100 Lucky Juans Winners

Cebu Pacific's 100 Lucky Juans contest came to a conclusion last August 18, 2013. We'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate all the winners who will be flying in the inaugural flight of Cebu Pac's Big Juan from Dubai to Manila this coming October. Woot, we wish we can join you, guys! (Cebu Pac, are you reading this? Haha!)

We wish we can write about all the winning entries in this contest but we only have limited space in the blog so we chose a few that really touched our hearts... You all know that The Pink Tarha ladies are children of overseas Filipino workers, right? We even wrote about our experiences in one of our first entries in 2009 in honor of our fathers who endured the harsh desert to provide well for us. And so, we salute these parents who are dedicating their entries to their children. And we hope their children appreciate all the hard work and sacrifices their parents did for them.

Andre Dela Cruz looks forward to his vacation so he can reunite with his family whom he considers as his true home. This photo is full of happiness and love.

The joy of being with a loved one.

Divina Gracia Morillo recognizes the hardship of working abroad as a housemaid, especially in Dubai. But she doesn't give up because she's doing it for her parents and children. Like what she said in her entry, "Working in Dubai is so hard but that's life. We have to survive every day for our family." We're sure our parents, when they were away from us during the 90s, also felt the same way. It's nice to know that Divina doesn't want to waste precious seconds on her vacation. She's spending it all with her family.

This winning entry by Joey Eva is truly worth that seat to a beautiful vacation. He left the Philippines to give his son a better future but in return, he wasn't able to see the milestones in his son's life, especially when his son started attending school. This photo brings joy and sadness. Such a touching moment. 

Awww, cute!

I can imagine my father's emotions when he couldn't attend my and my siblings' recognition days and graduations. Ahh, the memories! But good for Joey, he will now be able to go home this October. His son will be in for a treat!

And speaking of graduation, Grenor Salvador's photo of his daughter on her graduation day is also poignant. He hasn't seen his children for four years. We're so glad he won because he will be able to come home this October and see his daughter get married. He won't miss that lovely moment of walking his daughter down the aisle. Awww.

Celebrating milestones

We are so happy for the winners of the 100 Lucky Juans contest. Check out all the winners here. We hope that they enjoy their prize this October. Don't forget to wave when you pass above Riyadh. Oh, right, you won't. But do remember that The Pink Tarha is cheering you on. We hope you all have a great vacation with your family and friends. Thanks Cebu Pacific for making this possible!

*This entry is sponsored by Cebu Pacific. All opinions are the writer's.

Ceb Visits Dubai

Well look who's been spotted in Dubai! 

Ceb at the Burj Dubai

CEB, Cebu Pacific's lovable mascot was seen traipsing all over Dubai, United Arab Emirates! 

Visiting the marina

Ceb roaming the streets of Dubai

We don't think you need to guess why Ceb is visiting this popular city in the Middle East. Of course, it's to check out the newest route of The Big Juan! On October 7, 2013, Cebu Pacific's A330 will touchdown, for the first time, in Dubai's international airport! We're excited for all Filipinos who will be in this flight. Of course, the plane will go back to Manila carrying the winners of the 100 Lucky Juans contest! 

For those who wants a free seat in this memorable voyage, you still have time to join the 100 Lucky Juans contest. Visit the Cebu Pacific Facebook page, click on the 100 Lucky Juans app, and submit your entry! It's so easy! They've been announcing winners weekly and we hope to see your names next on that list. 

Hay, for us in Riyadh, we can only hope for a Cebu Pac route in here please! Haha! Well who knows? While waiting for that flight, maybe we can fly to Dubai and hop on a flight to Manila from there! Sounds like a good plan huh! ;) 

This entry is sponsored by Cebu Pacific. All opinions are the writers' own. 

Family Affairs

Another round of winners were announced in Cebu Pacific's 100 Lucky Juans. And we were not surprised that most of them feature their loved ones and family members in their photos. After all, going home to the Philippines is really all about our families.

Take for example Ernesto Enumerables' entry which says that he wants to propose to his girlfriend on her birthday. Awww, sweet! (I hope publishing this wouldn't ruin the surprise! hehe!) He also wants to see and hug his baby, Joeliane.

Jewel Catungal wants to go home to the Philippines because she wants to see her daughter and tour her around the many islands of the beautiful home land! Truly, it's more fun in the Philippines!

I really like this photo of Melita Matabang featuring her mom and her mom's siblings. I like seeing siblings who really go along together. Reminds me of my brothers, sisters, and I. ;)

Congratulations to the Week 5 winners of 100 Lucky Juans! 

For those who still want to join, there's still enough time! Visit the 100 Lucky Juans app in Cebu Pac's Facebook app and submit your entries. This is open to OFWs in the United Arab Emirates only.

This entry is sponsored by Cebu Pacific. All opinions are the writer's own.

The Big Juan Soars

Cebu Pacific has really making some huge updates in their fleet lately. Apart from The Big Juan, their biggest plane to date, Cebu Pacific has just recently received its 45th aircraft, a brand new Sharklet-equipped Airbus A320 from Toulouse, France. This is Cebu Pac's third delivery of this kind of aircraft for 2013. The Sharklet-equipped Airbus A320 allows airlines to save up to 4% on fuel burn.

Soaring high!

And that's not all! Cebu Pac is expecting delivery of 16 more Airbus A320 aircraft with Sharklets, 30 Airbus A321neo and 3 Airbus A330 aircraft from this year to 2012. Now, that is one soaring airline!

Speaking of soar, the Big Juan also made its inaugural flight from Manila to Seoul (Incheon) . Flight 5J 188 was sent off with lots of fanfare and freebies. Wish we were Rizziane Tolentino, the first passenger to check-in to the flight who received a free roundtrip ticket to Seoul! 

The Big Juan ready to go!

The Big Juan's inaugural commercial flight to Seoul

Welcome aboard!

It's more fun with the A330!

The Big Juan was also used last July 8 for flight 5J 813 from Manila to Singapore. We can't wait for its grand Manila-Dubai flight on October 7, 2013! Which reminds us, have you joined the 100 Lucky Juans contest? Not yet?! Well, better hurry and check out how to join in this page and head to the Cebu Pac Facebook app to submit your photo/video/article. A seat in The Big Juan is worth it! ~ Sundrenched

This entry is sponsored by Cebu Pacific. All opinions are the writer's own.

Wishes Granted

Every Overseas Filipino Worker wants to go home to the Philippines to be with their families and the 100 Lucky Juans contest of Cebu Pacific is making the wishes and dreams of OFWs in the United Arab Emirates come true. The winners for Week 3 and 4 were already announced and The Pink Tarha had a happy yet nostalgic time browsing through the winners' entries. 

We feel their emotions emanating through their photos, videos, and writings. It's not easy to be away from the homeland and it's never easy to be away from our loved ones. We can relate to some of the entries saying that they wanted to grant the wishes of their parents and children to come home. After all, the Pink Tarha ladies were once these children of OFWs who long to be with our fathers who were abroad for quite a long time. 

Just like Ginalyn Caputol's entry which says, "My plan for my homecoming would be to grant my father's 60th birthday wish, his wish is my presence during his birthday. I would like to surprise him and give him a big party. I've never been home for 3 years." Now that she won a free flight back to the Philippines for a vacation on October, she has a chance to surprise her father. What a tearful reunion that would be. Sigh... 

Mhea from Jumeirah, Dubai has a wish for her family on her next vacation. She wants to give her mother a treat and bond with her siblings, nephews, and nieces. "Wala akong ibang iniisip kundi ang magbakasyon ulit sa Pilipinas... Gusto ko silang ipasyal sa mga lugar na dati dati tinitignan lang namin sa magazines. Gusto ko ring magsimba kasama ang buong pamilya. Simple pero very sweet homecoming." Well, guess what Mhea! Wish granted. 

Gina Basilan, on the other hand, wishes to experience the beautiful nature of the Philippines aboard the Cebu Pacific airplane with her family. "Being unhappy is not easy. I miss my family in the Philippines. I want to visit them after four years." 

She even said that she hopes to ride with Cebu Pacific. Your wish is Cebu Pac's command, Gina! 

And finally, Suzeth Jalandoni from Sharjah, UAE gets a chance to bond with her son this October. "Sabik ako maparamdam sa baby ko yung pakiramdam ng pagiging ina. Halos araw araw ng aking buhay dito sa UAE, inaasam ko na sana kasama ko lang ang anak ko at pamilya ko... Dito ko lubos naiintindihan kapag magulang kana pala, kahit mahirap, kahit mapalayo ka, bsta mabigyan mu lang ng magandang buhay at masuportahan ang pangangailang ng pamilya, lahat nakakaya. Kung pwede ko nga lang pabilisin ang araw pra lang bakasyon ko na!" 

Start counting the days to October, Suzeth! 

All these wishes and dreams are so close to our hearts as OFWs in Saudi Arabia. Every day, we want to see our loved ones in the Philippines and if only we can teleport whenever we think of them, we'd do it all the time (work be darn! Hahaha, kidding!). Good thing, there are flights like Cebu Pacific which brings us closer to our families and friends back home. Congratulations to the winners of the 100 Lucky Juans contest! 

For those who hasn't joined yet, you still have time to submit your entries to the 100 Lucky Juans contest. Good luck! ~ Sundrenched

This entry is sponsored by Cebu Pacific. All opinions are the writer's own.

One Big Juan!

And it's finally here!… Er well, in Manila! ;) 

Cebu Pacific has received its first Airbus A330 and boy it's looking good! The delivery of this first huge aircraft marks a milestone for Cebu Pacific, which is launching its first long haul flight to Dubai on October. 

The A330 is a wide-body twin-engine jet airliner made by Airbus, a popular aircraft manufacturer based in Toulouse, France that produces approximately half of the world's jet airliners. The A330 is one of the most widely-used aircraft in the airline industry today showing just how efficient and safe it is. For Cebu Pacific, this new addition to their fleet is their biggest plane yet earning it the nickname, The Big Juan. 

Here are fun facts from Cebu Pacific's Twitter account about their new baby… 

Take a journey with the Big Juan right now! Yes, right now with this video showing The Big Juan's shipping and assembly in Toulouse, France to its maiden flight to the Philippines! 

Wooow! It truly is a feat of design and engineering and if it is up to us, The Pink Tarha will be excited to go on a journey with The Big Juan! 

Good thing for our readers in the United Arab Emirates because you have a chance to be the lucky Juans inside The Big Juan on its first flight from Dubai to Manila. Get a chance to fly in the A330 for free by joining Cebu Pacific's 100 Lucky Juans contest. Just share with us how you will make your homecoming fun in the 100 Lucky Juans Facebook app. Join now!

It's More Fun Being a Filipino

One thing that we like about us Filipinos abroad... we always know how to have fun. Despite the distance that separates us from our families and friends back in the Philippines, we still find ways on how to entertain ourselves. We in the Pink Tarha pride ourselves in knowing that we share the same mind set that most Filipinos have all over the world, it's not only more fun in the Philippines... it's also more fun being a Filipino. 

We can't help but smile and grin at some of the photos entered in the Cebu Pacific 100 Lucky Juans contest. We can so relate in these photos of Filipinos who find ways to enjoy themselves in the United Arab Emirates. We're pretty sure Filipinos in Saudi Arabia also have these moments of fun taken in between working hours and duties. 

Take for example this video entry by Tristan Bangero, an employee of LBC, who found a solution to his homesickness. 

A video entry

He made a video of photos collected over the years so that he have something fun to watch whenever he misses his child. This "slideshow" is one cool way to reminisce happy moments to ease homesickness. I bet this would be followed with a "Gentleman" video pretty soon. ;) 

Talk about having fun in the kitchen... 

Cute puto

This photo of puto, a Philippine delicacy, is so cute! It's reminiscent of special occasions in the Philippines... or better yet, fiestas and birthdays! Juliet Constantino's home made puto looks delicious... and even more eye-catching is the use of those smiley faces that we can't help but, well, smile! 

The easiest way to have fun when we're traveling abroad? Take a photo and pose like no one's looking!  

Be your own subject.

Just look at Jojo Galve's entry where he flexes those muscles with a brightly-lit background of Doha's skyline. We're pretty sure there are more poses and photos where this came from. We can't blame him... with a gorgeous backdrop like that, we'll have fun posing too! 

And this photo's subject is a cutie: 

I'll have this baby save me! ;)

Looks like someone made fun of this baby! Haha! Isn't Lalaine Rosales' son in his Superman costume adorable? 

For more fun in the Philippines for you and your family, we encourage you OFWs in the United Arab Emirates to send in your entries in the 100 Lucky Juans contest. It's your chance to see your loved ones this October for free! Join now! Remember, even if it's more fun to become a Filipino abroad, it's best to be a Filipino in the Philippines where we are surrounded with the people who love and care for us. 

By the way... I have a secret to tell and yes, let's just keep this between us: a SALE on Cebu Pacific's MNL-DXB and vice-versa will happen soon so watch out for it. LIKE the Cebu Pacific Facebook page now to get the latest updates and promos! ;) Too juicy of a secret to keep? Okay, go ahead and share this sale alert to your loved ones and friends! ~ Sundrenched

Family First

What is the essence of being an OFW if not for family? 

It's hard enough that we have to fly thousand of miles away from home to provide for them but for most Filipinos abroad, saving up for a vacation back to the Philippines can pose some financial difficulties. Lucky for us, Cebu Pacific is starting to offer direct AND very affordable flights from Dubai to Manila and vice versa. 

I was looking through the entries of the 100 Lucky Juans on the Cebu Pacific's Facebook Page and found myself drawn to these three photos in particular:

I really liked this photo from Karen Cabangon because it reminded me so much of how most ordinary days in the Philippines feel like with our families. Lounging around the "sala" with the electric fan on, watching TV and enjoying a glass of cold softdrinks in the afternoon. They looked really happy in this photo and that kid is just sooo cute! I also liked that she took the time to tell us her story in the caption section. Truly vacation would be grander if the whole family could come along. 

This photo from Michael Grace reminds me of my own experience of flying with Cebu Pacific with my friends just last year and it's always a scenic shot to show that you and your loved ones are doing some traveling (I have the same photo, standing outside the aircraft). What I really enjoy about the idea of Cebu Pacific is that they've made air travel accessible and affordable to every Filipino. Whether its because you want to see your friends and family or because you just want to visit a new province/city in the Philippines that you've never seen before. I do believe that everyone should travel, if given the chance. :) 

And of course, the picturesque capture of the Burj Khalifa by Roland Sapnay is simply perfect especially since Cebu Pacific is currently promoting its upcoming direct flights from Manila to Dubai. Dubai is a very cosmopolitan with a cityscape that any person can be at awe of. There are thousands of OFWs based in Dubai and the UAE and they will surely benefit from this offer by Cebu Pacific. I am sure that this can bring them closer to their loved ones here in the Middle East and back at home. 

As OFWs, we do travel in and out of the country more often than we would want to. However, no matter where we go, it's always about our families. We wouldn't have chosen to become OFWs if not for them. So whether we bask under the desert sun of the Middle East or as we gaze into the bright lights of the big city, in our hearts, home and family is where we all want to be. 

Join the 100 Lucky Juans for a chance to win a free flight from Dubai to Manila! Details can be found here. 

More Reasons to Smile for the Lucky Juans

Filipinos in the United Arab Emirates, have you joined the 100 Lucky Juans contest yet? Visit the Cebu Pacific official Facebook page for the contest mechanics and have a chance to score a free flight to Manila from Dubai on the inaugural flight of Cebu Pacific's DXB-MNL flight on October! Speaking of scoring deals, Cebu Pacific has been a beacon of hope of Filipinos in fulfilling their dreams of traveling, not only around the home country, but also in other popular destinations in Asia. 

With their seat sales that go on throughout the year, we get the chance to visit other places at affordable rates. And even without the promos, Cebu Pac still has the most affordable rates among the airlines that operate in the Philippines.

Cebu!

 I flew with Cebu Pacific on my first travel outside Luzon, visiting the queen city of the South... Cebu! Cebu has grown to be a bustling city over the years; vibrant and energetic teeming with good food, beaches, and historical landmarks. I also check deals on traveling to my father's home, the land of pinangat and laing (my favorite)... Bicolandia. Camarines Sur is one of the provinces you should definitely check out when traveling in Region 5. It mixes nature with man-made structures to offer leisure activities for everyone. My favorite would be looking up Mt. Isarog in Pili, but this town is more known for the CamSur Watersports Complex that locals and foreigners visit all-year round. Of course, I keep on wishing for flights to my homeland, La Union in the Ilocos Region. But while waiting, flights to Laoag in Ilocos Norte is a good option especially when side trips to Pagudpud and Ilocos Sur can be made out of this route. 

Northern Luzon, my hometown!

Even in my second trip abroad, Cebu Pacific was instrumental in bringing me and my sisters to Hong Kong in 2009. It was the first trip we had as a family. Cebu Pacific has more than ten international destinations from the land of smiles Thailand to the land of wats, Cambodia. In China alone, Cebu Pacific flies to four destinations: Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Xiamen. One of the most popular destinations is the Lion City, Singapore! I've been there too and it was one of the most fun and entertaining vacations ever. We toured Singapore Zoo, Sentosa, and the Universal Studios. It's my dream to visit Bali, Indonesia and Osaka, Japan. Those shouldn't be hard next time especially with available flights to those places. 

Happy to read about Bicol, Davao and Bali in one issue

The Dubai route is a great addition to Cebu Pacific's destinations. It's not only the farthest destination of Cebu Pac, it's also their first in the Middle East. And when it comes to anything Middle East, The Pink Tarha is quite excited about it. Last year, Eyecandy and I had a chance to visit Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Although we visited on different dates, we have the same conclusion upon seeing the bustling city... that Riyadh can be Dubai, if only Riyadh is open to change that fast and vast. 

Personally, Dubai is more than just a place for Filipinos to go to work to. It's a good tourist destination. I can see glimpses of the Philippines in this city, with it's old and new places; the towering buildings in its skyline overlooks the old town near the Dubai creek. The Burj Khalifa is a unique engineering feat and everyone should get the chance to visit the tallest building in the world. It's a surreal feeling to see that something quite impossible is finally made into reality. Isn't it a good thing that traveling nowadays is getting simpler and more affordable?

Cebu Pac's SMILE magazine is a fun read!

Apart from Cebu Pacific's lowest year-round lite fares, SMILE Magazine, its in-flight magazine, will get you to places! Look for them on your seats during your flights with the airline and you'll discover a lot of practical and fun information on the destination of your dreams. Travel more, kabayan! 

Of course we know that for Filipinos abroad like us, the Philippines is always a dream destination because we always like coming home. To win a free ticket to go home to the Philippines from Dubai, don't forget to join the 100 Lucky Juans contest!