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

Aug312018 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Look at these handmade arm candies fit for lovers of the sea

I am a self-proclaimed beach baby. Everything that has anything to do with the sea, surf, sand, sun gets my attention. Truth be told, one of my goals in life is to own a nice, cozy beach house and live by the beach again. I say again because for several years, my family and I lived along the shore in Davao City. Those were simple but very happy years. So when these lovely handmade nautical bracelets were sent my way, I knew I found my new favorites! Not only are these Wind Passion handmade bracelets certified arm candies, they're also great reminders of the fondest of times in my life and in my family's life. Wind Passion nautical bracelets are handmade, definitely eye-catching, comes in many colors and designs and are made of top quality, durable cord and other marine materials ...

Sep22015 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Seeing Daniel Matsunaga and Aliya Parcs

Cagayan de Oro City, Entertainment, Events, Mindanaoan Update, Personalities, Photos

A few weeks ago, I took a quick step back from all the traveling and instead, started attending a couple of local events. Event invitations have been piling up! (Thank you!) The events I attended paved the way for me to see a good friend, meet a new one and see another hunk who apparently still recognizes me ;) Singer, composer, FHM model and my friend Aliya Parcs was in town recently. Dionne Monsanto, an alumnae of Pinoy Big Brother, joined her on this trip. Aliya brought with her wonderful news - she bagged two golds at the recently concluded World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA), the same contest Jed Madela won a grand slam in. WCOPA is largely cited as the “Olympics of the Performing Arts” and artists from all around the globe converge in Long Beach, California. Happy for m...

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...

Mar72013 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

How to wear goodness around your wrist and help Davao artisans

Advocacy, Arts, Beauty, Consumer, Davao City, Fashion, Features, Gifts, Mindanaoan Update, Shopping, Style

Yes, you read that right. You can wear goodness around your wrist and help trained artisans from Davao City, Mindanao at the same time! All of that is possible with Kaayo wristlets. These special, handmade Kaayo wristlets are results of a livelihood program that aims to empower individuals through productive diligence. Kaayo is the Visayan word for goodness, beauty and generosity. And with every Kaayo wristlet bought and worn, not only are you reminded of the power of generosity and goodness but you're also supporting trained artisans of the 1st District of Davao City. The Dabawenyo artisans were trained under the mentorship of Adorno designer Cuy Legazpi. Look at this super pretty Kaayo wristlet sent to me by Marga, the beautiful better half of Davao City First District Congressm...

Jan252013 by Mindanaoan Irene7 Comments

UPDATED: Bukidnon Kaamulan Festival 2013 Schedule Of Activities And Tour

Announcements, Bukidnon, Culture, Entertainment, Events, Features, Festivals, Fiesta, Malaybalay City, Musings, Northern Mindanao, Society, Tourism, Travel

UPDATE: This is the final and official Kaamulan Festival 2013 Bukidnon schedule of activities! :) Bukidnon's yearly grand ethnic cultural festival and gathering of the 7 hill tribes is finally here! The Kaamulan Festival 2013 is the gathering of Bukidnon's 7 hill tribes namely Bukidnon, Umayamnon, Manobo, Talaandig, Matigsalug, Higaonon and Tigwahanon tribes. The Kaamulan Festival 2013 is inarguably Bukidnon's grandest festival. The term Kaamulan, derived from the word "amul" which means "to gather," can mean many things - a datuship ritual, a thanksgiving festival, a peace pact or a wedding ceremony. This year, the Bukidnon Kaamulan Festival 2013 is all of these :) The Kaamulan 2013 theme is: "Sustaining Culture and Unity Towards Progress and Development" The Kaamulan Fest...

Nov122012 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Watsons Opens 308th Store In Centrio Mall CDO @AyalaCentrio

Beauty, Business, Cagayan de Oro City, Consumer, Events, Features, Freebies, Gifts, Media, Mindanaoan Update, Misamis Oriental, Shopping, Style

Watsons has opened its 308th store in the Philippines and it's located in Mindanao :) Watsons Centrio Mall, which was formally opened to the public last November 9, 2012 (the very same day Centrio Ayala Mall also opened its doors), is the latest addition to the growing Watsons Philippines family. And Mindanaoan is very lucky to be one of the invited guests! Check out the invitation I received. I also wrote about Watsons Centrio Mall in an earlier post. The Ayala Centrio Mall branch of Watsons brings the Watsons brand of beauty and wellness to a city noted for its accessibility, business growth and tourism attractions; making shopping convenient, enjoyable and more affordable. Plus here's an additional fun fact: Watsons Centrio Mall is the very first Watsons store to have the latest d...

Nov112012 by Mindanaoan Irene3 Comments

Photos: Rovilson Fernandez and Daniel Matsunaga at Planet Sports Centrio Mall

Cagayan de Oro City, Entertainment, Features, Mindanaoan Update, Personalities, Photos, Shopping

Guess who made quite a stir during the opening of Centrio Mall? No other than Brazilian model Daniel Matsunaga and host/model Rovilson Fernandez! The two gorgeous hunks caused so much stir that the boys later told this Mindanao lifestyle blogger that they had to do an "Amazing Race" kind of dodge and run just to make it through the sea of screaming fans. Daniel Matsunaga and Rovilson Fernandez were in town to do an autograph signing session at Planet Sports, located at the 2nd floor of Centrio Mall. I actually wrote about that event in an earlier blog entry :) Thanks to Planet Sports, I was given the chance to meet and be with these two handsome, charming guys - who apparently happen to be very funny, too! Good thing my blogger-friends were also there to share the fun! Rovilson was v...

Sep72012 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Updated: Make Your Own Havaianas 2012 Davao

Beauty, Blogging, Business, Consumer, Davao City, Davao Del Norte, Davao del Sur, Events, Fashion, Features, Mindanaoan Update, Society, Style

It's Make Your Own Havaianas 2012 Davao time! After the hugely successful Make Your Own Havaianas 2012 CDO leg, it's now your turn, Dabawenyos! The Make Your Own Havaianas 2012 Davao City leg is set to happen on September 14 to 16, 2012 at the Activity Center of Abreeza Mall, JP Laurel Avenue, Bajada, Davao City. A Make Your Own Havaianas event is where you can customize your own pair of Havaianas flipflops. You can choose from various soles (including two specially designed ones called the MYOH Estampas - available in both top and slim designs), straps and iconic pins. So during the Make Your Own Havaianas 2012 Davao event (MYOH Davao 2012), you can design a truly unique pair of Havaianas - one that truly reflects your style! You might want to read my Make Your Own Havaianas 2012...

Jul252012 by Mindanaoan Irene5 Comments

Miss Kagay-an 2012 candidates photos

Beauty, Cagayan de Oro City, Contests, Entertainment, Events, Fashion, Features, Mindanaoan Artists, Mindanaoan Update, Misamis Oriental, Photos, Society, Style

Miss Kagay-an 2012 update! Here are the photos of the official candidates of the Miss Kagay-an 2012 pageant. I know a lot of you have been asking me for the Miss Kagay-an 2012 photos so here they are. This Filipino blogger was able to attend the press presentation of these lovely Miss Kagayan Festival 2012 candidates last Monday, July 23, 2012 and the organizing committee released these photos. I will also upload these photos on my Pinterest account. You might want to follow the Mindanaoan Pinterest account here. If you may notice, there are now only 11 official candidates instead of 12. The 11 lovely official candidates are: Lovely Jane Estampa, a legal analyst at Development Bank of the Philippines Sydney Taboclaon, born in Germany and taking up BS HRM at Tagoloan Community Col...

Nov302011 by Mindanaoan Irene3 Comments

Meeting John Lloyd Cruz this weekend

Blogging, Business, Cagayan de Oro City, Consumer, Entertainment, Events, Headline, Mindanaoan Update, Northern Mindanao, Personalities, Society

It's literally been raining men for me the past few weeks! Not that I'm complaining, of course! ;) First there were the gorgeous and talented men of Color Me Badd and All 4 One, then the funny Martin Nievera, then the confirmation that I will be working with international acts a1, Blue and Jeff Timmons of 98 Degrees then the tall, charming and handsome Borgy Manotoc and then now, it seems I will meet yet another cutie pie this weekend! Kung ulanin ka nga din naman ng suwerte ;) I'm set to meet whom Yes Magazine once called the Most Beautiful Man in the Philippines --- John Lloyd Cruz. This will actually not be the first time that I'll see John Lloyd Cruz in person, though. I've watched that ABS CBN Sunday show ASAP live a couple of times. Also, about 3 years ago, I was hired to pr...

Nov172011 by Mindanaoan Irene2 Comments

Borgy Manotoc to grace BenMore Scotch Whisky launch in CDO

Business, Cagayan de Oro City, Consumer, Events, Food, Media, Mindanaoan Update, Musings, Northern Mindanao, Personalities, Society

Finally, the BenMore Scotch Whisky bar tour is heading down south to Northern Mindanao! Along with its very handsome, smart and sexy brand ambassador Borgy Manotoc, BenMore Scotch Whisky will be formally introduced in Cagayan de Oro, Northern Mindanao, Philippines tomorrow, Friday, November 18, 2011. After the Manila and Cebu legs, Global Noble International Corp., the distributors of BenMore Scotch Whisky, will bring Borgy Manotoc to CDO for this BenMore bar tour. I've heard a lot of great feedback about this scotch whisky. For only about Php 380.00 (less than US $10), you can enjoy BenMore scotch whisky straight up, on the rocks or paired with cola, soda or iced tea. A lot of my friends swear the iced tea and BenMore Scotch Whisky pair tastes really good so I think I have to try th...

Sep212011 by Mindanaoan Irene5 Comments

Martin Nievera and Sarah Geronimo Live in CDO – and Mindanaoan.com is an official media partner!

Announcements, Arts, Blogging, Cagayan de Oro City, Entertainment, Events, Features, Media, Mindanao, Mindanaoan Artists, Mindanaoan Update, Misamis Oriental, Music, Northern Mindanao, Personalities, Society

Just got word today. It's a go! Confirmed! Concert King Martin Nievera and Pop Princess Sarah Geronimo will topbill the much-awaited "What Love Is" Cagayan de Oro City concert on Friday, November 4, 2011, 8 PM at the Atrium of Limketkai Center, CDO. Martin Nievera and Sarah Geronimo Live in CDO is a go, people! And yes, Mindanaoan.com, adjudged as the Best Lifestyle Blog for Mindanao 2010 by the Philippine Blog Awards, is one of the official media partners of the Martin Nievera - Sarah Geronimo What Love Is Cagayan de Oro concert! This event in CDO will definitely be a surefire hit! Expect nothing less than fiery performances from both Martin Nievera and Sarah Geronimo. Both will surely light up the concert hall with their stream of hits and electrifying dance moves. November 4, 2...

Jun262011 by Mindanaoan Irene1 Comment

Sri Mariamman Temple in Singapore

Features, Photos, Singapore, Tourism, Travel

If you're bound for Singapore soon and you want to take great photos, visit the Sri Mariamman Temple in Chinatown, Singapore. The Sri Mariamman Temple is the oldest Hindu temple in Singapore. Ever since it was constructed, the Sri Mariamman Temple in Singapore serves as a refuge especially for new South Indian Tamil Hindu immigrants. The temple is considered an agamic temple, built in the Dravidian style in 1827. It was founded by Naraina Pillai, 8 years after the British East India Company started a trading settlement in Singapore. Apart from providing worship and other religious services, the Sri Mariamman Temple also highlights cultural, educational as well as social activities for Hindus in Singapore. The temple is managed by the Hindu Endowments Board. The Sri Mariamman Temple i...

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...