Ben Contreras
IS it all about money that Cepalco is seeking an increase of 22 centavos per kwh?
When was it when we were invited to a press conference at the Cepalco building some time ago. As a result of tremendous loss brought about by Sendong, they wanted an increase of a few centavos to cover for the loan Cepalco was applying for. I commented then that it’s like making the consumers advance money for their investment. Ang kosumante maoy mag puhunan sa ilang negosyo. Kahayahay ba!
Yes, the demand for power is increasing--malls, hotels, resorts and what have you. And who’s going to suffer? Not these giants but the residential houses.
If there is going to be an increase, the increase should be for these giants. Spare the small ones, please.
•
When we left for Cebu, we paid the terminal fee. When we left Cebu, the lady asked: Do you have kids in your group? I said, “We’re all seniors.” She told us seniors don’t need to pay terminal fees.
Wow, compare our terminal to Cebu’s terminal! You’ll be humbled by the difference.
A porter came to us and offered to carry our baggage. We told him to carry only two. He refused. He wanted to carry more. Why, so he could earn more? I said, “Okay, basin nagtuo ka nga dili nako kaya dad-on ang among bagahe.”
My sister could have given him P150 if not for his arrogance. The porter in Cebu got that much for carrying three small bags.
•
Going North of Cebu, we passed by a place called Borussia, a German restaurant and a deli for bread and others. My brother didn’t want to miss the place because he loves German bread very much for their unique taste. He must have had a good bite of them while in Germany.
Going there was like going to a private property or a private resort. A few nice houses, a swimming pool, a small building that looks like a chapel where children were having some sort of a Bible study--all these make a paradise in a secluded place.
A few people were in the restaurant. But Jimmy Sy, a good friend of my brother in Cebu, introduced us to the wonderful owners, Juergen and Chuchi (Villa) Maennchen. The couple is a very religious people. That would explain why there is that small building/chapel.
I failed to get the names of the food served to us. But definitely, the bread was excellent, made of German flour. The soup served to me was wonderful. I was not able to control myself and ate more than anyone’s share.
Surprisingly, Chuchi is from Iligan City. She has a friend from our city but could not remember the name. They used to own a hotel in Cagayan de Oro, she said. All she could remember was that the name starts with a letter “M.”
Ahh... I sneaked around and saw what I want to see: ducks and chickens.
If you happen to hear of it, don’t fail to drop by. The warm welcome they offer is enough to make your stay more than comfortable. Believe me, their rest rooms are so clean. They even provide small face towels and liquid soap for you when you come out of the rest rooms.
Maennchen is very friendly and spent a few minutes talking to us on how they started with the place and the business.
To know more about the place, go to www.borussiaph.com.
•
Jimmy’s resthouse was one that he always loves to talk about. It’s on a cliff overlooking the sea. He bought it from a foreigner a year ago.
So much had changed since he bought it. The improvements of the house and the surroundings must have cost him a fortune already. But for a nature lover like Jimmy, every centavo is worth it.
Down below you see fishermen. And if you’re lucky, they sell you fresh fish at very reasonable price. And because Jimmy loves healthy food, he buys the catch as soon as they’re brought to his place.
Jimmy also does scuba diving. The sea water is so clear and clean that the temptation to take a dip is so great. The next time around, it won’t look the same. He has so many plans for it. I hope to go there again next year with my wife.
•
My cousin Hoben Tiu was very kind to billet us in a very expensive hotel in Mactan, the J Park Island Resort and Water Park, formerly the Imperial Palace. It has two big swimming pools. But what made my day was the chance to feed the fish with bread crumbs while taking a dip in the beach water. It was an experience I missed in the Enchanted River of Surigao del Sur.
Thank you cousin Hoben for your hospitality!
