A LECHON FESTIVAL? WHY NOT!...

Harold who actually suggested cooking Cebu lechon in the style of Bacolod kansi, with batuan as a souring ingredient. I could literally taste this in my head and could hardly wait to try it back in Manila.

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It's a big plus that Mactan Newtown has its own beach, a five-minute walk from the hotel. Early in the morning of our second day, as I was off to catch the sunrise, it was fun to see a veritable United Nations of Ironman participants training at the beach.

"You will see many tourists and foreigners here at Mactan Newtown—one, because of Ironman," explained Harold. "Two, we have a lot of international English schools here; there are plenty of students. Three, we're surrounded by many resorts and those billeted there come here to find places to eat."

He pointed out some of the 200 mango trees that were planted all over the township, part of the vision of Megaworld's Andrew Tan. Mactan Newtown hosts an annual Mango Festival in May. These festivals and the international sporting event Ironman have been held at Mactan Newtown since before the pandemic.