I flew Philippine Airlines (PAL = "plane always late") to MNL and the service was not bad. What I like about PAL is that they sell the emergency exit row seats for $50, just enough to keep some available so that I always get one. For a long flight it's worth it.
The first flight to Cebu was scheduled to take off ninety minutes after my arrival in MNL, but I did not book it because the last time I arrived in Manila, the line for immigrations was actually a crowd that spread across the entire floor and up the stairs behind it. It took an hour.
This time there was no crowd, immigrations was a breeze, and I would have made it. I just bought a seat on the next flight to Cebu (one-way) for only $52. (Service was on a Boeing 747-400! Whoever thought you could ride in a 747 for only fifty-two dollars?) For some reason the flight back to Manila a few days later was over $100. (Shrug.)
As an aside, I was checking flights from MNL to BKK on Kayak.com and from CRK (Angeles City) to BKK popped up on SEAir (one-way) for only $104! That's cheap! Is that a monger special or what?
LODGING
I stayed at the Holiday Plaza Hotel (CH Link) on F. Ramos Street near Fuente Osmeņa. 1900 PHP/night. http://www.holidayplazacebu.com/
The Beverly Boutique Hotel is still known to the cab drivers by its former name, "Eddie's Hotel." 1480 PHP/night http://www.beverlyboutiquehotel.com
My plan C was going to be the Kiwi Lodge at 1060 G. Tudtud Street, Mabolo, Cebu City. Tel. (6332) 232-9550. I never did check it out so I have no idea.
Don't be fooled by the photos on their web sites. In a rich country you would never stay at one of these. Upon arrival at the Holiday Plaza, I wished I had reserved a room at Eddie's instead --until I checked out a room Eddie's. Then I felt better about my choice.
FOOD
I find some Filipino food fantastic.
If you saw it sober, you'd never eat it, but it's delicious. Yesterday I saw something on the buffet that was (I swear) purple! The food is very much a part of the adventure. This morning I saw something at the breakfast buffet that looked like Cream of Wheat, so I asked. I couldn't understand the reply after four attempts, but it sounded like "porridge." So I had some and I'm pretty sure it was hominy grits. They had various garnishes to put on it: dried baby shrimp, etc. It was good. They also had, as a main course, fish heads. Just the heads.
The buffet also usually includes two or three horrid-looking meat dishes. Diniguan is the Filipino version of "chitlins" (hog entrails). You see it all the time, and it seems to be on every buffet. I don't want to be gross so I won't say what it looks like, but you can Google for it. There is NFW I would ever try it.