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| Breathtaking view of daybreak viewed from a room at the Shangri-La Mactan Resort & Spa Cebu |
LEAVE it to the Philippines' flag carrier to celebrate a milestone in style.
At 75, Philippine Airlines is aging with grace and in style. Bannering its new campaign that lets the “heart of the Filipinos shine," PAL will surely win the hearts of many more travelers.
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| The Heart of the Filipino- Philippine Airlines |
As part of the celebration, PAL launched another exciting service.
“You and a select few will be the first to experience an industry game-changer,” I was told thru an invitation from PAL .
Who would decline an invitation like that?
PAL promised an “Escape to Paradise” and that was what I and three other Dabawenyos experienced. We flew on Premium Economy class to the Queen City of the South to join other social media influencers from Manila and the host city.
We were shuttled to the posh Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa which will serve as our official residence for a couple of days.
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| Mabuhay from the Shangri-La's Mactan |
Upon arrival, we were handed our very own Mabuhay Miles Travel Card. The Mabuhay Miles Travel Card is the industry’s first membership and prepaid card all in one. Each mile earned with the Travel Card will bring me a step closer to earn a free flight with Philippine Airlines.
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| It was an invitation to Escape to Paradise in the Queen City of the South with a game-changer & an industry first- the Mabuhay Miles Travel Card |
Cardholders can also enjoy free hotel accommodations, meals at my favorite restaurants, and other perks from PAL’s participating Program Partners.
As a traveler, what excited me is the card can be loaded with ten different currencies, including Philippine Peso, US Dollars, Euro, British Pound, Canadian, Australian, Singapore and Hong Kong dollars, Chinese Yuan and Japanese Yen. It's minus the hassle of carrying cash in different currencies or worry about fluctuating exchange rates when on the road.
The Mabuhay Miles Travel Card may be used in establishments both online and offline, as well as thru Bancnet ATMs and ATMs in over 150 countries where UnionPay International is accepted.
To totally get the feel of the new product, my Mabuhay Miles Travel Card was loaded with 20,000 miles plus P10,000 cash. For the coming days, I will be discovering the world within the travel Card, and experience friendly accommodations, gastronomical delights, leisure shopping, pampering and re-discovering Cebu.
Shangri-La Mactan is a partner of the Travel Card and this was where our journey began. Kenneth and I stayed in a well-appointed room with the view of the expansive garden and the sea beyond it. It was a good way to start our journey.
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| Shades of blue. The view from our Shangri-La Resort & Spa Mactan room's balcony. |
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| Nest for a night |
Second order of the day: an hour of bliss.
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| Chi, the Spa |
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| All ready for a therapeutic journey |
At the Chi Spa, I experienced a rejuvenating therapy that I needed for a long night of celebration ahead. The Mabuhay Miles Travel Card is set to be formally launched in a couple of hours.
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| How to launch an industry-changer in Cebu- bring the Sinulog to the doorstep |
Day two was the appointed day for shopping using the Travel Card. For that we went to the SM’s third largest mall in the country, the SM Seaside City.
At the nautilus-inspired architectural landmark by the Mactan Channel, the Travel Card was my shopping spree buddy. First swipe was at a favorite clothing brand UNIQLO, where the Mabuhay Miles Travel Card transaction via Union Pay was quick.
After a day of shopping we headed back to Marco Polo Plaza, a partner hotel of PAL’s new Travel Card, and our home on the journey’s second night. This was where our miles got us a free room. For 13,000 miles (I shared my room with Ken, so we paid 6,500 miles each) from our Mabuhay Miles Travel Card, we got a fabulous room.
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| Swiping the Mabuhay Miles Travel Card at SM's 3rd largest mall in the country, the SM Seaside City on Day 2 |
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| Swipe it, please. |
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| My loot |
After a day of shopping we headed back to Marco Polo Plaza, a partner hotel of PAL’s new Travel Card, and our home on the journey’s second night. This was where our miles got us a free room. For 13,000 miles (I shared my room with Ken, so we paid 6,500 miles each) from our Mabuhay Miles Travel Card, we got a fabulous room.
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| An address so familiar. Night 2 was at my favorite city hotel, the Marco Polo Plaza |
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| Marco Polo Plaza Cebu is a program partner of Mabuhay Miles Travel Card |
Like what I do in any fabulous hotels, I prefer spending it indoors and enjoying the hotel’s food and amenities.
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| Cebu City seen from Nivel Hills, where Marco Polo Plaza stands. |
But all good things come to an end. Three days living in paradise in the Queen City of the South flew by too swiftly.
On board the PAL heading back home to Davao enjoying the spacious comforts of the Premium Economy section, thoughts of reliving every minute of this “escape to paradise” trip were already running through my head.
Yes, with several trips planned this year to several destinations with Philippine Airlines, I need to have my Mabuhay Miles Travel Card with me, I think I will.
Believe me when I say that with Philippine Airlines’ Mabuhay Travel Miles Card, life gets more rewarding.
Also published in the Sun.Star Davao newspaper on May 05, 2016.
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