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Caffe San Marco's Lunch Buffet: A Review

     It was a lazy day when my brother and I visited this restaurant in Legazpi City for our next buffet adventure. We were both feeling sleepy that time and we thought that perhaps some good food will perk up our moods. And we were right!

     Hey guys, welcome back to The Pinoy Wanderer! Here’s another restaurant in Legazpi City that absolutely deserves a spot in my list of awesome “Buffet Destinations in Albay.” 

     I’ve visited this restaurant in the past and have tried their breakfast buffet which, at that time, was an incentive for staying in their hotel. This time, with my brother, I’ll be trying out their lunch buffet to give you guys a peek on what to expect in case you go visit them. Without further ado, I introduce you folks to -- Caffe San Marco.



     Caffe San Marco is a restaurant inside Hotel Venezia in F. Aquende Drive, Legaazpi City. They have breakfast and lunch buffets all days of the week, from Mondays to Sundays. Schedule of their daily lunch buffet is from 11:30AM to 2:00PM for only P250.00 pesos per head. Below is Hotel Venezia’s location on Google Map for your reference.



     We arrived at the hotel around 11:30AM and because we’re already starving, went directly to the restaurant. Here’s what was served on the buffet table that Friday lunch:

Cosina de’ Marina's Lunch Buffet: A Review

     Hey guys, welcome back to The Pinoy Wanderer. I’m here to review another restaurant in Legazpi City that offers a fulfilling buffet experience. This next destination is a cool addition to a list I’m creating which will feature top “Buffet Destinations in Albay.” Let me introduce you folks to -- (drum roll please) -- “Cosina de’ Marina.”


     Cosina de’ Marina is located in Brgy. Cruzada, Legazpi City and owned by the incumbent Punong Barangay of Cruzada, Mr. Edsil N. Llaguno. The restaurant took the name “Marina” from the owner’s mother-in-law and is also a playful derivative of the bicol phrase “mari na” which means to invite others to join and partake. Of course “Cosina” means kitchen, so yeah, come and join the feast in Marina’s kitchen. Anyway, the restaurant started its operation just last March 2014 and offers lunch and dinner buffets all days of the week for only P180.00 per head. Lunch buffet is from 10am to 2pm while dinner buffet starts at 5pm to 10pm, Mondays to Sundays. Below is its location on Google Map so you won’t get lost.


     Unlike what happened on my previous review, this time, my brother and I arrived at the restaurant on time. How unbelievable for me, haha! And so we had a feast on all of their home-made cuisines. Check out the photos below to have an idea what to expect in case you try Cosina de’ Marina’s buffet:

Mr. Crab's Lunch/Dinner Buffet: A Review

     My friends from out of town would often ask me which restaurants to try whenever they’re in Albay or somewhere in Bicol -- and I would always end up not having a concrete suggestion. So now that I’ve become less busy, I finally will have the time to get a fresh perspective of the culinary destinations around Albay and perhaps, its neighboring places. Yep, I think it’s time for me to make a list. For my first stop in this series of reviews (that I shall tag as “Buffet Destinations in Albay”), let me introduce you folks to Mr. Crab & Seafood Diner.


     Mr. Crab & Seafood Diner is located along Airport Road corner Washington Drive, Legazpi City and have been serving the Albayanos since July 2011. The restaurant, not more than three months ago, is now under the management of Ms. Aida Del Castillo. For those who aren’t big fans of seafood, don’t despair because I’ve checked their menu and found out that they have traditional cuisines that Filipinos usually go for. That, plus local recipes that are innate of the province such as pinangat and laing which are usually a hit among visitors and locals alike.

Where Mr. Crab is on the map, courtesy of Google Maps. Click HERE for directions.

     Anyway, this series of reviews will target restaurants in Albay that offer “eat-all-you can” dining experience since if we want to indulge in food, buffets are the best way to do it. Mr. Crab offer their lunch/dinner buffet only once every week during Wednesdays. Buffet starts at 11:00 am to 2:00 pm (lunch buffet) and 6:00 to 9:00pm (dinner buffet) at P200.00 per head. The food served during the lunch buffet is the same as what's served on the dinner buffet.

     So what can we expect from Mr. Crab’s once-a-week buffet? My brother and I came in late (around half past 12 noon), so there’s not much left on the table. No matter, here’s what we managed to put on our plates…

Red Planet Ortigas: A Review

POST UPDATE: Tune Hotel Ortigas is now RED PLANET Ortigas. The last time we stayed in this hotel was October 2018 and we received the same service and treatment as before, thus, this review still hold. Nothing major was different except that they already have a restaurant on the hotel's lobby. The photos on this post may be old (except for the one below where I'm sporting my new hairstyle) but the place look the same.

October 2018: From Tagaytay, we checked in at Red Planet Ortigas before heading to Bicol.
This post was published September 2014. Read on...

    It’s been more than a year since my brother and I gave up our apartment in Pasig that’s why now, we rely on friends for a place to stay whenever we’re visiting Manila or – we stay at a hotel which suits our budget. It was in July 2014 when I first stayed at Red Planet Ortigas when my brother came home from the US.  Like I mentioned on a previous post, I was browsing Agoda.com last July when my laptop died on me. It was barely 2 weeks after typhoon Glenda and electricity lines have been severely affected in our area. I went to Red Planet Ortigas and found out that there’s a huge price difference when booking directly at the hotel and booking through online sites like Agoda.com. Anyway, the first time I booked through Agoda, I paid approximately P3,500.00 (inclusive of taxes and fees) for 2 days and 2 nights stay at the hotel. I booked on that same day. The second time, I booked a week ahead and paid approximately P3,100 for the same room we had last time (Double Room) and for the same duration (2 days and 2 nights stay), still inclusive of taxes and other hotel fees. Interesting to note, however, that we could have paid a bit less if not for the higher exchange rate that Agoda.com implemented that time. Including all the other fees, we were charged around 69.70 US dollars -- and with Agoda’s exchange rate of P44.45 pesos to a dollar, it converted to P3,100. At that time, the exchange rate at my bank was barely above 43 against the dollar. I've found out just recently, while writing this post, that the same room can be availed at a lesser amount through Hotels.com. Will sure to check Hotels.com next time I book a hotel. We all need to be budget conscious. ☺
 

     Anyway, I’m not sure what areas I’m supposed to evaluate when reviewing hotels, but as far as a common guy like me knows, here goes:

Quick Post About Hotel and Taxi Drivers

I'll be brief.

(1) It's sort of advisable to book hotels using sites like agoda.com. I was not able to book online because my laptop died on me while I was checking out my options yesterday. Typhoon Glenda brought down many trees in our area, specially in our backyard, and of course, damaged a few electricity lines -- so no power for almost two weeks now. I've decided I'll just go to the hotel and inquire about the affordable room I saw from agoda.com before my laptop's screen went black. Lo and behold for when I got there, the only available room for the day is worth P2300. Not convinced and refusing to be out of options, I went to the nearest Starbucks and charged my laptop. Look, I was able to find a cheaper room and it's a wayyy BETTER room than the ones they've offered me. I booked for 2 nights while I do my business in the city. I'll probably review my stay in the hotel through a future post.


Current Western Union Rates for Domestic Money Transfer In The Philippines

     Because of their current location in the US, my brother occasionally accepts money remittance from his co-workers. Just like what happened last week when they were in an isolated area and his colleague's family in the Philippines really needed the cash. He does not do this all the time, only when I have spare money in my wallet. I pay for it initially then he just pays me later in bulk (wayyy later if I may say) so we can save on the remittance charges. We split what's left of what his friends paid him, less of course the amount we spent on sending. We normally accept when his friends will send money to a BPI account or a BDO account (I can visit these banks readily and they're convenient) but since it was an emergency, we obliged to send via Western Union. 


     Of course I needed to know how much I will be paying for sending the money via Western Union so I Googled how much they charge for $300 (approximately P13,200 at that time). I don't know why it isn't readily posted on the Western Union website so I looked elsewhere. I found some info, yeah, but too bad, it was erroneous information. So imagine my surprise when I was asked to pay P540.00 to send P13,200.00 to somewhere in Quezon. Well anyway, for your reference, I took a photo of the poster displaying the current rates for sending money domestically (to and from anywhere in the Philippines) via Western Union.

Some Truth About ePinoyload.com

     Even before my dad's stroke last year, I spend approximately 60% of a year in my hometown. I love the quiet and the simplicity of life in the province, and except for the occasional "technology glitches", I have no complains being at home. When I say "technology glitches," I meant to say slow Internet connection or sometimes no signal at all, and yep -- not being able to find an e-loading station in the middle of the night when I desperately needed to reload my prepaid phone or Internet. That's why when Sam, my dad's therapist, mentioned an e-loading business opportunity from UPN (http://powerup.unlimitedpesonetwork.com), I said, why not? I get to earn a bit and then I can load myself anytime, anywhere. Such fun, right?




     I have no full knowledge how things work with UPN but I get that they've built their business platform around ePinoyload, because when I started encountering problems and he can no longer address my queries, Angelo (the guy who introduced Sam to the business) referred me to the ePinoyload website (http://epinoyload.com) and sir Jessie (the dealer from whom I am listed under) gave me a number of an ePinoyload staff who can accommodate my complains.

Mutya ng Daragang Magayon 2014 Winners

     The search for Mutya ng Daragang Magayon is one of the highlights of the Daragang Magayon Festival 2014 celebration in the province of Albay. The pageant is an annual search for the woman who best represents the beauty and character of Daragang Magayon. In his address to the people during the pageant night, Governor Joey Salceda said that "Imbedded in the guise of a pageant are the ideals for which we — as a people bound by one culture, and for which I — as a leader of a booming community — will continue to lead our journey."  He said further that behind Daragang Magayon pageantry is a celebration of the SPIRIT of MAGAYON -- which, according to the governor, pertains to the spirit of heroism, love of nature, constant kindness, preparedness, as well as the spirit of resiliency -- all of which embodies the Albayanos' continuing struggle for excellence and true beauty.


Mutya ng Daragang Magayon 2014 winners
Photo courtesy of Shanti Serrano

     Screening for the pageant was held last March 16, 2014 at the LCC Concourse and the Mutya ng Daragang Magayon 2014 Pageant Night took place last night, April 26, 2014, at the Albay Astrodome.

     From the 20 gorgeous ladies, here are the winners of the minor awards:


Ms. Talent Sarah Jane Balingasa
Photo courtesy of Wang Regalado

Parade of Higantes in Daragang Magayon Festival 2014

     The Parade of Giants, a colorful display of over 50 "higantes" representing Albay's mythological creatures, took center stage last March 25, 2014 as part of the Daragang Magayon Festival celebration. The characters on the "Parade of Higantes" were adopted from the book "The Brief Account of Beliefs, Legends, Superstitions and Religion of the Ancient Indios of Bicol" written by Fray Jose Castaño and published in 1885 in Madrid, Spain.[1] Characters such as Daragang Magayon, Datu Makusog, Panganoron, Pagtuga, Linog, Sagugurang, Oryol, Ibingan, Angogolood, and Tambaloslos came in giant papier-mâché sculptures which are over 10 feet tall and paraded from Bicol University (assembly area) to Peñaranda Park.


Giant Anitos (Photo by  Peoalbay Albay Province)

     Here are some of the "higantes" during the parade, photos all taken from Governor Joey Salceda's facebook page:

Ibingan (Photo by Shanti Serrano)

Ginoo ni Daragang Magayon 2014 Winners

     Ginoo ni Daragang Magayon is an annual male search in the province of Albay as part of the Daragang Magayon Festival celebration. Screening was held last March 16, 2014 at the LCC Concourse and the Ginoo ni Daragang Magayon Pageant Night happened last April 5, 2014 at the Albay Astrodome.

Ginoo ni Daragang Magayon 2014 winners.
Photo courtesy of Magayon Festival Facebook page.

Here are the winners for the minor awards:

14th Daragang Magayon Festival Grand Opening

     Despite the gloomy weather, the 14th Daragang Magayon Festival officially kicked off in high spirits on Monday, March 24, 2014.  The festival opened with a thanksgiving mass "Misa Sa Daragang Magayon" and the "Daragang Magayon Cheers" at the Albay Astrodome, followed by the ribbon cutting  at Peñaranda Park. In the afternoon, the Gayon Bicol Festival of Festivals parade commenced in Ilawod, Daraga, Albay and culminated in a showdown at the Bicol University Grandstand. In the evening, a fashion exhibit called "Night of Fashion, Culture, and Tradition" was held at The Oriental Hotel lobby, followed by the Daragang Magayon Concert at the Albay Astrome. The evening also marked the opening of "Rocklakan sa Daragang Magayon," a month long beer-fest with rock bands regularly performing, also in Peñaranda Park.

Photo by Othelo Padre, grabbed from Governor Joey Salceda's Facebook page.

     Daragang Magayon Festival is an annual month-long celebration in Albay, which, for this year, will be from March 24 to April 30. The festival is celebrated to relive the legend of the tragic love between Daragang Magayon (beautiful maiden) and Panganoron (clouds)[1] as well as to showcase the cultural and tourism wonders of the province.


     Here are some of the sights and fanfare which delighted visitors and Albayanos alike during the Daragang Magayon Festival 2014 Grand Opening Day:

Of Churches and New Adventures

     Hey wanderers, what's up?  I owe you guys an apology for not updating my blogs frequently this year. I have several truly valid reasons why I've been away which I've explained on a separate POST. Do click on the link if you're curious as to what I've been doing since my previous updates.


     Anyway, last November 8, my brother left for the United States to embark on a new adventure. He was a bit tensed days before his flight so we've decided to calm his nerves by visiting some familiar churches in our area. I told my brother that he needs to pray for courage and seek for God's blessings before his trip. And so, we spent an entire day going around Albay and was able to visit five genuinely magnificent churches:

Avocado and Orange Salad

     Whenever my brother and I would find something amusing or interesting, we make the effort to always share it with one another. It could be a hilarious YouTube video, a good book, an addicting TV series, a nice shirt, an excellent restaurant -- or in this case, a new salad recipe.

Avocado and Orange Salad Recipe
My brother did the plating, he's getting good at it. LOL
     Hello and welcome to The Pinoy Wanderer Cooking Show, LOL! This time, I would like to share this salad recipe that my brother taught me how to prepare two weeks ago and which I think would be a nice addition to your list of favorite appetizer salads. The contrasting tangy taste of orange, the smooth, subtle flavor of the avocado, the crispy vegetables, and the the crunchy croutons make an interesting combination that could definitely prepare your appetite before a good meal. Here's how my brother made me do it:

Intramuros: Walled City Of Manila

     In my school days, studying history never really appealed to me -- but since I'm good at remembering details, I usually represent my school and my district in History and Culture quiz bees. Yes, I was a brilliant kid and I had such a great start until I lost my way. Ha! Uhm, anyway, let me just tell you that even if history is such a serious business, who's to say that we won't be able to appreciate it just as much?


     What's up folks? Thank you for visiting The Pinoy Wanderer. I'm here with a bit of History and Culture up my sleeve so hopefully you can stay around because this is not going to be boring at all. Anyway, I have this long standing invitation from a friend to roam around Intramuros and take photos so I can feature the place in my blog -- but I guess I haven't really found the time. Another opportunity came up when Kev, a good friend, asked if I can post some of his work on my blogs. I said yes. Thus, this post here on The Pinoy Wanderer.

Alvi's Albay Cafe

     Since I'm in my hometown almost half the time, I've decided to feature more of the places and destinations in the Bicol region so my readers can get to know the place where I grew up.  I don't really go out a lot when I'm in Bicol but I will do my best to feature places of interest whenever there's an opportunity for such. My first post for 2013 is about a new restaurant in Daraga, Albay which opened last July, 2012: Alvi's Albay Cafe.


Alvi's Albay Cafe at night.
Alvi's is located at Brgy. Sagpon, 4200 Daraga, Albay.
Geographical location courtesy of Google Maps.  (Click the image to enlarge).

Upgrade Your Personal Dictionary

     If humans did not discover a way to communicate through words, I can't imagine a world where people grunt, point and stump to get a message across.  Google defines LANGUAGE as the method of human communication, spoken or written, that's made of words arranged in a structured or conventional way.  I speak 3 languages:  English, Filipino and my own dialect, Bicol.  (There's still a debate on the difference between languages and dialects so OK, I will count Bicol as a language[1]).  I'm quite aware that I have not perfected those three yet so I use them with care and try to mind my grammar as much as possible.


     Oopps, don't ever think for a second that I will bore you with all that stuff because the introduction is not  at all the point of this post.  Yes, it still has something to do with language but if you're not Pinoy or if you don't speak the Filipino language, please read NO further.  But if you are and you understand Filipino or Tagalog, then read on my friend.

     It's funny how sometimes we become creative with language and invent a version for our own amusement.  For instance, Filipino homosexuals have what they call "swardspeak[2]" (also known as "Bekimon" or "gay lingo") and when they talk among themselves, you might wonder whether you've gone insane or you've landed on the wrong planet.  I received a BBM broadcast from @Varrylicious a few weeks ago and just thought that I'd share the content with you guys.  It was quite a laugh and the list might surprise you on how language has definitely evolved in ways that you can't imagine.

Words/Terms That Needs To Be Added To Your Personal Dictionary

  • THE EGG - kapag mas magaling s'ya sayo, "the egg" ka n'ya.  Papa "the egg" ka ba?  

  • DUE CARE - if you're a fan of Batman movies, s'ya yung kalaban ni Batman, si "due care."  Oo, s'ya talaga.   You have to believe.

  • IN SEX - these are small invertebrate animals, especially those with several pairs of legs.  Halimbawa ng mga "in sex" ay ants, bees, bother fly, bugs...

Buko Pie from Melgian's Sweets

     My brother was in Laguna a few days ago and brought some pasalubong[1] on his way home.  He was nowhere near our favorite Orient's Buko Pie but he was able to get some buko pie, among other things, from another store.  And since I'm a buko pie fan, I cannot miss this opportunity to compare.

Melgian's Sweets Buko Pie

     Folks, this is the buko pie from Melgian's Sweets.  According to the information printed on the box, it's made from buco, milk, sugar, eggs, flour, margarine, and cheese.

I'm Loving The Province

     Hey guys, how are you all doing?


     I'm having my vacation here at home in the province and a bit busy with something that my brother and I are brewing -- thus my long absence from blogging. It's supposed to be just a few days visit at my parents' place but something came up and it needed my attention so I extended indefinitely.  Anyway, just wanna tell you all how much I miss blogging and while I'm picking some stuff in the city, I dropped by at a nearby coffee shop and said HI to all my blogger friends and loyal readers.

The Monsoon Flood Through The Lens Of My Camera

     A few more hours before I head home to my province for a short vacation, I found myself in my room with nothing much to do.  As I transfer images to the desktop to free some space on my camera, I saw the photos I took a week ago during the height of the monsoon flood.  Going through them, I can't help but silently admire how resilient we Filipinos are.  Surely we have other positive traits, but one prominent characteristic that surfaces at the most crucial of times is our ability to cope and survive -- and most of the time, with a smile.

Monsoon Flood in Pinagbuhatan, Pasig City ~ August 2012
A boy aboard his improvised vessel looks on as two men settles aboard a boat.
Third day of southwest monsoon flood, Pinagbuhatan, Pasig City, August 9, 2012.
     Looking at the photos on this post, you can see how difficult the situation was for some of our fellow Filipinos.  Unlike other affected areas in Metro Manila where water have receded immediately, flood water in Pinagbuhatan, Pasig have stayed for at least a week.  Even worse was during the Ondoy flood back in 2009 when the flood lasted for almost a month.  The images below are plain proof that no matter how hard circumstances can become, people will always find a way to live through it and never lose hope.

Monsoon Scrambled Eggs with Beef, Oats and Tomatoes

     Being trapped in my apartment because of the monsoon flood have required me to be more creative with my food and what supplies I have left.  Today, I'm gonna share with you guys my scrambled eggs recipe that I have named after the flood which brought havoc to Metro Manila.

The Pinoy Wanderer's Habagat Scrambled Eggs Recipe
"Monsoon" Scrambled Eggs with Ground Beef, Oats and Tomatoes

Ingredients

For the Ground Beef Adobo:
1/4 kilo Ground beef[1]
Oil for sautéing
5 cloves garlic, minced[2]
1/8 cup chopped kinchay
Soy sauce, salt, and pepper to taste

Platehead.com's SPAM E-Mail

Tuesday, August 7, 2012:  Just as the monsoon flood is threatening the safety of thousands of people in Metro Manila (read my post and check the photos on this LINK), I'm in my room managing my worries and praying that the flood water does not go further beyond the gates outside.  The muddy flood water which greeted me that morning was made worse by the rain that went on through the day.  And as I monitor the happenings in the country, I also went through my e-mails and saw a really nice offer for a "web content writer" position.  I scanned the message and made a mental note to attend to it as soon as the monsoon flood situation becomes stable.

     Here's the full copy of that e-mail:

From: writers@platehead.com
To: yourlook2day@yahoo.com

Hello Michael X. XXXXXXXXX

We are looking for committed individuals to add to our team as internet marketing assistants/Virtual Assistants/Web content writers/copywriters

Job description:

You will be given a wide array of internet marketing related tasks and projects, especially search engine optimization work.
Tasks would include writing blog posts, publishing articles, web development, creating joint ventures with other websites, etc.

Skills required:

You must be fluent in written and conversant in the English language
You must be proficient with web-mailing, browsing, word processing, spreadsheets, etc.
Experience with building/managing websites and HTML,CSS,PHP, etc. are preferred.
Internet marketing experience preferred, but not required.
College degree preferred, but not required.
"Willingness to learn new skills useful for Internet marketing"

Pay:

13000-14000 per month starting pay.

How to apply:

Please submit atleast 1 article about "Information Security & Techonology" to writers@platehead.com

This job is 3 hours a day and 5 days a week we offer high compensation for qualified employees.


Thanks 

     Sounds legit, right?  Aside from some typo errors (i.e. missing punctuations and incorrect spelling), all seems to be in order.  But boy, was I in for a great surprise...

10 Best Ways to Ease Back Pain

     Anyone on the planet is not exempted from experiencing back pain.  A study[1] once revealed that 90% of Americans experience back pain at one point in their lives.  A recent report from CBS News[2] declared a much improved statistics, stating that 8 out of 10 Americans suffer from back pain at one time or another.  The difference on the findings does not really indicate a huge development.  Thus, the struggle against back pain continues -- and on this post, I've put together a list of the known effective ways to fight off or prevent back pain.  Please deal with caution as this is just presented for educational purposes.

10 Ways to Ease Back Pain

     Back pain is that debilitating pain felt in the back which usually comes from the muscles, nerves, bones, joints or structures in the spine[3].  It can have a sudden onset or may be a chronic pain; it can be constant or intermittent, might stay in one place or extend to other areas of the body; it can be a dull discomfort or a sharp, piercing, or a burning sensation.  Back pain can be a cause for sleepless nights or an uncomfortable day all throughout. 

     Whether you are presently waging a war against back pain or trying to prevent it, here are some effective and recent solutions:

10 Ways To Ease Back Pain


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1) Inversion Therapy

Inversion Therapy: 10 Ways to Solve Back Pain

     Many causes of back pain is attributed to the natural force that gravity puts to the body.  Inversion therapy claims to reverse gravity's effects by allowing you to hang upside down or at a certain angle using an inversion table.  Inversion therapy allows the body to work with the downward pull of gravity, which will then increase the space between the vertebrae and relieve pressure on the areas of the back that are in pain, such as the discs, ligaments and nerve roots.  Inversion therapy claims to reduce back & neck pain, relieve stress, reduce sciatic discomfort, stretch and relax the entire body and other benefits such as improved posture and improved blood circulation.  Consult with your doctor first before doing the therapy and invest on a quality and trusted inversion table brand if you decide to do so.  

Famous People Who Filed For Bankruptcy

     Bankruptcy is one of the lowest points in life that many of us can only imagine -- but for some, bankruptcy is very much part of reality.   Bankruptcy can happen to almost anyone and more importantly, it can happen to the best of us.  Example of famed people who have filed for bankruptcy include Kim Basinger, Mike Tyson, and Toni Braxton.

On picture [L-R]: Kim Basinger, Mike Tyson, and Toni Braxton.

What is Bankruptcy?

Wensha Spa Pasay Branch

     For wellness and relaxation, Wensha Spa is one of the destinations that comes to mind ever since my brother introduced me to the place back in 2009.  I've visited the Wensha Spa branch in Timog, Quezon City a few times before but it was my first time to visit the Wensha Spa branch in Pasay -- and that's what I'm gonna talk about here on this post.
   

     Wensha Spa Center Co. Inc. is open 24 hours and offers a range of services such as massage, reflexology, facials, deep exfoliating scrubs and many other skin care treatments.  Their price range starts from P680.00 to around P2,000.00, the last time I checked the information board at the lobby.  Some of the services offered comes with an eat-all-you-can buffet and shabu-shabu, and of course, use of their facilities.