The first plant that we have visited on the first day of the trip is the Philippine Spring Water

Resources, Inc., or locally known as the Natures Spring Mineral Water. For the introduction, the company has prepared a short video about their company: how it started, continuing its business, and fulfilling its vision and mission until now. Even having a wide variety of products, Natures Spring gives water the same treatment and process to be purified i.e., carbon filtration, water softening, reverse osmosis, microfiltration and ozonation. They have purified drinking water, distilled drinking water, an alkaline drinking water that has a pH of 9.0, crystal tube ice, etc. Gaining the basic background of the company, our group entered the first process facility in the plant, the Bottle Blowing Process. In this process, I have observed that the plastic bottles were made by heating and blowing a small packed plastic to mold into the desired shape. The plastic bottles were then rinsed with water, then filled with their products ready for final packaging and shipping.

Next on the list is Treasure Island Industrial Corporation, famous for their Island Paint products. The representative of the company greeted us, students and faculty from the Chemical Engineering Department, a very warm welcome in visiting their plant. According to them, this is the first time they have had visitors from Luzon and with this large number of students visiting. They also have prepared a short video and presentation to give us the company background, plant processes and their products. Grouping the students into five, we are moved to each process in the plant specifically in producing their paints. Giving a brief outline, their paints consist mainly of pigments, binders, solvents and additives. Aside from paints, they also manufacture architectural and industrial coatings, and different chemicals to support their other products. I have observed that their process manufacturing involves manual work especially on the final packaging; machines are only limited to processes which are harmful to humans.

Profood International Corporation is the first plant visited on the second day of the field trip. While waiting for the other sections to finish the tour of the plant, a representative from Profoods Corp. introduced their company and how they make it in the international mainstream. Upon seeing their facilities, I would estimate that 70% to 80% of the processes are done with manual labor. From cutting peeling the fruits, slicing, sorting, up to the final packaging of the product, human involvement plays a big part in the plant. Afterwhich, a short video presentation is shown for the company familiarization. The students only reached the viewing section of the processes because of their strict regulation on proper hygiene. Every worker inside wears the appropriate attire/equipment to ensure that no product will be contaminated.

Magic Melt Plant located at Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu was also visited. For me, it was an extensive bakery facility where pastries and other products are made in voluminous quantity. Everything was big, their raw material storage, baking ovens, dough rollers, dough mixers. But unlike ordinary bakeries, they have their own research and development division that makes their products improved every now and then. Even though machines are employed in the entire baking process, there is still a need for human control to ensure the quality of the products they produce.

All the way to Naga, Cebu, Salcon Power Corporation is the last plant visited on the second day of the trip. A process engineer greeted us and speak of how chemical engineers are highly in demand in a power plant. The plant tour started out in a facility with heat exchangers and other unit operations are

involved. One of their facility is the coal-fired power plant. The process involves the burning of coal to boil water that will eventually produce steam which drives a steam turbine to operate an electricl generator. The final stop of the tour is the Control Room of the entire plant where every equipment is monitored and controlled.

The final plant visit was completed at The Coca-Cola Company in Tagbilaran, Bohol. They greeted the group by initially giving a bottle of sparkle to each person entering the plant. Then, like the other companies, they have a short video prepared to basically introduce the company as a whole: the foundation and growth of their company here in the philippines. The largest coca-cola plant in the Philippines is located in Laguna. The plant in Tagbilaran only performs the carbonation of the soda drinks and mixes the appropriate amounts to make the desired product ready to sell in the market. Some of their products here in the Philippines are sparkle, jazz, viva mineral water, etc. Subsequently, questions were raised and answered by two of the plant representatives.

Side Trips Magellans Cross was our first side trip, aside from plant visits, located at downtown Cebu. According to our tour guide, the original cross is encased inside the displayed wooden cross. Beside the historical cross is the Basilica Minore del Santo Nino that was built during the Spanish era as a small church. As years went by, renovations were done elevating it to the rank of Basilica Minore by the Vatican. On the third day of the field trip, we went on a separate bus to visit the University of San Carlos in Cebu, Chemical Engineering Department. The department has two unit operations laboratory: one for small equipment, and the other basically houses their batch distillation unit and other large equipment for different experiments. The Dutch and other European Governments sponsor the departments expensive laboratory equipment giving the school a quality education for the students. The Taoist Temple located Beverly Hills Subdivision was our last Cebu side trip. To reach the temple, you must climb 9x9 steps; and believers say that as you climb the 81 steps, you must touch each cloud on the sides if one wants to be fertile.

After the Coca-Cola Plant visit, we headed directly to Sunshine Home Orphanage at Cabawan District, Bohol. The departments contribution to the organization was arranged at the table to surprise the kids. Unfortunately, all the kids were at school at that time and only 5 children greeted us. Then, our group proceeded to the Philippine Tarsier Foundation, Inc. The volunteers initially gave us a little briefing on how we should treat the little mammals as we go around the bamboo forest. They can also be found at specific regions in the Philippines but Bohol Government took the action in preserving their kind. I have learned that they are very sensitive. They are just as big as my fist and needs to be taken care of very well. They also have the tendency to commit suicide, by banging their heads on the tree or holding their breaths, when under stress. We took the Loboc River Cruise for a Lunch Buffet. It was such a refreshing way of having lunch together with the nature. We were taken by a floating raft, cruising Loboc River, while enjoying an unlimited meal. You get a breeze of fresh air while appreciating the beauty of nature. We were also entertained by

the locals with their song and dance prep. After having a heavy lunch, we walked ourselves to the top of the viewing deck to see a nice view of the Chocolate Hills. This one probably is the most famous attraction in Bohol. You can never say you went to Bohol if you did not see the Chocolate Hills. The hills are basically covered with grass which at the end of the dry season turns into chocolate brown. There were lots of local legends on how the hills developed but only one theory is accepted. According to geologists, they are weathered formations of limestone on top of an impermeable layer of clay. The organizers also prepared a Wishing Lantern activity after dinner. And as they say, the rest is history.