Celebrating 35 years of ‘amuma’ and sustainability
The buzzword is amuma, a Visayan word which means “hospitality,” at Bluewater Maribago Beach Resort, founded in 1989 and located along the shores of Mactan Island Cebu, a leading ecodestination.
Through the years, operations expanded, and more buildings and cottages with a distinct Filipino touch were added on the 7-hectare property. There are now more outlets, dining venues with international and local cuisine (including “exotic” Cebuano food like saang, large spider shells), and a total of 225 rooms. Guests are welcomed in their rooms with kakanin (native rice cakes) within a makeshift guitar, for Cebu is known for its guitars.
Bluewater Maribago has won a Green Hotel Award from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean). “Through coral reef conservation, beach cleanups and community outreach activities, we protect our natural surroundings and support local communities,” said Domiko Ugarte, assistant general manager.
This beach resort is the flagship of the Bluewater Resorts family, which includes Bluewater Sumilion in southern Cebu and Bluewater Panglao in Bohol. Bluewater Maribago is celebrating its 35th year of operations.
Mactan Island, which is within Lapu-Lapu City, is a booming town, quite different from what it was during our last visit some years ago. There are now so many buildings, hotels, stores, restaurants, and other tourist-related establishments near the bay area.
At Bluewater Maribago there were so many guests, mostly Filipinos and Koreans, in town, perhaps for the three-day festivities or maybe just booked there. The wide expanse of beach was a photographer’s delight. You could see families about going boating, swimming, or just enjoying the tropical ambiance with blue pennants flying in the wind, while farther along the shore you could glimpse the other buildings, resorts, and boats at anchor.
Resilient
For the visiting national media, lunch was served at the open-air dining hall along the beachfront, the table groaning with gourmet seafood like oysters with cheese and spinach, mud crab with chili sauce, steamed saang, tanigue tail salsa and grilled lobster with herb lemon butter, plus anchovy fried rice with danggit and clam tinola soup.
“We support local farmers and fishermen, ensuring every meal celebrates Filipino culture and sustainability,” said chef Stephen Del-Amen.
Surprisingly, Bluewater Maribago continued to operate during the recent natural disasters Supertyphoon “Yolanda” and the COVID-19 pandemic. “We never closed down during those times,” said Rhyz Buac, VP for finance and operations. Added Margie Munsayac, VP for communications and marketing, “We were so blessed, we had to be resilient. The local market was our savior during the pandemic.”
This meant Cebu-Mandaue-Lapu Lapu (Mactan), the triad of cities that spearhead tourism in the province, although there are many ecodestinations in Cebu, from north (Bantayan and Malapascua islands) to south (Sumilion Island and Oslob, known for its gentle whale sharks).
The three-day celebrations were highlighted by a dazzling display of lights at the main building of the resort, a toast, and a grand dinner by the bay, with the guests serenaded by classically-trained violinists.
Water sports is also the name of the game here. At Bluewater Maribago you have a choice of jetskiing, windsurfing, kayaking, parasailing, waterskiing, snorkeling, catamaran sailing, speed boating, diving, reef viewing, aqua biking, fishing, banana boat riding, and island hopping.
And island hopping it was for the media team, with some swimming in the sea, protected by life vests. Along the way we saw many beautiful islands, some settled, others uninhabited, big and small, with the obligatory white sand, clear blue-green waters, and coral reefs.
The environmental showpiece was Olango island, a bird sanctuary. Long may it remain so.
Call tel. no. (0998) 840-5808. Email maribago@bluewater.com.ph
