Features Archives - Page 19 of 37 - Mindanaoan - Multi awarded CDO and New York Lifestyle Blog

Sep172012 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Alaxan, Puerto locals team up to build Court of Inspiration in CDO

Advocacy, Cagayan de Oro City, Consumer, Entertainment, Events, Features, Mindanaoan Update, Misamis Oriental, News, Northern Mindanao, Sports

Alaxan FR and local residents of Barangay Puerto, Cagayan de Oro City, Mindanao have teamed up to build a "Court of Inspiration," a project that aims to not only to highlight the importance of sports development in a community, the spirit of volunteerism and corporate social responsibility but also to even encourage people to change the way they should look at pain. Under the "Court of Inspiration" project, a community basketball court will be constructed. Alaxan FR will provide the materials while the residents and other volunteers from the barangay will do a "bayanihan" and will work together to build it. The Cagayan de Oro "Court of Inspiration," which will be built at Zone 5, Puerto, will also be built on land donated by the Pagutayao family. The groundbreaking ceremony was he...

Sep132012 by Mindanaoan Irene1 Comment

Voter registration Philippines requirements and guidelines #ElectionWatch2013

Advocacy, Announcements, Education, Features, Mindanaoan Update, News, Society

The 2013 midterm elections is fast approaching. Have you registered as a voter yet for the 2013 Philippine elections? Here are the registration requirements and guidelines for new voters, transferees and existing voters (those whose registrations were deleted and need to be re-activated). Please feel free to share this post with your family, friends and colleagues. Thank you! Fast facts: Filipinos eligible to vote can register at Commission on Elections (COMELEC) offices nationwide until October 31, 2012. You can also register as a voter at off-site locations. For new voters: qualified to vote are those who have not voted and who were born on or before May 13, 1995 For transferees: qualified voters who have voted before or those who have voted elsewhere other than the city/mun...

Sep112012 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Funny sign at COMELEC Davao

Davao City, Features, Humor, Mindanaoan Update, Musings

So I was back home in Davao City a few days ago. I was there to attend a seminar on covering the 2013 elections. Along with carefully chosen journalists all over Mindanao, I was taught how to uncover campaign finance, local power and governance. I will write more about what we learned from that Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism-organized event. Anyways, I just want to quickly share this funny sign that I found at the Commission on Elections - Davao City office. You know how people go to COMELEC to register as voters or fix their voter's registration IDs, right? More often than not, they're asked to place their thumbmarks on official COMELEC documents. Unfortunately, the fingerprint ink can be difficult to wipe off. So guess where some Filipinos "get rid" of the pesky ink......

Sep102012 by Mindanaoan Irene1 Comment

Quest Cebu Hotel and Conference Center grand opening – I will be there!

Announcements, Blogging, Business, Cebu City, Consumer, Features, Flights, Hotels, Mindanaoan Update, Resorts, Tourism, Travel

I received a really exciting invitation a few days ago - I will be flying to Cebu City for the grand launch party of Quest Hotel and Conference Center Cebu! :D The grand opening of Quest Cebu Hotel is set to take place on September 20, 2012 and I am super excited to be where the action is! Quest Hotel Cebu is located along Archbishop Reyes Avenue, Cebu City - a few steps away from Ayala Mall Cebu. Ergo, it's right within the business district. This Cebu hotel is an 18-storey hotel that boasts of 427 delightfully furnished rooms (deluxe and premier deluxe) and suites (corporate and junior) as well as 8 modern meeting rooms with state-of-the-art facilities. Click on the logo below to find out more about this new hotel in Cebu: I will be live-tweeting the Quest Hotel Cebu grand opening s...

Sep92012 by Mindanaoan Irene1 Comment

Meeting Aurora Congressman Sonny Angara @sonnyangara

Advocacy, Blogging, Events, Features, Mindanaoan Update, Politics, Society

Sonny Angara. Meeting Sonny Angara. I know he's a 3-term congressman representing Aurora, a lawyer (he was even the spokesperson of the prosecution team during the impeachment trial of former Philippine Supreme Court Justice Renato Corona), the chairman of the House Committee on Higher and Technical Education and of course, the son of Senator Edgardo Angara. However, I wanted to see Congressman Juan Edgardo "Sonny" M. Angara in a different light. I wanted to hear him speak spontaneously. I wanted to see how he was without the flurry of Congress beat reporters, without the political supporters, without the TV network studio lights. I also wanted to see how this possible 2013 senatorial candidate would treat "non-traditional" media practitioners - in other words, would he treat us blogger...

Sep72012 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Updated: Make Your Own Havaianas 2012 Davao

Beauty, Blogging, Business, Consumer, Davao City, Davao Del Norte, Davao del Sur, Events, Fashion, Features, Mindanaoan Update, Society, Style

It's Make Your Own Havaianas 2012 Davao time! After the hugely successful Make Your Own Havaianas 2012 CDO leg, it's now your turn, Dabawenyos! The Make Your Own Havaianas 2012 Davao City leg is set to happen on September 14 to 16, 2012 at the Activity Center of Abreeza Mall, JP Laurel Avenue, Bajada, Davao City. A Make Your Own Havaianas event is where you can customize your own pair of Havaianas flipflops. You can choose from various soles (including two specially designed ones called the MYOH Estampas - available in both top and slim designs), straps and iconic pins. So during the Make Your Own Havaianas 2012 Davao event (MYOH Davao 2012), you can design a truly unique pair of Havaianas - one that truly reflects your style! You might want to read my Make Your Own Havaianas 2012...

Sep72012 by Mindanaoan Irene2 Comments

Norwegian boy band a1 to hold a concert in Cebu City

Announcements, Arts, Cebu City, Entertainment, Events, Features, Leisure, Manila, Mindanaoan Update, Music, Musings, News, Personalities, Society

a1 is coming back to the Philippines! The boys who brought us hits such as "Like A Rose," "Caught In The Middle," "Same Old Brand New You" and their most recent hit in Asia, "Waiting For Daylight," is coming back to the Philippines! Who's excited for the a1 Live in Cebu show? The British-Norwegian group a1, composed of cutie pies Mark Read, Ben Adams and Christian Ingebrigsten, is set to hold an a1 Live In Cebu concert on November 23, 2012 at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino Lahug. The boys were in the Philippines last February 2012 for the Greatest Hits Tour with Jeff Timmons and Blue. Are you as excited as I am? If you have been following this blog, I mentioned before that I tagged along with the guys in Manila. And with this latest development, I can't wait to see these gorgeous me...

Sep62012 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Let’s tour the US Ambassador to the Philippines Baguio residence

America, Blogging, Features, Mindanaoan Update, Tourism, United States of America, Videos

If you're as curious as I am as to where foreign dignitaries stay while they're stationed in the Philippines, then we're in luck. The US Embassy in Manila has released this brief video featuring the historic and special Baguio residence of the US Ambassador to the Philippines. Special because the US Ambassador's Baguio residence was recently included in the U.S. Secretary of State's Register of Culturally Significant Property. This virtual tour of the US Ambassador's residence in Baguio City is hosted by Manila historian and cultural activist Carlos Celdran. Carlos, in his suit and bow tie, takes us around the historical house and shows the famed "Yamashita Room." You have to watch the video to learn why General Tomoyuki Yamashita chose that particular room. You also have to watch the v...

Sep52012 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

General Santos Tuna Festival 2012 schedule of activities

BIMP-EAGA, Events, Features, Festivals, Fiesta, General Santos City, Mindanaoan Update, Sarangani, SoSCksargen, South Cotabato, Tourism, Travel

It's that time of year again - Tuna Festival 2012 in General Santos City! Actually, not only is it the start of the Tuna Festival 2012 celebrations today, September 5, 2012, but it is also the 44th Charter Day celebration in General Santos City. Today is also a special (non-working) day in General Santos City, according to the General Santos City official Facebook page. The theme for the 2012 Tuna Festival is "Tunafest Tunafun sa Magandang Gensan!" Check out the official 14th GenSan Tuna Festival 2012 schedule of activities below. Just click on the image for a larger view: * Schedule from the General Santos FB Page One of the guests during the Tuna Festival 2012 is Senator Francis "Chiz" Escudero. According to info sent to this Mindanao lifestyle blogger, Senator Chiz Escud...

Sep52012 by Mindanaoan Irene1 Comment

DFA consular office opens in SM Davao City

Announcements, Consumer, Davao City, Davao Del Norte, Davao del Sur, Features, Government, Mindanaoan Update, News, Travel

Good news for all those in Davao City and neighboring areas who need to apply or renew their passports. The Department of Foreign Affairs or DFA has finally opened its new consular office on the 3rd floor of SM Davao City. Aside from serving as the DFA Region XI consular office, the new DFA Davao consular office at SM Davao will also serve as its Mindanao office. The DFA consular office in SM Davao began operations Monday, September 3, 2012. Initially, only passport applications will be accepted. DFA SM Davao consular office hours: Monday to Saturday - 10 AM to 8 PM; Sunday 10 AM to 2 PM You can call (082) 285-4885 or (082) 285-5190 for inquiries. Meanwhile, here's how to renew your Philippine passport or how to get a Philippine e-passport * photo of DFA CDO taken and...

Sep32012 by Mindanaoan Irene2 Comments

Cagayan de Oro to Davao flight

Cagayan de Oro City, Davao City, Davao del Sur, Features, Flights, Mindanaoan Update, Travel

I have been meaning to write a mini travel guide for folks who plan to take a Cagayan de Oro to Davao City flight. A lot of readers have been asking me what to expect, what to do etc if and when they do take a CDO to Davao City flight so here it is - a quick and simple guide for travelers. Hope this helps those who will travel from Cagayan de Oro City to Davao City :) Please don't forget to leave a comment below :) The Cagayan de Oro City airport is located in Lumbia (for now - since the Laguindingan International Airport will soon be operational). The CDO airport terminal fee is only Php 30.00 (less than US $1.00). The Davao City domestic airport terminal fee, on the other hand, is Php 200.00 (roughly US $5.00). This is how the CDO airport pre-departure area looks like: The C...

Sep22012 by Mindanaoan Irene2 Comments

Visit our One Happy Story booth at Kasalang Filipino 2012

Announcements, Arts, Beauty, Cagayan de Oro City, Events, Fashion, Features, Northern Mindanao, Photos, Style, Weddings

May I humbly invite you all to please visit the One Happy Story Photography booth at the Kasalang Filipino 2012 bridal fair in Cagayan de Oro City - the One Happy Story Wedding Photography team will have a corner booth at this CDO wedding and bridal fair. The said bridal fair will be held on September 13 to 15, 2012 at the Limketkai Rotunda, Lapasan, Cagayan de Oro City. So if you're getting hitched soon, you might want to take this opportunity to meet various CDO wedding suppliers, CDO wedding photographers and wedding videographers in Cagayan de Oro (speaking of which, let me know if you want referrals :) ) One Happy Story Photography is led by my brother Bon and his team of skillful CDO wedding photographers. I sometimes serve as a back-up wedding photographer :) Please feel free to ...

Sep22012 by Mindanaoan Irene1 Comment

Winners of the Mindanaoan – Spruce giveaway

Announcements, Beauty, Blogging, Business, Cagayan de Oro City, Contests, Fashion, Features, Mindanaoan Update, Shopping, Style

I'm happy to announce the winners of my online giveaway! Much thanks to our very generous friends over at Spruce Designer Network (Mindanaoan's highly recommended fashion and lifestyle store in Cagayan de Oro City) who sponsored two pairs of gorgeous BSIDED hand sewn espadrilles that are 100 percent made in France! :) And without any further ado...this Mindanao lifestyle blogger is happy to announce the two winners of the Mindanaoan - Spruce giveaway: a Rafflecopter giveaway Congratulations Sheila and Vic! Enjoy your new pairs of kicks! :) Thank you Spruce! Please visit Spruce at the 2nd Floor of Limketkai Mall, Cagayan de Oro City. Please support the other Spruce-owned stores as well: All Flip-Flops: SM City, Cagayan de Oro PUMA: Limketkai Mall, Cagayan de Oro and Aya...

Aug282012 by Mindanaoan Irene2 Comments

Miss Kagay-an 2012 winners

Beauty, Cagayan de Oro City, Campus, Contests, Culture, Entertainment, Events, Fashion, Features, Festivals, Fiesta, Malaybalay City, Mindanaoan Update, Personalities, Society, Tourism

The winners of the Miss Kagay-an 2012 beauty pageant have already been declared. The announcement of the Miss Kagay-an 2012 winners was held during the coronation night last August 26, 2012 at the Atrium of the Limketkai Mall, Cagayan de Oro City. Mindanaoan.com was there to cover the event since Mindanaoan.com is an official media partner of Miss Kagay-an 2012. The Miss Kagayan 2012 winners are: Miss Kagay-an 2012 - Greanne Trisha Mendoza, a Malaybalay City, Bukidnon-born event organizer Miss Tourism - Lovely Jane Estampa, a legal analyst at the Development Bank of the Philippines First runner-up - Emie Lou Yamba, sales representative of Amore Travel and Tours Second runner-up - Maria Leslie Angelina Ghan, Civil Engineering student at Xavier University Third runner-up - Maria El...

Aug232012 by Mindanaoan Irene1 Comment

Miss Kagay-an 2012 swimsuit competition

Beauty, Cagayan de Oro City, Contests, Entertainment, Events, Fashion, Features, Festivals, Fiesta, Mindanaoan Artists, Mindanaoan Update, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao, Photos, Society, Style

Along with 2 blogger-friends, I witnessed the Miss Kagay-an 2012 swimsuit competition held last August 18, 2012 at the poolside of a hotel in Cagayan de Oro City. As I previously mentioned to you all, Mindanaoan.com is an official media partner for the Miss Kagay-an 2012 beauty pageant, which is one of the core events for the Kagay-an Festival 2012, the annual fiesta in Cagayan de Oro City in honor of patron Saint Augustine. Check out one of the Miss Kagay-an 2012 billboards (the URL of Mindanaoan.com is there somewhere :P) Anyways, here are some of the photos I took during the Miss Kagay-an 2012 swimsuit competition. Apologies for the poor photo composition - there were a lot of shutterbugs that day and I also failed to bring my DSLR. By the way, you ca...

Aug182012 by Mindanaoan Irene2 Comments

Make Your Own Havaianas 2012 CDO – #MYOHCDO2012

Beauty, Cagayan de Oro City, Corporate, Events, Fashion, Features, Gifts, Mindanaoan Update, Personalities, Reviews, Shopping, Society, Style

As I'm writing this, it's the 2nd day of Make Your Own Havaianas CDO 2012. So that means you have today and tomorrow to join MYOH CDO 2012! :) The Make Your Own Havaianas 2012 Cagayan de Oro leg covers Northern Mindanao and it kicked off yesterday, August 17, 2012. MYOH CDO 2012 will run until August 19, 2012 at the Limketkai Rotunda, Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines. A Make Your Own Havaianas event is where you can customize your own pair of Havaianas flip flops. It's that time of the year when Havaianaticos are given the chance to choose their desired sole, strap and pins. In other words, it's a chance for Havaianas lovers to design their very own - truly unique - pair. Moreover, it's only during MYOH events when specially designed soles and unique pins can be bought :) This year i...

Aug102012 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

The Mindanao Helps Manila campaign #MindanaoHelpsManila

Advocacy, Cagayan de Oro City, Features, Musings, Personal, Society

Much like our Typhoon Sendong relief operations, the Mindanao Helps Manila campaign really started with a tweet, a Facebook message and an idea - an idea to help, to be men and women for others, to be socially responsible citizens. You see, when Typhoon Sendong struck Northern Mindanao, our humble home in Cagayan de Oro was hit. Our family also had to endure business losses. But my mother, my brothers and I still had so much to be thankful for. We were safe. We were alive. Compared to others who lost not only their homes and livelihood but their loved ones as well, we were lucky. Very lucky. And we knew that there was no reason for us not to help. So I tweeted. I tweeted updates, I took photos, I called for donations. My family did the same. What happened next was nothing short of a mir...

Aug102012 by Mindanaoan Irene2 Comments

Mindanaoan is a Miss Kagay-an 2012 media partner

Beauty, Cagayan de Oro City, Contests, Entertainment, Events, Fashion, Features, Festivals, Fiesta, Mindanaoan Update, Society, Style

It's now official! Mindanaoan.com is an official media partner for this year's Miss Kagay-an 2012 beauty pageant! The search for Miss Kagay-an 2012 is one of the core events for the Kagay-an Festival 2012, the annual fiesta in Cagayan de Oro City in honor of patron Saint Augustine. And I'm happy to share with you all that Mindanaoan.com is one of the proud media partners of Miss Kagayan 2012 :) Check out the newly released Miss Kagay-an 2012 billboard: (www.Mindanaoan.com is there somewhere...I'll follow you on Twitter if you successfully spot it :P) By the way, check out my previous blog entry if you want to meet the official candidates of the Miss Kagay-an 2012 pageant. The individual photos of the Miss Kagay-an 2012 candidates can be found there. The 11 lovely official c...

Aug12012 by Mindanaoan Irene8 Comments

Dinner with Duncan James and the boys of BLUE

Entertainment, Features, Manila, Mindanaoan Update, Music, Personalities, Photos

These boys from the United Kingdom may have last been in the Philippines February 2012 but the fans want more! A lot of Duncan James, Simon Webbe, Antony Costa and Lee Ryan fans are still asking me for updates so I checked my files and hey, whaddaya know - I found more "Blue" treasures! :) Here are some photos I took during dinner with the boys of Blue. Can I just say that they were all gentlemen and were all very easy to talk to? Apparently the boys love Japanese food. Lee and Duncan like sake (Japanese beverage made from fermented rice), Antony likes yakitori while Simon likes tonkatsu and tempura :) By the way, I really don't know how one can eat properly if gorgeous creatures such as this one is sitting right across you ;) Enjoy the photos and please don't forget to share t...

Jul302012 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Schedule of Team Philippines in London Olympics 2012

Announcements, Corporate, Features, News, Sports

Do you want to cheer for the members of Team Philippines who are currently competing in the 2012 London Olympics? The Philippines' London Olympics 2012 contingent may be the leanest the country has ever fielded since the 1996 Atlanta Olympics but these fine Filipino Olympians are talented and they have the heart and they deserve our full support and prayers, don't they? :) The London Olympics 2012 Philippines athletic contingent a.k.a. Team Philippines will surely make all of us proud as they compete for God, country and glory in 9 out of the 26 sporting events in this year’s Games. Here's the list of our 11 Olympians: Mark Anthony Barriga (boxing-49kg) Marestella Torres (track-long jump) Rene Herrera (track-5000M) Jasmine Alkhaldi (swimming-100m freestyle) Jessie Khing Lacuna...

Jul302012 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Why you should join Kumbira 2012 in Cagayan de Oro

Business, Cagayan de Oro City, Consumer, Contests, Corporate, Entertainment, Events, Features, Festivals, Fiesta, Food, Mindanao, Mindanaoan Artists, Mindanaoan Update, News, Northern Mindanao, Recipes

It's Kumbira 2012 time again! Every year, the Cagayan de Oro Hotel and Restaurant Association (COHARA) organizes a professional and student culinary competition and trade show dubbed "Kumbira." Derived from the same Visayan word that means "feast," Kumbira is the largest culinary event in Mindanao - so large that it actually lasts for 3 days! (this is the first reason why you should join Kumbira 2012, by the way! Don't you think it's exciting to be a part of an event so grand?) This year is no different. "Kumbira 2012" will be held on August 15, 16 and 17, 2012 at the Atrium of Limketkai Mall, Cagayan de Oro City and - this brings me to the second reason why you should join Kumbira 2012 in Cagayan de Oro, Mindanao, Philippines - Kumbira 2012, which is now on its 16th year, has, accordin...

Jul292012 by Mindanaoan Irene2 Comments

My live radio interview at DZIQ Radyo Inquirer

Blogging, Broadcasting, Cagayan de Oro City, Features, Journalism, Manila, Media, Northern Mindanao, Society, Technology

A few weeks ago, I was in Manila to meet up with social media as well as political publicity clients. It was a rather brief stay in Manila but one of the highlights of my trip was a live radio interview at DZIQ 990 AM Radyo Inquirer. DZIQ Radyo Inquirer is a flagship AM radio station owned by Trans-Radio Broadcasting Corp., Inc. and operated by the Philippine Daily Inquirer. My live radio guesting was made possible by a good friend, Miss Noemi of BlogWatch, who was one of the anchors of the program I was set to be a guest in. You may know Miss Noemi as @momblogger on Twitter. She's also the writer behind one of the blogs I regularly read, About My Recovery, which started out as a "grief blog" about her deceased son Luijoe. Now, Miss Noemi is a passionate advocate of the Reproductive Hea...