Baguio Feast Site

Baguio is a city in the northern mountains of Luzon some 260 kilometers (160 miles) north of Manila. Being a temperate place in this predominantly warm and humid tropical country, it has been known as the summer capital of the Philippines.

As in the past six consecutive years, services for this year’s Feast of Tabernacles will again be held at the conference hall of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines (GSP) Ang Ating Tahanan grounds. The hall where services will be held can easily accommodate as many as 150 feastgoers.

The GSP grounds have cottages and dormitory- type accommodations where feastgoers can lodge within walking distance from the service hall. But for those who are more adventurous and prefer to stay outside the festival grounds, nearby hotels and inns are also available. Costs of accommodations range from $5 per person per day for dormitory-type accommodations to $75 per night for hotel room accommodations.

This year, we are again expecting some 100 to 120 feastgoers. These are brethren coming mainly from the Luzon Island region of the country. But we always welcome and are looking forward to seeing as many brethren as possible who are coming from international areas who would like to enjoy and celebrate the Feast with us.

Location of Services: Conference hall of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines (GSP) Ang Ating Tahanan grounds along South Drive, Baguio City, Philippines.

First Service: Monday, Oct. 13, at 6:30 p.m.

Reservations: Those interested may get in touch with Rey Evasco by e-mail at ucgmnl@pacific.net.ph or by phone at +63 (917) 814 7826 or by mail at MCPO Box 4774, Makati City 1287, Philippines.

Iloilo Feast Site

Punta Villa Resort in Iloilo City is located in the Visayas Islands in the central part of the Philippines. About 283 miles south of Manila, it is the gateway to the flourishing Western Visayas region.

Iloilo’s climate is tropical. The temperature ranges from 27 to 32 degrees Celsius (82 to 90 Fahrenheit) throughout the year. It has two main seasons—rainy (June to September) and dry (October to May).

You can travel to Iloilo from other parts of the Philippines in style. By air, there are jets daily from Manila, which take about an hour for a one-way fare ranging from $50 to $55. By sea, sailing time is about 20 hours from Manila for a one-way fare ranging from $20 to $32. Passenger jeepneys, metered taxis, buses and private cars regularly ply the city’s roads.

A visit to Iloilo is a trip back to the past, without losing touch with the present. One can still find scores of neoclassical structures dotting the streets. Most of these are mansions built during the Spanish era, reminiscent of a glorious past.

Iloilo has stretches of seaside communities and beach resorts. Scuba diving, swimming and snorkeling can be done off Guimaras Island, a 15-minute ride on a motorized boat (banca). The underwater seascapes are some of the most undisturbed in the country.
Above all, you’ll experience the love, warmth and hospitality of the wonderful brethren.

Room rates are as follows: Executive rooms with hot/cold shower, TV and refrigerator—$30; double queen-sized bedrooms with hot/cold shower, TV and refrigerator—$25; standard double bedrooms with hot/cold shower and TV—$20.

Morning services are a daily feature, balanced by a variety of afternoon social activities and sports except on the Holy Days.

If anyone would like to take a side trip to one of the best beaches in the world, Boracay Island Resort is highly recommended.

Location of Services: Coral Ballroom, Punta Villa Resort (fully-air conditioned).

First Service: Monday, Oct. 13, at 7:30 p.m.

Reservations: For more details, bookings or reservations, contact Florante G. Siopan, P.O. Box 713, 6100 Bacolod City, Philippines; by telephone at +63 34 708-3005 and +63 34 435-3231 and (cell phone) +63 9209388786; or by e-mail at florante_siopan@ucg.org.

Davao Feast Site

Considered the “fruit basket of the country” on the island of Mindanao, Davao City is blessed to be situated outside the typhoon belt of the Philippine archipelago. For three consecutive years, it has been judged by Asiaweek magazine as the “most livable city in the Philippines.”

Located just 1½ hours by jet south of Manila (about $60 airfare, one way), its modern international airport connects directly with flights to and from Singapore, plus many other Southeast Asian capitals and, of course, with the rest of the country. The city’s approximately 2,000 taxis may be called by telephone due to their use of two-way radios.

Characterized by breezy and mild tropical temperatures ranging from 20 to 32 degrees Celsius (68 to 89 Fahrenheit), the festival season is also the peak of the fruit season. In addition to the splendor of rare tropical flowers, beautiful white-sand beaches dotted with coconut trees, shores lapped by clear blue waters reflecting warm azure skies, most beach resorts maintain international standards.
But beyond these nice physical features, the festival campsite ambience lends itself to enhanced fellowshipping, spiritual meditation and a reminder of our being called out of this world.

Services and Bible studies will be conducted in English (with translation into Cebuano).

The festival venue this year will again be at the GSP Regional Training Camp in Daliao, Toril, Davao City, which is about a kilometer from the sea coast, and is familiar to all taxi drivers. It is about 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) from the Davao International Airport.

All housing facilities in camp have screens and some rooms are air-conditioned. Meals will be served in the air-conditioned dining hall. It is hard to beat the offer of three buffet meals per day plus accommodation in an air-conditioned room for only about $10 per person per day.

For those looking for more classy accommodations and meals, downtown hotels located about 15 kilometers (10 miles) from the festival site offer more choices. Downtown five-star buffets cost about $16 per person per meal. Rates include taxes. Tips are not obligatory. (Presently US$1 is about PhP46.46.)

First Service: Monday, Oct. 13, at 7:00 p.m.

Reservations: For more information, please contact the festival coordinator, Edmond Macaraeg, through any of the following: e-mail, ed_macaraeg@ucg.org; P.O. Box 81840, DCCPO 8000 Davao City, Philippines; phone/fax: +(63 82) 241-0150; or mobile phone: +63 918 919 4346.

© 2008 United Church of God, AIA - Pilipinas