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

Aug262011 by Mindanaoan Irene2 Comments

Zamboanga Sibugay wins 2011 Kagay-an Festival Plowtawo Folkloric Competition

Arts, Cagayan de Oro City, Culture, Entertainment, Events, Festivals, Fiesta, Government, Mindanaoan Update, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, News, Northern Mindanao, Society, Tourism, Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Peninsula, Zamboanga Sibugay

The contingent from Zamboanga Sibugay, Mindanao bagged the top prize during the Kagay-an Festival 2011 Folkloric Dance Competition (Plowtawo and Dance Showcase) held earlier today, August 26, 2011 at the Pelaez Sports Center, Cagayan de Oro City. The visiting contingent bagged the top prize in this year's "Plowtawo" and folkloric dance competition held in line with the 2011 Kagay-an Festival. The Kagay-an Festival coincides with the city fiesta held in honor of patron Saint Augustine. The Zamboanga Sibugay contingent received Php 250,000.00 cash prize and a trophy. Other winners of the Kagay-an Festival 2011 Folkloric Dance Competition were: Barangay Gusa (2nd place) which received P200,000 cash prize and St. Peter's College of Balingasag, Misamis Oriental (3rd place) which received ...

Aug262011 by Mindanaoan Irene2 Comments

Boxing coach Freddie Roach: Manny Pacquiao is broke

Commentary, General Santos City, Headline, Mindanaoan Artists, Mindanaoan Update, News, Opinion, Personalities, Politics, Sarangani, Society, SoSCksargen, Sports, Weird

Freddie Roach, the longtime coach of Filipino boxing champ and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao, shocked a lot of people when he allegedly said downright that the world boxing champion is broke. Yup, as in broke, wala nay kuwarta, no more money, wala nang pera. Freddie Roach's statement baffled a lot of people and not a few expressed their doubts. After all, didn't Manny Pacquiao just buy a multi-million mansion at Forbes Park? Doesn't he give millions away in his GMA 7 show "Manny Many Prizes"? Doesn't he and wife Jinkee Pacquiao have a lot of businesses not only in General Santos City, Sarangani, Davao City but even in Manila as well? Is it really possible that Manny Pacquiao, whose latest guaranteed purse from the bout with Shane Mosley last May 2011 was a staggering US 20 Million, i...

Aug252011 by Mindanaoan Irene2 Comments

State of water resources in the Philippines and looming crisis to be featured in Dokyu5

Advocacy, BIMP-EAGA, Consumer, Davao City, Davao Del Norte, Davao del Sur, Journalism, Media, Mindanaoan Update, Television

This is one very interesting documentary that we all should watch. Dokyu5, a program that airs via TV5 Manila, will feature the state of water resources in the Philippines and the looming crisis. I'm interested with this because one of the localities that will be featured is my very own hometown in Mindanao --- Davao City! So fellow Dabawenyos, manan-aw gyud ta ani! DOKYU5’s Huling Patak Ulat ni Luchi Cruz-Valdes airs this Sunday (August 28) on TV5 Manila. Please check which channel TV5 airs in your own area. In Davao, it's Channel 29. An archipelago, the Philippines is surrounded by bodies of water. Yet, by 2025, experts predict a severe water shortage in the country. The rapid increase in population, urbanization and industrialization has reduced the quantity and affected the quality ...

Aug252011 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

ARMM Screening Committee calls for nominations

Announcements, ARMM, Government, Mindanaoan Update

The Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) screening committee is reminding all interested applicants and nominees to various ARMM positions to submit their documents and pertinent details by August 26, 2011. Pursuant to Republic Act. No. 10153, s. 2011 and Executive Order No. 51, s. 2011, the ARMM Screening Committee is calling for applications/nominations for the following positions: One (1) position of Officer-in-Charge Regional Governor One (1) position of Officer-in-Charge Regional Vice Governor Twenty-four (24) positions of Officer-in-Charge Regional Legislative Assembly Members; three (3) for each legislative district of ARMM: Basilan, Maguindanao (1st and 2nd Districts), Lanao del Sur (1st and 2nd Districts), Sulu (1st and 2nd Districts), and Tawi-Tawi. Applicants/n...

Aug252011 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Miss Kagay-an 2011 winners

Beauty, Cagayan de Oro City, Entertainment, Events, Fashion, Features, Mindanaoan Update, Misamis Oriental, News, Northern Mindanao, Society, Style

The coronation night of the Miss Kagay-an 2011 pageant was finally held last night, August 24, 2011 at the Atrium of Limketkai Center, Cagayan de Oro City, Mindanao. The Miss Kagay-an 2011 coronation night was open to the public and was viewed live over GNN Channel 45 and Parasat Cable TV Channel 29. The new Miss Kagay-an 2011 is Angel G. Carbajal! She was candidate number 9 that night. First runner up: Jamie Joy Bantigue Second runner up: Christel T. Valdehueza Third runner up: Elaine Roselle C. Aquino Fourth runner up: April Darlin Jane B. Hernandez * individual profiles of the Miss Kagay-an Festival 2011 candidates can be found HERE. Let's all congratulate the winners! Special awards were also given to: Hanna Melissa Cagas - Miss Ponds White Beauty Natural, Best in ...

Aug242011 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

I’m now an official Mozilla rep!

Advocacy, Announcements, Blogging, Bukidnon, Consumer, Corporate, Features, Headline, Internet, Make Money Online, Media, Mindanaoan Artists, Mindanaoan Update, Musings, News, Personal, Society, Technology

A few months ago, I organized a fun-filled and very successful Mozilla Firefox 4 launch party in the Province of Bukidnon, Mindanao. It was the very first one of its kind in the province and I'm mighty proud to say that I helped make it possible. With the generous help of Mozilla, other sponsors and of course, with the very good attendance of nearly 30 participants (Yay! :D), the event was a huge success. Mozilla Philippines even featured the event on their own website. That Mozilla Firefox launch party proved to be something more than just a tech event. A few months later, I found out that Mozilla was in need of official reps. Mozilla launched the Mozilla Reps program, a program designed to make it easy for passionate Mozillians, all over the world, to organize/attend Mozilla events an...

Aug242011 by Mindanaoan Irene4 Comments

Malaysian budget hotel Tune Hotels invests in Cagayan de Oro Mindanao

Announcements, BIMP-EAGA, Blogging, Business, Cagayan de Oro City, Consumer, Hotels, Iligan City, Kuala Lumpur, Leisure, Malaysia, Mindanao, Mindanaoan Update, Misamis Oriental, Musings, News, Northern Mindanao, Resorts, Reviews, Society, Tourism, Travel

I'm a certified Dabawenya (from Davao City) and although I can say that there are a lot of projects going on at my hometown (two of which are the Abreeza Mall, which managed to gather millions of people during the Kadayawan Festival 2011 celebration, and the Abreeza Residences, which according to reports will be adjacent to Kukun Hotel Davao City and a few meters away from Abreeza Mall), Cagayan de Oro City is where the action is these days, in my humble opinion. It's the most booming city in Mindanao and the most logical reason I could think of is the fact that the long-awaited Laguindingan International Airport is about to be finished. You know how it is --- once an international airport starts its operations, you'd know for sure that there will be more tourists, more business opportu...

Aug242011 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Cueshe band Live in Bukidnon and CDO this August

Bukidnon, Cagayan de Oro City, Entertainment, Events, Festivals, Fiesta, Mindanaoan Artists, Mindanaoan Update, Misamis Oriental, Music, Northern Mindanao

Cueshe, the band responsible for the hit songs "Ulan," "Sorry," "Stay," "Borrowed Time," "Can't Let You Go" and "Pasensya Na," is heading to Mindanao in a few days! Cueshe will be in Valencia City, Bukidnon on August 25, 2011 and in Cagayan de Oro City on August 26, 2011. Cueshe will headline San Miguel Beer events in both cities. Cueshe band is composed of Jay Justiniani, Ruben Caballero, Jhunjie Dosdos, Mike Manaloto, Jovan Mabini and Fritz Labrado. Cueshe will be in Valencia City for the city's 60th patronal fiesta in honor of Saint Augustine. For the Valencia City Fiesta 2011 Schedule of Activities, please read this page. The band will then go to CDO for a Kagay-an Festival 2011 related event. Here's the 2011 Kagay-an Festival schedule of activities. I might go and cover these ev...

Aug232011 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Kapuso Night during 2011 Kagay-an Festival

Mindanaoan Update

Here's one more event during the Kagay-an Festival 2011 that you might want to check out. GMA 7 CDO is set to lead the Kapuso Night on August 28, 2011, 4 PM at the SM City Cagayan de Oro canopy area. The Kapuso Night during the 2011 Kagay-an Festival is set to be one of the biggest events on the very day Cagayan de Oro City celebrates its fiesta in honor of patron Saint Augustine. The Cagayan de Oro Festival 2011 this year is led by Promote CDO Foundation, Inc., the City Government of Cagayan de Oro in cooperation with the regional office of the Department of Tourism. Read more about the Kagayan Festival 2011 here. The featured celebrities during the Kagay-an Festival 2011 Kapuso Night are: Daniel Matsunaga Will Devaughn Sisters Ehra and Michelle Madrigal a...

Aug212011 by Mindanaoan Irene14 Comments

I want, want, want to watch this concert please!

Arts, Cagayan de Oro City, Entertainment, Events, Features, Humor, Internet, Mindanaoan Update, Misamis Oriental, Music, Musings, Northern Mindanao, Personalities, Radio, Society, Videos, Weird

OMG OMG OMG! These were the only words I could muster as soon as I heard that these guys were coming to the Philippines! Suddenly, there was a surge of high school memories. The shoulder pads, the teased up hair, the MC Hammer dance moves and yes folks these crooners and their songs! Haha! Unless you were born 5 years ago, you know who All 4 One and Color Me Badd are. Heck, I bet my pants you know some of their songs by heart and you can most probably sing one or two without the need of a kodigo! Aminin! I swear, by the moon and the stars and the sky...ring a bell? What about I'm afraid that your lovin' might be just a little too much for me...OMG CAN I SHRIEK NOW?!?!?! Sorry, fan girl mode!!! Seriously, who doesn't know the songs "I Swear," "So Much In Love," "Sexual Capacity," "I A...

Aug212011 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Miss Kagayan Festival 2011 coronation night

Beauty, Bisaya, Blogging, Broadcasting, Cagayan de Oro City, Contests, Events, Features, Festivals, Fiesta, Mindanaoan Artists, Mindanaoan Update, Misamis Oriental, News, Northern Mindanao, Society, Tourism

UPDATE: HERE ARE THE WINNERS OF THE MISS KAGAY-AN 2011 PAGEANT! Who will be crowned the next Miss Kagay-an 2011? Do you have a bet yet? I'm also excited to know who the winners of Miss Kagay-an 2011 will be! This year’s Ms. Kagay-an 2011 is a grand gathering of 12 equally talented and beautiful young ladies from Cagayan de Oro which will promise to make the Pageant Night something to watch out for. The coronation night of Miss Kagay-an 2011 will be on Aug. 24, 2011, 7 PM at the Atrium of Limketkai Center. The pageant night is OPEN TO THE PUBLIC and will also be seen live over GNN Channel 45 for non-cable TV subscribers and Channel 29 for cable TV subscribers of Parasat Cable TV. Department of Tourism Region X is spearheading the event for Promote CDO Foundation, Inc. Mindanaoan...

Aug192011 by Mindanaoan Irene3 Comments

Kagay-an Festival 2011 events – Mindanaoan.com is an official media partner!

Announcements, Arts, Beauty, BIMP-EAGA, Bisaya, Blogging, Business, Cagayan de Oro City, Consumer, Corporate, Culture, Education, Entertainment, Events, Fashion, Features, Festivals, Fiesta, Government, Headline, Journalism, Leisure, Media, Mindanao, Mindanaoan Artists, Mindanaoan Update, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Music, Musings, Muslim Mindanao, News, Northern Mindanao, Personalities, Society, Style, Tourism, Travel

About a month ago, Mindanaoan.com shared with you the Kagay-an Festival 2011 core events. Today, this Mindanao blogger is so proud to share with you fabulous news --- Mindanaoan.com is an official media partner of the 2011 Kagay-an Festival! Woohoo! :D The Kagay-an Festival is an annual event which also coincides with the Cagayan de Oro City fiesta in honor of patron Saint Augustine. This year, the 2011 Kagayan Festival is being organized by Promote CDO Foundation, Inc., the City Government of Cagayan de Oro in cooperation with the Department of Tourism Region X. Promote CDO Foundation President Reuben Vegafria said that their group, along with partner organizations, are rallying to promote Cagayan de Oro City and the surrounding areas as investment and tourism destinations. The city...

Aug192011 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Buildex Pagales sings Madayaw Davao, Madayaw Coca-Cola song

Arts, Bisaya, Commentary, Corporate, Davao City, Davao del Sur, Entertainment, Features, Internet, Mindanaoan Artists, Mindanaoan Update, Music, Musings, Videos

Pilipinas Got Talent alumni and Digos City, Davao del Sur native Buildex Pagales was chosen by Coca-Cola to sing the fun "Madayaw Davao, Madayaw Coca Cola" song. The song is obviously written especially for my beloved hometown Davao and for fellow Dabawenyos :) Buildex Pagales is just 15 years old (I can almost hear the shrieks from all the female tweens! :D) and he's supposedly dubbed as "the Bruno Mars of the Philippines." He basically knocked the Pilipinas Got Talent judges' knocks off when he sang Bruno Mars' "Billionaire" and "Just The Way You Are." Reports also say that one of the judges, Kris Aquino, even shared on Twitter that she found the fellow Mindanaoan's story "inspiring." This "Madayaw Davao, Madayaw Coca Cola" song is part of the said beverage company's ongoing "open ...

Aug162011 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Sexy Neil Etheridge photos for Folded and Hung

Consumer, Fashion, Features, Gifts, Mindanaoan Update, Musings, Personal, Society, Sports, Style

Great. Thanks to Folded and Hung, the images in my mind of Philippine National Football Team Azkals goalkeeper Neil Etheridge will no longer be the same. LOL. Twenty year old Neil Etheridge, that 6'3" handsome goalkeeper of the Azkals, is the newest endorser of Folded and Hung. Neil Etheridge, who has a Briton for a father (Martin) and a Filipina from Tarlac for a mother (Merlinda), is also a goalkeeper in Fulham, England. Just a little over a month ago, I had the chance to witness firsthand the super exciting and super charged Azkals versus Sri Lanka game at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium in Manila. You can read my blog posts and view the photos I took HERE and HERE. This is the Neil Etheridge I watched that day: He cried after the game: (he dedicated the game to his ...

Aug162011 by Mindanaoan Irene3 Comments

Updated: Kadayawan Festival 2011

Arts, Beauty, BIMP-EAGA, Blogging, Business, Consumer, Culture, Davao City, Davao Del Norte, Davao del Sur, Entertainment, Events, Fashion, Features, Festivals, Fiesta, Leisure, Mindanao, Mindanaoan Artists, Mindanaoan Update, Music, Society, Tourism, Travel

The King of Festivals is finally here! Kadayawan Festival 2011 has finally started! Kadayawan Festival is the biggest, most colorful and grandest annual event in Davao City and perhaps in the entire Mindanao. Kadayawan Festival, which never fails to draw hundreds of thousands of visitors to Davao City, is the yearly event where the Davao City tribes all gather and celebrate life, culture, tradition and thank God for the bounties of harvest. Kadayawan Festival Davao City also signals the start of the durian and orchid seasons in Davao! Yes, folks, you can purchase durian and orchids particularly waling-waling at pretty good prices during Kadayawan. Kadayawan, by the way, is from the word "dayaw," which means valuable, beautiful, good or just about anything positive. The color theme in th...

Aug152011 by Mindanaoan Irene2 Comments

Come, taste and experience the Davao Punch!

Beauty, BIMP-EAGA, Culture, Davao City, Features, Festivals, Headline, Humor, Leisure, Mindanaoan Update, Musings, News, Opinion, Photos, Society, Style, Tourism

Tourists arriving in Davao City from August 11 to 21, 2011 will be welcomed not only with warm Dabawenyo hospitality but also with one swift, delicious PUNCH! Yes, folks, we welcome tourists with a PUNCH! Presenting the Davao Punch - a non-alcoholic mix of guava, pomelo and calamansi! Yum, yum, yum! Yes, yes, it's obviously a play on the recent controversy involving our Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte. For those who still do not know, Mayor Sara garnered a lot of attention after she PUNCHED a sheriff. But hey, doesn't this show the world we Dabawenyos have a sense of humor, too? Anyways, a chef from the Center for Culinary Studies Davao (CACS Davao) reportedly concocted this delicious drink that obviously has a kick! (thanks to the calamansi!) The Davao Punch was concocted in ...

Aug152011 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Special non-working holiday in Davao City on August 19

Announcements, Culture, Davao City, Events, Features, Festivals, Fiesta, Government, Tourism

Before anything else, Happy Kadayawan Festival to all! Today, August 15, 2011, is the official start of the 2011 Kadayawan Festival. Kadayawan is the biggest annual celebration in Davao City, Mindanao. Here is the schedule of activities of this year's Kadayawan Festival. By the way, if you're not a member of the media, you may need an access pass before you can take photos at designated areas. Take a look at the Kadayawan Festival Access Pass Guidelines here. Malacanang Palace has declared August 19, 2011 as an official special non-working holiday in Davao City! Here's the full text of the proclamation straight from Malacanang Palace: MALACAÑAN PALACE MANILA BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES PROCLAMATION NO. 215 DECLARING FRIDAY, 19 AUGUST 2011, AS A SPECIAL (NON-WORKING) D...

Aug132011 by Mindanaoan Irene2 Comments

Kadayawan Festival 2011 Access Pass guidelines

Mindanaoan Update

It's Kadayawan Festival 2011 season in Davao City, Mindanao these days. Unfortunately, if you think you can just take your award-winning photos especially during the Indak Indak sa Kadalanan Parade (street dancing) or the Pamulak (floral float parade) just like that, then you're in for a big surprise. This year, the Kadayawan Festival 2011 organizers (Duaw Davao Festival Foundation) have drawn new guidelines for...hold your breath...an access pass. Something pretty similar to what the Sinulog organizers in Cebu have done/are doing. I'm not sure if Davao is ready for this, though. Anyways, please read and kindly share your comments/thoughts about this below: MEDIA If you are affiliated with a media network: 1. Send your full name, company (TV, print, radio) to duawdavao@gmail...

Aug102011 by Mindanaoan Irene6 Comments

Review: Movenpick Resort and Spa Mactan Cebu

Business, Cebu City, Commentary, Consumer, Features, Hotels, Leisure, Mindanaoan Update, Resorts, Reviews, Tourism, Travel, Visayas

A few days ago, Airphil Express invited me to join their Cebu to Hong Kong maiden flight. Since I had to be in Cebu City a day prior, the friendly folks from Airphil Express flew me from Mindanao to Cebu and sponsored my stay at the spanking Movenpick Resort and Spa in Mactan, Cebu. Muchos gracias Airphil Express! :) Formerly the Hilton Cebu Resort and Spa, Movenpick Resort Cebu is now managed by Swiss-based Movenpick Hotels and Resorts. Mövenpick is said to be an upscale, Swiss hotel chain that has been in the business for 35 years. Moevenpick Resort and Spa Cebu is the very first Movenpick hotel in the Philippines. From the Mactan Cebu airport, it will take you about 20 minutes to reach Movenpick Resort and Spa Cebu. You can take a taxi from the airport (here's a tip on how to get ...

Aug82011 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

The 3rd Silver Linings forum on breast cancer in Davao City

Advocacy, Davao City, Events, Society

As far as I know, no one in my clan has ever been diagnosed with breast cancer. I am, of course, extremely grateful for that. My mom did tell me, though, that there were instances when some of our female relatives reported to have felt lumps but these turned out to be benign tumors. However, just because I don't know (or I'm not related to) someone who has breast cancer should not stop me (and all of us, really) to advocate breast cancer prevention. After all, breast cancer is said to be the leading cause of cancer deaths among Filipino women. Thankfully, an educational forum cum homecoming for breast cancer survivors will be held in my hometown Davao City. Silver Linings, dubbed as "every breast cancer survivor's favorite event," will be held on September 17, 2011 at the Grand Regal...

Aug82011 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

GenSan Tuna Festival 2011 schedule of activities

Announcements, Beauty, BIMP-EAGA, Blogging, Business, Consumer, Entertainment, Events, Features, Festivals, Fiesta, General Santos City, Government, Leisure, Mindanaoan Update, Sarangani, SoSCksargen, Tourism, Travel

Mindanao is really the place to be these days, folks! Davao City's Kadayawan Festival 2011 and Cagayan de Oro City's Kagay-an Festival 2011 are fast approaching and as if those two grand activities are not enough --- here's another Mindanao festival for you to join! The much-awaited 2011 Tuna Festival in General Santos City! The Tuna Festival 2011 is not just an event that highlights the importance of the tuna fishing industry in this part of Mindanao but also celebrates GenSan's 43rd Charter Anniversary. This year's Tuna Festival is the 13th. Experience the 13th Tuna Festival in GenSan from August 27 to September 5, 2011. Tuna Festival 2011 General Santos City theme --- Exploring New Depths, Conquering New Heights! Saw this Tuna Festival 2011 schedule of activities on a social ne...

Aug42011 by Mindanaoan Irene4 Comments

Airphil Express Cebu to Hong Kong inaugural flight

Beauty, Bisaya, Blogging, Business, Cebu City, Consumer, Corporate, Events, Features, Flights, Freebies, Hongkong, Leisure, Mindanaoan Update, Musings, Personal, Reviews, Shopping, Society, Style, Tourism, Travel, Visayas

My third trip to Hong Kong happened just a few days ago, thanks to Airphil Express. I love coming back to Hong Kong! Apart from the fact that we Filipinos don't need a visa to enter Hong Kong, this top Asian food and shopping destination always offers new and exciting things to do and discover for tourists. Hong Kong has a super efficient transport system, offers fascinating food, has a number of picture-perfect tourist spots and irresistible shopping sales! Yep, Hong Kong is love :) Now my most recent trip to Hong Kong was a pretty extra special overseas trip because: 1) it was the inaugural flight of the much-awaited Airphil Express Cebu to Hong Kong route (woohoo!) 2) it was a trip that was also made extra special by the Hong Kong Tourism Board 3) it was a trip where ...