PayMaya Preferred: Get quick treats and sweet deals when you use PayMaya QR at Ministop

Grabbing a quick bite or buying some last-minute needed items just got more convenient and rewarding as Ministop joins the growing list of PayMaya Preferred merchants, where customers can get added treats and perks whenever they pay using PayMaya QR. 

PayMaya QR is now currently available in more than 500 branches of Ministop all over the country, allowing for the ultimate convenience not just in buying goods but in having a quick and hassle-free payment experience as well. 

Additionally, shoppers can also get a P50 cashback once a week from February 19 until April 18, 2020 whenever they scan to pay a minimum of P200 using PayMaya QR at participating Ministop branches nationwide. 

This is on top of the usual 1%, 10%, or 100% cashback they can get whenever they use PayMaya QR at thousands of partner merchants and establishments nationwide. 

“Whether it’s grabbing Ministop’s famous Uncle John’s Fried Chicken for a quick lunch or buying supplies for home, your payment experience just got more convenient and rewarding because of PayMaya QR. It’s the perfect marriage of convenience and rewards, which makes buying your items at Ministop with PayMaya even more exciting,” said Raymund Villanueva, Head of QR Ecosystems at PayMaya. 

Ministop is just the latest in a growing list of PayMaya Preferred Merchants around the country, where PayMaya is the preferred mode of payment instead of cash, as part of the “Don’t Pay Cash. PayMaya!” campaign of the country’s most rewarding mobile wallet today. 

Aside from being able to conveniently pay for Ministop purchases using their mobile phones, PayMaya users can also add money to their accounts in select branches through the Pay & Go kiosk, which will soon be enhanced to offer even more convenient add money options in the coming months. 

So hop on the cashless lifestyle and download and register for a PayMaya account now to enjoy the most rewarding mobile wallet experience at Ministop today. Dahil basta Ministop, don’t pay cash, PayMaya para may BalikBayad ka! 

To know how you can maximize your PayMaya account, visit www.PayMaya.com/deals or follow @PayMayaOfficial on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Foodpanda Launches Delivery Service in Cagayan de Oro

Foodpanda, the biggest online food ordering and delivery service in the Philippines, has finally landed in the city of Cagayan de Oro. Founded in May 2012 in Berlin, Germany and operating in more than 40 countries with 45,000 restaurant partners globally. The delivery service is currently active in more than 5000 cities, and the last addition to their growing list this 2019 is the City of Golden Friendship - Cagayan de Oro City.

Kagay-anons do not need to memorize deliver numbers for restuarants anymore - as foodpanda has over 100+ restaurants in the city to choose from the app. With the wide array of cafes and restaurants, people in CDO can now enjoy a hint of international cuisines from American, Chinese, Japanese to the well loved local food of Cagayan de Oro right on their doorstep. Whatever it is that your craving, food has it. 

"We are very happy to add Cagayan de Oro to our list of cities that we provide delivery for. The team believes that the city is an undeserved market with lots of potential for food delivery. And as always, we intend to bring the best experience in food delivery to consumers - we are excited to see very eager and encouraging feedback from partner restaurant and customers, " says Ryven Barrio, foodpanda's Cluster Head for Mindanao.

Using the foodpanda app is hassle free - just log on to the foodpanda website or download the app (available in the AppStore and Google Play Store) and follow these simple steps to enjoy fast and dependable service. 

Foodpanda's delivery sevice is available in Cagayan de Oro starting November 2019! 

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SanMig Food Ave. Opens in El Salvador City

SanMig Food Ave. one of the country’s leading retail store opens its first branch in Mindanao last May 18, 2018. The store is located at PSB, El Salvador City, just along the highway near Divine Mercy Shrine. 

SanMig Food Ave. El Salvador is your one-stop-shop for everything you need. You can find almost all kinds of food products from ready-to-eat foods, snacks, chips, biscuits, ice cream, beverages and bread. It is also the only retail store that has its own bakery, therefore breads are really served fresh from the oven. 

A giant Nutella Bun baked for the grand launching.

For Non-food products, you can also find toiletries, batteries,magazines, newspapers, lighters, household stuff and many more. 

Also, SanMig Food Ave. El Salvador has Automated Teller Machine which you can conveniently use if in case you need cash. It also has ECPay Service to help you with your bills payment and cash-in needs. 

A PNB ATM is available inside the store. Chinabank will add one soon. 

If you happen to visit El Salvador City, check out SanMig Food Ave. and share to us your store experience by leaving a comment. Just a tip, don’t ever miss to try their breads.

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McDonald's is Coming to Misamis Oriental!

McDonald’s, the world’s leading food service retailer will open its first store in Misamis Oriental. The store is said to be the biggest McDonald’s retail store in Mindanao.

It is located at PSB, El Salvador City just along the National Highway near Divine Mercy.

McDonald's El Salvador Executives preparing for the opening. 

The store is set to open a month from now. Stay tuned for more updates on their store opening.

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Seda Centrio Invites Diners to Taste the Flavor of Spain at the Misto

Starting November 9, Seda Centrio's signature restaurant, Misto, will cross international borders and pique diners' appetite with a number of Spanish dishes on its evening buffet by Executive Sous Che Robert Ortiz. The newest offering features an extensive spread, combining traditional and contemporary to fine effect and satisfy the Filipono palate --- transforming your regular dinner into time of adventure and discovery.

Paella Marinara - Seafood Paella that showcases the richness of the ocean

Chef Robert has over 6 years culinary experience both locally and in abroad. He has worked as part of the culinary team in a Los Angeles restaurant, exposing him to different cuisines and cultures. He also was a consultant of the well-known, Sans Rival Restaurant in Dumaguete. Coming to Cagayan de Or, he takes inspiration from his experiences and creates his own unique and creative twists on both local favorites and international classics. 

For this food promotion, Chef Robert showcases well- loved dishes hailing from the culinary regions of Spain --- including Gambas al ajillo, Albondigas and Paella Marinera. Despite having an intense influence in a majority of Filipino specialties, Chef Robert promises diners of that authentic Spanish experience.

Albondigas - It originated in Spain and it means a spicy tomato meat ball stew

The menu boasts itself of Asian twists, revisits traditional Castilian flavors and features inventive dishes such as Grilled Eggplant with Tomato Vinaigrette/ Dicerning diners a;ways expect innovation in the menus served them, says Ortiz, and thus, we have planned to come up with different culinary themes for them to try out, Spanish being one of the firsts.

Gambas al ajillo - is a Spanish popular dish found primarily in the south and center of Spain. The primary ingredients consists of shrimp, garlic, and olive oil.

Misto, an Italian word for "mixed", offers dishes to please the palate of global travelers as well as highligthing specialties linked to the local culture. The Flavors of Spain promotion is under the Themed Dinner Buffets happening weekly and allows of infusion of new entrees and other dishes that Kagay-anons would surely enjoy and come to love.

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Krispy Kreme Opens 4th Store in Cagayan de Oro

New store and new look in Cagayan de Oro for a more exciting #KrispyKremeMoment 

Krispy Kreme welcomes another addition to its growing outlets as it unveils its newest store in SM CDO Downtown Premiere. This is the 4th store in Cagayan de Oro, following Centrio Mall, CDO Uptown and the Hot Light store in Limketkai. Krispy Kreme SM CDO Downtown Premiere is set to delight their fans beginning on August 21. 

With the opening of its new store, Krispy Kreme brings a monthlong celebration of everyday moments as it offers a lineup of delightful treats. Krispy Kreme combined forces with the Ghirardelli Chocolate Company to create the deliciously satisfying Ultimate Chocolate Chiller. 

This cool quencher is made with unique premium, Ghirardelli chocolate doused with milk and whipped cream, sprinkled lightly with Ghirardelli chocolate chips and drizzled in rich caramel. It’s definitely a crave-worthy flavor experience that chocolate enthusiasts wouldn’t want to miss. Krispy Kreme also highlights a well-loved doughnut flavor when it released the Kit Kat Green Tea doughnut. Their newest doughnut flavor has already made waves for its doughnut fans, now making it a mainstay offering. 

Apart from these sweet treats, August is a special month for Cagayan de Oro as it celebrates the annual Higalaay Festival. Krispy Kreme joins the CDO community in celebration of the feast day of St. Augustine as it throws another delicious treat alongside opening its new store. Krispy Kreme is offering 3 Original Glazed doughnuts and any 3 Cake doughnuts for only P150 in all stores in Cagayan De Oro from August 25 to 28. Doughnut lovers are sure to get excited for more craveable melt-in-your-mouth moments with Krispy Kreme. 

These are just some of the many things to look forward to as Krispy Kreme opens its newest store in SM CDO Downtown Premiere. The brand continues to bring a delightful experience to its customers through its indulgent doughnuts, great-tasting beverages and exciting creations. Discover your own #KrispyKremeMoment and visit their newest store at the Ground Floor, SM CDO Downtown Premiere.

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Pizzarella Opens 2nd Store in Cagayan de Oro City

Pizzarella, known for their tag line as “The City’s Local Pizza” opened its 2nd store in Cagayan de Oro today (May 26, 2017). The new store is located at Corrales St., (fronting The Nest) Cagayan de Oro City. 

Pizzarella started in Iligan 5 years ago and today they have already 4 stores (2 in Iligan, and 2 in CDO) in Mindanao. Since its beginning, it has never failed to provide finely crafted pizzas, using the freshest ingredients from local vendors. Their pizzas are inspired by Italian and Filipino recipes particularly their own kitchen recipes. 

Pizzarella hopes to expand its mouthwatering pizzas to the rest of the cities in Mindanao and the entire Philippines soon. 

Here are some of their delicious pizzas.

Chicago Deep Dish Pizza - Spinto

The famous Mad Cow Pizza is one of their best selling pizza. They say it "mad cow" because you will surely get mad how it is made deliciously beefy and spicy.

We all enjoyed every bite of pizzas we had. 

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1A Express Hotel Cagayan de Oro: Providing Comfort and Convenience

1A Express Hotel is located at the One Avenue Building (beside Magnum Radyo), CM Recto Sts. CDO. It is conveniently located as it is only a stone’s throw away from major shopping places like Centrio Mall, Gaisano Mall and soon-to-open SM CDO 2 Premier. This hotel caters comfort and convenience to business people and individuals who just wanted to spend a day for business and leisure.

Here are the things that I love in this hotel...

Peaceful Environment 

Although it is situated along the hi-way, you can hardly hear the noise of the busy streets of CM Recto while you are inside your room which makes this hotel an ideal place for rest. I was there last Holy Thursday where I spent my time praying and contemplating. But whatever your reasons are, you can be assured that you will have undisturbed stay at the hotel.

Comfortable and Clean Rooms 

The entire hotel is remarkably clean. It is also well furnished and equipped with modern fixtures. The beds, pillows and blankets are comfortable. Also, the rooms are well lit making it ideal for selfies and photo ops. Moreover, they also have rooms specialized for PWDs which is located at the ground floor.

1A Express Hotel Family Deluxe Room

Fast Internet 
If you are a business traveler you will surely enjoy your stay at this hotel as it has high-speed internet.

Delicious Complimentary Breakfast 
One of the things I look forward in this hotel was the breakfast. They offer two complimentary breakfast per room. Guests can choose from the menu. All breakfast meals comes with a hot beverage either coffee or hot choco plus a glass of orange juice. The pancakes are my favorite!

Beef Tapa my breakfast for Day 1

Yummy Pancakes, my breakfast for Day 2

Convenient Location

One thing that really sets 1A Express Hotel apart from other hotels in CDO is the convenient location. The hotel has convenience store, a salon and a laundry station at the ground floor. It is also a walking distance to affordable food establishments and malls. For travelers, the hotel is a 5-10 minute ride to the bus terminal and sea port.

The soon-to-open SM CDO Premier is just one block away from the hotel.

Centrio Ayala Mall is just around the corner...

Courteous and Friendly Hotel Staff 

Hotel staff are very accommodating making sure that all the things you need are met. Not only that, they greet guests with sincerity even if you are just walking around the hotel corridors.

If you are new in CDO, you might want to check out 1A Express Hotel. For bookings you may contact 09176701239 or you can email 1aexpresshotel@yahoo.com. You may also visit 1A Express Hotel Cagayan de Oro Facebook Page to check the latest promos and best deals.

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Best of CDO Food Tour - A Must Try!

Best of CDO Food Tour – A Must Try! In line with the Higalaay Festival 2016, BQFC Marketing team invited CDO Bloggers for the first ever Best of CDO Food tour. The tour was aimed to showcase the best of Cagayan de Oro food and enjoy famous landmarks while riding the legendary motorela of Cagayan de Oro City.

First Food Stop: Bigby’s Café and Restaurant 
Branch: Centrio Mall Branch

Bigby’s was first introduced in CDO in December 8, 1998 and how has 7 branches across the archipelago. Once inside the restaurant, you will find their interior design and service style very interesting because everything was created to position the concept midway between fine dining and fast-casual dining. 

First on my plate was my Bigby’s favorite, the Rack-a-Bye-Baby, a finger-licking goodness of premium cut smoky barbecued pork ribs.

I also had CDO Sinuglaw, a certifified Bigby’s favorite. It’s “sinugbang baboy” and “isdang kilawin” recipe with a twist of dilis as toppings. Not to mention, this dish is one of Urban Life’s nominee as one of the best Filipino dishes.

2nd Food Stop: Missy Bon Bon
Branch: Rosario Arcade, Limketkai Center (Flagship Store)

Missy Bon Bon Bread shop opened its kiosk in CDO in December 2009 launching its first line of breads and gelato.

In April 2010, it opened its flagship store in Limketkai Center. Missy Bon Bon is a hip, cozy, and relaxed world-class bread shop serving healthy, natural, and freshly-made bread onsite with unique fusion interpretations of local bread products, gourmet comfort food and custom gelato mixes. Missy Bonbon’s creamy gelato is everyone's favorite. 

Because there were so many varieties to choose from, I opted to try the strawberry gelato. I like it coz, it’s not too sweet just right for my taste buds. 

We also tried their famous Pastel, a sweet filled bun that has been awarded by Urban Life-Mindanao Gold Star Daily as the 2016 Best Delicacy of the Year.

We had a little bit of a side trip at Gaston Park but it was cut short because of the rain.

Third Food Stop: Boy Zugba Kusina Bisaya 
Branch: Corrales Ave. - Ramon Chavez St., Cagayan de Oro

Boy Zugba Kusina Bisaya opened in Corrales Ave. - Ramon Chavez St., CDO in February 8, 2015. It serves the best Kagay-anon home-cooked meals that a city has to offer, but up scaled a bit to create a new dining experience. Boy Zugba boasts an array of grilled food items, as well as meals that we normally see in karenderias or eat at home.

On Tuesdays, 7PM is the Trivia Night (hosted by James Tubeo) and Fridays, 7PM is the TGIB or Tara Go It’s Beernes” with stand up comedians and a guest band.

Boy Zugba’s signature dishes includes, Bandihadong Karne (meat in one bandihado), Liempo, pork BBQ and the Cheezzy Chorizo (an organic-fed meat stuffed with cheese), Pancit sa Pulis and the best leche flan I’ve tasted, “what’s your plan, Leche Flan?”

Last Food Stop: The Nest 
Address: Corrales Ave. - Ramon Chavez St., Cagayan de Oro
Brands: Maison de Bonbon and Giuseppe Pizzeria & Sicilian Roast

The Nest welcomed its first batch of patrons in June 2016, bringing the best of renowned European culinary masterpieces that won the hearts of every Kagay-anon.

The Nest, carrying two brands, Maison de Bonbon and Giuseppe, delivers the finest of both French and Italian Sicilian cuisines. The Nest embodies the best aspects of globalization by bringing the sumptuous food of Europe to the dining tables of the inherently sunny people of Cagayan de Oro, be it the families looking to bond through opulently-served entrees, or the individuals that yearn to unravel from work by being fed food bursting with zest and flavor. 

It is a sanctuary in the midst of the noisy, fast-paced, and bustling streets of Cagayan de Oro. 

One of the must try dishes are  Maison de Bonbon Cafe and Restaurant Burger Américaine U.S beef burger patty on a sesame bun with crisped bacon slices, sautéed Shiitake mushrooms, grilled tomatoes, melted gruyere cheese & fresh green lettuce. Served with seasoned salt French fries.

You might want to try this food adventure too! You can visit the Best of CDO Food Tour FB Page or send an email to bestofcdofoodtour@gmail.com for more details.

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