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

Oct12013 by Mindanaoan Irene1 Comment

Mindanaoan.com is a finalist in the 2013 Mindanao Blog Awards

Advocacy, Announcements, Blogging, Features, Internet, Mindanaoan Artists, Mindanaoan Update, Musings, Society, Technology

Hi everyone! So excited to share with you all a piece of good news. My humble blog, Mindanaoan, has officially been recognized as a finalist in the Mindanao Blog Awards 2013 (MBA 2013)! Woot woot! Mindanaoan.com is one of the Best Lifestyle Blog 2013 finalists :) You can find the official announcement here. Thank you so much, daghang salamat gyud kaayo to everyone who voted in order for Mindanaoan to be among the finalists. There will still be a final round of voting (I hope I can still count on your support ;) ) but win or lose, I am already extremely proud and grateful! Thank you :) I remember when I won the Best Lifestyle Blog award in the 2010 Philippine Blog Awards and became a national finalist in the 2011 leg. The recognitions truly inspired me to help more people understa...

Mar282013 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

How shopping at Spruce can help fight breast cancer

Advocacy, Beauty, Blogging, Business, Cagayan de Oro City, Consumer, Corporate, Fashion, Features, Gifts, News, Shopping, Society, Style

Did you know that just by shopping at Spruce, you can help raise awareness and help fight breast cancer? Now, shopping for a cause truly has greater meaning! Spruce, one of my favorite lifestyle stores, has forged a partnership with Thrive CDO, a breast cancer awareness advocacy group in Cagayan de Oro City, Mindanao. In order to support Thrive CDO and its campaigns, Spruce has created a very special line of trendy, comfortable and very affordable shoes! The line is called Spruce PINKed and for every purchase of a pair, a portion of the money goes to Thrive CDO. Actually, there's a personal reason behind this Spruce-Thrive CDO partnership. The Tamparong sisters, the amiable trio behind Spruce, found out that their mom Maridel was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010. The news pre...

Oct312011 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

My Public Relations and Blogging speaking engagement

Advocacy, Blogging, Cagayan de Oro City, Events, Internet, Journalism, Mindanaoan Update, Personal, Society, Technology

I was one of the resource speakers during the recently concluded CDO Bloggers 3rd Blogging Workshop. Held last October 22, 2011, the very successful blogging workshop saw the attendance of several would-be and existing bloggers, SEO specialists, online media practitioners and social media enthusiasts. It was really great to be in the company of like-minded individuals ;) My topic was about public relations and blogging. Like I told the participants, I've been in the PR industry for a decade and in the traditional media for about 5 years. I discovered the beauty of blogging and online media about 5 years ago and I continue to learn a lot about the importance of putting publicity, online media, social media and blogging together. Anyways, I talked about what publicists really do, the d...

Aug102011 by Mindanaoan Irene6 Comments

Review: Movenpick Resort and Spa Mactan Cebu

Business, Cebu City, Commentary, Consumer, Features, Hotels, Leisure, Mindanaoan Update, Resorts, Reviews, Tourism, Travel, Visayas

A few days ago, Airphil Express invited me to join their Cebu to Hong Kong maiden flight. Since I had to be in Cebu City a day prior, the friendly folks from Airphil Express flew me from Mindanao to Cebu and sponsored my stay at the spanking Movenpick Resort and Spa in Mactan, Cebu. Muchos gracias Airphil Express! :) Formerly the Hilton Cebu Resort and Spa, Movenpick Resort Cebu is now managed by Swiss-based Movenpick Hotels and Resorts. Mövenpick is said to be an upscale, Swiss hotel chain that has been in the business for 35 years. Moevenpick Resort and Spa Cebu is the very first Movenpick hotel in the Philippines. From the Mactan Cebu airport, it will take you about 20 minutes to reach Movenpick Resort and Spa Cebu. You can take a taxi from the airport (here's a tip on how to get ...

Jun262011 by Mindanaoan Irene48 Comments

Join my small housewarming online giveaway!

Announcements, Blogging, Consumer, Contests, Features

Hi everyone! This Mindanao blogger is back from a weeklong trip to Singapore and Malaysia. Yes, this is my second time in both countries…having been there last February 2011 with my mom. Needless to say, I have fallen in love with these two Asian countries! This time around, I traveled with my brother, a female friend and two female cousins. Since I was the "returnee" in the group, I was also the self-appointed tour guide. Our trip went really well (I'll make kuwento!) except that I had terrible flu the night before our flight. On the day of our departure for the Philippines, I still had fever. I was so scared I couldn't go through immigration since they might check my body temperature and all. I took some medicines and thankfully, my temperature decreased. I was able to pass through Si...

May22011 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Video: US President Barack Obama speech on Osama Bin Laden death

Announcements, Controversial, Government, Headline, Media, Mindanaoan Update, Musings, News, Politics, Videos

Like you, I was one of the hundreds of millions of people around the world who got a bit stunned when the news of Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden's death broke out today. Osama bin Laden, the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 bombings, was killed by U.S. forces in a mansion Abbottabad, north of Islamad, capital of Pakistan. This, after nearly 10 years (!) after the 9/11 attacks. Reportedly, some of Bin Laden's relatives were also killed during the military operation. I must admit, the news of the death of Osama Bin Laden, one of, if not THE most wanted person in the world, was the last thing on my mind. After all, haven't there been so much going on in the world as of late? The Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, the beatification of Pope John Paul II and locally, the resig...

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...

Dec32010 by Mindanaoan Irene4 Comments

Why I organized the Bukidnon Bloggers group

Blogging, Bukidnon, Commentary, Events, Internet, Malaybalay City, Media, Mindanaoan Artists, Mindanaoan Update, Opinion, Personal, Technology

A few weeks ago, right before this blogger from Mindanao flew to Cebu City to open a small, humble branch of my PR, events, media and marketing business, I organized an event dubbed "BukidnonOnline.com Bukidnon Blogging 101 and How To Make Money Online Workshop" in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon, Mindanao. It was a workshop I never expected to be such a huge hit - especially since there were hardly any bloggers in that part of Mindanao. However, more than 40 would-be and newbie bloggers came - and with a lot of help from the CDO Bloggers group, ASTERISK Events and Communications and from generous friends and sponsors - not only was the blogging workshop a major success but it also bore a 10-man Bukidnon Bloggers core group. Needless to say, as event organizer and bloggers myself, I felt abso...

Oct162010 by Mindanaoan Irene3 Comments

Photos of Matt Mullenweg in Wordcamp Philippines 2010

Blogging, Events, Features, Internet, Mindanaoan Update, Personalities, Photos, Technology

This is a follow-up to my earlier post about Wordcamp Philippines 2010, Wordpress founder and lead developer Matt Mullenweg and his video greetings for moi! :D Ch-ch-check out the video greetings here! I'm well aware that keywords such as "Matt Mullenweg photos" and "photos Matt Mullenweg Wordcamp Philippines" have led a lot (and I mean A LOT) of netizens on my humble Mindanaoan blog so as earlier promised, I'm sharing some of the photos I took of Matt. Enjoy ;) More photos after the jump! (more…)

May122010 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Review: Willie Nepomuceno and the “Presidentiables Gut Talent” show

Advocacy, Arts, Blogging, Commentary, Entertainment, Events, Features, Humor, Mindanaoan Update, Musings, Opinion, Personalities, Photos, Politics, Society, Weird

If there is one thing that I, Mindanaoan, absolutely love to do whenever I'm in Manila then that would be to catch as many comedy shows as I can. I'm not referring to comedy shows on TV or stand-up gigs at comedy bars, mind you. I'm referring to live ones that you get to watch at venues like the Music Museum in Greenhills or at the newer one, Teatrino, at the Promenade (located also at Greenhills). There's just something about live comedy shows that I find so invigorating. Well, obviously, apart from the fact that they do provide a venue for you to escape the daily grind somehow and let you laugh (at least for about two hours), I think comedy shows celebrate the amazing talent Filipino comedians have. Just check out my review on "Da Spooftacular Showdown" featuring Jon Santos, Pokwang, ...

May72010 by Mindanaoan Irene1 Comment

Mindanaoan movie review: “A Nightmare on Elm Street”

Arts, Consumer, Culture, Entertainment, Events, Features, Leisure, Mindanaoan Update, Movies, Reviews

Thanks to Manila-based blogger Azrael, Mindanaoan was given the chance to attend the advance screening of the much-talked about horror flick, "A Nightmare on Elm Street." Made possible by SM Cinemas, the advance screening of "A Nightmare on Elm Street" was also sponsored by Warner Bros. Pictures and Magic 89.9. Check out the cool invitation that I received: I arrived at SM Megamall Cinema 6 a little past 7 pm. Thankfully, the moviegoers were still outside the theater so I took that opportunity to buy some popcorn and iced tea. Not long after, a Plurk pal named Erlyn arrived (yep, it was a Plurk meet-up of sorts :) ) and we sat alongside one another - wishing that the movie won't scare us too much! By the way, if you have a Plurk account, please don't hesitate to add me up HER...

Feb72010 by Mindanaoan Irene2 Comments

Review: Lamar Inn Cagayan de Oro | Budget hotel in Cagayan de Oro Mindanao

Business, Cagayan de Oro City, Hotels, Mindanaoan Update, Misamis Oriental, Reviews, Tourism, Travel

Hello fellow Mindanawans! Planning a trip to CDO soon? Here's a budget hotel in Cagayan de Oro City, Mindanao that you might be interested in. Lamar Inn, located at the corner of JR Borja and Velez Streets (just a few blocks away from Divisoria, the heart of the city), is a downtown hotel that offers value for money. Conveniently located at the central business district of the City of Golden Friendship and owned and operated by VIP Hotel (which is located just right across the street), Lamar Inn CDO offers reasonably priced rooms and good amenities. They have 14 tourist type rooms (P750.00 per night), 8 business type rooms (P850.00 per night) and two suites (P1,300.00 per night). The business type room that we stayed in recently was air conditioned, had cable television, had a tel...

Jul212009 by Mindanaoan Irene6 Comments

Digital Filipino and Syntactics treat CDO Bloggers, pave way for new and strengthened connections!

Advocacy, Bisaya, Blogging, Bukidnon, Cagayan de Oro City, Corporate, Events, Features, Internet, Media, Mindanaoan Update, Musings, News, Northern Mindanao, Opinion, Personal, Personalities, Photos, Society, Technology, Tourism, Travel

Can you still remember that mixed feeling of anticipation, eagerness and curiosity --- much like the feeling you had on your very first day in school? That was exactly how I felt when I attended a recent bloggers networking event in Cagayan de Oro City, Mindanao. Although it wasn't my first time to attend one, I still felt like a bright-eyed girl who was so excited to learn new things, to know more updates on the goings-on in the blogosphere and to meet new people in a new town - all of whom I felt shared my love and belief on the power and beauty of the Internet and blogging. Plus I was able to invite 6 friends from Bukidnon and all of my 3 brothers! HOW COOL WAS THAT? :) Mindanaoan attended the 1st Digital Filipino Club and Cagayan de Oro Bloggers Meet-up last July 17, 2009. Generousl...

Jun182009 by Mindanaoan Irene7 Comments

MTV Asia is looking for FOUR official bloggers! Could it be YOU?

Advocacy, Announcements, Blogging, Contests, Internet, Jobs, Mindanaoan Update, News, Technology

MINDANAOAN - How would you like to be an official MTV Asia blogger? You will have the chance to travel the world, attend exclusive MTV events, get free stuff from Puma and hobnob with MTV VJs Utt and Denise! And guess what...you will even earn moolah! How cool is that? It would be totally swell if someone from Mindanao could be a part of the MTV blog squad, right? You only have until June 30, 2009 to make your blog noticed! Ch-ch-check this out! This MTV contest is in partnership with the Nuffnang blog community, by the way. So yeah, this is another reason why you should join Nuffnang! (check out the Nuffnang ads somewhere in this page!) Good luck Mindanawan!

Oct232008 by Mindanaoan Irene10 Comments

Meeting other Mindanaoan bloggers

Davao City, Events, Features, Internet, Technology

My brother and I attended the Digital Filipino Club and Bloggers Davao City Networking event last October 21, 2008 at the Pantawan Hall of the Casino Filipino branch at Grand Regal Hotel, Lanang. Although it wasn't really my first time to attend a bloggers event, it was the first time for me to attend one in Mindanao. My brother and I initially planned to attend the 2nd Mindanao Bloggers Summit in General Santos City (I actually exchanged a few emails with lead organizer Avel) but things just got too darn busy that we overlooked the deadline for registration. Sucks, I know. That's why we were glad to learn about the Davao networking event. At least we were able to see several Mindanaoan bloggers who will be in GenSan for the MBS 2 and we were able to personally meet Janette Toral...