Camiguin among New York Times' '52 places to go in 2026'

Camiguin among New York Times' '52 places to go in 2026'

GMA Integrated News
28 January 2026

Camiguin is among the New York Times’ “52 Places to Go” in 2026.

Listed No. 37, Camiguin is described as a “water lover’s paradise with sandbars and hot springs."

“Camiguin is foremost a destination for those who love the water, with treasure-chest-size neon clams, an abundance of sea turtles around white sandbar islets, hot and cold springs, and waterfalls for bathing,” the New York Times writer Patrick Scott wrote.

The article also noted Camiguin’s soon-to-open boardwalk in the town of Mambajao later this year, as well as its sunken cemetery and its reputation as a sports tourism destination for swimming and running races, including triathlons.

Earlier in January, Governor Xavier Jesus Romualdo said in a statement that tourist arrivals in Camiguin increased from 288,558 in 2024 to 397,818 in 2025, a nearly 37.86% increase.

Other Southeast Asian countries featured on the list include Penang, Malaysia, Bangkok, and Vietnam.

“52 Places To Go” is an annual travel list published by the New York Times. — Hermes Joy Tunac/LA, GMA Integrated News

Asia’s first portal opens in the Philippines

Asia’s first portal opens in the Philippines

GMA Integrated News
26 January 2026

The global art portal has finally expanded to Asia, landing in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

The installation marks the first Portal in the Philippines and only the sixth worldwide. It has existing locations in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Lithuania, where the project originated.

Located on 5th Avenue at Bonifacio High Street in Taguig, the BGC Portal features a 24/7 livestream connecting it with Portals in Vilnius (Lithuania), Lublin (Poland), Dublin (Ireland), Philadelphia (United States), and Ipswich (United Kingdom).

Additional Portals are set to launch in Brazil and other countries later in 2026.

“Bringing the Portal to BGC in Manila, a city known for genuine warmth and a deep sense of human connection, expands our vision of a world connected not by borders, but by direct human encounter,” Portals Organization founder Benediktas Gylys said in a press release.

The BGC Portal is spearheaded by the Portals Organization, a global network based in Vilnius and Berlin that creates creates immersive spaces connecting people across borders to experience Earth as one.

First conceived in 2016 by Gylys, the first Portals installation opened in 2021 connecting Vilnius and the Polish city of Lublin.  

— Hermes Joy Tunac/LA, GMA Integrated News