Anything goes...

My Independence Day turned quite exciting as I had to join a photoblogging seminar/workshop with the famous Jojie Alcantara of Davao Sunstar. She's one of the best photographers I really admire because of her wits and her joviality when it comes to teaching the basics of photography. It was the second time I had to be under her scrutinizing eyes, or my photos to be exact. And I think I have learned a lot, through the fun and laughter that's captured our June 12. It was more than a day of finding the best subjects, the best place to include leading lines, background and foreground, symmetry, rule of thirds and many more. It was a fun day as well for posing to different cameras. It was my first, albeit not the professional type of photo-shoot as I was just having fun with the other photographer participants. At least, my holiday was not spent researching on tax extension information . Armed with my husband's camera, I simply followed all the rules embodied in the ...

I just want to share with you my JOY because of my blogging . Thank you to everyone for all their prayers and well wishes! This blog was awarded BEST PERSONAL BLOG of the Philippine Blog Awards for Mindanao ! Maraming Salamat, Shoukran, Terimah Kasih, Gracias, Thank You! To GOD be the glory!

Mangroves are trees or shrubs that thrive in saline water, thus, it normally can be found in seashores. Mangroves are trees that are exposed to highly extreme environmental elements like salinity, water saturation, dessication, and exposure to saline air because of the water breeze as they are commonly found near riverbanks and seashores. Mangroves however, have grown under extreme pressure from a lot of things. Human activities and interventions, most especially illegal logging has affected and led to the degradation of these mangroves. Using mangrove as wood products have highly affected mangrove development. There are also those which were unconcerned about the environment turning mangrove parks into aquaculture ponds and other livelihood. This June, as we celebrate the Environment Month, and being part of the SOCCSARGEN Bloggers group here in my place, I am proud to have been part of a successful event we have dubbed as Mangrove Tree Planting Party. Main mission of this activity is...

I belong to a group where there is freedom of expression, there are no rules, there is democracy in writing what I feel and being mum about what I think is not right. The SOCCSKSARGEN Bloggers is a thing of beauty for me. I consider myself a member of an open group, no officers, but with one vision and the mission to promote what is good and rich in Mindanao. People often see the bad and the bloody in Mindanao and we are writing to counter these negative attacks on our homeland. As an open group, many new bloggers have emerged, asked about us, what to do to join, but we answer them with a big: Just Write Good About Mindanao, and you are in the group. Now, as bloggers, we are not here to cover the truth, because as you can see, the traditional media has it all, war, hostages, kidnappings, massacres, they're all over the news screaming the general Mindanao. But instead, we just want a fair broadcast, if there is massacre in Maguindanao, that is a half day of ride before reaching Gene...

This is the way to one of the earth's heavens. Three luxury cars, and a dump truck, all on its way towards being Santa Clauses! It has been in my heart to serve the people of my land, and to give what is there to share, and to teach my kids to share what they also have. What's best is that, we were invited by the Rotary Club of Polomolok to join them in their gift-giving also in Purok Palakasam, in Polomolok. So before we proceeded to Kinilis, we went with the Rotary Club to Palakasam and deliver their gifts. Giving this bag filled with love, RC Polomolok's project tagged as "Shoebox Full of Love" is on their 6th year and we bloggers, joining them is a plus point, an extraordinary chance. The bloggers doing a "bayanihan" act in order to reach the mountains and the community in Palakasam. It is but a pleasure to have the gifts delivered to them, I was teary-eyed when I was asked to speak in behalf of the bloggers about the project since I was the one who ...

Better than any other Blogging Summits (methinks), we, the bloggers of SOCCSKSARGEN proudly present to you the Blogfest SOCCSKSARGEN 2010 ! We will be having this event tomorrow and I am excited, not only because I will be seeing old and will be meeting new friends too, but we will be listening to speakers all of whom are authorized in their own rights, to talk about blogging and what it brings us. There are a lot of respectable speakers such as Jay Jaboneta who works as Head for New Media of the Presidential Communications Operations Office, Aileen Apolo of Google, Dale Palileo of Oregon, USA, Prof. Danilo Arao of UP, Mass Communications Department, Bobby Soriano who will talk about Internet security and many others. After this will be our Christmas party and I am glad that this event brings us, the Soccsksargen bloggers closer with each other and finding wings to fly. I hope the same goes in your part of the world too. It will be a wonderful experience for all of us! More o...

This has been today's craze, and a lot of people have been complaining how embarrassing we are to other countries already because of seemingly copying their works. The Department of Tourism has this new logo, which definitely looks like the tag line of Umagang Kay Ganda. I wonder if they ever got originality, don't they have a think tank to think better on these logos? I wonder if they truly copied Polska's logo too? Oh well, dahil kopyahan na lang pala ang drama, the husband made this: This basically applies to all bloggers, especially my friends, hindi lang from SOCCSKSARGEN, hehehe... Di vah?

Last Saturday was my second time in Prk. 8, Kinilis, Polomolok, South Cotabato. The first time I went there was on an assignment, I was tasked to document on the kafe balos or kapeng alamid story because the boss wanted me to have it featured in the magazine I was handling. That first experience made me swear i will be going back, and sure enough, even brought friends with me. At first I was hesitant to bring them there because as techies and internet savvy people, they might not like it there and might want some wifi-ing instead. But the plan was pushed through, thanks to the host, Sir Fred Fredeluces, formerly from Mahintana Foundation who has been a good friend to me, and mentor during my "proposal drafting" time in Mahintana. Everyone seemed excited since there were messages on my FB on what to bring, and told them they could bring some candy stuff for the kids. At first, only 3 confirmed their joining, but we still planned to go with it anyway. I was just surprised that ...

We have planned for this cause just two weeks ago; each of us busy with our own businesses and lives, we still were able to push through with the event even with the absence of some of our fellow bloggers due to the arrival of Manila travel bloggers. We arrived early to facilitate the day's "Bleed for Life" Blood drive. We have targeted 50, but it was wishful thinking. We we're excited for each donor who passes the test for donation, but sadly, only Sir Gilbert passed among us bloggers. Our young bloggers did not make it to the 50 kgs. minimum. Some wanted to donate, but their bp's were up. I have a large hematoma spot on my left arm, and other bloggers didn't have much sleep because of the eyeball with Manila bloggers at PiYesta the previous night. There's a doctor who is in charge with checking things and listening to the interview. It is he who makes sure you are in a healthy state before you give your blood. Sir Gilbert, having his blood pressure check...