Mindanaoan Update Archives - Page 41 of 67 - Mindanaoan - Multi awarded CDO and New York Lifestyle Blog

Feb222011 by Mindanaoan Irene5 Comments

Review: Cebu R Hotel | Cebu City hotel

Blogging, Business, Cebu City, Consumer, Features, Hotels, Mindanaoan Update, Reviews, Tourism, Travel

If you're a regular reader of my humble Mindanaoan blog, chances are you'd know that I frequently visit the Queen City of the South - Cebu City. Not only because I like to visit but I also because I need to. You see, I recently expanded my lil public relations, events management and media and marketing business in Cebu :) This means that I can now cater to businesses and individuals based in Cebu and neighboring islands that need PR, media relations, events management and marketing services. Anyhoo, I was recently in Cebu...yet again. Since my mom traveled with me, I thought of booking a room in one of Cebu's many affordable hotels. I also wanted to stay in a Cebu hotel that I haven't stayed in yet (so that I can review it and share my thoughts with y'all, of course! :D). I landed on Ce...

Feb202011 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Cute Manny Pacquiao and Mommy Dionisia Pacquiao commercial!

Arts, Bisaya, Blogging, Bukidnon, Davao City, Features, General Santos City, Mindanaoan Artists, Mindanaoan Update, Personalities, Sarangani, Society

Fellow Mindanaoans Manny Pacquiao and his very own Mum, Mommy Dionisia Pacquiao, have a new, super cute Datu Puti TV commercial! I like the play on the "bumili ka lang ng suka, champion ka na" statement :D Of course, the quotable quote in this TVC is also Manny Pacquiao's "boxing is not for killing." :P In this Datu Puti Manny Pacquiao TVC, a guy who's supposedly playing the role of Coach Freddie (Roach, the Pacman's real-life boxing coach) tells the "true story" behind the Pacman's road to success. Well, of course it's not the real story but this commercial is really funny and clever :) Props to the agency behind this cool Manny Pacquiao TV commercial! By the way, just in case you don't know how Manny Pacquiao and I are fellow Mindanaoans, check this out: (more…)

Feb192011 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Photos: Kean Cipriano of Callalily Band

Entertainment, Features, Media, Mindanaoan Artists, Mindanaoan Update, Music, Personalities, Photos

Anybody who knows me well knows that I am a huge fan of Kean Cipriano. For the uninitiated, Kean Cipriano is the lead vocalist of the popular Filipino band Callalily. His band is best known for the hit songs "Hintay," "Magbalik," "Stars," "Sanctuary" and "Susundan." I first met Kean in person when I was hired as an event organizer of a Callalily concert a few years ago. Needless to say, as soon as I watched him and his band perform, I was hooked! I became a self-proclaimed "Callalista" :D Then, fast forward 2010, I accidentally found out that one of the lawyers in the same firm where a former senatorial-candidate-friend of mine was a partner was actually Kean's uncle! Yikes :D So, okay, enough of the blab. Here's one of the photos I took of Kean Cipriano during a recent visit to the ...

Feb62011 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

My second studio visit at TV5 Manila’s PO5 Sunday show

Arts, Broadcasting, Davao City, Entertainment, Features, Media, Mindanaoan Update, Music, Personalities, Society, Style

The first time my friends and I watched PO5 (Party on Five) live, we all trooped to a studio in Marikina. During our second visit just a few days ago, my friends and I went to Broadway Centrum along Aurora Boulevard, the same studio complex where the longest noontime show in the Philippines is also aired from Monday to Friday - "Eat Bulaga." PO5 does not use the same studio, though. It uses the one adjacent to the "Eat Bulaga" studio. For the uninitiated, by the way, PO5 is Channel 5's Sunday noontime variety show, their answer to ABS CBN Channel 2's "ASAP" and to GMA 7's "Party Pilipinas." Among its hosts are Richard Gomez, Lucy Torres, John Estrada, Wilma Doesnt, Alex Gonzaga, Danita Paner and...be still my heart...Kean Cipriano :D (more…)

Feb62011 by Mindanaoan Irene4 Comments

At the wedding reception of the Malaysian ambassador’s daughter

BIMP-EAGA, Blogging, Features, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Mindanaoan Update, Musings, Personal, Politics, Society

Ever since I had the utmost privilege to meet the Ambassador of Malaysia to the Philippines Dato Seri Dr. Ibrahim Saad and his beautiful wife Datin Seri Dato Zainab Kader, I've become so fascinated with Malaysia, its people, its culture and traditions and even their food! I've also become quite fascinated with certain similarities between the Philippines and Malaysia and the glaring fact that at the end of the day, we really all are connected. So when I received this special invitation to attend the wedding reception of the Malaysian ambassador's daughter Zaireen Ayu Ibrahim and her groom Shazlan Sufian, I knew I just had to go. Not only was it a fabulous chance for me to witness an akad nikah (traditional Malay wedding) but it was also a chance for me to meet and mingle with new Malays...

Feb42011 by Mindanaoan Irene3 Comments

Meeting the Malaysian ambassador and his wife

BIMP-EAGA, Blogging, Features, Internet, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Mindanaoan Update, Musings, Personal, Personalities, Society

I've said it and I'll say it again and again. Blogging, even micro blogging through Twitter or Plurk, does wonders for you and for your life. Not only can you share your thoughts, tips and photos with others (which may help them in the process, without you necessarily knowing about it), earn a bit but more importantly, get to meet new, interesting people and experience new and exciting things. Just take the case of a pretty cool thing that happened to me a few weeks ago. Because of the power of the Internet and micro blogging, I had the ultimate honor to meet the Malaysian Ambassador to the Philippines Dato Seri Dr. Ibrahim Saad and his beautiful wife Datin Seri Zainab Kader. * credits for photo above goes to Malaysia Tatler Before I continue, let me just say, though, that the...

Feb22011 by Mindanaoan Irene4 Comments

How I spent my winnings from the Resorts World Manila casino

Flights, Hongkong, Kuala Lumpur, Macau, Malaysia, Mindanaoan Update, Musings, Personal, Singapore, Tourism, Travel

Not too long ago, I had one amazing, ultra lucky night at Resorts World Manila. Actually, if you care to read what happened to me that day, you can see that Lady Luck was on my side from the very beginning. Needless to say, I was and still am very grateful for all the things that happened that one fateful day. Ever since I blogged about my Resorts World Manila casino winnings, a lot of people have asked me what I did with the money. It wasn't much, truth be told. However, it was enough to make me and my entire family happy! I spent my winnings booking flights to Singapore and Hongkong :) My mom and I are set to fly to Singapore (with a day-long sidetrip to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) in a few days (we're spending Chinese New Year and Valentine's Day abroad! Cool, huh? :D) while I trea...

Feb22011 by Mindanaoan Irene6 Comments

Review: BonChon chicken – fried twice, twice as good

Food, Mindanaoan Update, Recipes, Reviews

During my most recent trip to Manila, three very good friends and I finally had the chance to visit the Ayala Triangle Gardens, Makati branch of Bonchon Chicken. Now if you haven't heard of BonChon, this below might give you an idea of what you're supposed to expect: (yes, that's from the New York Times!) BonChon chicken is supposedly one of, if not the best, tasting chicken you can ever taste in your lifetime. And I must say, after that early dinner with friends, I can only agree 110%! Here's why... (more…)

Jan312011 by Mindanaoan Irene10 Comments

Review: GoHotels.ph value hotel in Mandaluyong | budget hotel Manila

Business, Consumer, Corporate, Hotels, Mindanaoan Update, Opinion, Reviews

For budget conscious Mindanaoans like me who often travel to Manila, it is but imperative to stay in a value hotel that offers not only comfort and safety but an ideal location as well. Although I do put a lot of weight on the price of a hotel room, I don't mind paying extra if I see that I get my money's worth. I also prefer hotels that are near public transportation options. Enter GoHotels.ph - a relatively new hotel located along EDSA Mandaluyong. For the uninitiated, EDSA, formerly known as Highway 54, is the main highway of Metro Manila here in the Philippines. It's also the same circumferential road where the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) passes through. GoHotels is the sister company of budget airline Cebu Pacific. Hence, it's no wonder that the said Manila budget hotel operates the s...

Jan272011 by Mindanaoan Irene1 Comment

Mass videoconference aims to link Manila and Iligan students

Advocacy, Announcements, Campus, Events, Iligan City, Lanao del Sur, Mindanaoan Artists, Mindanaoan Update, Northern Mindanao

Before anything else, I'd like to say that I'm a proud RockEd volunteer. Rock Ed Philippines, which began in 2005, aims to get Filipinos interested in nation building. Rock Ed links Filipinos from all walks of life with causes that they are interested in. Once you sign up for Rock Ed, you're assigned projects that fit your expertise, interests or skill sets. In my case, I usually volunteer for projects related to blogging, publicity, event management, photography, media and business-related stuff. Now this is where the point of this blog post starts :D You see, I found this project in the Rock Ed Philippines website. It's about a mass videoconference that aims to link at least 2,000 students in Manila to at least 2,000 students in Iligan - yup, that's all the way down here in Mindanao. How...

Jan272011 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Havaianas 2011 collection and the list of authorized Havaianas retailers all over Philippines

Beauty, Business, Cagayan de Oro City, Consumer, Features, Gifts, Mindanaoan Update, Shopping, Style

A lot of my blog readers have been asking me about this and you all know I aim to please...so here you go! :) Here's a peek at the most awaited Havaianas 2011 collection as well as a complete list of the authorized retailers all over the Philippines. And yes, my favorite boutique in Northern Mindanao, Spruce, is one of the friendly authorized retailers of our favorite flipflops Havaianas. Just in case you're wondering why it's important for you to know where to get original pairs of Havaianas, well, you DO deserve something more than mere imitation, yes? :) And for those who want to check out what Havaianas Philippines has in store for all their loyal Havaianaticos, check out the Havaianas 2011 collection below: (more…)

Jan262011 by Mindanaoan Irene3 Comments

Philippine Airlines launches Zamboanga to Cagayan de Oro direct flights

Announcements, Blogging, Business, Cagayan de Oro City, Consumer, Features, Flights, Mindanaoan Update, Tourism, Travel, Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Peninsula, Zamboanga Sibugay

Now this is definitely good news especially for Mindanao tourism and Mindanao trade :) According to this article, Philippine Airlines will start offering Cagayan de Oro - Zamboanga direct flights starting April 1, 2011. So, instead of enduring 10 hours of land travel, passengers may now only have to endure an hour-long flight. PAL has yet to give more details about the upcoming Zamboanga - CdO flights but I must say, this piece of development is exciting! More possibilities for tourism, business deals! Domingo T. Duerme, PAL vice president for Mindanao, also said that PAL will take over Air Philippines Express' Davao - Zamboanga and Davao - Cagayan de Oro routes. He did not state the reason for PAL’s takeover of the two routes, though. The upcoming PAL Zamboanga to Cagayan de Oro Cit...

Jan182011 by Mindanaoan Irene7 Comments

Bukidnon Mindanao Kaamulan Festival 2011 schedule of activities

Announcements, Bukidnon, Entertainment, Events, Features, Festivals, Fiesta, Mindanao, Mindanaoan Update

Want to attend the Mindanao festival that was once called by then Department of Tourism Secretary Ace Durano as the "only authentic ethnic festival in the Philippines"? Kaamulan Festival is the annual gathering of Bukidnon's 7 hill tribes namely Matigsalug, Bukidnon, Manobo, Talaandig, Higaonon, Umayamnon and Tiguahanon. Bukidnon is a landlocked province in Mindanao, Philippines. It is located on the southern part of Mindanao and is largely considered as the food basket of the Philippines. Here's more information About Bukidnon. Among the highlights of the Kaamulan Festival 2011 are: February 18, 2011 - soft opening of Kaamulan Festival 2011, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon. A "pamuhat" or Pamukalag ha pamuhat ta Kaamulan will be held at the Capitol Grounds at 8 am. February 22, 2...

Jan152011 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Mindanao job alert: Spruce needs marketing staff

Cagayan de Oro City, Jobs, Mindanaoan Update

Here's a job opening in Cagayan de Oro City, Mindanao that you or someone you know may be interested in. One of the top lifestyle stores in Mindanao, SPRUCE, is in need of new marketing staff members. Check this job opening below: Spruce Designer Network is located at the 2nd Floor, West Concourse, Limketkai Center, Cagayan de Oro City, Northern Mindanao. Their boutique and lifestyle store sells Havaianas (they're the accredited store in this neck of the woods), Puma, Get Happy, Happy Feet, Charcoal, Lacoste, Birkenstock, Aranaz, Cole Vintage and a whole lot more. Here's how you can apply at Spruce: (more…)

Jan112011 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Quick announcements from TV5 Davao and Konsumanteng Kagay-anon, Inc.

Cagayan de Oro City, Davao City, Jobs, Mindanaoan Update

It seems that the Kapatid Network a.k.a. TV5 is really keen on beefing up their regional offices! They just announced several job openings for their TV5 Davao hub. So if you or someone you know is interested to join the Happy Network TV5 and be in the same TV station which also houses "Willing Willie," "Juicy" and "BFGF," then read on :) TV5 Davao is in need of reporters, cameramen, assistant cameramen, editors, graphic artists, production assistants for Davao City. Interested applicants can submit their resumes to Danny Dacanay at TV5 Davao on or before January 12, 2011, Wednesday. Now if you want to be updated with more jobs within Mindanao, you may want to SUBSCRIBE TO MINDANAOAN for you to always be updated with the latest job openings in various areas around Mindanao. Just CL...

Jan32011 by Mindanaoan Irene1 Comment

DTI has new business name registration fees

Announcements, Business, Consumer, Government, Mindanaoan Update

Are you thinking of going into business this year? Do you already have a great business name in mind? Here's good news! The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has now made it easier for all of us Mindanaoans to engage in business. Now you can register your business name online (more on this after the jump!). However, DTI now has revised rates for business name applications. Under Department Administrative Order No. 10-10 series of 2010, the Department of Trade and Industry will implement the revised rates for all Business Name (BN) applications effective today, January 3 (Monday). DTI will implement what they call a "territorial scheme" based on geographical divisions. Check out the corresponding payments below: (more…)

Dec292010 by Mindanaoan Irene2 Comments

Richard Poon, Pokwang and Markki Stroem CDO concert

Blogging, Cagayan de Oro City, Entertainment, Events, Features, Mindanaoan Artists, Mindanaoan Update, Music, Northern Mindanao, Personalities, Photos, Society, Videos

Hi everyone, how's the holidays (or should I say holiDAZE) so far? I'm still on "vacation mode" hence the lack of updates here. Interestingly, though, this humble Mindanao blog still continues to attract very good traffic every single day and for that I am really thankful. Daghang salamat to all of my regular readers and followers! Thank you so much! Please continue to support Mindanaoan by urging all of your friends to "Like" us on Facebook and to subscribe via email :) This time around, I'd like to share with you some of the photos I took during the recently concluded "The Crooner and The Comedienne" concert featuring Richard Poon and Pokwang with special guest Markki Stroem. I know that a lot of you have been waiting for these...judging by the so many hits on my previous entries: exc...

Dec262010 by Mindanaoan Irene2 Comments

And the winner of my simple Starbucks contest is…

Announcements, Contests, Mindanaoan Update, Society

Here it is...finally! The winner of the simple Mindanaoan.com Starbucks beverage coupon contest :) It took me a few days to figure this out since I couldn't chance upon my niece (who was supposed to draw out the lucky winner of two tall Starbucks beverage coupons) and some people who said they joined the contest couldn't see their posts on the official Mindanaoan.com Facebook Page. In fairness to these people, when I did check their Facebook profiles, the requirements were all there and their posts were made public but they still didn't appear on the Mindanaoan FB Page. Ugh. So I'm not sure whether it's a technical glitch or just the universe's way of saying that FB contests may not be a good idea anymore LOL. So, in the spirit of fairness, I'm ditching the manually conducted raffle...

Dec212010 by Mindanaoan Irene2 Comments

Photos: Pokwang in “The Crooner and The Comedienne” concert

Blogging, Cagayan de Oro City, Entertainment, Events, Features, Mindanaoan Update, Northern Mindanao, Personalities, Photos

I'd like to share with all of you the photos I took of talented comedienne Marietta Subong a.k.a. Pokwang during the "The Crooner and The Comedienne" concert last December 19, 2010, Limketkai Atrium, CDO. These are all raw photos, by the way. Apart from the watermarks, the photos have not been manipulated in any way. Please feel free to share this page and please leave a comment :) Thank you. Also, as previously promised with you all, I'll share more videos of Richard Poon, Pokwang and Markki Stroem. I still have an exclusive video interview with Markki Stroem! Can't wait to share that with all of you! The former Pilipinas Got Talent finalist was a gentleman --- he was very eloquent, spontaneous, funny and smart. No wonder there are a lot of Markki fans out there! In the meantime, en...

Dec212010 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Mindanaoan.com ‘s exclusive interview with big band crooner Richard Poon

Arts, Blogging, Cagayan de Oro City, Entertainment, Events, Features, Media, Mindanaoan Update, Music, Personalities, Videos

Before his big concert with Pokwang and Markki Stroem last December 19, 2010 at the Atrium of the Limketkai Center, Cagayan de Oro City, this blogger in Mindanao got the chance to interview the Big Band Crooner himself, Richard Poon. Just in case you don't know, Mindanaoan.com was one of the proud media sponsors of the successful run of "The Crooner and The Comedienne," which was made possible by Joey Pelaez Events. Mindanaoan.com had the chance to ask Richard Poon about his choice of music genre, how he can be an advocate of music especially among the youth, how he applies the skills he learned as an entrepreneur to his being a musician (he liked the question, by the way! :D) and what keeps him inspired these days *wink, wink* [READ THIS, just in case you think you're kindda out of the...

Dec212010 by Mindanaoan Irene5 Comments

Exclusive and with photos: Maricar Reyes watches suitor Richard Poon’s concert in Cagayan de Oro Mindanao

Beauty, Blogging, Cagayan de Oro City, Entertainment, Events, Features, Mindanaoan Artists, Mindanaoan Update, Personalities, Photos

Are they or aren't they? I guess that was what a lot of people were wondering last night during the much-awaited The Crooner and The Comedienne concert featuring Richard Poon and Pokwang with special guest Markki Stroem of Pilipinas Got Talent. You see, someone very close to Richard Poon's heart was in the audience that night. The very girl the Big Band Crooner himself described as "the most beautiful girl I have ever seen in my life" - doctor, actress and model Maricar Reyes (who, by the way, hails from Cagayan de Oro City, Mindanao) For those of you who feel a bit lost --- here's the gist. Richard Poon met Maricar Reyes. He was immediately smitten but felt it wasn't the right time to get to know her better. Then they met again at a ball and then she starred in his music video and then...

Dec162010 by Mindanaoan Irene2 Comments

Mindanao congressmen who have perfect attendance

Bukidnon, Cagayan de Oro City, Government, Mindanaoan Update, North Cotabato, Personalities, Politics, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Tawi Tawi, Zamboanga City

I must say, I'm so relieved that I found several Mindanawon congressmen in the list of representatives who have perfect attendance in the first 45 days of session. These congressmen from Mindanao sure exemplified a good sense of public service. Hats off to all you, sirs! Here are the various Mindanao congressmen who have perfect attendance in Congress (at least within the first 45 days of session): Pedro Acharon Jr. (South Cotabato) Erico Basilio Fabian (Zamboanga City) Nur Jaafar (Tawi-Tawi) Rufus Rodriguez (Cagayan de Oro) Jesus Sacdalan (North Cotabato) Raden Sakaluran (Sultan Kudarat) Jose Ma. Zubiri III (Bukidnon) These Mindanawan congressmen, along with 36 others, received a Parker ballpen as a token. Their names were also reportedly announced in the chamber. ...