blog mindanao Archives - Mindanaoan - Multi awarded CDO and New York Lifestyle Blog

Jul122012 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

US Embassy Manila launches new Mindanao blog

Advocacy, America, Announcements, Blogging, Education, Features, Headline, Internet, Mindanaoan Update, Technology, United States of America

The U.S. Embassy in Manila has launched a new blog that focuses on Mindanao as well as on the many partnerships between the United States, the Government of the Philippines, and the people of Mindanao. The new Mindanao blog, entitled "Peace, Prosperity and Partnership in Mindanao," includes information on how to participate in US Embassy programs that are offered in the Island of Mindanao. Peace, Prosperity and Partnership are the main thematic approaches of the U.S. Embassy in diplomatic engagement with Mindanaoans and the Philippine government. Hence, the name. The new US Embassy Manila blog also features conversations with young Mindanao leaders and updates on cultural programs, health initiatives and business innovations that are supported by various U.S. government agencies. US ...

May92011 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Exclusive: Atty. Adel Tamano is new Dean of Liceo University, Cagayan de Oro City

Announcements, Cagayan de Oro City, Campus, Cotabato, Education, Features, Headline, Marawi City, Mindanaoan Artists, Mindanaoan Update, News, Northern Mindanao, Personalities, Society

BREAKING NEWS! A first and exclusive right here on Mindanaoan.com! And he even broke the news to this Mindanao blogger himself ;) One of the largest universities in Mindanao now has a high profile lawyer as one of its Deans. Liceo de Cagayan University or LDCU, the first private, non sectarian university in Cagayan de Oro City, Mindanao, just hired the very first Filipino Muslim scholar graduate of Harvard University. Atty. Adel Tamano, former President of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM), former spokesperson of the United Opposition (and last year, of the Nacionalista Party) and yes, former senatorial candidate, is now the new Dean of the College of Law of Liceo University. "I've accepted the post of Dean of Liceo in CDO. I'll be there twice a month," was Atty. Adel's te...

Apr252011 by Mindanaoan Irene3 Comments

Spruce opens a branch in Valencia City

Bukidnon, Business, Cagayan de Oro City, Fashion, Features, Mindanaoan Update, Ozamis, Pagadian, Society, Style

As you guys may know, I'm a big supporter and regular customer of Spruce lifestyle boutique. Spruce is one of my favorite boutiques in Cagayan de Oro City, Mindanao. It's where my relatives, friends and I buy original Havaianas, Charcoal, Lacoste and Happy Feet products! And, if you must know, Spruce is also responsible for all those fun Make Your Own Havaianas events in Northern Mindanao! Check out my very own Make Your Own Havaianas 2010 experience here. Owned by Spruce Designer Network Inc., Spruce has a main branch at the 2nd Level West Concourse, Limketkai Mall. It also has branches in Pagadian and Ozamiz. Recently, Spruce opened its newest branch - Spruce Valencia City, Bukidnon. (more…)

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...

Dec52010 by Mindanaoan Irene2 Comments

Davao City’s musical fountain worth P18M is 1st in Mindanao

Announcements, Arts, Davao City, Features, Government, Leisure, Mindanaoan Update, Tourism

As you guys may or may not know, the local government unit of my hometown Davao City, Mindanao has banned the use and sale of fireworks for years now. So yes, it's been a series of pretty "quiet" Christmases and New Year's Eves in Davao for several years now. Quiet but safe. Now, because fireworks aren't permitted, the Davao City government, led by Mayor Sara Duterte, has come up with the next best thing - an P18 Million dancing, musical fountain! The grand musical fountain, which can be found at the Davao City People's Park (former PTA Grounds, along Camus Street), is said to be the first in Mindanao. The musical fountain in People's Park Davao is also a part of the yearly Pasko Fiesta, which the Davao government holds to usher in the holidays. I don't have a photo of the grand m...

Oct72010 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Bacolod: Balay ni Tana Dicang | Bacolod tourist spot you must visit!

Bacolod City, Blogging, Flights, Mindanaoan Update, Musings, Reviews, Tourism, Travel, Visayas

So a few weeks ago, I shared with all of you all about the New Bacolod Silay Airport and the two places where my friends and I dined in Bacolod City (Pepe's Grill for the delicious ribs and Calea for the best desserts). Now I'll share a nice tourist spot we visited at Talisay City (about half an hour away from Bacolod City) --- Balay Ni Tana Dicang. Located along Rizal Street, Balay Ni Tana Dicang (Balay means home while tana is shortcut for "kapitana") stands as one of Negros' most preserved ancestral homes. It's so well-preserved, in fact! These days, it's now a museum and occasionally plays host to art exhibits and other mini shows. It was build in 1883 for Don Efigenio Lizares and Dona Enrica Alunan at the later stage of the Spanish era in the Philippines. This bahay na ba...

Sep272010 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Photos taken at the Senate: the day of Sen. Miriam Santiago’s jueteng expose

Controversial, Events, Features, Government, Mindanaoan Update, News, Personalities, Photos

Apart from attending the 17th National Public Relations Congress, another thing I did during my recent trip to Manila was visit the Senate of the Philippines. It was supposed to be a quick visit but it turned into an almost 3-hour stay. The reason: Senator Miriam Santiago's jueteng expose. The feisty Ilonggo senator, in her privilege speech, accused several persons including Chavit Singson, Bong Pineda (a known friend of former President Gloria Arroyo), Atong Ang (a known ally of former President Erap Estrada), Tony Santos and Danny Soriano as alleged jueteng lords and even went on to say that the Philippine National Police and the Department of Interior and Local Government are in cahoots. Leave it to Sen. Miriam Santiago to shock and awe everyone. Well, this blogger from Mindanao t...

Sep242010 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Resorts World Manila celebrates Mooncake Festival

Announcements, Features, Festivals, Food, Hotels, Leisure, Mindanaoan Update, Resorts, Tourism

If you're here in Manila (like me! - I'm currently attending the 17th National Public Relations Congress) then you still have time to catch the Mooncake Festival at Resorts World Manila! Celebrate the Mid-Autumn together with Resorts World Manila (RWM) with its Mooncake Festival! This September, Resorts World Manila has prepared the indispensable delicacy, known as the mooncake, for family and friends to share. The mooncake is a delicious tradition rich in history. The festival is strongly associated with the Moon Goddess of Immortality. It also represents the time of the year when the moon is at its fullest and marks the end of the harvest. It is traditionally celebrated with dances, moon viewing parties, and of course, partaking of mooncakes. If you're a slot player like me (I on...

Sep182010 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Photos: Make Your Own Havaianas Davao City leg

Davao City, Events, Fashion, Features, Mindanaoan Update, Style

The Make Your Own Havaianas 2010 Davao City, Mindanao leg is being held at the Gaisano Mall (GMall) along Bajada Avenue, Davao City. It started last September 16, 2010 and will end tomorrow, September 19, 2010. I was able to visit the MYOH 2010 Davao event on the very first day and by the looks of it, the certified Havaianaticos in this side of the country came in full force! The Davao City leg of Make Your Own Havaianas comes after the highly successful Make Your Own Havaianas 2010 Cagayan de Oro leg, which was held last August 2010 (Mindanaoan was there, too, of course, much thanks to our special friends over at Spruce). Check out more photos after the jump: (more…)

Sep112010 by Mindanaoan Irene4 Comments

Help me attend PR 2.0: 17th National Public Relations Congress

Bisaya, Blogging, Business, Corporate, Features, Headline, Internet, Journalism, Media, Mindanaoan Artists, Mindanaoan Update, Musings, Opinion, Personal, Society

The 17th National Public Relations Congress will be held on September 23 and 24, 2010 at the Grand Ballroom, InterContinental Manila, Makati City, Philippines with the theme “PR2.0 Build. Engage. Deliver.” and I absolutely want to attend! I may have been in the public relations/media/marketing/advertising/events industry for several years now and I may own a small public relations agency in the Philippines but I have yet to attend a national conference led by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines. Methinks attending this PR congress will help me as a Filipino publicist and I have a couple of reasons why: 1. I am one who actively incorporates blogging and other forms of social and new media in my work. While I still practise public relations the "traditional" way, I have starte...

Sep72010 by Mindanaoan Irene1 Comment

Surigao: Siargao International Surfing Cup on

Announcements, Events, Mindanaoan Update, News, Sports, Surigao, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Tourism

Despite the alleged pull-out of Billabong as sponsor, the Siargao International Surfing Competition is still a go. The said surfing cup, Siargao, Surigao del Norte's biggest annual event, will start on September 24, 2010 at Cloud 9, General Luna, Siargao, Mindanao. The Siargao International Surfing Cup will take place for 6 days and will reportedly see the participation of at least 32 international surfers. There will also be 12 Pinoy surfers who will join the said international surfing competition. Siargao is, as we all know, largely considered as the surfing capital of the Philippines. Philippine Surfing Federation Secretary General Zeny Pallugna said that the competition will follow the invitational format. “This invitational format, along with the allure of the wave at C...

Sep12010 by Mindanaoan Irene3 Comments

General Santos Tuna Festival 2010 on September 18 – 26, 2010

Events, Features, Festivals, Fiesta, General Santos City, Mindanaoan Update, Sarangani, SoSCksargen, Tourism, Travel

General Santos City, Mindanao is set to celebrate the much-awaited Tuna Festival 2010 on September 18 to 26, 2010. This, after the Tuna Festival Council of GenSan decided to change this year's schedule. Normally, the Tuna Fest is celebrated during the first week of September. This year, however, it's set to happen on September 18 - 26, 2010. The 42nd Charter Day celebration of General Santos City will also be held on September 5, 2010. The following is this year's GenSan Tuna Fest 2010 official schedule of activities: Tunafest Schedule as of August 16, 2010 (more…)

Aug312010 by Mindanaoan Irene4 Comments

Photos: New Bacolod Silay Airport

Blogging, Mindanaoan Update, Photos, Tourism, Travel

One of the reasons why this blogger from Mindanao had to spend roughly two weeks in Visayas was a fab, much-awaited weekend in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental with my gal pals Joyce, Iza and Crissa! Although it wasn't my first time to visit Bacolod City (the renowned City of Smiles and home of the Masskara Festival), it was my first time to spend three days with dear friends whom I all met in Manila. I'll tell you more about these amazing ladies in the next few posts :) For now, I'll share with you some travel tips should you take the Cebu-Bacolod route soon (the Masskara Festival is just around the corner, after all!) and some of the photos I took at the fairly New Bacolod Silay Airport. I usually book my flights online using a credit card. For my Cebu City to Bacolod City flight, I...

Jul162010 by Mindanaoan Irene3 Comments

The big Spruce 5th anniversary sale and my oh-so-precious loot!

Beauty, Blogging, Business, Cagayan de Oro City, Events, Fashion, Features, Mindanaoan Update, Musings, Style

So the first day of the much-awaited and much talked about 5th Anniversary Sale of SPRUCE was an absolute success! Hundreds of Spruce loyalists came and bought...nay, HOARDED...a lot of stuff! I personally overheard a lady who, after she already bought a lot of items, told her husband that she wanted to stay overnight in Cagayan de Oro City (the family was, apparently, from Marawi City) just because the Spruce personnel told her that more stocks were coming. I also saw a guy who already had 4 pairs of PUMA shoes in his shopping basket but was still checking out yet another pair! (Who says guys can't be shopaholics?) As soon as the mall opened, a long line of eager shoppers was already outside the Spruce store. That type of scene was inevitable, truth be told. Spruce, in celeb...

Jul92010 by Mindanaoan Irene10 Comments

Mindanao food: Malunggay pastel! Sweet, healthy twist to Camiguin’s delicacy

Business, Cagayan de Oro City, Camiguin, Features, Food

Did you know that malunggay contains more vitamin A than carrots, more calcium than milk, more iron than spinach, more vitamin C than oranges and more potassium than bananas? That's the premise of Malunggay Pastel Bread, which started as a product for a feasibility study for Xavier University students but now looks like a thriving, successful business venture. Malunggay pastel is a healthy twist to the ordinary pastel bread, largely known as Camiguin's delicacy. If you want to order your malunggay pastel bread, check the poster after the jump. You can also call Steffi Dalman, one of the business owners of Malunggay Pastel Bread. Her number's at the bottom part of the poster after the jump! (more…)

Jun262010 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Stylistas 2010 go-see

Announcements, Arts, Beauty, Cagayan de Oro City, Events, Fashion, Style

Are you a fashionista? Are you a model? Or do you at least aspire to walk down the ramp? A go-see for models / Stylistas 2010 interested participants will be held on July 11, 2010, 2PM at the SM Cagayan de Oro Atrium. The search will be in line with the upcoming Stylistas fashion show. The Stylistas 2010 fashion show will be held on July 18, 2010. If you're 16 to 24 years old, have a fun personality and a unique fashion sense, then check out this poster: Good luck, Mindanaoan!

Jun252010 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Ampatuan massacre witness killed

Broadcasting, Commentary, Controversial, Crime, Maguindanao, Media, Mindanaoan Update, News, Opinion

Suwaid Upham a.k.a. "Jessie" was shot dead recently. Not only should family and friends of the victims of the Ampatuan massacre be concerned...we Mindanaoans...nay, FILIPINOS...must also be very concerned. We must awfully, most profoundly be worried. Suwaid Upham was a very vital witness to the November 23, 2009 Ampatuan, Maguindanao massacre which claimed 58 lives. The same massacre that rocked the entire nation especially since thirty two of the victims were Mindanaoan journalists - who all went in good faith, who all just did their jobs...who all did not have any clue that it would be their last day on earth. That massacre left all of us dumbfounded.Who knew that a beast so heartless, who killed women and innocent journalists, lived in Mindanao? On the other hand, the gruesome...

Jun232010 by Mindanaoan Irene3 Comments

Watching GMA 7 longtime running show Eat Bulaga live in the studio

Arts, Broadcasting, Entertainment, Features, Leisure, Media, Mindanaoan Update, Personal, Photos, Society

Whenever this blogger from Mindanao is in Manila, I always see to it that apart from the usual shopping and lakwatsa, I also look for other "extraordinary" things that I can probably do. Just like my recent visit to the KB Studios in Marikina to watch TV5's Sunday variety show, "P.O.5." where I got to see not only my friend and fellow Dabawenyo Jay Durias of Southborder (who happens to be the show's musical director) but also Lucy Torres-Gomez, John Estrada and my crush Kean Cipriano of Callalily in the flesh. I also attended my first ever movie bloggers event in Manila plus I got to watch the much-talked about Presidentiables Gut Talent comedy show of master impersonator Willie Nepomuceno. And because my mom was also in town, we decided to watch another noontime show live inside the st...

Jun162010 by Mindanaoan Irene8 Comments

Eyelash extensions now a big hit in the Philippines | My eyelash extensions

Beauty, Blogging, Business, Consumer, Features, Mindanaoan Update, Musings, Personal, Reviews, Style

Ever heard of eyelash extensions? These are different from fake eyelashes, mind you. Eyelash extensions add thickness, length and fullness to natural eyelashes. Compared to fake eyelashes, eyelash extensions appear more "natural." The synthetic single fiber polyester thread-like materials are applied lash by lash (compared to fake eyelashes where an entire strip of lashes are glued to one's eyelid) and eyelash extensions are usually semi-permanent. These days, eyelash extension salons are sprouting like mushrooms all over Manila. Although no eyelash extension shop has opened in Mindanao (yet), I bet one will open very soon. So here's the deal...one of the things that I treated myself with during my most recent trip to Manila was...well, you guessed that right...getting eyelash extens...

Jun162010 by Mindanaoan Irene1 Comment

Movie review: Karate Kid starring Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan

Arts, Entertainment, Features, Mindanaoan Update, Movies, Reviews

I must admit, I initially did not want to watch Karate Kid starring Jaden Smith (Will Smith's son) and Jackie Chan on the big screen. I figured that I wanted to preserve my memories of the original Karate Kid (starring the crush-ng-bayan at the time, Ralph Macchio) and the now infamous "crane kick." I also figured I can always wait for the DVD version and spend my P160.00 (price set for Cinema 2 Digital Theater of SM Megamall) somewhere else. Boy did I think wrong. This newest Karate Kid movie topbilled by Jaden Smith, son of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith, is one very heartwarming, fun, believable, wonderfully written, action-filled movie you should not miss. (more…)

May312010 by Mindanaoan Irene3 Comments

Freebies alert – Giving away Mindanaoan.com keychains!

Announcements, Blogging, Contests, Freebies, Mindanaoan Update

Hello everyone, I'm giving away several Mindanaoan.com keychains :) Simple yet useful keychains for all of the valued readers of my humble blog about Mindanao and life in Mindanao! It's super easy to receive a FREE Mindanaoan.com keychain. All you have to do is SUBSCRIBE TO MINDANAOAN (CLICK, CLICK!) :) Yes, yes, it's THAT easy for you to get this freebie :) After you click the link leading you to the SUBSCRIPTION PAGE, please just leave a valid email address and don't forget to verify your email address by clicking on the URL that will be sent to you via email. Subscribe NOW because I will start shipping these keychains out by June 15, 2010! NOTE: Existing subscribers of Mindanaoan.com need not fret because all of you will also be included in this mini keychain-giveaway thingi...

May282010 by Mindanaoan Irene6 Comments

Review: The Maxwell Hotel Cebu | Budget hotel Cebu

Business, Consumer, Hotels, Mindanaoan Update, Reviews, Tourism, Travel

The Maxwell Hotel Cebu is located along N. Escario Street, Cebu City, Philippines - a prime location in the Queen City of the South. It's a fairly new hotel in Cebu City and can be considered a Cebu budget hotel. Mindanaoan stayed at the Maxwell Hotel Cebu for two nights during my recent 4-day escapade at Cebu to attend the first ever Cebu Blog Camp 2010. The first two nights were spent at my Cebu City-based brother's apartment. My brother is also a blogger, by the way, and he accompanied me at the Cebu Blog Camp. He blogs about tennis here. Since he often lacked sleep because of the uber warm Cebu weather as of late, I, as the dutiful "ate" (ahem, ahem), decided to check-in at The Maxwell Hotel Cebu and treat him to two days of rest, sleep and an absolutely relaxing massage (more about...