Mindanaoan Irene, Author at Mindanaoan - Multi awarded CDO and New York Lifestyle Blog

May272016 by Mindanaoan Irene16 Comments

ABS-CBN TV Plus now available in Cagayan de Oro – Where To Buy

Announcements, Cagayan de Oro City, Corporate, Entertainment, Events, Features, Misamis Oriental, News, Technology, Television

It's finally available in Cagayan de Oro! The ABS-CBN TVplus or "Mahiwagang Black Box" was officially launched in Cagayan de Oro through a ceremonial switch-on today, May 27, 2016. This means that more Filipinos nationwide can now watch exclusive channels and superior entertainment content in dramatically clear digital picture and sound. The ABS-CBN TVplus is now available in Cagayan de Oro! This makes CDO the second major region in Mindanao to experience digital TV - the other one being Davao. When I received the invitation to attend the launch, I knew it was something I just couldn't pass up on especially since ABS-CBN has been very nice and accommodating to me and my projects. Plus of course they're the first media and entertainment company in the Philippines to make the historic ...

May72016 by Mindanaoan Irene1 Comment

Why Chiz Escudero is my Vice President

Advocacy, Announcements, Blogging, Features, Government, Headline, Journalism, Media, Mindanaoan Update, Musings, News, Opinion, Personalities, Politics, Society

Chiz Escudero. I first saw him in Congress. He was the fast rising young representative of Sorsogon then. All eyes were on him. Him and his impossibly forever kunot polo barong. Kunot because he’s here, there, everywhere. I remember whenever I observe at the plenary hall, he often stands up, asks questions from the floor, consults other legislators. In my mind, ang kulit din ng kongresistang ito. He wasn’t like many congressmen who’d just sit and wait for their attendance to be called. Siyempre, crush na crush ko siya noon. Ten Outstanding Young Men awardee, World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, Rotary Golden Wheel Awardee for Political Governance and Legislation and the list goes on and on. Saan ka pa? Young, very smart, articulate, took and passed the bar on the first try and cute...

May72016 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Thinking of joining the artisan craze?

Mindanaoan Update

The artisan craze has come to food, clothing, household items and more. The idea of something original and uniquely designed with care appeals to many, especially those who act as curators of their home and kitchen. However, the idea of specialized design has been around a long time, in many different industries, particularly those which have one-off items that require unique solutions. Niche Design and Commercial Fishing If you head to the wild waters of the Bering Sea, Alaska, you will notice a large number of factory trawlers. These are net-dragging boats which stay out for weeks at a time and contain a factory crew who can fillet or otherwise process the fish on board, box, and deep freeze them. The ability to do this requires special factory equipment that has to be able to deal wit...

May72016 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Chiz Escudero chides Cayetano: “Who spent half a billion pesos?”

Announcements, Government, Politics

Vice Presidential candidate Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero lashed out at his fellow bet, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, for accusing Sen. Grace Poe of conspiring with Malacañang and Liberal Party standard-bearer Mar Roxas to bring down presidential frontrunner Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. “Sen. Cayetano, after being silent for quite some time, is once against acting and talking like a wild and rabid dog. He is throwing wild accusations simply because he himself cannot answer the issues being thrown at his running mate because it will contradict everything that he is and has stood for in the past,” Escudero said. Escudero also took exception to Cayetano’s claim that the “businessmen supporters” of Poe are funding the negative advertisement against Duterte. “Before he questions Sen. G...

May22016 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Manoy’s Boneless Lechon CDO is every meat lover’s fave

Business, Cagayan de Oro City, Features, Food, Misamis Oriental, Reviews, Society

There are lechon belly shops in Cagayan de Oro and then there's Manoy's Boneless Lechon. Although they opened for business just recently, Manoy's Boneless Lechon CDO is really fast getting everyone's attention - including that of local celebrities, influencers, business and media personalities. The reason for this is because Manoy's lechon promises carefully prepared fresh, quality meat with generous herbs and spices cooked to perfection in that distinct Cebu style. The meat is very tasty and flavorful and the skin guaranteed crispy! And because it's boneless, every kilo is sure to be value for money. Try Manoy's Boneless Lechon today and see why everyone's talking about it! Manoy's Boneless Lechon is truly changing the game in Cagayan de Oro. Try them once and you won't look ...

May22016 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Win Gatchalian to DepEd: prepare for exodus of senior HS students from private to public

Advocacy, Campus, Mindanaoan Update, Politics

Nationalist Peoples Coalition (NPC) senatorial bet Win Gatchalian todaydownplayed fears that the implementation of the K to 12 program this coming school year will result to more high school dropouts especially those from private schools. “On the contrary, many private schools are now problematic because many students and even teachers in private schools are transferring to public schools for the senior high school (SHS) program. This is because public school teachers are given higher pay than those in private schools and receive numerous benefits from government,” said Gatchalian, who is among the supporters of K to 12 in Congress. Gatchalian said the Department of Education’s earlier projection revealed that about 172,000 students will transfer to public schools this year for the S...

May12016 by Mindanaoan Irene1 Comment

How Native Shoes will make you say YES to the mess!

Cagayan de Oro City, Fashion, Features, Misamis Oriental, Shopping, Style

I'm the kind of gal who's easy to please especially when it comes to shoes. I love footwear that's easy to pack and bring, comfortable to wear and that's value for money. So when Native Shoes invited me to check out their newly opened store at the 2nd Floor of Ayala Centrio Mall, Cagayan de Oro, I just had to go! You see, Native Shoes has always caught my fancy. Their products are hip, original, eye-catching and - here's my most favorite part - they're absolutely light! And by light, I really mean astoundingly light! When you try them on, you'd actually tend to think you aren't wearing any footwear at all. Unisex pairs Their products are also odor-proof, waterproof and washable. This is because they use dual-density EVA technology. Ergo, not only are the shoes co...

May12016 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Topical scalp lotion Novuhair now has 19 natural ingredients

Announcements, Beauty, Features, Reviews

Now with 19 natural ingredients, you can truly say goodbye to hair loss and scalp problems with Novuhair! The newly enhanced formula of Novuhair guarantees a more effective solution for hair growth and with 19 natural ingredients, the leading medicated topical scalp lotion is now almost 100% natural. “The Novuhair Topical Scalp Lotion used to only have 12 natural ingredients. Its improved formulation has a much better fragrance and a cool and minty feel. It also has anti-dandruff properties, as well as nourishing and moisturizing effects on the hair and scalp,” said Sheila Mae Velilla, CEO of Nutramedica, developer and distributor of Novuhair. Aside from producing a more effective solution for hair growth, the changes were necessary to make the product 100% compliant to the ASEAN Cos...

Apr282016 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Dare to try the Revolution 15 challenge at Pete’s Patriots CDO

Business, Cagayan de Oro City, Entertainment, Features, Food, Freebies, Leisure, Misamis Oriental, Society, Tourism

It's the latest craze in Cagayan de Oro and everyone is invited to take the challenge! Do you dare take the Revolution 15 challenge? Named after historical areas during the war era, Pete's Patriots’ Revolution 15 shots honors the heroic acts of our national heroes. All shots are carefully crafted using classic Filipino alcohol as key ingredients to these drinks - Basi Wine, Tuba (!!!), Lambanog, Blue Curacao, among others. These iconic drinks are then mixed with modern flavors such as Jagermeister, Tequila, Vodka and Bacardi 151 in order to produce a drink fit for heroes, and heroes only! I had the chance to introduce Revolution 15 to media friends recently and they all agreed - enjoying Revolution 15 is quite the experience! And here comes the challenge - if you drink all ...

Apr282016 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Chiz Escudero sends sympathies, deplores brutal beheading of Canadian in Mindanao

Crime, Island Garden City of Samal, News, Personalities, Politics, Sulu

Sen. Francis “Chiz" Escudero sent his sympathies to the local Canadian community, while at the same time deplored the brutal beheading of Canadian national John Ridsdel. “We condole with the local Canadian community and send our deepest prayers to all Canadians, especially to the family and friends of Mr. John Ridsdel. This act of a terrorist group has no place in a civilized Philippines. We condemn each and all acts of terrorism and violence,” Escudero said. “The Philippines is and will continue to be a welcoming and hospitable destination to all of those who would want to visit us despite the tragedy that fell on Mr. Ridsdel. We understand that agencies of the Philippine government are doing their best to bring to justice all those responsible for this abominable act,” said the ind...

Apr262016 by Mindanaoan Irene4 Comments

New Iligan City tourist spot: Paseo de Santiago

Features, Iligan City, Lanao del Norte, Leisure, Muslim Mindanao, Northern Mindanao, Society, Tourism, Travel

Iligan City has a new popular attraction - Paseo de Santiago. Located near Talipapa (Santiago Market), Paseo de Santiago is a privately owned area that has been turned into a seaside complex with open seating, several food stalls, a mini stage for nightly events, a wide view of the Iligan Bay, lots of benches where you can watch the sunset and two huge "Iligan City" and "Philippines" signs. Yup, Paseo de Santiago is where you can take cool selfies, groufies, wefies (what other terms are there, millenials? :D)! Entrance fee to Paseo de Santiago is Php 20 per person. There are corkage fees, by the way. Please take note. There are vintage Japanese-style bicycles for rent, just in case you're keen. And, as you can see, there's spacious parking space. It was almost dusk when my fri...

Apr262016 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Try This When In Iligan: Delicious Roti de Iligan

Culture, Food, Iligan City, Lanao del Norte, Mindanaoan Update, Muslim Mindanao

After spending a few hours at Timoga Spring Pool, my friends and I then proceeded to the city proper. We were a bit hungry but weren't in the mood to eat neither at a fastfood outlet nor at a fancy restaurant. We just needed a quick bite. So Vic of WowCDO led us to a small, unassuming little cart along Lluch Street (behind St. Michael’s College) that sold roti for only Php 25. It was amazing to see several people patiently queuing. There was good reason, though – the delicious roti de Iligan was served piping hot, had a generous filling and was very affordable. It wasn't the Indian roti I was used to. Instead, roti de Iligan was a sort of amalgamation of Indian and Muslim influences. Made of flour, vegetables, mayonnaise, cheese and other ingredients, roti de Iligan is simple...

Apr262016 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Iligan City Day Trip idea: Timoga Spring Pools

Iligan City, Lanao del Norte, Leisure, Mindanaoan Update, Resorts, Tourism, Travel

Iligan City, also known as The City of Majestic Waterfalls (23 all in all!), has truly evolved into a more highly urbanized area here in Mindanao. Located in the province of Lanao del Norte, what used to be an industrial city now has a merry mix of commercial, business and tourism offers. Iligan City now has more restaurants, shopping centers and hotels. Don't worry, though. The city still retains a certain charm that even well-traveled souls could appreciate. A couple of my friends and I went to Iligan recently for a quick day trip. The main purpose was for business but we all quickly agreed to add a little “laag” time. And, of course, our first stop was one of the pools at Timoga-Buru-un area. There are a couple of spring pool resorts at Sitio Timoga. The pools there all source the...

Apr252016 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Attending a makeup workshop sponsored by Seda Rewards

Beauty, Business, Cagayan de Oro City, Corporate, Features, Freebies, Gifts, Hotels

Seda Hotel CDO, the Ayala Corp. hotel housed under the same roof as Centrio Mall, recently treated ladies like myself to a makeup workshop! It was their way to encourage everyone to sign up for the Seda Rewards Club program, where clients can earn points that can be used to redeem wonderful gifts and treats and where members can gain access to exclusive events. Our speaker during the makeup workshop was my fellow Mindanao Gold Star Daily columnist, professional makeup artist Paola Paladio. She gave us tips on skin care, how to determine our face shape, which makeup tools to use and buy, how to contour (!!!), how to store our makeup goodies and - the best tip of all - how to make sure our eyebrows are always on fleek! ;) It was truly a relaxing day. Plus I met new friends! Thank you v...

Apr212016 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

How To Find Cheap Airfare – Tried And Tested Methods

Headline, Internet, Mindanaoan Update, Musings, Personal, Technology, Tourism, Travel

We all know that the key to a real, budget-friendly trip is cheap airfare. Once you snag a good deal on airfare, you will then have a fairly good idea of how much the rest of your budget will be. After all, it’s pretty easy to scour for budget accommodation, reasonably priced food and public transportation. Airfare is the pretty tricky aspect to consider when planning a trip. Let me share with you some of my personal tips on how to find cheap airfare. I practise these very effective methods (and this is why I have lots of domestic and international trips). Do read and please let me know if you find these tips useful as well. Purchase tickets as early as possible. Promo fares are usually offered more than 6 months (even a year prior) before the allowed travel period. You can book ...

Apr212016 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Running For Office? How Social Media Can Help You Win

Announcements, Blogging, Commentary, Internet, Media, Mindanaoan Update, News, Politics, Society, Technology

The official campaign season for the May 9, 2016 presidential polls has finally begun! Soon, the local campaigns will also begin. Are you one of the candidates this 2016 elections? Whether you’re a veteran or a newbie candidate and whether you’re gunning for a national or local seat, you need to adapt to the ever-changing landscape. This includes learning and implementing popular yet often misused and under-utilized social media strategies. For this week’s column, please allow me to deviate from my usual travel-related topics and let me share some tips on how you can use social media to help you win a government seat. These are just some of the things I learned all throughout the years as a publicist, social media strategist and US government leadership program alumnae (where my trips a...

Apr172016 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

LaBoracay 2016: Zoukout Boracay

Entertainment, Events, Features, Mindanaoan Update, Music, Society, Tourism

ZoukOut, Asia's definitive annual music festival, is finally heading to the white sands of Boracay Island for the most-awaited LaBoracay 2016 event series. After 15 years in the business, ZoukOut is finally crossing borders and, together with Globe Telecom, will amplify the LaBoracay experience on April 30 and May 1 at Epic and Uptown Beachfront. Adding to the excitement of the music fest, Globe rolled out a poll that allowed Filipinos to pick which home grown talents they want to represent the country at ZoukOut. The race between 4 big names in the Philippine electronic dance music industry was a very close one but in the end, Deuce and Carlo Atendido won. Both officially bagged the opportunity to showcase their talent on the first ever Philippine ZoukOut stage. These Filipino t...

Apr82016 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Alopecia awareness advocate Abby Asistio meets Mark Zuckerberg

Advocacy, Announcements

Filipina Alopecia awareness advocate Abby Asistio flew to San Francisco and had the wonderful opportunity of being chosen as one of the eighteen invited by Facebook on their 12th Anniversary Friends Day celebration and, as a result, got the chance to meet THE Mark Zuckerberg! Abby Asistio met Facebook Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg along with fellow California-based Alopecia awareness advocate, Rachel Regal. Abby recounted that it was such a surreal feeling to be in the same room as Mark Zuckerberg. According to Abby, Mark, who wore his trademark look (jeans, sneakers, shirt and a big smile on his face), had such a friendly, approachable aura and demeanor about him. Not at all intimidating, she said. During the event, he shared stories about how the company started, its missi...

Mar312016 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Duterte son endorses Chiz Escudero for Vice President

Announcements, Bisaya, Controversial, Davao City, Davao del Sur, Government, Mindanaoan Update, News, Personalities, Politics

Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte has officially endorsed the candidacy for vice president of Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero. Duterte and Escudero met with several other councilors in Davao City last March 31, 2016. This, according to a news report released by Davao Breaking News. Vice Mayor Duterte is the son of presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte. The Dutertes lead the local political party Hugpong Sa Tawong Lungsod. During the meeting, Duterte was quoted as saying, "Sinusuportahan ko ang kandidatura ni Vice President Chiz Escudero dahil sa lahat ng mga kumakandidato sa pagka bise presidente, siya lang po ang nakita kong tumulong at tutulong sa Davao City." “I choose Sen. Chiz Escudero as my VP given that he has significantly helped the City through his infrastructure proj...

Mar292016 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

How to consult a Filipino doctor on the phone for only 1 peso

Advocacy, Consumer, Corporate, Fitness, Health, Society, Technology

We've all been there. A medical emergency and we get rattled, don't know what to do and don't know who to call first. Do we go to the clinic? But what if it's in the wee hours in the morning and you don't have your doctor's home phone number? What about if we can't go to the clinic right away and you need to consult a licensed Filipino doctor right there and then? Plus what about the costs? HELLO, first paragraph pa lang, taranta na, di ba? :D Fret no more! KonsultaMD has made it possible for us to call and consult a licensed Filipino doctor round-the-clock, on the phone, for only 1 peso! Did that get your attention? Curious? Read on. We all know that self-medication is a common practice in the Philippines where a large percentage of the population relies on folk medicines, tradit...

Mar292016 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

What to order at Pete’s Patriots Gastro Pub CDO

Business, Cagayan de Oro City, Features, Food, Mindanaoan Update, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao, Reviews, Society

My family and I have a new favorite restaurant in Cagayan de Oro. It's where we share and enjoy the BEST crispy pata in CDO and other bang-for-the-buck meals - Pete's Patriots Filipino Gastropub. Located along Rosario Strip within the Limketkai Center area, Pete's Patriots CDO is a newly launched Filipino Gastropub restaurant - the first of its kind in the Philippines. Pete's Patriots aims to provide Kagay-anons the Manila lifestyle bar and dining experience by providing mouthwatering food, quality service and edgy ambiance. Incidentally, Pete's Patriots is owned and operated by the Red Crab Group of Restaurants - with restaurants such as Seafood Island, Red Crab and other Manila based concepts such as Murray's New Orleans, Clawdaddy, Teddy's Burgers, Johnny Kahuku Hawaiian Shrim...

Mar192016 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

My faves at #BigBiteAtCentrioAyalaMall Northern Mindanao food festival

Cagayan de Oro City, Events, Food, Mindanaoan Update, News, Northern Mindanao, Photos, Reviews

March 11 to 13, 2016 sure was a lovely weekend! Big Bite 2016: The Northern Mindanao Food Festival at Centrio Ayala Mall truly showcased not only the flavors of summer but the undeniably skillful cooking talents of Kagay-anons. I had the chance to witness this Mindanao food festival as one of the judges for the Lifestyle Writers' Choice award for this year's Best Dish, much thanks to the Centrio Mall management and Professional Organizers. I tried about 10 dishes for the mall merchants category and about 15 (IKR :D) for outside food exhibitors. Needless to say, I was a very happy camper that weekend ;) Let me share with you some of the photos I took during Big Bite 2016 - The Northern Mindanao Food Festival. These colorful umbrellas were installed at the garden area. As expected, ...