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. 

100 Lucky Juans

There are millions of Filipinos working in the Middle East. We're pretty sure majority of the OFWs in the Middle East wants to go home to the Philippines as often as they can. The Pink Tarha wish for it every day, that's for sure! But then, flight fares of over 30,000 pesos set us back from doing so. Ever wished to fly to back to the Philippines in more affordable rates? Like say, for 5,000 pesos or 499 dirhams one way?

Cebu Pacific is making our dream come true with its soon-to-be-launched flight from Manila to Dubai and back! Even for us here in Saudi Arabia, it would still be pretty much affordable to travel to Dubai from here and take the Cebu Pacific flight from Dubai to Manila! Yey!

Before the first flight of this route in October 2013, Cebu Pacific, in cooperation with GMA, is now giving OFWs in the UAE an opportunity to win a seat in this momentous flight with their 100 Lucky Juans contest! If you're a subscriber of GMA International Channels in the UAE, you will get a chance to come home to the Philippines for free by simply visiting the 100 Lucky Juans promo app in the official Facebook page of Cebu Pacific. 

And as we said on our earlier entry,  OFWs in the UAE... joining on is as easy as juan, two, three!

1. Log in to your Facebook account. Visit https://www.facebook.com/cebupacificair and LIKE the Cebu Pacific Official Facebook page. Look for the 100 Lucky Juans Promo Facebook application and click "Enter Now" to join. (Or okay, simply click here.)

2. Answer the question, "How will I make my homecoming in the Philippines fun?" Answer it by any of the following entry types: a. 2-minute video format, b. 1 photo collage format,  or c. 200-word (or less) text/story format. Don't forget to put a title!

3. Complete the form with your name, contact details, and other important info... and you're DONE!

Submit your entries from May 13 to August 18, 2013. Seven winners of round-trip tickets from Dubai to Manila will be chosen per week. If you're entry is chosen, you will be one of the lucky 100 Filipinos on board the historic October 7, 2013 flight of Cebu Pacific from Dubai to Manila! (Make sure you're okay to go on vacation on October 7 because the flight to Manila's date is non-movable but you can choose your going back to Dubai flight dates within October 8 to November 30, 2013.)

We know that this offer is for DBX-MNL only, but hey, if you win... your flights are free! And anything free is awesome! It's a great opportunity to see your loved ones without spending hard-earned fulos on your airfare. You can use the saved cash to treat them in a vacation to any of the Philippines' beautiful destinations. That's where your lucky streak continues because... Cebu Pacific flies to 34 of these places. Learn more of these destinations in Cebu Pacific's official magazine, SMILE. 

So whaddya say? Join the 100 Lucky Juans contest now and try your luck in becoming a UWInner!

Are You The Lucky Juan?

THERE ARE OVER two million Overseas Filipino Workers residing in the Middle East and it's a struggle that not all the Middle Eastern countries are served by our own nation's airline carrier that can bring us back directly to the Philippines. I'm sure most of us has had our share of excruciating connecting flights, spending four hours or more in airports of neighboring countries, all for the sake of a lower fare or for simply being able to get back home. Just recently, Sundrenched and I endured a 12-hour wait in Oman's airport due to lack of available flights back to Riyadh -- but we're still young (ehem) and we can patient and understanding for a long period of time (as long as there's free WiFi). But what about the thousands of OFWs who want a hassle-free, affordable and pleasant ride back and forth from the Philippines and their country of destination? Well, Cebu Pacific may soon be the answer to our prayers.

As you all know, Cebu Pacific is the Philippines' most-talked about and most-patronized airline carrier. Who hasn't heard of the PISO-seat Sale? Or their super affordable offers to nearby Asian countries like China, Singapore, Malaysia and South Korea (just to name a few). Many of my friends back at home (myself included) have been able to see more of the Philippines and Asia thanks to the irresistible rates of traveling with Cebu Pacific. My first trip to Boracay was actually through a Cebu Pacific flight and my experience with them was quite amiable and on schedule. Though I wasn't able to experience the dancing flight attendants that became a fad, I believe.

Anyway, the good news is Cebu Pacific has recently announced that they shall be offering direct flights from Manila to Dubai starting October 2013. This is exciting news because they will be the only Filipino airline carrier that will offer this direct flight to Dubai, UAE. We are particularly proud of this because a Filipino brand was able to penetrate the international aviation market of the Middle East - which is no easy task! Of course, they will be using brand new Airbus A330-300 for these long haul flights (If you want to read on this kind of plane, you can check it out by clicking here).

Cebu Pacific's Airbus A330-300

Having said that, Cebu Pacific is thrilled about this new venture and is offering the 100 Lucky Juans Promo to Kapuso Filipinos in the United Arab Emirates! If you're a subscriber of GMA International Channels in the UAE, you will get a chance to come home to the Philippines for free by simply posting your answers to the Cebu Pacific official Facebook page!

Get ready!

Joining is as easy as juan, two, three!
Stay tuned for more details to be released soon.