For more about the society, read on..

There is only one blogging group in Cebu that continues to thrive in reshaping the online publishing norm in the locality, and introduces a new form of media to the locales, bringing citizen journalism and independent online publishing to the next level. Cebu Bloggers Society, Inc. empowers the common people to know their rights and capabilities toward information dissemination which also changes the way they consume them.

A Simple and Fun Dinner for CBSi’s 4th Year of Promoting Cebu

Cebu Bloggers Society, Inc. will be celebrating its 4th anniversary on February 11, 2012 at Azkals Sports Bar and Grill. This dinner celebration is a get-together party among old members and new ones.

CBSi has grown from a mere bloggers’ group to an incorporation headed by leaders who organized huge social media events like Visayas Blogging Summit and online celebrations like World Bloggers’ Day.

In its 4th year, CBSi is still true to its commitment to the Queen City of the South — promoting the Cebuano culture and the city’s diversities both offline and online.

In lieu with this year’s theme — It’s More Fun in CBSi, the organization aims to bring more fun to its members by creating events and activities that would benefit them as bloggers and as individuals.

Fun and Bonding through the Years

Since CBSi’s creation four years ago, there have been countless testimonials from members published on their blogs on how great and fun it was spending time and working with the growing CBSi family.

From attending the US Election Watch on 2008, being interviewed in radio and TV shows, to organizing and doing outreach activities like helping the poor fire victims through gift giving and staging a mini-concert, teaching students in mountainous areas on how to use a computer to feeding the less fortunate and abandoned elders and children. It’s always more fun and heartwarming doing all these activities with the CBSi family.

“Cebu Bloggers Society, Inc. is more than an organization for me, it is a family of different kinds of people but of the same bloodline, blogging. In CBSi, we don’t see each other as competitors, instead as brothers and sisters who might need help in their corresponding fields or who can help the family (organization) grow into a more organized and respectable blogging institution. As a founder, I am so blessed that CBSi has gained such name and is patronized by members who make working in the group more fun and enjoyable,” stated Mark M. Monta, Founder of Cebu Bloggers Society, Inc.

Aside from outreach activities, and fun-filled events by invitations, CBSi has also organized various events that tighten the bond between its members like the Wild CBSi Camp Out in Busay, World Bloggers’ Day Offline Celebration here in Cebu, the CBSi 2010 Election Coverage, the Filipino Blogosphere and Political Participation Forum, and most recently the 2nd Visayas Blogging Summit, one of the largest social media summits in the country.

CBSi, along with its current set of leaders and active roster of new and old members, will be more visible in Cebu’s online scene, rocking 2012 and the blogosphere, enjoying one another’s company while having more fun and glam.

Cebu Bloggers Will be Checking In at Azkals Sports Bar and Grill

Azkals Sports Bar and Grill’s foursquare map on February 11 will surely be filled with black dots as members of CBSi would simultaneously check in for their 4th anniversary dinner celebration. The whole CBSi gang would surely love to fill their foursquare page with fun photos and comments.

Visit Cebu’s newest and coolest hang out place at Treehouse Bldg, Ramon Aboitiz St., Cebu City (right next to backgate of St.Theresa’s College). They are open Mondays through Thursdays at 4PM – 1AM and Fridays to Saturdays at 4PM – 3AM.  For reservation, contact them through these numbers: +639153433251 / +63 32 2391967, or email them at azkalssportsbarandgrill@gmail.com.

Visit their Facebook Fanpage here.

Since most native trees grow from seeds, a non-government organization called on the public to collect seeds and propagate them to contribute to the creation of native tree forests.

Rowena Bandola-Alensonorin, executive director of the Integrated Development unit of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) pointed out the urgent need to replace trees cut down for construction purposes after some parts of the country experienced the tragic effects of flashfloods and landslides.

“The primary importance of trees in the ecosystem is to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and prevent soil erosion. For many people, they see trees as beneficial for building houses, furniture, tools, and for firewood; hence, these demands have significantly reduced the number of trees in the forests,” she noted.

One way to address this is to collect and propagate seeds, which are considered “the next generation of forests.”

Alensonorin said that it is equally important for the people to know not only the names of the native trees but also how to collect the seeds and germinate them.

“The scarcity of this knowledge might have led to the proliferation of exotic tree species, such as mahogany, gmelina, and ipil-ipil that are now growing in our forests. If this will continue, we will not only lose these animals, but also our highly valued trees such as narra, lauan, and mangkono that have been valued here and abroad for their toughness and strength. Our forests should be mainly composed of indigenous trees to provide food and habitat to our native animals,” she explained.

Producing quality trees starts from the quality of seeds germinated. These seeds must only come from healthy mother trees or those trees that bear fruits and produce seeds. Germinated seeds should be nurtured in a well-managed tree nursery that provides a suitable area for these seeds to grow into plantable seedlings for use in reforestation initiatives.

The RAFI Native Trees Nursery collects seeds and wildlings (seeds that germinated underneath or near the mother tree) all over the Visayas region. The nursery is also willing to receive seeds and seedlings from people who would like to donate. The nursery has an existing 150,000 seedlings of 212 native tree species and is located in Barangay Busay, Cebu City.

The RAFI Native Trees Nursery is a mechanism of the GREENIN Philippines Program of RAFI to create forests composed of native trees.

Ten Best Things About Being Short (click to read the whole article):

1. We can pull our trousers up really fast.
2. We can tell people: “I’m not short, I’m fun size.”
3. To us, all airline seats have business class leg room.
4. Clothes in the children’s dept are much cheaper.
5. We can stand up in airplanes without hitting our heads.
6. Babies don’t cry when they see us.
7. We can tease tall people: “What’s the weather like up there?”
8. When it rains, we’re last to get wet.
9. We can tell jokes like this: “Knock knock. Who’s there? A short person knocking because your doorbell’s too @#$%^ high.”
10. We can skip meetings by saying: “Willy Wonka just texted me to say I have to return to Oompa Loompa land.”

Hah, rereading it still makes me laugh. Read the comments on Nury’s original article, too, to add more fun!

As the City of Cebu thrives and its economy flourishes, SM Supermalls, the country’s largest chain of malls, gives their vote of confidence in the city’s growth potential by developing what will become a major new landmark at their South Road Properties (SRP) site.

A new mall, aptly called SM Seaside City Cebu will be one of the first developments in the masterplan of SM Properties for their 304,100 sq. m. site, which stretches from the northern part of the SRP to the sea. Designed by Arquitectonica, an international architecture, interior design and planning firm from Miami, Florida, the grand, first-of-its-kind urban development at the SRP will dramatically change the landscape of the city with its nautilus-inspired design of expanding, concentric arcs from a central multi-purpose space.

A large church — a sleek, modern all-white structure nestled among lush foliage — will be the first to be built and completed in the SM SRP complex. Hotels, a conference and convention center, residential buildings and community facilities will follow, and will be designed to span out from the SM Seaside City Cebu mall, which will be located at the center of the entire development. The mall will be interconnected with these other structures through elevated walkways.

With a lot area of 93,570 sq. m. and a gross floor area of 291,043 sq. m., SM Seaside City Cebu will be a 4-level, circular-shaped, world-class retail mall with multiple anchors, including a two-storey SM Department Store and SM Hypermart, a 5-theater Cineplex and IMAX Theatre, an 18-lane SM Bowling and Amusement Center, and a food court flanking an ice skating rink. In addition, the mall will have over 800 food and retail shops, including international brands.

Retail shops will occupy the outer arc of the mall on the ground floor. This area will include a furniture zone as well as a fashion boulevard to showcase the talent of Cebu’s many local designers. Numerous new wining and dining outlets will face an inner circular garden, increasing in number as shoppers proceed to the higher floors. On the third floor, these outlets will have verandas facing the garden below while the fourth floor will have restaurants and bars on the outer circuit of the circle with verandas on the north side of the mall looking out to the sea. The mall will also have a covered event area for concerts and shows at the fourth floor as well as a roof garden with ponds and trees, as well as restaurants to enjoy the beauty of the greens from.

Keeping with the nautilus-inspired theme, the mall’s car park will be incorporated into the structure, helping to define the semi-circular volume of the building. The mall’s layout induces traffic to flow inwards and upwards. The second-level garden has a drop-off area for private vehicles whereas public vehicles will have their own transport interchange at the ground level with different areas dedicated to taxis, public utilities and buses. The retail and food outlets at the ground level will be easily accessibleto the riding public while service and delivery bays for tenants and SM anchors are set aside at strategic areas.

An Iconic Viewing Tower will be an attraction in itself, offering sensational panoramic views of the entire city of Cebu while serving as a new landmark for the city. SM Seaside City Cebu will be one of the first establishments to create an address in this district of metro Cebu, and will pave the way for development in the area.

Exterior view of SM Seaside City Cebu

Aerial view of SM Seaside City Cebu

This year’s ASEAN Tourism Forum at Manado, Indonesia witnessed the new Philippine brand launch with the line — “It’s more fun in the Philippines.”

“ATF 2012 is a perfect platform to introduce to some 1,600 international delegates composed of buyers and sellers, the NTO community and media delegates,” Philippine Tourism Secretary Ramon R. Jimenez, Jr. said.

Focusing on the country’s core strength, the campaign singles out what no other destination can offer — and that is the Filipino people. The Lonely Planet guidebook calls Filipinos “among the most easygoing and ebullient people anywhere.” Meanwhile, a constant truth that comes out in the passenger exit surveys is the “warmth and hospitality of the people.”

“Our strategy is simple: while other countries invite you to observe, Filipinos can promise a more heartfelt and interesting experience. Wherever you go, whatever you do in the country, it’s the Filipinos that will complete your vacation and will make your holiday unforgettable,” says the new tourism chief, who accepted the post in September 2011.

The Filipinos are already known around the world to be one of the happiest and warmest people on earth. In a survey conducted among expatriates by international bank HSBC, it was revealed that the Philippines is the 8th friendliest country for them.

The campaign hopes to enjoin the whole country in creating positive buzz of the tagline. The campaign was trending on Twitter Friday noon when it was earlier introduced to local media. Catching like wild fire, netizens flooded the web with creative ways to interpret the line through do-it-yourself-memes which could likely land on shirts, billboards, stickers and other collaterals.

Meanwhile, the “#1FORFUN” local slogan aims to rally the Filipino nation to strengthen and sustain this well-appreciated fun character and be a “constant reminder to make sure people’s experiences in our country are positive, enjoyable, and most of all, fun,” Jimenez added.

The presentation was well-received during the Philippine-hosted dinner on 13 January 2012 at the Sultanraja Hotel. The occasion was graced by North Sulawesi Governor Sinyo Harry Sarundajang, Philippine Ambassador to Indonesia Maria Rosario Claudio Aguinaldo and Consul General Jose Burgos.

Exciting travel prizes were raffled off from generous sponsors Philippine Airlines and various hotels and tour operators. The high spirits continued until curtain fall with participants dancing to band music and cheering the world-class performances by top Filipino artists.

The jackpot is around P500,000,000 (~$11,000,000). Pretty big, huh? (Dreaming big!) And that’s a lot to spend. But in my imagination, I chose not to spend it all for personal consumption. How I wish winning the lottery isn’t that tricky, though. Then I’d be able to achieve a whole lot of luxurious pleasures!

1. Build a house & buy furniture. Because we’ve only been renting houses since I was young, I would like to fulfill my family’s dream of owning one. And of course, some furniture and fixtures to add beauty and comfort.
2. Buy gadgets & a car. I’ve always been a lover of gadgets and gizmos but I didn’t quite think I had the right to be extravagant with it because I’m not rich. Haha. When I’ll have the money to fulfill my hunger for technology, the first thing I’ll buy is everything photography! Then I’d need a car for that. Chos!
3. Help relatives. My family may be living an average life, but I have relatives who are down below. And because blood is thicker than water, I would want to help them out and let them live a normal life. Provide capital for business, perhaps? Teaching them to fish rather than giving them fish.
4. Treat friends & loved ones. Who’d forget the constant banter of friends that commands you to treat them to glutton luxury? Haha. Kidding aside, for being there for me when I needed them, I think it’s just right to pay them back and let them know that I’m thankful to have them.
5. Donate to charity & church. Not all of us are blessed with fortune but we’re fortunate enough to have institutions who care about the less privileged. Being a Gawad Kalinga volunteer, I could say that these organizations have gone miles in helping the poor and the needy. I would like to contribute to the journey by offering a portion of my fortune to projects of these organizations and the church.
6. Travel around the country & the world. I haven’t been much of a traveler but I just realized we only have one life and it’s just too short. So I thought, why not be adventurous and try everything I want? I know it’ll be worth it.
7. Save for the future. I would be too foolish if I wouldn’t think of saving a percentage of the money I won. That’s a common mistake. I want to have enough to be able to still live a comfortable life when I get old.
8. Put up a business. What’s a wiser way to spend money than to invest it in a business? Surely, it’ll let money work for me, not the other way around. And that’s more money to gain and spend on more things! Sweet!

I’m pretty sure I have all those in common with most of the people. But if I ask you, if you won the lottery, how are you gonna spend it uniquely? Roll 10 pieces of $1 and throw it to the sea?

This year, I pledge to do more and be more. And one thing I’m going to do more for sure is writing.

I’m at the point of my life where I’m beginning to clearly see the path of the dream I’m longing to achieve. It just took me a trip down memory lane to realize this is what I really love to do — and I wanna do it for the rest of my life.

I was in elementary when my mom bought me my first diary, and I happily wrote on it whenever I can. Chronicling my life is something I can’t get off me, and though not religiously, I still do it up to the present.

There were chapters in my life, too, where I attempted to add a little flavor to my writing agenda. I started composing stories, poems, and lyrics (minus the tunes, so they never became songs, haha). I even went out of the realm of writing and just composed stuff in my head without jotting them down. But because I didn’t have enough confidence in my compositions, they never got out to the public. My stories died with the computer, my poems/lyrics were left inserted between the pages of my old journals, and all the others remained in my laptop, cellphone, and mind, totally unpublished. The only ones that made it to a public-readable substance were my sufficiently (and not-so) dramatic blog entries. That’s what you’ve been reading since 2008.

And now that I’m saying I’m back again, I shouldn’t let you down with your expectations of more posts in this fancy blog. What with my Navi 2012 planner/journal, a book to finish, and a journal to wreck, I’ll surely have a lot to do and a lot to write about.

Happy New Year readers! Have a great year of the Dragon.

PS You can also go to mikyu.com for quick posts.

The previous recaps:

2010 – The Year That Was
2009 – The Year That Was
2008 – The Year That Was
2007 Year-End Blog

I know I started this year right when I let go of the hurts and heartaches of the past and finally decided to move on. Waking up in the morning of 1/1/11 couldn’t get any easier with the thought of a new year and new life ahead. It was a delightful feeling, and I was happy.

Nobody really knew what was gonna happen in 2011. I told myself before not to make plans to avoid frustrations. But I guess that habit has been nailed to my bones and the more I tell myself not to plan, the deeper I drive the nail. Of course, not everything was planned. In fact, most of them happened on their own. And guess what? Those unplanned things were the ones that made my 2011 worthwhile.

I know I’ve lived this year right when I looked back and saw that everything that happened was pure awesome. Wanna go tripping down 2011′s memory lane with me? Come! It really isn’t hard when all you have to do is go over the pictures (click ‘em to enlarge) and read the bullet-ized items.

School / School Friends

• By the start of the year, thesis has been the biggest thing that occupied my mind. It actually stayed there for most of the first quarter.
• Jan.1 – Outreach activity at Batang Pinangga Foundation, Inc.
• Became part of our yearbook committee where I became busy experimenting with Adobe InDesign.
• Jan.21 – Batch pictorial!
• Feb.24 – The most heart-pounding oral defense ever for our thesis. Satisfactory! Wuhoo!
• Mar.11 – Got busy with student awards stuff. I got the PIIE Campus Achievement Award.
• Mar.18 – Our group was one of the presenters in our annual IE Research Presentation!
• Mar.25 – At last! Our five years of effort finally paid off! On our graduation day, we felt victorious!
• May 21 & Sep.10 – Met with school friends for Lester’s despedida and did some catching up, too, during Nonah’s surprise birthday party.

D’ Hacienderas

• Jan.21 – Celebrated Jessa’s birthday at Maitre Chocolatier! Sweetness overload!
• Mar.26 – First outing after graduation day at EGI Resort & Hotel.
• Mar.31 – Overnight stay at Jessa’s house for the planning of our Davao trip!
• Apr.11-13 – And yes, the adventurous Davao trip! Yeeeaaahhh!
• Aug.21 & Dec.18 – Since we got busy with work already, the next bonding after the trip was on August where we had a sumptuous lunch at Lamesa Grill, then the next during our Christmas celebration at La Tegola.

Gawad Kalinga / GKabarkada / GK Friends

• Feb.5 – My first build was at GK Budlaan with some CWTS students. Kind of a practice for the upcoming Bayani Challenge.
• Apr.3-9 – Bayani Challenge 2011 in Bantayan Island! The most tiresome but heartwarming week of the year! This is where GKabarkada was formed.
• Apr.29-May 1 – 4th Gawad Kalinga Builders Camp. After that, everything was history.
• The GKabarkada spent a lot of nights staying at our friends’ places, watching movies, videoke singing, playing games, talking, laughing… Also, badminton nights! Unforgettable!
• I got to join a lot of bayanihan activities at different GK sites (including Kalayaan Build, Mini Bayani Challenge, and those with government officials and a lot of student volunteers): Budlaan, Madridejos, Maguikay, Dumanjug, Eversley, Lilo-an, Bantayan, Lorega, Minglanilla, Mananga.
• Other outreach activities like Brigada Eskwela by our team, Sagip Conference at USJ-R, and Pilipinas Natin launching.
• Call to Care and Courage to Care forums. Learned a lot!
• Nov.7 & Dec.3-4 – Outing at Ocean Pearl and Alegria!

Cebu Bloggers Society, Inc.

• Jan.14 – Funky Bowling! Who’d have thought bowling could be this funky and fun?
• Feb.19 – CBSi’s 3rd anniversary where I sang (again) in front of the bloggers. 26 Cents by The Wilkinsons.
• Mar.5 – Filipino Blogosphere and Political Participation Forum in Cebu. Statistics and the likes about plogging.
• Group Development Sessions where we had various team building activities for the betterment of the society.
• May 2 & May 28 – Pool of bloggers at the World Bloggers’ Day and Cebu Blog Camp!
• May 27 – Gabii sa Kabilin. Cebu is that great!
• Jul.10 – A scrapbooking event that gave me some scrapbooking materials and made me want to create my own scrapbook! Duh!
• Aug.22 – Krispy Kreme teaser… at Red Box. Ha!
• Oct.7 – Tibiao Fish Spa while waiting for our dinner at Bob Marlin Restaurant. Fishy night, huh?
• Oct.13 – Bilibidding! I got an iPod Nano! Nice!

Note: I became inactive in CBSi during the later part of the year but recommitted for 2012.

Work

• Jul.25 – Got my first job at Xlibris Philippines, Inc. Lotsa books!
• Mandatory work on the last Saturday of the month. But the good thing about that? Free lunch!
• My original partner and another friend from the department resigned, but I got 2 new colleagues.
• Dec.10 – First ‘bonding’ with the rest of the post-publication team during our Christmas party (breakfast) at Kul Kitchen. They’re all night shifters and there are only 3 of us day shifters.
• Dec.20 – Another breakfast with the team at Joven’s Grill. Who doesn’t love food?

Personal

• Jan.15-16 – Rainy Sinulog! We had a very wet experience during the solemn foot procession the day before.
• Read a couple of books: To Kill a Mockingbird, Looking for Alaska, Syren, Darke.
• Watched a couple of movies on the big screen: I am Number Four, Thor, X-Men: First Class, Le Marquis (old movie featured during the French Film Fest), Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, Real Steel, Enteng ng Ina Mo (as I said before, I’m not really a moviegoer).
• Mar.23 – Shuttr met the world! My love for photography got more intense!
• Early morning jogging days with my aunt during the second quarter. Unfortunately, I got lazy after a couple of weeks. Harrr.
• I fell in love. And now, he’s mine. Hi Mumu! Hahaha. 06152011
• I became a pig with Mumu: Joed’s Lutong Hapon, Outpost, La Marea, Fudge, La Bella Napoli, Casa Verde, East West, Ila Puti, Simply J’s, Siam, Boosog, Handuraw, Maitre Chocolatier, Yellow Cab, Dong Juan, Kul Kitchen, Tokyo Joe’s, Vienna Kaffehaus, etc. I lost weight, yes! *sarcasm*
• The feeling of tiredness and sore muscles couldn’t get past the pinches and presses from the masseurs and masseuses of Nouveau and Healing Hands. Bravo!
• The Big Bang Theory! Favorite sitcom evurrr!
• Mumu passed the ECE Board Exam last October 2011! So happy! He had his oath taking last November. We celebrated our birthdays with our GK friends after that.

Ain’t my year cool? It may look too ordinary for those who had a bonggang-bonggang 2011 but it was enough for me! A year full of love for self and others… What more could I ask for?

I know I’m ending this year right by acknowledging that there were good and bad things that came up, but everything happened for a reason, hidden or obvious. And whatever that reason may be, I know I just gotta trust. Just a thought, though: if you feel like the world is tumbling down on you, cry a river, build a bridge, and get over it. And of course, think of happy thoughts, then you can fly.

For everyone who made my year extra special, a thousand thanks to you! I know you’ll still be there to make 2012 even better. I love you all!

By ending this year right, I’m starting the next one right.

My blogger friends and I were invited to play a game of bidding. At first, I just watched them play, bidding only when no one else is at the Habol point (for the sake of not ending the game) — sniper mode. I wanted to win even just one item. I was aiming at an external HDD, but it got sold to a friend. The next item up was a digital camera, but another friend got it. Argh! That shitty feeling when you think someone’s going to Habol just so the bidding would continue, and the next thing you know, the item’s already sold! Tsk. Last chance was with the iPod Nano (6th Generation) with wrist band. My bid points were running out, and in fairness, pagod na ako sa kakahabol! Haha. The moment I was the highest bidder, I was silently wishing no one else would bid. And praise the heavens above, the item was sold to me! Bwahahaha! I actually didn’t expect that. I was planning to just use up all my points, then go to sleep after losing. Haha, lame. But maybe it was my night. I claimed the item a few days after.

To those thinking that bilibid.com is a scam, this entry is your proof that it’s not. If you want to win (or just have a chance to win) gift certificates, gadgets, bid points, and even trivial stuff (SpongeBob’s spatula? Dragon Balls?), register here. Mind you, you’d never want the biddings to end.

D’ Hacienderas — IE graduates.

Taking up Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering was not easy. I know people underestimate my course, comparing it to the other engineering courses and concluding that they beat IE in terms of technicalities. Well, let me explain my side by quoting a paragraph from one of my college essays:

I get asked by people a lot about what course I’m taking up. I always proudly say I’m taking up Industrial Engineering, and every time I do, people stand in awe and say, “Wow, engineering!” That kind of effect makes me proud and happy. But when I honestly think about it, I know most of them only really get the “engineering” part, not the “industrial” end of the phrase. They’re stereotyping engineering as exclusive to those that require a lot of brain-cracking mathematics and tangible inventions. For the fact that I’ve learned to love this course over the years, I’m here to show them that IE may not be the same as other technical science applications, but that’s what makes IE even better. It’s not just about company studies. It’s about applying the different theories to everyday life. After all, there’s more to life than just flying airplanes and skyscrapers.

How’s that? Haha. But really, IE is a perfect complement to my perfectionist/meticulous side. It may have developed me into someone who notices mistakes in things I see (hey, don’t get me wrong), but more importantly, it provided me with the opportunity and ability to improve those things. Being problem solvers, Industrial Engineers make life easier. Get over it. Muhaha!

Anyway, my college memories are worth five years (duh), and I can’t possibly write them all down here. All I can say is that the first two years were easy, third year was so-so, and the last two years were hell. Blame feasibility study, thesis, other major projects, and extra-curricular activities! I was only too glad to join the graduation ceremony, hear my name being called, step up to the platform, receive my diploma and medal, and have my picture taken! Haha. But stepping out of college only did two things to me: making me relieved and making me miss it. So to those who are about to start college, still continuing college, and about to leave college, enjoy when and while you’re there! You’ll definitely miss a big percentage of your life if you don’t.