This Week in Cebu (April 2 to 8, 2018)

The sun will be peeking from behind the clouds on the first few days of the week particularly from Monday to Thursday, while rain showers and cloudy weather are expected over the weekend and on the mornings of Wednesday and Thursday. Since temperature may go down to as low as 24 0C, keeping an umbrella handy is advised. Meanwhile, maximum temperature will only be a notch higher at 25 0C [1].

Following the closure of a portion of F. Llamas Street, heavy traffic was noted in some roads in the south district. To ease traffic congestion, the Cebu City Council passed a resolution asking the Cebu City Traffic Office (CCTO) to study a possible one-way scheme for southbound vehicles [2]. The one-way traffic scheme will be limited to certain periods of the day, particularly during peak hours. As such, visitors planning a trip to the south should to take into account the traffic in this part of the city.

Domestic airline Air Juan launched a new route linking Cebu to Catbalogan, Samar [3]. A direct flight from Cebu to Catbalogan will only take 50 minutes, but if the flight is not fully booked, it will pass by Biliran to pick up passengers. Visitors looking for something new in Samar can consider the two flights the pioneering domestic airline is offering each week.

In February 2018, J. Panis Street was blocked by a petroleum company which claimed ownership of the street, thereby making it hard to access nearby establishments like Main Hotel. Two months later, the court ordered the demolition of obstructions on the street following the petition granted to Ricardo and Emilie Alba, the owners of Main Hotel [4]. Guests can now freely enter and leave the hotel, which is located close to the bars and restaurants in the Cebu IT Park.

A surprise drug test for tourist and canyoneering guides in Badian found that out of 425 guides, 18 were using illegal substances [5]. As such, these guides were fired and prohibited from being hired as tour guides in Badian, a popular destination in Cebu for its canyoneering and diving spots. Visitors are advised to get the services of accredited tourist guides when they want to explore this southern Cebu town.