LifeStyle Archives - Mindanaoan - Multi awarded CDO and New York Lifestyle Blog

Jan312024 by Mindanaoan Irene1 Comment

When in CDO: Visit Cogon Night Market

Business, Cagayan de Oro City, Consumer, Features, Food, LifeStyle, Mindanaoan Update, Society, Tourism

Here's something you might want to do when you're in Cagayan de Oro - visit the Cogon Night Market! From buying vegetables to used clothing ("ukay-ukay"), electronics, cellphone cases etc to checking out an entire street full of food cart vendors, the Cogon Night Market in CDO is a bustling destination you might want to check out. In fact, the local government of Cagayan de Oro has been exerting efforts to turn the Cogon Night Market into a tourist destination of sorts. My friends and I visited the food market along Guillermo Street and as expected, there was a throng of people as early as 6 PM. Check out this brief video I made during our visit: https://youtube.com/shorts/aaI5U_knMCQ?si=D4LPVDFj_c2mg3kv Some fast facts about the Cagayan de Oro Night Market: Vendor...

Jun242023 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Why you need to catch the culinary offerings of the new Seda Centrio Chef

Business, Cagayan de Oro City, Events, Features, Food, Hotels, LifeStyle, Mindanao, Mindanaoan Update, Misamis Oriental, Society, Sulu

I was recently invited to meet the new Executive Sous Chef of Seda Centrio Hotel and try his culinary creations. Chef Benzar Joe Aradani, who hails from Jolo, Sulu and who brings with him a wealth of culinary experience and expertise in various regional cuisines, impressed me and the food served that night was equally impressive! Coming from a Christian-Muslim background with an Indonesian father and Filipino mother, Chef Ben has earned him a reputation for creating unique and creative dishes, proven by the numerous awards he has received throughout his 33-year career. The tuna dish he prepared right before our very eyes that night was undoubtedly so tender and very flavorful. CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOS POSTED ON THE MINDANAOAN FACEBOOK PAGE In the video I took below, yo...

Apr62023 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

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...

Jan42023 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

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...

Jan172022 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Live Safe with Defensil Isopropyl Alcohol

Features, Health, LifeStyle, Mindanaoan Update, Reviews

Here's a brand of isopropyl alcohol that my family and I have been using for months now - Defensil! With many establishments slowly re-opening and allowing people to resume their pre-pandemic lifestyles, Defensil Isopropyl Alcohol encourages Filipinos to live safe. With the nationwide vaccination program in full force, Filipinos can slowly enjoy various activities such as more dining options as well as doing physical activities by going to the gym. However, health experts continue to remind everyone to not let their guards down even as we gradually go back to normal. As there are reports of new and potentially more contagious variants, everyone must remain vigilant through following established health protocols and getting vaccinated so we can all continue to live safe and prevent ...

May72021 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Check this out: Bukidnon countryside diner El Paso Lantapan

Bukidnon, Features, Food, Leisure, LifeStyle, Mindanaoan Update, Society, Tourism, Travel

I may be an avid beach lover but sometimes, there's just something about the countryside that we all can't help but love. Laidback. Lovely gentle breeze. Beautiful trees. Glorious landscape. Clean air. Take the case of the Municipality of Lantapan in Bukidnon. Roughly a 3-hour drive from Cagayan de Oro, it's fast becoming home to many quaint cafes and diners like Cafe Sa Bukid, Chukoohills and now, El Paso. Located at Songco, Lantapan, El Paso is a rustic restaurant that also has a spacious al fresco area. And by al fresco I do mean tables and chairs/benches (and tents when it's a rainy day) surrounded by lots of tall falcata trees. There's also an event stage and a bonfire area. It's a great place to hang out with family and friends. I made a quick TikTok video of our most rec...

May52021 by Mindanaoan Irene1 Comment

Overseas Filipinos can now use PayMaya to pay government, utility bills back home

America, Consumer, Corporate, Features, Freebies, Government, LifeStyle, News, Shopping, Society, Technology

Now this is something that's near and dear to my heart especially since I was an overseas Filipino worker myself. Sending money back home was one of my regular tasks and I've always wondered if there was an easy way for me to send money without the need for an international bank account or the need to pay steep rates. Wouldn't it be extra convenient if an OFW can use his or her phone and a local digital platform to send money? Now, it's easier for OFWs or Filipinos abroad to pay for government fees and for their family's utility bills back home with the help of PayMaya! PayMaya opened this service for Filipinos overseas so they can now use their Philippine mobile SIM on roaming to register for a PayMaya account, allowing them to perform transactions such as paying government dues or...

Apr22021 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Beauty brand Orabella introduces Arabella del Rosario as new endorser

Beauty, Features, LifeStyle, Mindanaoan Update, Shopping, Style

Beauty brand Orabella Philippines recently welcomed teen actress Arabella del Rosario as its new brand ambassador. I joined a virtual press conference whereby the young actress (and reported girlfriend of Jimuel Pacquiao, son of boxing legend Manny Pacquiao) was introduced to fellow bloggers and members of the media. “As an up and coming brand, we wanted an endorser who is passionate and promising. We see that in Arabella, and we warmly welcome her into the Orabella family,’ said Anne Acuña, Marketing Manager of Orabella Direct Selling Inc. The young actress, who is also into singing and figure skating, is a member of Star Magic. Arabella has appeared in the ABS-CBN series, Wild Little Love.While she appeared in some commercials in the past, according to Del Rosario, this is the fi...

Mar292021 by Mindanaoan Irene1 Comment

Tesalate Beach Towels – why you must own this best sand-free towel

Beauty, Blogging, Cagayan de Oro City, Features, LifeStyle, Mindanaoan Update, Reviews, Shopping, Society, Travel

I love the water. I love the beach. One of my life goals is to someday live by the beach again (my family and I used to back in the day) and just enjoy life as it comes. But while I wait for that day to come, I try to be near the water as much as possible. Of course, one of our must-haves, when we hit the beach, is to bring a beach towel. Just recently, however, I discovered one of, if not, the best beach towels - Tesalate! I was able to give my Tesalate beach towel a spin (I have the Tesalate Bohemian XL) when my relatives and I had our balsa adventure (video way down below) and I must say, you MUST own one. Let me give you a rundown: Sand-free beach days Tesalate is known for its exclusive AbsorbLite™ fabric which means no sand can ever stay put on your towel. Sand-resi...

Jan262021 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

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...

Oct112020 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

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...

Aug162020 by Mindanaoan Irene1 Comment

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...

Jul102020 by Mindanaoan Irene3 Comments

Conquering Mangima Road with Ford Ranger Raptor

Bukidnon, Cagayan de Oro City, Features, Leisure, LifeStyle, Mindanaoan Update, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao, Opinion, Personal, Reviews, Society, Travel

In a previous blog post, I mentioned that I am in the market for a new vehicle and currently weighing options. Aside from budget, comfort level and features, I thought I also needed a vehicle that could fit my busy and adventure-filled lifestyle but can also be formal and practical, preferably one that didn’t really require further modifications. See, I may be a girl but more often than not, I’m not that girly-girl, if you know what I mean. I have my happy-in-a-dress days but I have more makeup-free, slippers-only, super comfortable clothes on days. So, to me, that’s a challenge. Is there a vehicle out there for someone who loves to travel and conquer many adventures but who also loves to take the family, friends and loved ones for fun escapades, lead community projects, volu...

Jun242020 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Donated earsavers for brave frontliners – JOIN US!

Advocacy, Blogging, Bukidnon, Features, Gifts, LifeStyle, Malaybalay City, Mindanaoan Update, Personal, Society

Ever since this whole pandemic started, I've led a couple of donation drives, joined information campaigns and contributed to many fundraising efforts. Anybody who really knows me can attest that I'm not exactly the type who likes to post about those but I want to make an exception this time. Firstly, because I am hoping that more people will be inspired. Secondly, because our fight against this global health crisis is far from over and the world needs more volunteers. Thirdly, because this project is really simple, doable and very budget-friendly --- not to mention fun to do! Let me tell you about earsavers. Earsavers protect the ears from chafing or developing skin irritation while you wear a face mask. You can also wear earsavers so the ear loops don't tug your ears and eventual...

May82020 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Mother’s Day gifts you can easily pay and get online

Beauty, Business, Consumer, Entertainment, Fashion, Features, Gifts, Internet, Leisure, LifeStyle, Restaurant, Shopping, Society, Style, Technology

With Mother’s Day drawing near and we're all still supposed to stay at home because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we can actually still make the most important woman in our lives feel very special on the very day of the year that's meant for her! The best option? Do cashless transactions with many of the businesses that offer takeout/to-go, pickup or delivery options. Chances are, your favorite business establishments offer one or all of those options! With cashless transactions, getting those Mother's Day gifts will definitely be a breeze and safer! For the movie junkie mom If your mom loves movies, why not give her access to all her favorite films and series with a Netflix subscription? You can even set up a movie night for the entire family complete with your go-to snacks. Su...

Oct12019 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Apple launches new smart watch for tech savy

LifeStyle, Technology

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