One of the most iconic figures in the history of modern Christianity is Padre Pio de Pietrelcina. Even while he was still living, the devotion shown to him grew to astounding proportions. His figure inspired an extraordinary religious boost that was already high when he was still living but considerably greater after he died in 1968 since he dedicated his existence to prayer, sacrifice, and total dedication to GOD, the Blessed Mother, the Holy Souls, and other people who needs him.

Padre Pio's influence is well-loved worldwide, including in the Philippines. Thousands of delegates and pilgrims across the Visayas pay homage to Saint Padre Pio's "incorrupt" heart at the IEC Pavilion in Cebu City on October 12, 2018. The visit sparked spiritual renewal and inspired Catholics to draw closer to God. It has also encouraged the Padre Pio Contemplative Community of Cebu, a lay Catholic consecrated group, officially affiliated and member of the International Prayer Group based in San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy, the Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, to finally actualize its ten-year plan of building a sanctuary for the beloved saint in Cebu.

Monsignor Roger Fuentes, who serves as the spiritual director of the community and duly appointed by the Archbishop of Cebu, said that while there already exists a church for Padre Pio in Cebu and a sanctuary in other parts of the Philippines, it will be the first of its kind in Cebu.

Bro. Richard Saing servant group leader of the Padre Pio Contemplative Community of Cebu shared that the community has been in Cebu for more than thirty years but they did not have a permanent place of worship and monthly recollection. On Padre Pio's birthday last year, the group offered a mass and decided to conceptualize the sanctuary. Out of the various lots offered, the Padre Pio Contemplative Community of Cebu secured a lot in Upper Tanay Road, Pulangbato, Cebu City.

Location Map of Santuario di Padre Pio – Cebu at Pulangbato

"It was high time to plan - to plan for a bigger space so we can invite people to join us, to join the prayer, and make a place for everyone as a house of prayer. We wish it to be a house of prayer, a symbol of hope, and a lighthouse of faith," Bro. Richard Saing said.

A month later, the group with its humble and generous members and devotees was able to build a chapel dedicated to Padre Pio in Pulangbato. Brother Richard shared that they continue to pray and plan to have a sanctuary - a pilgrim center not only for Cebu devotees but for the entire country and the world to visit and pay homage, and venerate the first degree Relics of St. Padre Pio de Pietrelcina.

"Archbishop Palma encouraged the community to plan and dream big to cater all devotees and pilgrims. He emphasized very clearly and categorically that in planning for the sanctuary, we need a big area. In other words, he has already envisioned a larger place for the devotion of Padre Pio," Bro. Richard added.

On September 17, 2022, Cebu's Archbishop Jose S. Palma presided over the sanctuary's groundbreaking ceremony alongside the officers and members of the Padre Pio Contemplative Community of Cebu.

Dubbed Santuario di Padre Pio - Cebu, the sanctuary dedicated to St. Pio de Pietrelcina in Pulangbato is designed to accommodate the ever-increasing number of devotees on pilgrimage. It will have a 100-feet-tall image of the miraculous saint which would either be made of cement and steel. Right at the heart of the structure will be the oratory for Padre Pio. Not only will it remind Cebuanos of the visit to the corrupt heart of Padre Pio, but also, of the heart that knows the pain and suffering of the world, a Christ-like heart. The group has tapped the talent of Architect Vic Gulane, architect and sculptor, and Architect Omar Maxwell Espina for the site development.

Apart from a three-story building that will house its chapel, conference rooms, and ceremonial halls, the community also planned to build an open space pilgrim center that can accommodate more than 3,000 devotees, similar to the Basilica del Sto. Niño. In this way the internal space blends with the external one. Retreat houses and a home for first-class relics of father Pio are also part of the sanctuary's development plan.

The community has organized a dinner for a cause at Marco Polo Cebu, wherein they have received a decent amount of monetary pledges. They also plan to work with more than thirty private companies that are willing to help materialize the project.

(L-R) Nanette Jakosalem, Treasurer; Mysue Tantiansu, Board of Trustee; Pros. Cecil Berciles, Ret., Corporate Secretary; Dr. Jenny Go, Board of Trustee; Engr. Richard Saing, Board of Trustee; Msgr. Rogelio Fuentes, Chairman of the Board; Maria Corazon O. Fulache, Board of Trustee; Bishop Jose Palma; Maximiano N. Fulache, President; Jose Emery F. Roble, Benefactor; Apolonia Atillo, Member; Linda Cinco, Member and Jason Cinco, Member

Monsignor Fuentes disclosed that they have 1.5 hectares of land for the sanctuary, but they're still looking into the possibility of expanding area. He also revealed that it would take approximately half a billion for the overall project to complete, but the community is positive and hopeful for their plan to build a sanctuary of prayer, hope, and love for Padre Pio.

Every first Saturday of the month, the Padre Pio contemplative community of Cebu welcomes everyone to reconcile with the Lord. The community holds monthly recollection, and healing masses at the Santuario di Padre Pio - Cebu at Pulangbato, especially during Holy Week. With everyone's prayers and financial support, the sanctuary is set to be a home of God's love and mercy.

For all check donations, please pay to the payee “Saint Padre Pio Home for the Relief of Suffering-Philippines Foundation, Inc.” For online donations, please deposit to China Bank Account No. 137-00-000-5814. All donations shall be for the purposes for the development, construction, and completion of the Sanctuary and the 100 feet Statue of St. Padre Pio at Pulangbato, Cebu City.

For verifications, one may call or contact

Msgr. Roger T. Fuentes – Spiritual Director

Vicar General, Archdiocese of Cebu

Cellphone: 0933-823-8533

Mr. Maximiano N. Fulache – Foundation President

President, Medallion Transport Inc.

Cellphone: 0917-539-9996

Engr. Dr. Richard T. Saing – Group Servant Leader

Dean

College of Engineering, Technology, and Architecture

Graduate School of Engineering

Cellphone: 0927-464-2829

GCash is the Philippines’ #1 Finance Super App with over 79 million users who enjoy fast, safe, and convenient transactions online. Based on Data.ai, a reputable 3rd party platform, GCash is the #1 Finance Super App in the country with the most downloads, the highest Monthly Active Users, and even the highest Daily Active Users, as GCash is now part of their daily routines.

First launched as an SMS platform in 2005 and later as a super app in 2012, GCash was the first to introduce the QR payment system in the country. It supported the digital migration of Filipinos during the pandemic, and now that the world has reopened, it expands its services to suit the changing needs of Filipinos in a global digital financial landscape. 

At this year’s #GCashFutureCast event, GCash ushered in the future of Fintech through 10 ground-breaking innovations for every Filipino.

GCash leaders with product partners at the FutureCast stage

Tools for financial freedom 

GCash has made wealth management products like savings, insurance, and investments easy and accessible. Now it introduces products to help people grow their wealth and to help them protect it.

• GStocks PH is AB Capital Securities, Inc.'s (ABCSI) online retail securities trading services made accessible through the GCash app. Its user-friendly and simplified trading interface was designed through a collaboration with the Philippine Stock Exchange. Through GStocks PH, users can now trade stocks of over 280 local companies. GStocks PH will be available to more users soon.
• GCrypto allows users to discover and explore the world of Crypto and NFTs. Users get access to curated NFT collections, like The House of OhLala by Filipino contemporary artist, Reen Barrera, on the GCrypto NFT Hub.  Buying and selling Crypto is also made easier with an exchange powered by PDAX, the Philippines’ leading homegrown cryptocurrency exchange.
• GInsure Online Shopping Protect insurance offers users 60 days of coverage up to P20,000 for all their online purchases for just P34. The insurance covers scenarios when orders are not delivered, are accidentally damaged, are not as described, or are stolen. The insurance product, powered by Chubb, is embedded in the user’s online GCash payment journey across 1,500 online shops and platforms.

GCash goes global

GCash CEO Martha Sazon at FutureCast

Traveling Filipinos can now go cashless globally using GCash’s newest services. For overseas Filipinos, they can now use GCash to send money and support to their family back home.

• GCash Global Pay allows Filipino travelers to do cross-border QR payments at Alipay+ merchants in Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, Qatar, Germany, Italy, France and the United Kingdom. This eliminates the hassle of paying with cash, or withdrawing money at ATMs where you can incur high service fees. It offers real-time Forex charging, with no service fees.
• GCash Card gives travelers the advantage of real time Forex charging at low exchange rates and no service fees. With this, users can access their funds in a single tap at over 100 million shops across 200 countries and territories around the world through VISA’s expansive network.. This enables travelers to enjoy hassle-free shopping and dining experiences wherever they may be.  The new GCash card will be available later this year.
• GCash Overseas allows overseas Filipinos in Japan, Australia, Italy and the USA to download GCash using international SIM cards. Now they can send money, buy load, and pay bills for their loved ones back home. They can enjoy the convenience of sending money for free with GCash to GCash transactions, saving them the cost of remittance fees. GCash also announced that it is now available in the UK and Canada.  GCash Overseas is currently on Beta and is limited to a number of users, but will expand to more users soon. 

Borrowing made easier

• GGives supports Filipinos with the ability to buy now, pay later with zero credit cards, zero additional documents, zero down payment, and now with zero interest at select merchants. GCash users are now free from the barriers normally associated with installment plans, for both in-store or online purchases. 
• Borrow Load will allow eligible users to borrow their favorite load promos today at zero cash out, giving them access to their preferred entertainment – even if they’re short on budget. They can now afford to access data-heavy apps with load promos valid for up to 7 days. Borrow Load will be rolling out to more users soon.

Improved security and user experience 

GCash has taken steps to make transactions safer and more seamless through two new features:

GChat is a new, user-friendly messenger feature that makes it easier to chat and transact with contacts, share receipts instantly, and trace transaction histories. The feature makes it easier to search for conversations with friends, merchants or customers, while the Gigi and Advisories features allow users to get help anytime in real-time. GChat will be rolling out to users in the next few months.

DoubleSafe is the latest GCash security feature that prevents fraudsters from taking over accounts. It provides an additional layer of security on top of the 2-Factor Authentication and mobile pin (MPIN). DoubleSafe will be activated for every first login to a new mobile phone, and will use facial recognition to secure an account should the user inadvertently share their MPIN and OTP to fraudsters

At the FutureCast event, GCash CEO Martha Sazon said, “GCash has empowered and enabled every Filipino to remain hopeful and pursue progress. As the Philippines’ #1 Finance Super App and the first finance app to be a household name in the country, GCash is positioned to be everyone’s enabler to be future-ready. With the 10 new innovations at GCash, our hopes for a better tomorrow begins today.”  

About GCash

GCash (G-Xchange, Inc.) is the #1 Finance App in the Philippines. Through the GCash App, 79M registered users can easily purchase prepaid airtime; pay bills at over 1,600 partner billers nationwide; send and receive money anywhere in the Philippines, even to other bank accounts; purchase from over 5.2M partner merchants and social sellers; and get access to savings, credit, loans, insurance and invest money, and so much more, all at the convenience of their smartphones. GCash is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mynt (Globe Fintech Innovations, Inc.), the first and only duacorn in the Philippines.

GCash was recognized by The Asian Banker (TAB) and by the IDC in 2021 for its outstanding digital financial inclusion programs.

The celebration of Earth Hour 2023 in the Philippines was a success, with iconic landmarks, local governments, and businesses across the country participating in the switch-off. 

Earth Hour is an annual event organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature-Philippines (WWF-Philippines) that encourages people to turn off their lights for an hour as a symbol of their commitment to the planet. This global movement aims to raise awareness about climate change and the need for urgent action to mitigate its impacts. The event also seeks to highlight the value of nature as climate’s secret ally and the halting of biodiversity loss as one of the organization’s critical advocacies.

The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) measured a total nationwide drop in electricity grid load of 62.68 megawatts (MW) during Earth Hour. Luzon saw the most significant drop with 33.28 MW, while Visayas and Mindanao saw load drops of 20.5 MW and 8.9 MW, respectively. To put this into perspective, a small household can consume around 150 to 250 kilowatts in a month, making the energy saved during Earth Hour equivalent to 250 to 418 small households not consuming electricity for a whole month.

“Now that Filipinos have taken the first step of switching off their lights, it’s time to keep going by going beyond the hour. We need more people to support environmental efforts whether it is in reducing plastic waste, promoting renewable energy, and eating and living sustainably,” she added.

Atty. Ibay explained that switching off the lights for one hour is just a small act for one person, but when millions of people do it, it adds up to significant savings in terms of energy usage. She said that the switch-off is simply the first step to becoming more aware of our individual roles in protecting the environment.

This year’s Earth Hour was held on March 25 at the Quezon City Memorial Circle and was attended by an estimated 1,200 people, according to the Quezon City Department of Public Order and Safety. The event was marked by a series of activities, including a sustainability fair, a symbolic run for the Earth, and musical entertainment by local artists. 

A cyclist and fitness enthusiast signs up for the Earth Hour Virtual Run in the WWF-Philippines booth at the Earth Hour Sustainability Fair. Credit: WWF-Philippines/Janine Peralta

"It only takes 60 minutes to do good for our future, 60 minutes to take notice and commit to saving Mother Nature, to be united and take action because together nothing is impossible,” the President said in a video statement. "Let's switch off and give Mother Nature 60 minutes to breathe," he added.

In the previous year’s Earth Hour celebration, the total load drop measured was 65.32 MW for the entire country with the largest savings of 35.26 MW from Luzon, followed by 15.3 MW for Mindanao, and 14.76 MW for Visayas.

Since the first Earth Hour in 2007 in Australia, millions of people participate every year in Earth Hour from various sectors, groups, and parts of the world, making it an authentic movement of humanity for the environment. The Philippines joined the global movement in 2008. The yearly global switching off of lights is observed from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm, where over 190 countries around the world joined in as part of this one-of-a-kind global grassroots movement for nature.

Earth Hour 2023 is co-presented by Quezon City Government, together with our Official Communications and PR Partner, COMCO Mundo League of Enterprises; media partners The Philippine Star, GMA, Radyo Veritas, and Globaltronics; promotional partners Creator and Influencer Council of the Philippines, Leo Burnett, and GCash; marketing partners Salad Stop, Coca-Cola, SSI Group, Inc., Epson Philippines, Sun Life Foundation, Booths & Partners, Ayala Malls, and Megaworld Lifestyle Malls; and community partners Save the Children, Oxfam Pilipinas, World Vision, United Nations Development Programme, International Organization for Migration, Association of Young Environmental Journalists, The Asia Foundation, De La Salle University and Philippine Scouts. 

The following government offices support this event: the Department of Energy, Climate Change Commission, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, League of Cities of the Philippines, League of Provinces of the Philippines, Department of Agriculture, Court of Appeals, Department of Health, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Department of Information and Communications Technology, National Historical Commission of the Philippines, National Parks Development Committee, National Economic Development Authority, Department of Education, Department of Interior and Local Governance, Laguna Lake Development Authority.

The success of the Earth Hour event in the Philippines serves as an inspiration to other countries in the region and around the world. It shows that by working together, we can make a difference in our planet's future.

Sinag Café, Fili Hotel’s all-day dining buffet restaurant, is opening its doors to walk-in and checked-in guests on March 30, 2023. Expect incredibly generous spreads and a vast array of delectable dishes with bold flavors and creative combinations in its seven stations and 30 counters. It is the first and only buffet restaurant in Cebu with a live lechon roasting station. It also features among others, a fresh seafood station and a retail section with cold cuts, cheeses, bottled sauces, salts, and condiments from NUSTAR’s other dining outlets.

The name draws inspiration from the sun’s glowing rays, warmth, and brightness, which east-facing Sinag Café has a direct view of. This same warmth is what Fili Hotel promises to deliver every time in all ways, from its spaces and service to what the guests experience through their senses.

Aside from being another showcase of how we take pride in our Filipino language, the name “Sinag” is also symbolic of the start of each day, when everything in the hotel kitchen is prepared fresh. Moreover, the dishes at Sinag bring about warmth, from how most of them are classics that evoke feelings of nostalgia, to the way they nourish and provide guests with a great start or ending to their day.

Here is a list of all you can find at Sinag Café’s all-you-can-eat buffet for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Beyond stylish spaces

The 1,300-square-meter restaurant, which can cater to 300 to 350 diners, incorporates Filipino materials and design elements such as the solihiya backrest of the seats in some of the dining booths. Each of the two private dining rooms can accommodate 12 guests. They are reminiscent of family dinners where members gather to talk about their lives over hearty homecooked meals. One of these rooms, which has floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the sea, will be a favorite among those dining in groups.

Beyond big breakfasts

Sinag Café’s breakfast buffet combines a contemporary cafe breakfast and the best of local breakfast fare, ensuring that there is something to suit all morning palates. Interesting tweaks to typical Filipino breakfast staples include grilled tocino, chorizo de Cebu, and longanisa, and clay pot rice with adobo, kare-kare, or dinuguan.

For something lighter, there is a station solely for kakanin such as puto bumbong, bibingka, puto maya, Fili’s Chocolate Eh!, and puto cuchinta. There is another station for crusty

bread, laminated pastries, ensaymada, and grilled pan de sal panini. For something even healthier, guests can opt for Greek yogurt, muesli, or fresh fruits and juices.

At the egg station, guests can have their eggs dine any way they like, from omelets and frittata to poached and en cocotte. Options are also aplenty for potatoes, as guests can choose from rosti, curried potato croquettes, hash browns, Lyonnaise potatoes, or gratin dauphinois.

Guests can assemble their own plate of full English breakfast with the sausages, baked beans, three kinds of bacon, and mushrooms that are also on offer. Taho and smoothie shooters will be passed around.

Those who want hot soup in the morning can check out the soup and noodle stations which have La Paz batchoy, arroz caldo, champorado, and others.

Beyond luscious lunches and delightful dinners

From curries and grills to tempura, noodles, soups, and seafood on ice, guests might find that one visit isn't quite enough time to sample everything. That just means they have another reason to come back.

Not to be missed is the Filipino station which has lechon used as primary ingredient for well-loved dishes like dinuguan and kare-kare. The Spanish station has tapas, carving, paella, patatas bravas, and croquetas.

The Asian section has a noodle station with creations from neighboring countries and from our own. Guests can slurp away as they tuck into bowls of laksa, ramen, pho, batchoy, and lomi. They can also choose from three kinds of noodles: egg, rice, and vermicelli.

The Indonesian-Malaysian station is where guests can get satays, rendang, and curries, while soups, mains, and banchan can be found at the Korean station. Completing the Asian section is the Japanese and Chinese station which has tempura, dim sum, and soups.

Meanwhile, seafood, salads, makis, sushi, and sashimi are displayed at the cold buffet station.

Sinag is paying tribute to another Cebuano favorite through its pungko-pungko station. Pungko-pungko refers to food stalls along the streets that offer an assortment of fried food. “Pungko” in Cebuano means to sit, as the authentic experience requires customers to sit on low benches with the trays and mounds of ginabot (deep-fried mesentery), ngohiong, and others served right in front of them.

There is also a dessert station laden with traditional and modern confections that guests need to leave room for. Halo-halo, sorbetes, and ice drops made in-house are on offer. A separate mango station has fresh and dried mangoes, as well as mango desserts like mango panna cotta and truffles.

Beyond sensational sensory experiences

At Sinag’s lechon roasting station, diners can see the whole process of making Cebu’s representative dish. The Sinag lechon, another signature, is infused with mango, through a marinade that makes use of green mangoes, adding another layer of flavor to this iconic dish. Mango leaves are stuffed inside the lechon, along with other herbs and aromatics, while branches and twigs from mango trees are used for roasting. Special dips and sides include the Fina-kurat which is also served at Fina, mango salsa, atchara, and liver sauce. Pusô can be found at the same station.

Guests can find their way to the hefty Parmigiano Reggiano cheese wheel, where hot lechon pasta will be tossed and then twirled onto their plates upon order. For Sinag’s take on pizza, pan de sal dough is used, and apart from the classic margherita and four-cheese varieties, there will also be sisig pizza and lechon pizza.

More than heat-lamped counters, there are several action stations manned by chefs of different nationalities. Diners can have their noodles, seafood, and pasta dishes made a la minute, adding to the interactive buffet experience. At the cold buffet station for example, a chef will prepare sushi live.

The sutukil station highlights the quintessential Cebuano meal of sugba (grilled), tuwa (stew), and kinilaw (ceviche-style). Sinag partners with local fishermen whose freshest catch of the day will be served at the restaurant. For the stew, guests can opt for tinola, linarang, or sinigang.

A retail section gives guests a chance to take their favorite flavors home. It has a selection of cold cuts and cheeses, Fina’s vinegar, atchara, and mango salsa by the bottle or jar, bottled sauces from Xin Tian Di, all kinds of pickles, plus salts from Il Primo. The pièce de resistance in this area is the deli slicer for hams, sausages, and cheeses, available upon request.

For its opening promo, Sinag is running a 25% off discount on lunch and dinner buffet rates for the whole month of April. Breakfast service is from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., lunch is from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and dinner is from 6 p.m. to 10 pm. daily.

To book a table, call NUSTAR Restaurant Reservations at 0996 683 8888.

The Proponent

Robinsons Hotels and Resorts (RHR) is the hospitality arm of Robinsons Land Corporation (RLC). It is well on its way to becoming the Philippines’ biggest and best hotel group with the widest variety of formats and brands, as well as the most diverse geographic reach.

Its latest development is NUSTAR Resort and Casino, Cebu’s first premier integrated resort. NUSTAR will be home to exceptional hotel towers: NUSTAR Hotel, the only ultra-luxury hotel outside Metro Manila, and Fili, a 5-star hotel that boasts genuine Filipino hospitality.

Set on an island already renowned for its hospitality, each hotel has been designed to redefine the standard of luxury in accommodations, dining, and leisure.

For inquiries and reservations, dial (032) 888-8282 or email the hotel through reservations.fili@nustar.com.ph. More information can also be found on the website at www.nustar.ph/hotels/fili.

AutoStudio Cebu recently acquired a new dealership with two premium Italian motorcycle brands - Vespa and Aprilia SR GT.

The two Italian brands will showcase their top-of-the-line models during the grand opening of the new AutoStudio showroom on March 21, 2023, in Veterans Drive Nivel Hills, Lahug, Cebu City.

AutoStudio Philippines is the home of  Mini Cooper Philippines since 2019.

While Aprilia is recognized as one of the leaders in the motorcycle industry, producing world-class motorcycles that compete on various circuits around the world, Aprilia will showcase the Aprilia SR GT 200 and Aprilia SR GT Sport 200, making waves with all its might. -New 200cc single-cylinder engine.