3
Editor’s note
It never feels like work when we head south to Davao City.
That’s mostly thanks to the laid-back vibe surrounding our
usual local hosts: young entrepreneurs who take pride in their
city and embrace the well-rounded lifestyle it affords them. Great food?
Check. Buzzy nightlife? Check. World-class hotels and resorts? Check.
Commercial centers and international ports? Check. Nearby beaches?
Big check. Our latest visit (page 52) gave us even more reasons to love
being in the land of durians, mangosteens andMt Apo. If you’ve never been,
plan to visit in August so you can attend the annual Kadayawan Festival.
It’s the biggest party of the year and celebrates, among other things,
nature’s bounty and the beauty of Davao’s natural surrounds.
Mother Nature also comes into focus in another of this month’s
features. “The wild ones” (page 72) offers a sampling of some of the
rarest blooms found in Philippine forests. A number of these plants are
in danger of extinction unless something is done to curb overcollection
and the destruction of the forests they call home. If your inner naturalist
is urging you to pitch in, start by looking up the Philippine Native Plants
Conservation Society Inc (PNPCSI) on Facebook or reading up on the
NGO’s work at
rainforest.ph.
Also in this issue: a return to Bangkok’s Khao San Road (page 62).
Once little more than a backpacking pit stop and a gateway to the rest of
Southeast Asia for footlooseWestern travelers, Khao San has evolved
to the point that it’s now an attraction in itself. Finally, still on the retro
theme, we chronicle a weekend cruise aboard an old-style paddle steamer
in Halong Bay (page 81). Not a bad idea for a mid-year mini-break.
Safe travels!
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ARE WE
FRIENDS
YET?
HAPPY
FATHER’S
DAY!
JUNE
PRIDE
This month belongs to dads,
just as May was all about
moms. To all the fathers
out there, here’s to endless
fulfillment for you and the
people who look up to you.
RiRi-invented
THEMEGASTARONHER
BRANDNEW IMAGEANDSTAYING IN
TUNEWITHHERROOTS
CappuccinosonKhaoSan
THESMARTNEWFACEOF
BANGKOK’SBACKPACKERS’
MAGNET
MAGAZINE FOR CEBU PACIFIC •
JUNE 2015
THIS MONTH’S
COVER
Photographer
Jorem Catilo
Art Director
Marlon Espino
Shoot Director
Jenny Peñas
Calligraphy
Kitkat Maingat
Hair andMake-up Artist
Ren Bautista
Stylist
Jof Sering
Model
Michelle Yazvac
For fashion styling credits,
go to cebusmile.com
Kat with dad Jose
Ross with
daughter Emma
Jenny with dad
Ernesto
Me and my dad
Nicanor
Marlon with
daughter
Monika
Production Manager
Helen Uy Punzalan
Associate Design Director
Terence Goh
Design Director - APAC
Neil Smith
Chief Sub-Editor
Jonathan Evans
Editorial Director
Alexandra Karplus
Group Editorial Director
Andrew Humphreys
EDITORIAL
Editor
Tara F.T. Sering
Art Director
Marlon Espino
Deputy Editor
Kat Z. Mateo
Sub-Editor
Ross Wallace
Photo Editor
Jenny Peñas
Contributing Editors
Maya O Calica,
Nikka Sarthou-Lainez (Trip Journal),
Charmaine Baylon
