NPVB unveils its first tourism directional sign in North Philippines

Brown is the internationally-recognized color for tourism directional road signs. It's really a pity that our tourism signs in the Philippines are either blue or green. But the North Philippines Visitors Bureau (NPVB) will be correcting that error by installing several hundred brown tourism direction road signs in North Philippines.

Last November 17, 2009, the NPVB unveiled along the Jose Abad Santos Avenue (formerly Gapan-Olongapo Road) in the City of San Fernando, Pampanga, the first of several hundred tourism directional road signs. Leading the unveiling was Hon. Lorelei C. Fajardo (Deputy Presidential Spokesperson), local officials led by Pampanga Governor Eddie T. Panlilio, officials of the Department of Tourism, Department of Public Works and Highways, and the North Philippines Visitors Bureau, its network of local Conventions and Visitors Bureaus and its Corporate Partners.

The installation of these brown tourism markers along major thoroughfares in North Philippines is being undertaken as part of NPVB's effort to improve the tourists’ travel experience to its regions, where most tourist destinations are reached via land travel.

Two hundred fifty of these markers will be erected all over North Philippines, which are being made possible through the participation of SMART Communications, Robinson's, McDonald's, and Victory Liner.

NPVB is a private sector led, not-for-profit, membership-based organization with the mandate of promoting tourism in the regions of North Philippines. Currently, NPVB has a network of nine (9) local Convention and Visitors Bureaus (CVBs) in Pampanga, Greater Clark, Greater Subic Bay, Tarlac, Pangasinan, La Union, Baguio, Ilocos Norte and Cagayan. The network was set-up by MNTC as part of its on-going CSR effort. In 2008, management of NPVB was transferred to ActivAsia Inc. – a 360 degree, brand activation Company.

Under ActivAsia’s management, NPVB published the first-ever regional tourism magazine called Northbound Magazine. Now, NPVB proudly rolls out its latest project – the tourism directional road signs.

Vince Araneta, ActivAsia’s Director for Tourism Marketing and concurrently Executive Director of NPVB said, “This project is not the work of one, but the work of many - MNTC, Smart, McDonald’s, Robinson’s Land, DOT, DPWH and even SBMA – these markers are a result of the partnership and cooperation of all these parties. What began with the brown markers along the NLEX and DOT Usec. Oscar Palabyab’s dream of having the markers outside the NLEX as well, is now happening. ActivAsia’s role, was simply to make the dream a reality.”

Batanes: Book now for the 2010 Ultimate Batanes Culinary and Heritage Tours!

Ultimate Philippines Tours announces its Batanes schedule for 2010. We're posting our tour dates early for the benefit of those who want to plan their trips way in advance, especially the balikbayans.

Tours leave Manila early morning Friday and arrive back mid-morning Monday. We have six dates to choose from: (1) March 6 to 9, (2) March 20 to 23, (3) April 9 to 12, (4) April 30 to May 3, (5) May 14 to 17 and (6) May 28 to 31.

The tour fee is Php34,000 all-in, which includes the round-trip SEAIR Manila-Basco flight, accommodation at Fundacion Pacita, all meals, activities and transportation in Batanes. Due to increases in rates of accommodation for next year, we had to increase our tour fees. But if you deposit the P15,000 down-payment on/or before December 15, 2009, we'll give you a Php2,000 discount on the tour fee.

To reserve for the tours, please e-mail reservations@ultimatephilippines.com or contact my tokayo, Ivan Man Dy at +63 917 3291622. Find out more about our tours here.

Imang Salud ensaimadas in Town & Country Philippine Edition (November 2009)

Our family ensaimadas are featured in the November 2009 issue of Town & Country Philippine Edition:

CLASSIC CONFECTION
We bring some good news to the ensaimada connoisseur. Imang Salud ensaimadas are soft and rich, not too sugary, with real butter and topped with nothing less than Holland queso de bola. Its traditional "heirloom" Kapampangan recipe dates back to the 1930s, developed and modified by Salud Dayrit-Santos, one of San Fernando's renowned cooks of her time, and passed on from one generation to the next. Her granddaughter Meliza Henares introduced the recipe to Manila in 2005. This homemade ensaimada is delightfully huge--six inches in diameter, to be exact. Its rich, buttery flavor literally melts in your mouth and the sharpness of the imported queso de bola is balanced beautifully with the right amount of sugar. Once you take that first heavenly bite, you'll be craving for more. These delicious ensaimadas and other delicacies like plantanilla and tibuk-tibuk are available every Sunday at Imang Salud, Henares' stall at the Legazi Sunday Market in Makati. Plantanilla are rich and delicate crepe-like eggrolls filled with sweet latik, also made following an heirloom recipe of Lola Salud. Tibuk-tibuk, dayap-flavored maja blanca, is made of carabao's milk and coconut milk. If a relative abroad is homesick and craves traditional Filipino sweets, just let Henares know; she can prepare your pasalubong and pack them especially for travel. Henares accepts orders at 0920.947-8819 and 837.0842. (Mawi de Ocampo)