What’s new in Cebu?

Cebu, the Queen City of the South, continues to be a lucrative place, both for business and leisure.

Island Living Channel was invited recently by AXA Philippines to feature a new milestone as it formally blessed and inaugurated its regional headquarters in Cebu City. Jetting in from Manila were the company’s top executives like Rien Hermans, president and CEO; Rahul Hora, chief agency officer; BJ Legaspi, zonal head Agency Division; and Jojo Rodriguez, head of AXA Bacolod Branch. Also seen were Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama; Cesar Olaer, Insurance Commission director for Cebu District; and other key executives of AXA Philippines.

After the formal affair, everyone was treated to an open house party at Vudu Bar, where guests danced the night away.

We extended our stay for one more day as our trip would be incomplete without an outdoor adventure. After a few calls from Maite Juan Marques to her Cebu friends, we decided to go to “Gaite City” in Toledo - thanks to Jenny Gaite. We were warmly welcomed for lunch by the Gaite family at their Morrocan-inspired beach house that looks like one of the houses featured in Architectural Digest. After lunch, we took a tour. At the left wing were Chinese-inspired antiques; while at the right were religious paintings that dated back to the 17th century.

Then we were shown their newly-constructed chapel-museum. Who would have thought that pizzas could make such a beautiful chapel. I say this because, the sister of our host, Tess Gaite, and her Canadian husband, started the first pizza delivery in Canada that has now grown to 700 branches. They took it upon themselves to collect religious artifacts that they brought back to the Philippines to share with us Filipinos. In the museum, you will see Reliquaries of the different saints, the Apostles and even the real Cross of Jesus. One interesting thing to note is in the baptismal room, where you will see a table formerly owned by singer-superstar Cher.

The Gaite family started with a small and simple beach house, but since so many friends were coming over, they decided to build a resort, a bee farm, an aviary, and a stable for their Arabian horses, that are said to be the best in the Philippines.*