-tour na ang uban sa London or Asia pero masaag pa sa Cebu," he said.

"In Bohol, anyone there, you can ask anything, kahibaw sila asa. Lahi ra kaayo diri, hasta mga driver wa kahibawo. This is why we make personalized Cebu trips and we try to be passionate about the tours para makasabot pud sila that this is not just an ordinary tour, but for them to get to know Cebu better," Barretto said.  (FREEMAN)