Among the key speakers in the morning are US Deputy Chief of Mission Leslie Bassette and Adel Tamano. CDO Mayor Constantino Jaraula and Agusan del Sur Rep. Rodolfo Plaza gave updates and encouraged the participants to help promote Mindanao.

During the lunch break, I left the hall with my fellow volunteer Weng. We were so sleepy and tired by then because we hadn’t slept the past night,and so we skipped lunch just to take a nap and returned after an hour.

In the afternoon, the topics focused mainly on blogging from speakers Janette Toral, Aileen Apolo and Lyle Santos. This was followed with updates from bloggers from Davao – Jim Haw , Gensan – Avel Manansala, Zamboanga – Ryann Elumba and Cagayan de Oro – Edward Segundo.

It’s my first time to join Mindanao Bloggers Summit and I could say it was unforgettable since it was my first too to join as a volunteer in a blogging event.

I’m thankful for those who joined the event especially the speakers and the following sponsors as well for making this event a success:

Nokia OVI – www.ovi.com
Smart Communication – smart.com.ph
Make Your Own Havaianas – spruce.ph
1st Rafting Adventures – www.raftingadventurephilippines.com
UltraCraft – ultracraftadvertising.com
Syntactics – syntacticsinc.com
Majesty Sales Center
Clara’’s Shoppe -  clarashoppe.multiply.com
MakatiAve.com – makatiave.com
Asterisk Event and Communications – asteriskeventsandcommunications.com
Loretos Bar and Grill

The dinner was hosted by Loreto’s and we stayed in a function room equipped with billiard table and videoke.  While waiting, some busied themselves  chatting and singing.  I, on the other hand,  enjoyed myself watching  others play billiards.

CDO Bloggers

Unfortunately, only Migs Hipolito and  Mr. Juned Sonido of Philippine Blog Awards were able to come. We then had our dinner and I have to say the food was great especially the pancit which made me crave for more.

CDOBloggers with Mr. Juned Sonido

Photos by Magman & Juned Sonido

Big thanks Loreto’s Bar and Grill for hosting our dinner!

Nearly 300 bloggers from all over Mindanao, new media advocates and experts, Mindanaoan leaders and other stakeholders will converge in Cagayan de Oro City, Mindanao on October 24, 2009 for the much-awaited 2009 Mindanao Bloggers Summit, which aims to uphold the beauty and strength of the island and to expunge the negative notions the world has about it.

(Cagayan de Oro City, Mindanao, Philippines – October 21, 2009) – Considered unprecedented in the Philippine blogosphere, a top ranking United States Embassy dignitary is set to grace the much-awaited Mindanao Bloggers Summit 3, which will be held on October 24, 2009, 8am to 5pm, Pearlmont Inn, Limketkai Drive, Cagayan de Oro City, Mindanao.

Deputy Chief of Mission Leslie Bassett will deliver the keynote address during this year’s summit, which holds the theme, “Mindanao: Bag-Uhon Ang Panan-Aw.”

Bassett’s trip to CDO will be her first trip to Mindanao since assuming office last June. She previously served as DCM in Mexico.

The CDO Bloggers, Inc., a group duly registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission and this year’s summit organizers, extended their gratitude to Bassett and to the US Embassy.

“We are deeply honored. We’re certain that the summit participants will be delighted to meet her and we can’t wait for her to see our beautiful city,” said Chiq Montes, CDO Bloggers, Inc. President.

Other speakers during the whole-day affair will include Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Constantino ‘Tinnex’ Jaraula, Agusan Lone District Rep. Rodolfo “Ompong” Plaza and Atty. Adel Tamano.

Google’s Philippine representative Aileen Apolo, whose talk will focus on beginners, Digital Filipino’s Janette Toral, who will discuss blog advertising and Lyle Santos, who will talk about making money online will also be present. Representatives of other blogger groups including those in Davao City, General Santos City and Zamboanga will also give updates.

Nearly 300 bloggers or new media practitioners from all over Mindanao will attend the summit, which aims to uphold the beauty and strength of Mindanao island and to expunge the negative notions the world has about it.

After the summit proper, participants have the choice of joining either the city tour (Xavier University Museum, Cathedral, Divine Mercy Shrine, Opol Aviary, Limketkai Mall) or the whitewater rafting adventure.

The Mindanao Bloggers Summit 3 is generously supported by SMART Communications Inc, Nokia, Syntactics, Inc., STI, Rafting Adventure Philippines, MakatiAve.com, Majesty Sales Center, Havaianas Philippines, OLX Philippines Free Classifieds, Clara Shoppe, ASTERISK Events and Communications, RG & K Construction, Paguia’s Cottages, ThePacificaCompanies.com, The Site, Spruce, The City Government of Cagayan de Oro, Office of CDO First District Rep. Rolando “Klarex” Uy, SM City Cagayan de Oro, Ultra Craft Advertising Corporation, Magnet Advertising, Provincial Government of Misamis Oriental and the Mindanao Bloggers community. Media partners include Papa Ardie’s Concepz, STI, ABS CBN, MOR 91.9 and HOT FM 106.3.

For more information about the Mindanao Bloggers Summit 3, log on to http://www.mbscdo.com

About CDO Bloggers

CDOBloggers or Cagayan de Oro Bloggers, Inc. is a duly SEC-registered organization that promotes Cagayan de Oro through blogging. Among the group’s goals are to create impact in society through blogging, to help promote Mindanao to the world as a bustling and peaceful land, to promote Cagayan De Oro City and Kagay-anons around the world with a sense of pride and to use blogging as a media platform.

The CDO Bloggers group is the main organizer of the Mindanao Bloggers Summit 3 (MBS 3). For more information about MBS 3, log on to http://www.mbscdo.com

For more information about CDO Bloggers, visit http://www.cdobloggers.com or send email to cdobloggersinc@gmail.com

About Mindanao Bloggers

Mindanao Bloggers aims to unify the island through this exciting new medium — the way of the blog — thereby promoting deeper understanding of our different cultures and beliefs. Thus, it is hoped that this community blog will help in presenting to the world at large the true beauty of the Philippine South, as well as the marvelous diversity of the peoples of Mindanao. For more information about Mindanao Bloggers, visit http://www.mindanaobloggers.com

FOR MEDIA INQUIRIES, PLEASE CONTACT:

ASTERISK Events and Communications

http://www.asteriskeventsandcommunications.com

Mobile number: (+63) 919 238 6575 / (+63) 922 478 5218
Email address: asteriskEC@gmail.com

CDO Bloggers’ founder ChiQ Montes has initiated a Little SEO Competition for its members. This project is up only for a healthy competition, enhance CDO Bloggers’ SEO skills and promote Cagayan de Oro City as well by being a CDO guide.

This project requires  cdo bloggers to blog anything about Cagayan de Oro with the keywords CDO GUIDE included in their posts

Below are the first five eager CDO guides:

Butcher’s Best is best in barbecue and sisig by Bang

Yesterday, my fellow CDO bloggers (your CDO Guide) had dinner in Butcher’s Best after we joined the event in ABS-CBN “Boto Mo Ipatrol Mo AKO ANG SIMULA”.

Manga-on Ta! (Let’s Eat) by Sanasanz

This blog is about Cagayan de Oro food. Food that can be found, bought, dined, served, and eaten here in CDO. I will be your online CDO Guide when it comes to CDO Food.

Virtual CDO Guide Tours You Around the City of Golden Friendship by Juvie

New to the City of Golden Friendship? Interested in visiting Cagayan de Oro? If so, then let me be your virtual CDO Guide in this city of majestic attractions, rich culture and friendly people.

Cagayan de Oro Has Already 6 Bridges by Dingexx

To my fellow Kagay-anons I would like to share this info to you guys that Cagayan de Oro has already 6 bridges all in all.. Yes you read it right we have 6 bridges.

I BLOG U CDO…by Dharlz

Today marks the beginning of organized blogging solely for the purpose of promoting my dear city, Cagayan de Oro or known to many as CDO. This blog is your CDO Guide to anything and everything CDO… Good food, good people, good places to see, sites to visit, sights and sounds to behold. I am a proud kagay-anon and a CDO Blogger who commits to all these…

And since the city’s fiesta is just a few days away, these CDO guides just know the best places to visit.

Yahoo!!! Just this morning I received an email from My Paper Crane’s Heidi Kenney telling me I have won the Harumika set she is giving away to one lucky reader. The set includes fabrics, stylus design tools, fashion accessories and stickers.

Arts and Crafts Related Blog

It’s been months already since I stumbled upon My Paper Crane. It is a blog of Heide Kenney who has been known for her adorable creations. Some of her works were even featured in newspapers, magazines and books.

Photos from My Paper Crane

Occasionally,  the blog gives away gifts to its readers. These gifts are mostly sponsored and a random number generator will be used to choose the lucky winner.

It was July 25 when she posted in her blog about the Harumika set she will be giving away but only a day before the contest ends did I got to comment about it, the only thing required to win.

The nice folks over at Bandai are going to give one of my readers a Harumika set. It is a really cute little set that comes with a dress form, fabric, and trims. The fabrics wrap around the back of the dress form and lock in place. So you don’t sew, glue, or anything.

As of now I’m waiting for Bandai to contact me for my mailing address.

The attendees were mostly CDOBloggers,  SEO professionals and even OJT trainees from Syntactics Inc. , the event’s sponsor. The event began with introduction wherein participants got to introduced themselves and to plug their blogs.

Janette Toral then set about discussing the Top 10 Emerging Influential Blogs for the past two years, a writing project of DigitalFilipino Club that gives recognition to new and emerging bloggers. The announcement for this year’s Top 10 Emerging Influential Blogs will be this August 8 and among the prizes winners will be getting are a 100$ and link love. If you want to be a part of this, you still have two weeks left to submit your entry and make known.

An Influential Blogger Award winner, Aileen Apollo (“the lady in red “) also shared how being recognized as an influential blogger brought opportunities her way.

Syntactics Inc. also made a presentation about their project LetITHelp.org that gives training to deserving fresh IT graduates and free seminars to colleges and universities in Mindanao to help them become an equipped IT professional.

(Sir Jun really looks like my favorite singer Christopher Cross )

CDOBloggers with Ms. Janette Toral

To end the event, Janette Torale had a little Q&A game and gave away Google and Yahoo shirts to those who can answer the questions correctly.  Also made a raffle, lucky participants received Google pen and notebook.

Yahoo! got a Google pen and AyosDito notebook, but still drooling over those Google notebook..

and shirt hehe..

The moment I got addicted to these social networking sites, I always get an urge to check for any updates and see if I got new Farm Town gifts from my friends, or are my crops now ready for harvest or how much karma I now have.

Giving in to these temptations is okay if I only got a few tasks to do for the day and wont affect my productiveness. But for those days when my work requires me to give my full attention, it really takes a lot of self- control for me to say no to these distractions.

To get rid of these distractions, first thing I do is open Farm Town and tend my farm(it usually takes me half an hour ) and then greet my plurk friends before I sign out and check on my email. I have also found out that listening to my favorite songs with the volume at its higest, goodluck to my eardrums,  has helped me to concentrate with my work.