MeiYah | Miah Laborte

My 2nd Mindanao Bloggers Summit Experience Part 1

October 29, 2008

Honestly, I really don’t know where to start (LOL)… Well, a lot of Mindanao bloggers already had their post about the event and I wasn’t able to post sooner because I was so tired from the four hour trip going back to Davao and when I woke up the next day I’ve been coughing already and I really don’t feel good (pero naka-online at plurk pa ha for a while hahaha… pasaway!).

The night before the event, I went to Ghenessa’s place and stay for the night so we could go to the terminal together at dawn. We haven’t got much sleep because we’d been talking a lot. I think I had just slept for an hour or two. I was kidding her about my MBS2 pass being lost and when we were on the terminal waiting for Richel and Glester to arrive, I couldn’t find my pass! And I don’t know where could it be.  Wahh! Ghenessa on the other hand, forgot to bring any of her ID’s (nag-uban ang mga tangent alpha, tsk3!) So, she texted Richel and asks if she could bring a copy of her passport or NBI clearance. Good thing Che has a copy of her passport on their home and she brought it with her, but my pass is still lost and couldn’t find it, I then thought that maybe I could just let them show my pass on the laptop instead? I was hoping it would work.

After a few minutes of waiting, the bus set off and so we try to get some sleep. The bus stopped at Digos City for a few minutes then there I saw a familiar figure and it was Kuya Henry. I first met him at WordCamp Davao and we share a common friend too Fern, who wasn’t able to go to the summit. He was sitted at the front near the driver that’s why I didn’t see him.

I didn’t get much sleep in the bus because of the bumpy ride. We arrived at General Santos City at around 6:15 a.m. (I think). We ride a tricycle going to Family Country Hotel where the event would be held and where we would stay for the night. While I was getting ready on what things to bring on the summit I saw my MBS2 pass finally! It was just behind the laptop, LOL. After checking in, we went to the the Convention Hall and there we we’re greeted by Mr. Avel Manansala. A few bloggers are already there and I can see a few familiar faces. Had a quick conversation with Sir Avel and the others and ofcourse picture2 (mawala pa ba na?).

After a while the registration started which by the way sponsored by ACLC. I was typing a few details about myself when all of a sudden ‘nag-brown out!’ Toinkz! In a few minutes the electricity was back but in a short while it hit again. Waahh!!! Buti na lang nasave ko na. it didn’t last that long naman good thing it came back sooner and didn’t bother to disturb us again hehehe…

The event’s theme was “Minadawon Paminawon Intawon: Blogging the Mindanao Consciousness”. It aims to encourage us about the Mindanao conciousness. Of how we, as bloggers will help to clean the image of Mindanao from other people’s view, especially the people from Luzon and outside the country as well, where ‘Danger’ is the word that I think would first come out of their minds whenever hearing the word Minadano. My family and I became one of those people too when we became one of the victims of the tragic incident that had happened at the Davao Airport. But behind all those bombing incidents, we’re still here, after all we we’re born and raised here. We do still worry about it sometimes but we have to move on and for now, I guess we as Mindanao Bloggers will have to unite and start making Mindanao as a place like any other in the country. Mindanao has a lot of potentials especially in the agricultural side and aside from  being tagged as the Country’s Fruit basket, we had all the resources that has yet to be developed and maintained. A lot of beautiful places to tour around and some hidden paradise yet to be discovered. And that was what Pierre Galla of Filipno Voices tries to insinuate.

Voices from Mindanao heartroots by Walter Balane of Istambay sa Mindanao and Hector Miñoza of MinadanaoKini shares their insights about Mindanao consciousness too. There was an open Forum and bloggers exchange ideas and asked questions to the speakers.

After those speeches, Lunch was served. I was really sleepy after eating (nyahhaha… murag sawa.). Well, I guess I;m not the only one who feels that way, I knew a lot of the bloggers are kinda sleepy too (Agree? Agree na lang mo, LOL). Our MBS2 pass were collected earlier for the raffle and my name was one of the lucky ones to be picked, I won a ‘Blogging from Home’ book by Janette Toral, thanks for sponsoring the event by the way.

Aileen Apolo of Google Philippines shares some blogging tips and Google goodies for us. I didn’t know na ka-plurk ko pala siya (towengwengweng! Nalaman ko nalang when I reached Davao na). Ria Jose who has more than ten blogs, talks about Blogging the Entrepreneurial Way of Life. The next speaker is Bobby Timonera, a photojournalist who is now Photoblogging images of Mindanao. I really admire his works, I was amazed when I looked at his photos and all I could say is ‘Wow’, see his works at The Land of Promise if you want to see the Beauty of Mindanao.

Shout outs for Bloggers of different niche were there to speak about their blogs. Dr Bone MD from Sultan Kudarat and an Outdoor Lifestyle Blogger. A Tech Blogger, from Davao Migs Hipolito. Mikko Gozalo a Student Blogger from Gensan. Food Blogger, Blogie Robillo, a Food Blogger, whose blog was awarded as one of the Top Ten Influential Blogs of 2008. Avel Manansala who is a Place Blogger. Lyle Santos, a blogger from Davao shares his Google Adsense tips to us. The 1st Summit Resolution was being presented. We were given a break and next is the Sashimi Night Cocktails of the General Santos City Tourism Association. It was my first time to eat Sashimi and it was good. hehehe… The City Mayor Jun Acharon came and joined us. Food trip… Picture2… getting to know the other bloggers… I have finally met my fellow bisdakplanet  friends Elaine and Rosilee who were from GenSan.

Next is the Fellowship Dinner tendered by the Hon. Cong. Darlene Anotonio-Custodio, Thank You to all the Sponosrs who had contributed to make the summit a successful one. Dinners are served when the Teatrong Ambahanon shocked us all with their R18 show (LOL)… A lot of bloggers paused for a while to watch the show and took some videos and photos. It was a great show by the way, kinda unique but great. Then there’s a live band and the bloggers sing along and danced with them til they give up hahahaha… The event wouldn’t be possible without the sponsors, and I would like to say ‘Thank You‘ to the staff of Family Country Hotel, for returning my necklace to me, which I accidentally left in our room when we checked out.

Photos of the event can be found here on My Web Album.

Whew! Thanks for reading my super duper long post… Abangan may Part 2 pa! Nyay! LOL.

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