Saturday, November 16Multi-awarded Filipina blogger, ocial media specialist, publicist and content creator
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Helping Mindanao electric cooperatives navigate social media, address online bashing and crisis and foster community engagement

Helping Mindanao electric cooperatives navigate social media, address online bashing and crisis and foster community engagement

Advocacy, BIMP-EAGA, Blogging, Consumer, Corporate, Davao City, Davao del Sur, Internet, Mindanaoan Update, Technology
In Mindanao, blackouts occur, on average, no less than 10 times per month. More often than not, these blackouts also last for a very long time - sometimes, for hours on end! Needless to say, this is extremely exasperating because not only are households affected but businesses as well. Customers get really irate and the tendency is that they turn to social media and express their anger and disappointment towards the Mindanao electric cooperatives that are expected to provide reliable power to the communities. People post not only complaints online but memes, harsh words and even threats! Electric cooperatives or ECs, on the other hand, fully acknowledge the fact that they need to learn how to address the crisis situations fast. They understand that in this age of social media, they sh...
Are you a fellow breadwinner? This GCash story will pull your heartstrings

Are you a fellow breadwinner? This GCash story will pull your heartstrings

Announcements, Business, Consumer, Corporate, Fashion, Features, Internet, Society, Technology
I have been the breadwinner of my family for decades. It's something I take utmost pride of and it's something I enjoy and don't complain about but I must admit, there really are times when it can be physically, emotionally and mentally draining. That's why I can absolutely relate to the recently released GCash Stories episode featuring Turing Quinto, a Filipino drag performer and contestant on the debut season of Drag Race Philippines. As the face of GCash’s “Werk With Pride” advocacy for Pride Month, Turing's story delves into her aspirations and determination to succeed in life while showing the challenges faced by breadwinners striving to make ends meet. Directed by Antoinette Jadaone, the film also celebrates pride by putting a spotlight on GCash's commitment to inclusivity an...
Mindanaoan.com continues to land on top Pinoy blogs by worth list

Mindanaoan.com continues to land on top Pinoy blogs by worth list

Blogging, Internet, Mindanaoan Update, Technology
Very grateful and absolutely excited to share with you all that this humble blog, Mindanaoan, has continuously landed on BlogMeterTop's top Philippine blogs lists. I think I last posted about this in 2020 but mind you, Mindanaoan.com has consistently landed on their awesome lists all through these years and I can't be more proud! Daghang salamat for all the support! This truly means a whole lot. For the April 2023 lists, Mindanaoan.com landed on the "Top" overall (among the top 50) and on "Travel and Leisure." (among the top 12) I also ranked pretty nicely overall. BlogmeterTop is a Web analytics service that tracks and reports website traffic for all Philippine blogsites. According to BlogmeterTop, they track the user’s activity on the site such as page visits and statistic...
Get your tissues ready: Ate Alma’s story will pull your heartstrings

Get your tissues ready: Ate Alma’s story will pull your heartstrings

Advocacy, Features, Internet, Society, Technology
This is a story of camaraderie and community...and, personally, lots of pure love towards our fellow brothers and sisters. You see, while it's true that technology makes life easier, another one of its advantages is that it helps continue to strengthen connections and foster relationships. Take the case of Ate Alma, a photocopy operator in a university and a family breadwinner, who lost her home due to typhoon flooding. Her story, which I guarantee will definitely pull your heartstrings, was featured in a short film directed by no less than Antoinette Jadaone. Ate Alma's story was included among the tearjerking, heartwarming #GCashStories that prove just how technology not only makes daily transactions easier, but also provides an accessible way to genuinely lend a helping hand. Mo...
Kuwarta goals: how BDO helps us to be wiser with our money and finances

Kuwarta goals: how BDO helps us to be wiser with our money and finances

Advocacy, Business, Commentary, Consumer, Internet, Mindanaoan Update, Technology
As the eldest, only girl and the breadwinner in the family, it has basically been my life-long responsibility to be careful with money, finances, savings and expenses. Over the years, I have learned which investment works, where to put my savings, how to pay conveniently (and earn cashback, save energy, time and gas in the process!) and other tricks that could help me be wiser with money. I still have a long way to go to feel absolutely financially comfortable in life but here’s one thing that I’m sure can help all of us in our kuwarta goals: to be champions (and implementers) of financial literacy. Financial literacy is key! Now you might be thinking – but why is financial literacy crucial? Aren’t we just supposed to save and maybe leave everything up to the bank? First off,...
Mindanaoan.com wins at Globe Media Excellence Awards GMEA 10

Mindanaoan.com wins at Globe Media Excellence Awards GMEA 10

Advocacy, Announcements, Blogging, Cagayan de Oro City, Features, Headline, Internet, LifeStyle, Media, Mindanao, Mindanaoan Update, Musings, News, Personal, Personalities, Social Media, Society, Technology
I WON! I am so proud and honored to share that Mindanaoan.com won the award for Digital Storytelling: Best Blog Post during the milestone year of the Globe Media Excellence Awards! On March 31, 2023 in Cebu City, the Globe Group named the winners of GMEA @10, which honors exceptional reporting across platforms in both Visayas and Mindanao. In its milestone year, GMEA embraced the theme #OneDigitalNation, which celebrated stories that captured the impact of Globe-led innovations that uplift lives with compassion, care, and kindness. For the Best Blog Post award, Maria Irene Aserios a.k.a. Mindanaoan won! Days before the awarding ceremony, Globe announced the list of finalists. I was one of the 3 finalists for Best Blog Post (Mindanao). And then last March 31 in Cebu, I was decla...
Honored to be elected as the new CDO Bloggers President 2023

Honored to be elected as the new CDO Bloggers President 2023

Advocacy, Announcements, Blogging, Features, Internet, LifeStyle, Media, Mindanaoan Artists, Mindanaoan Update, Musings, Personal, Personalities, Society
I'm very excited and humbled to share that I have been elected as the NEW PRESIDENT of the Cagayan de Oro Bloggers Network or CDO Bloggers, a 14-year old organization (yep, OG!) that's home to many award-winning and internationally-recognized bloggers, vloggers, influencers, social media practitioners and content creators. The election of officers/annual general membership meeting/Christmas party was held at The Cistern, Xavier Sports and Country Club, Masterson Avenue, Cagayan de Oro. I recommend the venue for small and intimate events, by the way! Here's the list of the 2023 CDO Bloggers Officers: President - Maria Irene Aserios of Mindanaoan.com - Mindanaoan Meets World VP for Membership - Chen Siwagan of Laag & More w/ Awesome ChenS VP for Events - Irene Dayo of...
Teaching social media and digital marketing in 8 towns around Mindanao (during the pandemic!)

Teaching social media and digital marketing in 8 towns around Mindanao (during the pandemic!)

Advocacy, Blogging, Business, Education, Features, Internet, Media, Mindanao, Mindanaoan Update, Society, Technology
When the pandemic hit, we all know that the entrepreneurs were among those who got affected the most. Some businesses went to a screeching halt, some were forced to pivot just to survive and some tried to continue operations but with owners, very sadly, feeling they were running around like headless chickens. I should know because I heard numerous of these stories from business owners themselves. Yes, it was heartbreaking to listen to them but you know what? I still held on to that spark of optimism. I knew that somehow, each and every one of us can help these businesses. After all, you and I know very well that the success of just about anything never depends on the hands of only one man. Instead, it has always rested on the collective shoulders of many. I wanted to help esp...
GCash now offers fast, secure ways to buy crypto

GCash now offers fast, secure ways to buy crypto

Business, Corporate, Internet, Technology
To provide Filipinos more convenient, secure and innovative digital financial solutions amid the ever-evolving digital age, GCash, the country’s leading mobile wallet, now enables users to conveniently buy cryptocurrency or crypto, a digital or virtual currency that is secured by cryptography, at very affordable rates across popular crypto exchanges such as Binance, Philippine Digital Assets Exchange (PDAX), and Paxful, with many more to be added soon. “With the continued expansion of the digital age, it’s vital for financial institutions like GCash to keep up with the trends and customers’ preferences, like cryptocurrency. And at GCash, we are doing just that to further enhance the customers' experience and enable them to power up their finances for better lives. GCash will also conti...
How to protect your blog from viruses and hackers (writing from personal experience)

How to protect your blog from viruses and hackers (writing from personal experience)

Business, Events, Internet, Mindanaoan Update, News, Technology
A few days ago, I shared via an Instagram post that some of my websites recently incurred malware and were down for days. Not a lot of people knew about this and I also didn't really have the energy to share because, at the time, I mostly felt exhausted and disappointed in myself. It was truly a horrible time and I was so downtrodden. Truth be told, the worst part of that entire experience was realizing that the cause of the downtime was actually preventable! If only I spent a minute or two every month to do routinary tasks! Alas, that’s now in the past and I now just consider that an expensive learning experience. Now, I'm extra careful especially when it comes to data privacy, online security and digital protection measures. Cybersecurity threats are real, folks! And it can be finan...
My GMA 7 TV interview experience

My GMA 7 TV interview experience

Advocacy, Bisaya, Blogging, Entertainment, Features, Internet, Mindanaoan Update, Personal, Personalities, Society, Television
It was an invitation for a TV interview I simply couldn't resist. Just recently, I was interviewed for a segment of "At Home with GMA Regional TV," a morning TV show aired all over Mindanao, Philippines! I shared a bit about my blogging journey, how and why I started, the places I've been to around the world (I've visited Japan, the two Koreas, Taiwan, Singapore, Hongkong, Malaysia, the United States of America and more), some tips on how to become a responsible social media user and tips for folks who want to start their own blogs/vlogs/podcast etc. I also shared a bit of good news - I landed on the 4th spot on the Top 60 New York Lifestyle Blogs, Influencers and Websites 2021! The interview was aired on: GMA TV 5 Davao, GMA TV 35 Cagayan de Oro, GMA TV 8 General Santos Cit...
Free Covid-19 insurance, free 24/7 doctor consultation courtesy of Globe At Home

Free Covid-19 insurance, free 24/7 doctor consultation courtesy of Globe At Home

Advocacy, Business, Consumer, Features, Internet, Mindanaoan Update, Society, Technology
I bring hopeful news! As the number of Covid-19 cases continues to rise in the Philippines, making sure that you have some sort of safety net in case you - knock on wood - catch the virus has become a real necessity. Here's a reality check - while some may have comprehensive insurance policies and are on the priority list of family physicians, the fact is - not everyone has the means for these. There are also reports that hospital bills may easily rack up to six or seven figures plus the difficulty of securing hospital beds. Which makes us wonder - is there something that regular Filipinos can do to sleep better at night knowing that someone’s got their back in case misfortune strikes? The good news is, there is! And it may be an unlikely solution, but Globe At Home has the answer. ...
PayMaya’s over 200K touchpoints enable cashless transactions for Filipinos

PayMaya’s over 200K touchpoints enable cashless transactions for Filipinos

Business, Corporate, Features, Internet, LifeStyle, Mindanaoan Update, Society, Technology
Digital financial services leader PayMaya is leading the charge toward financial inclusion as it expands its footprint to reach over 200,000 touchpoints nationwide, the largest network in the country to date. Filipinos can easily pay, add money, cash out, or remit using their PayMaya accounts through these accessible touchpoints that include convenience stores, retail merchants, groceries, department stores, food outlets, pawnshops, and Smart Padala centers, among others.  “As PayMaya continues to lead the push towards cashless for all Filipinos, it is important for us to provide them with the most expansive and reliable on-ground channels that allow them to do safe and convenient financial transactions, no matter where they are in the country,” said Shailesh Baidwan, President of P...

How you can support rainforestation and combat adverse effects of natural hazards, climate change

Advocacy, Bukidnon, Corporate, Features, Internet, Mindanaoan Update, Technology
The location of the Philippines in the Pacific has always made the country vulnerable to strong typhoons. About 20 typhoons pass through the Philippine Area of Responsibility annually, about 8-to-9 of which make landfall. However, over the past years, climate change has brought more violent storms to the country, causing severe damage to lives and properties. While resilient infrastructure and disaster preparedness are important during severe weather conditions, nature-based solutions such as rainforestation and watershed conservation also play a vital role in mitigating the adverse effects of these natural phenomena. The Philippines continues to experience the rapid decrease of its primary rainforests from 70% forest cover in the 1990s to only less than 1.8% to date. This rate of e...
Mindanaoan.com lands on Blogmeter top Philippine blogs list

Mindanaoan.com lands on Blogmeter top Philippine blogs list

America, Blogging, Entertainment, Features, Headline, Internet, Mindanao, Mindanaoan Artists, Mindanaoan Update, New York, Technology, United States of America
So excited to share with you all that this humble blog, Mindanaoan, landed on BlogMeterTop's top Philippine blogs list. I'm excited about this because it has been quite a challenge to write this year. So this is such a blessing and a reminder for me to always just power through! Mindanaoan.com landed on 3 categories - on the "Top" overall, on the November 2020 top list and on the November 2020 Travel and Leisure. Mindanaoan.com is among the top 50. BlogmeterTop is a Web analytics service that tracks and reports website traffic for all Philippine blogsites. According to BlogmeterTop, they track the user’s activity on the site such as page visits and statistics. BlogmeterTop’s approach is to show the dashboard-type data (as a more in-depth data) report for the casual PH blogsite ow...

Globe expands 5G coverage in these Visayas and Mindanao cities

Bacolod City, Cagayan de Oro City, Cebu City, Davao City, Internet, Technology
Are your gadgets ready for 5G? Experience a different kind of mobile technology as Globe expands their 5G coverage to 17 key cities across NCR, Visayas and Mindanao. The company is accelerating upgrades of its existing technology to improve further the connectivity, mobile experience, and unlock vast potentials for its customers as 5G technology in Bacolod, Boracay, Iloilo, Talisay, Lapu-Lapu, Cordova, Minglanilla and Cebu City in Visayas; and in Davao City and Cagayan De Oro in Mindanao becomes available. In the first week of November, its 5G network has already reached certain areas in Davao City. 5G is the latest wireless internet connectivity that promises faster speeds, higher bandwidth, and more stable internet connections compared to 4G. “We have a very active 5G ...

Tried and tested: How to save big on Amazon during Black Friday

Internet, Mindanaoan Update, Shopping, Technology
I love shopping on Amazon. I can actually spend hours just scrolling and looking for great finds on there. Checking on sales on Amazon has become a habit and this habit will take double - no, triple - my time in the next few weeks as Black Friday is fast approaching! Of course, we all know what Black Friday means - a wealth of insane deals! What do you plan to splurge on? I remember my memorable finds on Amazon during Black Friday. I got sweet deals on essential oils, a diffuser (which lasted for years!) and a handy bluetooth keyboard that I use for either my mobile phone or iPad. The prices for those were a dream. I saved a whole lot!  Truth be told, I noticed that my shopping preferences on Amazon have actually evolved over the years. In the past, my favorite indulgences were...

3 smart ways to protect yourself online

Advocacy, Blogging, Events, Internet, Mindanaoan Update, Technology
So here's a true story. I personally know someone who fell for a bad online scam. And by bad I mean really bad. My friend fell for one of those Nigerian catfish love scams. All along, she thought she was involved in a long-distance relationship that was about to lead to marriage. Because she was, well, naive, she sent her lover money, love emails, gifts etc. Long story short, not only did she lose who she thought was her future husband, she also lost a huge chunk of her savings. My friend is now over the whole fiasco (thankfully) but certainly, there is a big lesson to learn from this. And that is to always be extra wary of your online activities and to know how you can protect yourself online. First and foremost, always be mindful of the people you accept into your online network...

BaiCon Infest 2020 set

Advocacy, Blogging, Entertainment, Features, Internet, LifeStyle, Media, Mindanaoan Artists, Mindanaoan Update, Society, Technology
Creators and influencers in the Philippines are set to gather virtually via BaiCon InFest 2020. With the theme "The Space Invasion," BaiCon InFest 2020 will be a two-day (October 23-24) virtual event that will be held throughout various digital platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and Zoom. During a digital press conference held last October 7, 2020, the panel talked about various initiatives like the founding of the Creator and Influencer Council of the Philippines (CICP), its advocacy drive #CreatorsUnitedPH, CICP’s Spotlight Awards, BaiCon’s partnership with the Philippine Public School Teachers’ Association, and the significance of BaiCon in taking the Digital Entertainment Industry in the country to the next level. The digital presscon was hosted by Ace Gapuz of Blogapalooza and wa...
IT’S OFFICIAL! The Mindanaoan Blog now has an Android app

IT’S OFFICIAL! The Mindanaoan Blog now has an Android app

Advocacy, Announcements, Blogging, Consumer, Corporate, Entertainment, Features, Headline, Internet, LifeStyle, Media, Mindanao, Mindanaoan Update, News, Society, Style, Technology, Travel
I'm very excited to officially announce that this humble Mindanaoan blog finally has its own Android app! Now, it's easier for us to stay connected :) You can download the Official Mindanaoan Android App here. It's a very light app, only needs 4.52 MB of your Android phone space. Just click the link above, click on the Mindanaoan v1.0 . apk file and just please follow the next easy instructions. As soon as you finish installing the Mindanaoan app, you'll see a native headdress as the logo of the app on your phone screen :) >>> DOWNLOAD THE MINDANAOAN ANDROID APP HERE <<< Thank you so much for your support! About Mindanaoan Irene, the one behind Mindanaoan.com, is a USA-trained, USA-experienced seasoned social media specialist, publicist, multi-awar...
How your Php 100 (US $2) can help buy PPEs for frontliners

How your Php 100 (US $2) can help buy PPEs for frontliners

Advocacy, Announcements, Blogging, Events, Features, Internet, Mindanaoan Update, Musings, News, Society, Technology
I know what you're thinking. That thing experts call "donor fatigue" has kicked in and not many people are interested to donate to COVID-19 related fundraising causes. I was afraid of that, too. However, we all know that this fight isn't over (and won't be for quite a while) and our brave and hardworking medical front liners need all the help so that they can work and treat efficiently. We need to UNITE. So here goes --- how about if we help procure Department of Health-approved medical grade PPEs for our front liners, who, for 3 months running, have been sacrificing for all of us? And guess what --- we can actually do this by donating as low as Php 100 (yes, that's US $2) Join #CreatorsUnitedPH campaign, an effort that seeks to raise funds to procure DOH-approved medical grade ...
LOOK: TanodCOVID, an SMS-based platform to trace suspected COVID-19 cases

LOOK: TanodCOVID, an SMS-based platform to trace suspected COVID-19 cases

Advocacy, Announcements, Internet, Technology
Here's an interesting platform that aims to help effective trace suspected COVID-19 cases. Through its innovative developer group Globe Labs, Globe Telecom is once again taking new steps by partnering with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) - Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD) for the implementation of a new online platform called TanodCOVID. TanodCOVID is an SMS-based self-reporting platform and aims to improve the country’s capacity to trace suspected COVID-19 cases. A program funded by DOST-PCHRD, TanodCOVID was developed by Ateneo Center for Computing Competency and Research (ACCCRe) of Ateneo de Manila University, in collaboration with the University of the Philippines Manila - National Telehealth Center (UP-NTHC) and the DOH-Epidemiology B...
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