Showing posts with label events. Show all posts
Showing posts with label events. Show all posts
PROUT Global Convention - Denmark
Posted:
Thursday, April 23, 2009
With special guests and representatives from
PROUT COLLEGE
PROUT INSTITUTE OF VENEZUELA
HAITAN PROUT MOVEMENT
BURKINO FASO COOPERATIVES
ANG KASAMA OF MAHARLIKA
AND OTHERS
Plus…
PROUT workshop/forums
RAWA Cultural Programs
Open Space Technology
And more…
Venue:
ANANDA GAORI is situated in beautiful countryside 50 minutes to the Northwest of Copenhagen. Additional renovations are under way to make it a perfect venue for this convention with beds for everyone. For those who like camping, there is ample space for tents. There is also a beach access campground five minutes drive from MU.
Cost:
In order to give opportunity to the widest possible number of people, the cost of participation will be kept to a minimum. A limited fund will be available, to help defray participation and transportation costs, for people from countries having a disadvantage in exchange rates…
Please register early!
Entire Program:
Danish Kronor 1100
€150 / $200
First three days only:
DKK 550
€75 / $100
To register or for more information:
+45 33256671
proutconvention09@gmail.com
PROUT Global Office
30 Platanvej
Copenhagen, DK
Voices from the heartroots
Posted:
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Mr. Walter I. Balane is a journalist from Mindanao. He is one of the invited resource speaker of the 2nd Mindanao Bloggers Summit held recently in October 25, 2008 at General Santos City. Here below is the contents of Mr. Balane privilege discourse presented during the summit.
Good morning!
I would like to thank the organizers for inviting me to speak today on the topic: Voices from the Heartroots: Notes on Life and Living in communities.
My sharing is largely about my personal experience and reflections as a “journalist who blogs”.
Yes, a journalist who blogs, that’s how I call my self now. It sounds remarkable. But there’s an anomaly in the phrase because journalists are supposed to be busy with reportage. How come they have time to blog?
Actually, when I opened an account with blogspot in mid-2004, I only meant to “go with the uso”.
Parang hi-tech kasi pakinggan. May blog ako! (kahit hindi naman alam ng mga kaibigan ko dati ano yang blog.) I bragged about it!
Sa tingin ko since my email address naman ako at natuto ng magchat, mag google, baka its time to go “next level”.
So the blogger in me was born.
This was also the time when I was already serious about crossing over from print to online media. I joined MindaNews in 2002 and moved to its Davao office in 2004.
Then, the reason why I blogged was because I wanted to see my articles online.
I thought of putting up an archive of my stories from MindaNews.com and from the local newspaper in Bukidnon that I was editing.
Since most of my stories were about my coverage of Bukidnon and Mindanao as a whole, I thought of calling it ISTAMBAY SA MINDANAO (Standing by in Mindanao).
Like any beginner, my early experience in blogging was about experimentation and adventurism. Sa time na yon, hindi ko pa kilala sina Blogie Robillo, Avel, at iba pang bloggers.
Ang alam ko blogger ako at reporter ako. Ako si Istambay sa Mindanao. Nasisiyahan akong mabasa ang mga naisulat ko. Feeling ko meron ding mga tao na nagbabasa ng mga post ko. Feeling lang.
Kasama sa naging experiment ko ang pagmigrate galing blogspot papuntang wordpress noong 2006.
Slowly, I got hits and there were those who were kind enough to post comments.
Mukhang masaya.
Ngunit magulo din.
Ilang beses din akong na reprimand ng editor ko dahil na nauna kong napost sa blog ko and isang istorya bago ko na ifile sa desk.
At sa isa pang araw, merong nag post ng comment na violent reaction doon sa sinulat ko sa blog.
At sumunod pa ang isang comment na “paki ko sa opinion mo” “ano ba ang alam mo sa sitwasyon” .
Hindi ko rin pweding kalimutan ang mga spam message na kong pumasok akalo mo na marami nang nagreact sa post mo.
Napag-isipan ko na parang hindi ko pa na harmonize ang pagiging blogger at reporter ko at saka naging self-publisher na ako na parang “the world revolves around me” as if the world cares about my news, my aspirations, dreams, reactions, pains, and victories.
These and other factors made me reflect on why I blog and why I should continue blogging.
The responsibility is doubled with me as a journalist who should keep his credibility, focus, and relevance intact.
It is trippled with the fact that my setting is Mindanao where there are a lot of stories, good or bad, which are left untold.
I decided to be a journalist first as it should be.
But I also decided to continue blogging. I can’t imagine myself “not blogging”. In fact I learned to tweak on my header, sidebar and other stuff on my dashboard.
With the focus on my job as a journalist, I became more conscious about reporting (and blogging) accurately, about using more point of views, about ground-truthing, and about fairness, balance, and timeliness.
I learned that if my voice should count it will only count so much.
I have to use my platform as a journalist to cover the different and diverse voices around me.
I cannot just rely on the opinion or statements of the usual and official sources.
I have to be on the ground to get the facts right and fast.
I learned most of these things when I joined a team formed by MindaNews to do grassroots reporting and documentation training engagements in communities around Mindanao.
In Caraga, Davao Oriental; Tandag, Surigao del Sur; in Upi, Maguindanao; in Bagra, Cotabato City; In Midsayap, North Cotabato; In Iligan City, In Kumalarang, Zamboanga del Sur and in other commuities I learned that the people there have stories to tell and yet we don’t hear them at all.
Most of these peoples and communities battle hunger, fear, ignorance, and isolation everyday.
They seek peace, justice, hope, life, victories,even the most basic --- food.
The mainstream media cannot cover everything. Sometimes they choose not to cover it at all or cover it smacked with generalizations, misrepresentations, and angles taken out of context, among other concerns.
This is a challenge for journalists and an opportunity for bloggers.
Already, Mindanao bloggers are known as organized and ahead of other blogging communities in the country.
Blogging has already occupied a level of command in the information highway.
That is why I believe this could be handy.
Blogging the Mindanawon consciousness could be blogging more about these peoples, issues, events, concerns, dreams.
We are ought to give them the chance because opportunities for them to express themselves and be heard are scarce.
This is especially true in a time when Mindanao continues to experience unpeace and is misunderstood in many ways.
Mindanawons blogging about Mindanao is a natural course and is the perfect energy needed.
It might not be enough, however, that there are Mindanao bloggers who discuss on Mindanao from their online platforms.
We, Mindanawon bloggers can only do so much. We can speak only for ourselves, our work, our views on Mindanao, our feelings, reactions, victories, pains, excitements, plans, dreams, and aspirations.
We have to gather more voices and flood the information superhighway with solutions, too, not just problems.
But a bigger part of Mindanao’s people is still “offline”. They are not yet connected to many things linked in Mindanao, enjoyed in Mindanao.
Ang kadaghanan wala pa makasakay sa sakyanan nga gigamit sa uban.
Apparently, there is a big gap between the volume of the voices of Mindanao’s bloggers and those of the “offline Mindanawons” in expressing their humanity.
“Blogging the Mindanawon Consciousness” might mean bridging this gap.
Mindanao bloggers might consider helping enable other key sectors and peoples in their communities to blog about themselves.
Blogging might not only be limited to blogging about Mindanao and its peoples but also helping the “voiceless” learn to blog so they, too, can blog about themselves.
Of course it would be extremely difficult for existing Mindanao bloggers to acess many of the areas safely and for the people in communities to appraoch which local bloggers can help them.
But bloggers must continue to try linking them and engaging them for mutual respect and understanding in an effort to connect more and more people.
Many of us who are already blogging about the voiceless must continue doing it and infect others to do the same.
We can focus on a Mindanao consciousness that is more inclusive, not exclusive.
Let us blog about how we can build the “we” among Mindanawons and not on “us” and “them”.
On the other hand, many of us might be turned-off by this kind of appeal.
Sometimes we have the impression that blogging about the conflict is flooding the information highway with bad news about Mindanao, when bloggers wanted to change the image to “good”.
But how can we have good news if we continue to blur and ignore the not-good news.
Mind you, there are also good stories that come out from the evacuation sites: there are stories of resilience, stories of hope, stories of dreams, stories of humanity.
There are many opportunities to give voice and attention to people in the communities, like helping explain (of course to understand it first) the peace process in general and the MOA-AD in particular.
My editor Carol Arguillas told me earlier that she commends our fellow blogger Sarah Matalam for what she is doing and blogging about: connecting people who have something to share to the bakwits in Pikit and neighboring areas.
It is not as easy as I say it here.
But we are not only bloggers. We are Mindanawon bloggers.
Altogether in our own communities cities and circles of influence we can collectively promote the Mindanawon consciousness.
Indeed it will not be easy.
I liken it to our trip yesterday from Iligan-CDO-Bukidnon in Bobby Timonera’s Mitsubishi Adventure.
Along the way, there were good and picture perfect sights, an early lunch, fresh air and fruits, lively chats, and good music.
But there were also spoilers like a heavy rain in Malaybalay, more expensive unleaded gas in Maramag, a busted tire in Damulog, Bukidnon, chargers left at home, and endless detours over long and winding routes.
But we made it here. We all made it here.
Yes, Mindanao bloggers can make it.
Thank you and once again good morning!
Good morning!
I would like to thank the organizers for inviting me to speak today on the topic: Voices from the Heartroots: Notes on Life and Living in communities.
My sharing is largely about my personal experience and reflections as a “journalist who blogs”.
Yes, a journalist who blogs, that’s how I call my self now. It sounds remarkable. But there’s an anomaly in the phrase because journalists are supposed to be busy with reportage. How come they have time to blog?
Actually, when I opened an account with blogspot in mid-2004, I only meant to “go with the uso”.
Parang hi-tech kasi pakinggan. May blog ako! (kahit hindi naman alam ng mga kaibigan ko dati ano yang blog.) I bragged about it!
Sa tingin ko since my email address naman ako at natuto ng magchat, mag google, baka its time to go “next level”.
So the blogger in me was born.
This was also the time when I was already serious about crossing over from print to online media. I joined MindaNews in 2002 and moved to its Davao office in 2004.
Then, the reason why I blogged was because I wanted to see my articles online.
I thought of putting up an archive of my stories from MindaNews.com and from the local newspaper in Bukidnon that I was editing.
Since most of my stories were about my coverage of Bukidnon and Mindanao as a whole, I thought of calling it ISTAMBAY SA MINDANAO (Standing by in Mindanao).
Like any beginner, my early experience in blogging was about experimentation and adventurism. Sa time na yon, hindi ko pa kilala sina Blogie Robillo, Avel, at iba pang bloggers.
Ang alam ko blogger ako at reporter ako. Ako si Istambay sa Mindanao. Nasisiyahan akong mabasa ang mga naisulat ko. Feeling ko meron ding mga tao na nagbabasa ng mga post ko. Feeling lang.
Kasama sa naging experiment ko ang pagmigrate galing blogspot papuntang wordpress noong 2006.
Slowly, I got hits and there were those who were kind enough to post comments.
Mukhang masaya.
Ngunit magulo din.
Ilang beses din akong na reprimand ng editor ko dahil na nauna kong napost sa blog ko and isang istorya bago ko na ifile sa desk.
At sa isa pang araw, merong nag post ng comment na violent reaction doon sa sinulat ko sa blog.
At sumunod pa ang isang comment na “paki ko sa opinion mo” “ano ba ang alam mo sa sitwasyon” .
Hindi ko rin pweding kalimutan ang mga spam message na kong pumasok akalo mo na marami nang nagreact sa post mo.
Napag-isipan ko na parang hindi ko pa na harmonize ang pagiging blogger at reporter ko at saka naging self-publisher na ako na parang “the world revolves around me” as if the world cares about my news, my aspirations, dreams, reactions, pains, and victories.
These and other factors made me reflect on why I blog and why I should continue blogging.
The responsibility is doubled with me as a journalist who should keep his credibility, focus, and relevance intact.
It is trippled with the fact that my setting is Mindanao where there are a lot of stories, good or bad, which are left untold.
I decided to be a journalist first as it should be.
But I also decided to continue blogging. I can’t imagine myself “not blogging”. In fact I learned to tweak on my header, sidebar and other stuff on my dashboard.
With the focus on my job as a journalist, I became more conscious about reporting (and blogging) accurately, about using more point of views, about ground-truthing, and about fairness, balance, and timeliness.
I learned that if my voice should count it will only count so much.
I have to use my platform as a journalist to cover the different and diverse voices around me.
I cannot just rely on the opinion or statements of the usual and official sources.
I have to be on the ground to get the facts right and fast.
I learned most of these things when I joined a team formed by MindaNews to do grassroots reporting and documentation training engagements in communities around Mindanao.
In Caraga, Davao Oriental; Tandag, Surigao del Sur; in Upi, Maguindanao; in Bagra, Cotabato City; In Midsayap, North Cotabato; In Iligan City, In Kumalarang, Zamboanga del Sur and in other commuities I learned that the people there have stories to tell and yet we don’t hear them at all.
Most of these peoples and communities battle hunger, fear, ignorance, and isolation everyday.
They seek peace, justice, hope, life, victories,even the most basic --- food.
The mainstream media cannot cover everything. Sometimes they choose not to cover it at all or cover it smacked with generalizations, misrepresentations, and angles taken out of context, among other concerns.
This is a challenge for journalists and an opportunity for bloggers.
Already, Mindanao bloggers are known as organized and ahead of other blogging communities in the country.
Blogging has already occupied a level of command in the information highway.
That is why I believe this could be handy.
Blogging the Mindanawon consciousness could be blogging more about these peoples, issues, events, concerns, dreams.
We are ought to give them the chance because opportunities for them to express themselves and be heard are scarce.
This is especially true in a time when Mindanao continues to experience unpeace and is misunderstood in many ways.
Mindanawons blogging about Mindanao is a natural course and is the perfect energy needed.
It might not be enough, however, that there are Mindanao bloggers who discuss on Mindanao from their online platforms.
We, Mindanawon bloggers can only do so much. We can speak only for ourselves, our work, our views on Mindanao, our feelings, reactions, victories, pains, excitements, plans, dreams, and aspirations.
We have to gather more voices and flood the information superhighway with solutions, too, not just problems.
But a bigger part of Mindanao’s people is still “offline”. They are not yet connected to many things linked in Mindanao, enjoyed in Mindanao.
Ang kadaghanan wala pa makasakay sa sakyanan nga gigamit sa uban.
Apparently, there is a big gap between the volume of the voices of Mindanao’s bloggers and those of the “offline Mindanawons” in expressing their humanity.
“Blogging the Mindanawon Consciousness” might mean bridging this gap.
Mindanao bloggers might consider helping enable other key sectors and peoples in their communities to blog about themselves.
Blogging might not only be limited to blogging about Mindanao and its peoples but also helping the “voiceless” learn to blog so they, too, can blog about themselves.
Of course it would be extremely difficult for existing Mindanao bloggers to acess many of the areas safely and for the people in communities to appraoch which local bloggers can help them.
But bloggers must continue to try linking them and engaging them for mutual respect and understanding in an effort to connect more and more people.
Many of us who are already blogging about the voiceless must continue doing it and infect others to do the same.
We can focus on a Mindanao consciousness that is more inclusive, not exclusive.
Let us blog about how we can build the “we” among Mindanawons and not on “us” and “them”.
On the other hand, many of us might be turned-off by this kind of appeal.
Sometimes we have the impression that blogging about the conflict is flooding the information highway with bad news about Mindanao, when bloggers wanted to change the image to “good”.
But how can we have good news if we continue to blur and ignore the not-good news.
Mind you, there are also good stories that come out from the evacuation sites: there are stories of resilience, stories of hope, stories of dreams, stories of humanity.
There are many opportunities to give voice and attention to people in the communities, like helping explain (of course to understand it first) the peace process in general and the MOA-AD in particular.
My editor Carol Arguillas told me earlier that she commends our fellow blogger Sarah Matalam for what she is doing and blogging about: connecting people who have something to share to the bakwits in Pikit and neighboring areas.
It is not as easy as I say it here.
But we are not only bloggers. We are Mindanawon bloggers.
Altogether in our own communities cities and circles of influence we can collectively promote the Mindanawon consciousness.
Indeed it will not be easy.
I liken it to our trip yesterday from Iligan-CDO-Bukidnon in Bobby Timonera’s Mitsubishi Adventure.
Along the way, there were good and picture perfect sights, an early lunch, fresh air and fruits, lively chats, and good music.
But there were also spoilers like a heavy rain in Malaybalay, more expensive unleaded gas in Maramag, a busted tire in Damulog, Bukidnon, chargers left at home, and endless detours over long and winding routes.
But we made it here. We all made it here.
Yes, Mindanao bloggers can make it.
Thank you and once again good morning!
2nd MBS: Initiatives for Social Media Cultural Dialogue
Posted:
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Who are we to define this Mindanawon Consciousness?
In this process, we could be haunted by doubt. Who are we to define Mindanawon consciousness? Isn't this an exercise of power and domination? In reality, that is not what we want to do. We want to look forward a way of speaking about Mindanao, a set of social images that can give us some control on how Mindanao can nurture multicultural understanding, peace, development, and a sense of meaning and identity. We want to generate new collective energies.
Objectives of the Summit
- To strengthen the unity among bloggers in their drive to accentuate the untapped potentialities of Mindanao,
- To encourage bloggers to become more enthusiastic about the Mindanao consciousness,
- To utilize maximum potential of new social media, and
- To foster the entrepreneurial spirit of Mindanawans through blogging.
The Panel Discussion Resource Speakers
| Looking South: An Outsider Pundits about Mindanao Politics, History and Commentary |  http://www.quezon.ph |
| Voices from Mindanao Heartroots: Notes on Life & Living in the Communitiests: |  http://istambay.wordpress.com |
| “Mindanawon Consciousness” |  http://www.writingedge.co.cc |
| Tips and New Media for Mindanao Bloggers |  http://www.aileenapolo.com |
| Blogging the Entrepreneurial Way of Life |  http://www.riajose.com |
| Images of Mindanao from the perspective of a Mindanaoan |  |
Sarangani Bay Festival 2008
Posted:
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Woodbridge Beach Resort in Kiamba hosted the opening program of Sarangani Bay Festival 2008 with simultaneous competitions in land and sea, including environmental awareness programs.
Sarangani Bay lies between a mangrove forest in Glan (foreground) and the majestic Mt. Matutum. -- Photo by Cocoy Sexcion
Pawikan release: Local officials led by Governor Migs Dominguez (4th from right) and the community release 30 Olive Ridley hatchlings to signal environmental consciousness and protection of the bay on the first day of Sarangani Bay Festival Friday, May 16 at Kiamba municipality. -- Photo by Cocoy Sexcion
Earlier in the day of May 16, at 7am., a clean-up in the province’s six coastal towns - Alabel, Malapatan, Glan, Maasim, Kiamba and Maitum - ushered in community participation and advocacy for Sarangani Bay.
Also slated at Woodbridge are a rowing race (lumba bugsay), cooking contest (hain kusina), an environmental arts exhibit and a techno-aqua recreational activity.
Governor Migs Dominguez looks at the artwork of a participant in the Sining at Kinaiyahan (arts and nature) contest among 8 to 12 years old children Friday, May 16, depicting this year's 2008 Sarangani Bay Festival theme: "Sarangani… Celebrating and Protecting the Treasures of the Bay" -- Photo by Cocoy Sexcion
Fisherfolk teams composed of either husband and wife, father and daughter, sister and brother, or mother and son race boats at the Lumba Bugsay event to open the Sarangani Bay Festival 2008. It is a 1.5-kilometer race from Banglay Beach to Woodbridge Resort. -- Photo by Cocoy Sexcion
Couple Bong and Norhaima Saban reach the finish line first for the Lumba Bugsay at the opening of the Sarangani Bay Festival 2008 Friday, May 16. The couple pose after winning the 1.5-kilometer race carries the top prize of P5,000 cash and a 5.5 HP boat engine. -- Photo by Cocoy Sexcion
Fisherfolk families who participated in the Lumba Bugsay event pose after reaching the shore of Woodbridge Resort at Kiamba municipality. -- Photo by Cocoy Sexcion
For the first time, the municipality of Kiamba launched the “Mountain-River-Ocean Adventure,” a human race from the jungles to the sea.
Local government units, non-government organizations and the business sector are coming together to celebrate this year’s bay festival and to increase community awareness in environmental conservation.
“For our third Sarangani Bay Festival, everybody is knocking on our doors,” Governor Migs Dominguez told a press conference last week.
“This means we’re developing equity and credibility in what we are doing, because our cause is healthy,” the governor said.
Sarangani Bay Festival, with the theme this year of “Sarangani… Celebrating and Protecting the Treasures of the Bay”, is a province-wide festival which pays tribute to the bounty of the bay through beach events.
“We are celebrating the beauty and the goodness of the bay,” said Vice Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon.
“Every year people will be reminded of how beautiful and how generous the bay has become for us that we should continue to preserve it,” Solon said.
According to Board Member Arturo Lawa, Sarangani province has “already generated interest with regards to environmental protection.”
“This is evident in the building of Septage Treatment Facilities from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation among the province’s six coastal towns,” said Lawa, chair of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan environment committee.
Lawa said in relation to the Clean Water Act, his committee was now 80% in the formulation of the Water Quality Management Board for Sarangani Bay.
On the other hand, the annual bay festival has triggered the development of beach resorts across the province to accommodate tourists.
Resort growth more than doubled in the white sand shores of Gumasa, the Boracay-like destination in Mindanao.
The tourism office has recorded an 87% increase of tourist arrivals in the province from 2005 to 2007.
**********
For more information, kindly visit this website: www.sarangani.gov.ph
Sarangani Bay lies between a mangrove forest in Glan (foreground) and the majestic Mt. Matutum. -- Photo by Cocoy Sexcion
Pawikan release: Local officials led by Governor Migs Dominguez (4th from right) and the community release 30 Olive Ridley hatchlings to signal environmental consciousness and protection of the bay on the first day of Sarangani Bay Festival Friday, May 16 at Kiamba municipality. -- Photo by Cocoy Sexcion
Earlier in the day of May 16, at 7am., a clean-up in the province’s six coastal towns - Alabel, Malapatan, Glan, Maasim, Kiamba and Maitum - ushered in community participation and advocacy for Sarangani Bay.
Also slated at Woodbridge are a rowing race (lumba bugsay), cooking contest (hain kusina), an environmental arts exhibit and a techno-aqua recreational activity.
Governor Migs Dominguez looks at the artwork of a participant in the Sining at Kinaiyahan (arts and nature) contest among 8 to 12 years old children Friday, May 16, depicting this year's 2008 Sarangani Bay Festival theme: "Sarangani… Celebrating and Protecting the Treasures of the Bay" -- Photo by Cocoy Sexcion
Fisherfolk teams composed of either husband and wife, father and daughter, sister and brother, or mother and son race boats at the Lumba Bugsay event to open the Sarangani Bay Festival 2008. It is a 1.5-kilometer race from Banglay Beach to Woodbridge Resort. -- Photo by Cocoy Sexcion
Couple Bong and Norhaima Saban reach the finish line first for the Lumba Bugsay at the opening of the Sarangani Bay Festival 2008 Friday, May 16. The couple pose after winning the 1.5-kilometer race carries the top prize of P5,000 cash and a 5.5 HP boat engine. -- Photo by Cocoy Sexcion
Fisherfolk families who participated in the Lumba Bugsay event pose after reaching the shore of Woodbridge Resort at Kiamba municipality. -- Photo by Cocoy Sexcion
For the first time, the municipality of Kiamba launched the “Mountain-River-Ocean Adventure,” a human race from the jungles to the sea.
Local government units, non-government organizations and the business sector are coming together to celebrate this year’s bay festival and to increase community awareness in environmental conservation.
“For our third Sarangani Bay Festival, everybody is knocking on our doors,” Governor Migs Dominguez told a press conference last week.
“This means we’re developing equity and credibility in what we are doing, because our cause is healthy,” the governor said.
Sarangani Bay Festival, with the theme this year of “Sarangani… Celebrating and Protecting the Treasures of the Bay”, is a province-wide festival which pays tribute to the bounty of the bay through beach events.
“We are celebrating the beauty and the goodness of the bay,” said Vice Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon.
“Every year people will be reminded of how beautiful and how generous the bay has become for us that we should continue to preserve it,” Solon said.
According to Board Member Arturo Lawa, Sarangani province has “already generated interest with regards to environmental protection.”
“This is evident in the building of Septage Treatment Facilities from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation among the province’s six coastal towns,” said Lawa, chair of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan environment committee.
Lawa said in relation to the Clean Water Act, his committee was now 80% in the formulation of the Water Quality Management Board for Sarangani Bay.
On the other hand, the annual bay festival has triggered the development of beach resorts across the province to accommodate tourists.
Resort growth more than doubled in the white sand shores of Gumasa, the Boracay-like destination in Mindanao.
The tourism office has recorded an 87% increase of tourist arrivals in the province from 2005 to 2007.
**********
For more information, kindly visit this website: www.sarangani.gov.ph
Earth Hour Campaign
Posted:
Friday, March 14, 2008
On 29 March 2008 the Philippines will join countries around the world as we literally "turn the lights out" for Earth Hour - an event that will fuel awareness on climate change and prove that when the people of the world work together, they can make a difference in the fight against global warming.
Earth Hour will take place throughout the Philippines from 8 to 9 in the evening on Saturday night, 29 March 2008. WWF invites you to participate by shutting off lights for 60 minutes, organizing your own "lights-out" event or by forwarding this mail to your friends, workmates and family.
Launched in Australia on the 31st of March 2007, Earth Hour moved 2.2 million people and 2100 businesses in Sydney to turn off their lights for one hour. This massive collective effort reduced the city's energy consumption by 10.2% for one hour. With Sydney icons like the Harbour Bridge and Opera House turning their lights off and unique events such as weddings by candlelight, the world took notice. Inspired by the collective effort of millions of Sydneysiders, many major global cities are joining Earth Hour in 2008, turning a symbolic event into a global movement.
YOUR participation will go a long way in spreading the message that we, as individual droplets working collectively - can create an impetus far more powerful than the mightiest of rivers. For more information, log on to the WWF Earth Hour page at: www.earthhour.org.
If you want to learn more about how else you can help make Earth Hour in the Philippines a success, reply to this email or drop us a line at (632) 920-7931, (632)920-7923, or (632)920-7926
Teena G. Santiago
Marketing Services Manager
WWF-Philippines/
Kabang Kalikasan ng Pilipinas
JBD Plaza, 56 Mindanao Avenue
Bagong Pag-Asa, Quezon City
Philippines
Phone: + 63 2 920-7923 or 26
Fax: +63 2 454-3533
Mobile: +63 920 923-6998
email: tsantiago@wwf.org.ph
Website: http://wwf.org.ph
Earth Hour will take place throughout the Philippines from 8 to 9 in the evening on Saturday night, 29 March 2008. WWF invites you to participate by shutting off lights for 60 minutes, organizing your own "lights-out" event or by forwarding this mail to your friends, workmates and family.
Launched in Australia on the 31st of March 2007, Earth Hour moved 2.2 million people and 2100 businesses in Sydney to turn off their lights for one hour. This massive collective effort reduced the city's energy consumption by 10.2% for one hour. With Sydney icons like the Harbour Bridge and Opera House turning their lights off and unique events such as weddings by candlelight, the world took notice. Inspired by the collective effort of millions of Sydneysiders, many major global cities are joining Earth Hour in 2008, turning a symbolic event into a global movement.
YOUR participation will go a long way in spreading the message that we, as individual droplets working collectively - can create an impetus far more powerful than the mightiest of rivers. For more information, log on to the WWF Earth Hour page at: www.earthhour.org.
If you want to learn more about how else you can help make Earth Hour in the Philippines a success, reply to this email or drop us a line at (632) 920-7931, (632)920-7923, or (632)920-7926
Teena G. Santiago
Marketing Services Manager
WWF-Philippines/
Kabang Kalikasan ng Pilipinas
JBD Plaza, 56 Mindanao Avenue
Bagong Pag-Asa, Quezon City
Philippines
Phone: + 63 2 920-7923 or 26
Fax: +63 2 454-3533
Mobile: +63 920 923-6998
email: tsantiago@wwf.org.ph
Website: http://wwf.org.ph
Hatag Kalinaw 2008 project grant
Posted:
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Hatag Kalinaw 2008 is a youth-led project grant competition for school and community-based youth organisations in Mindanao on how the ideals of peace can be achieved through mutual understanding and entrepreneurship. Winning organisations will receive up to PHP 100,000 each to implement its project within a 6-month period.
What should the proposal be about?
* Project proposals should address issues on the ideals of peace, mutual understanding, and development among young people in Mindanao
* It should espouse entrepreneurship in the form of savings, economic, or livelihood activities
* It should utilise the concept of “self-help” as opposed to “dole-out
* It should be a consultative and participatory process to ensure ownership and enhanced sustainability to promote community-based entrepreneurial activities
For further information and to download application form, please visit: web site
What should the proposal be about?
* Project proposals should address issues on the ideals of peace, mutual understanding, and development among young people in Mindanao
* It should espouse entrepreneurship in the form of savings, economic, or livelihood activities
* It should utilise the concept of “self-help” as opposed to “dole-out
* It should be a consultative and participatory process to ensure ownership and enhanced sustainability to promote community-based entrepreneurial activities
For further information and to download application form, please visit: web site
Blog seminar on cultural indulgent
Posted:
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Open to all with limited slots. This event is organized by Computer Science and Information Technology (CSIT) Department Student Council of Notre Dame of Marbel University, headed by Mark Aethen G. Agana. Contact Aethen for more information at +639063722737
Date: Feb.2.2008
Time: 8:30am-3:30pm
Venue: SMC Hall, NDMU, City of Koronadal
Registration Fee: Php70.00 (inclusive of two snacks and certificate)
The seminar will be like a re-echo of the Mindanao Bloggers Summit. It is called Blog, dubbed with theme "Understanding, Culture and Identity" and has the following objectives:
1. To introduce blogging as new media
2. To explore blogging as a means for monetizing, Internet marketing, and advocacy.
3. To enable the participants to recognize the need to continually communicate with one another to know and understand Mindanao and its people through the available technology.
4. To utilize blogging to appreciate the beauty of Mindanao 's people, culture, places, creativity as their contribution to fostering understanding and peace on the island.
The invited Mindanao bloggers to introduce blogging to non-bloggers. There will talk on Blogging 101 (Basics), Blogging as new medium, for earning, Internet Marketing, and Advocacy.
Hector Miñoza, Bro. Vince Celeste, FMS, Rolly Jude Ortega, Ariel Lalisan, Ria Jose, and Avel Manansala are the invited Mindanao bloggers to introduce blogging to non-bloggers and they would also share their knowledge and experiences with blogging. There will talk on Blogging 101 (Basics), Blogging as new medium, for earning, Internet Marketing, and Advocacy.
Date: Feb.2.2008
Time: 8:30am-3:30pm
Venue: SMC Hall, NDMU, City of Koronadal
Registration Fee: Php70.00 (inclusive of two snacks and certificate)
The seminar will be like a re-echo of the Mindanao Bloggers Summit. It is called Blog, dubbed with theme "Understanding, Culture and Identity" and has the following objectives:
1. To introduce blogging as new media
2. To explore blogging as a means for monetizing, Internet marketing, and advocacy.
3. To enable the participants to recognize the need to continually communicate with one another to know and understand Mindanao and its people through the available technology.
4. To utilize blogging to appreciate the beauty of Mindanao 's people, culture, places, creativity as their contribution to fostering understanding and peace on the island.
The invited Mindanao bloggers to introduce blogging to non-bloggers. There will talk on Blogging 101 (Basics), Blogging as new medium, for earning, Internet Marketing, and Advocacy.
Hector Miñoza, Bro. Vince Celeste, FMS, Rolly Jude Ortega, Ariel Lalisan, Ria Jose, and Avel Manansala are the invited Mindanao bloggers to introduce blogging to non-bloggers and they would also share their knowledge and experiences with blogging. There will talk on Blogging 101 (Basics), Blogging as new medium, for earning, Internet Marketing, and Advocacy.
Mindanao Ehem Forum and Fellowship
Posted:
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Attention all Ehemers in Mindanao and in Davao City: you are invited to our regular annual forum of the Mindanao Ehem TWG for 2007 (our second forum this year; the first one was on elections last April).
Our upcoming forum will be held on December 17, 2007 (Monday) @ 1-5 PM. The venue is at the Conference Hall of the Mindanao Economic Development Council (MEDCo) at the SSS Bldg, Bajada St., Davao City.
For this forum, we will have a public lecture with book launching/book signing on anti-fixing and anti-red tape reforms in the government and Philippine society. This forum is also sponsored by the MEDCo and the Office of the Presidential Adviser for the Peace Process (OPAPP).
Invitations in the TWG's database will be sent out. But if you are interested, you are very much welcome. You can also confirm your attendance to Cecile Desesto (082-2274217) or Fe Munez (082-2212179/80). Snacks and cocktails will be provided by MEDCo and OPAPP. This activity will also be a Christmas fellowship of Ehemers and Ehem agencies.
Special topics will focus on social capital and corruption (Bagong koneksyon laban sa korupsyon!), and the dark side of social capital (fixers' networks and networks of fixers).
There will be a book display of the FIXING SOCIETY: The Inside World of Fixers in the Philippines. Each book sells at P450 pesos.
We hope to see you all in our affair!
Below is the program for the forum!
--------------------------
The Mindanao Ehem Technical Working Group (Ehem TWG)
in coordination with
The Office of the Presidential Adviser for the Peace Process (OPAPP)
Mindanao Economic and Development Council (MEDCo)
Office of the Ombudsman and the Association of Resident Ombudsmen
(AROGA)
and
Ehem Anticorruption Project
4th TWG Annual Forum and Christmas Fellowship Public Lecture and Book Launching on
Anti-Fixing and Anti-Red Tape Reforms in the Philippines
December 17, 2007 | Monday | 1:00-5:00 PM
MEDCo Conference Hall, SSS Bldg, Bajada St., Davao City
Theme: "Bagong Koneksyon Laban sa Korupsyon!"
1:00 – 1:30
Registration and Book Sale
1:30 – 1:45
Call to Assembly and Opening Ceremonies
1:45 – 2:00
Recognition of Officials and Guests
Recognition of Ehem Champions in the Government and Private Sectors
Recognition of TWG Members and Forum Host and Sponsor
2:00 – 2:10
Welcome Remarks
Hon. Sec. Virgilio Leyretana, Sr.
MEDCo Chairman and Ehem Mindanao TWG Convenor
2:10 – 2:30
Keynote Remarks
Hon. Sec. Jesus G. Dureza
Presidential Adviser
2:30 – 3:00
Lecture 1:
"Ang Bagong Koneksyon, Laban sa Korupsyon"
(Social Capital and Corruption)
Fr. Albert E. Alejo, SJ, PhD
Ehem Team Leader
3:00 – 4:00
Lecture 2:
Fixing Society: The Inside World of Fixers in the Philippines
(Dark Side of Social Capital)
Dr. Ronnie V. Amorado
Ehem National Coordinator and Book Author
4:00 – 4:30
Panel Open Forum
4:30 – 5:00
Ehem Fellowship and Book Signing
Host and Sponsor:
OPAPP and MEDCo
Emcee:
Ms. Arlene Lozano
Ehem Mindanao TWG Co-Convenor
Our upcoming forum will be held on December 17, 2007 (Monday) @ 1-5 PM. The venue is at the Conference Hall of the Mindanao Economic Development Council (MEDCo) at the SSS Bldg, Bajada St., Davao City.
For this forum, we will have a public lecture with book launching/book signing on anti-fixing and anti-red tape reforms in the government and Philippine society. This forum is also sponsored by the MEDCo and the Office of the Presidential Adviser for the Peace Process (OPAPP).
Invitations in the TWG's database will be sent out. But if you are interested, you are very much welcome. You can also confirm your attendance to Cecile Desesto (082-2274217) or Fe Munez (082-2212179/80). Snacks and cocktails will be provided by MEDCo and OPAPP. This activity will also be a Christmas fellowship of Ehemers and Ehem agencies.
Special topics will focus on social capital and corruption (Bagong koneksyon laban sa korupsyon!), and the dark side of social capital (fixers' networks and networks of fixers).
There will be a book display of the FIXING SOCIETY: The Inside World of Fixers in the Philippines. Each book sells at P450 pesos.
We hope to see you all in our affair!
Below is the program for the forum!
--------------------------
The Mindanao Ehem Technical Working Group (Ehem TWG)
in coordination with
The Office of the Presidential Adviser for the Peace Process (OPAPP)
Mindanao Economic and Development Council (MEDCo)
Office of the Ombudsman and the Association of Resident Ombudsmen
(AROGA)
and
Ehem Anticorruption Project
4th TWG Annual Forum and Christmas Fellowship Public Lecture and Book Launching on
Anti-Fixing and Anti-Red Tape Reforms in the Philippines
December 17, 2007 | Monday | 1:00-5:00 PM
MEDCo Conference Hall, SSS Bldg, Bajada St., Davao City
Theme: "Bagong Koneksyon Laban sa Korupsyon!"
1:00 – 1:30
Registration and Book Sale
1:30 – 1:45
Call to Assembly and Opening Ceremonies
1:45 – 2:00
Recognition of Officials and Guests
Recognition of Ehem Champions in the Government and Private Sectors
Recognition of TWG Members and Forum Host and Sponsor
2:00 – 2:10
Welcome Remarks
Hon. Sec. Virgilio Leyretana, Sr.
MEDCo Chairman and Ehem Mindanao TWG Convenor
2:10 – 2:30
Keynote Remarks
Hon. Sec. Jesus G. Dureza
Presidential Adviser
2:30 – 3:00
Lecture 1:
"Ang Bagong Koneksyon, Laban sa Korupsyon"
(Social Capital and Corruption)
Fr. Albert E. Alejo, SJ, PhD
Ehem Team Leader
3:00 – 4:00
Lecture 2:
Fixing Society: The Inside World of Fixers in the Philippines
(Dark Side of Social Capital)
Dr. Ronnie V. Amorado
Ehem National Coordinator and Book Author
4:00 – 4:30
Panel Open Forum
4:30 – 5:00
Ehem Fellowship and Book Signing
Host and Sponsor:
OPAPP and MEDCo
Emcee:
Ms. Arlene Lozano
Ehem Mindanao TWG Co-Convenor
The 4th Sunrise Festival
Posted:
Sunday, November 11, 2007
The sunrise festival is a celebration of arts held annually in the different regions of Maharlika (Philippines).
This socio-cultural festivity is a collaborative effort among professional and upcoming artists in the country, it is now the 4th national event organized by the Maharlika Artists and Writers Federation (MAWF).
The festival is a continuing national cultural movement to develop a high value and a total integration of all aspects of arts: music, theatre, literary, dance, senses, emotions and intuition and spirit.
This socio-cultural festivity is a collaborative effort among professional and upcoming artists in the country, it is now the 4th national event organized by the Maharlika Artists and Writers Federation (MAWF).
The festival is a continuing national cultural movement to develop a high value and a total integration of all aspects of arts: music, theatre, literary, dance, senses, emotions and intuition and spirit.
Kindly visit the web site: http://maharlikasunrisefest.com
Congrats to MBS1 success!
Posted:
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Participants of the 1st Mindanao Bloggers Summit. (Photo by Charles Ortiz)
39th Charter Day of General Santos City
Posted:
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Gensan City Officials headed by Mayor Pedro Acharon, Jr. and Congresswoman Darlene Custodio lead city officials and guests in releasing balloons to signal to opening of the celebration of the 39th Cityhood Anniversary of the city on September 5, 2007 at the Gen. Paulino Santos Shrine. The activity was preceded by a Mass and Flag-Raising Ceremony. Also in the photo are Vice Mayor Florentina Congson, Councilors Odjok Acharon, Richard Atendido, Boyet Leyson, Bing Dinopol, Doming Lagare, First Lady Dr. Rose Acharon, Festival Director Bebot Haw, Dep Ed Superintendent Estrella Lariosa, among others. The day is also the culmination of the week-long 2007 Tuna Festival.
WINNING TUNAFEST FLOAT. The P100,000 Grand Prize Winner in the Float Competition entered by the East Asia Royale Hotel during the culmination of the 2007 Tuna Festival at the Oval Plaza Grounds on September 5, 2007. The other winners are SAFII Group of Companies (2nd place), RD Group of Companies (3rd place) and TSP Marine Industries (4th place). This year's contest brought in 21 participating entries, the biggest number in its history.
MS.GENSAN 2007. 20-year old NDDU Nursing Student Belle Esteban of Barangay Apopong was crowned Ms. Gensan 2007 on the night of September 2, 2007 in a jampacked ceremony at the KCC Convention & Trade Center. With her in the foto is her court (L-R) 1st Runner-Up Jen Cachuela and 2nd Runner-Up Lynn Menong. The Ms. Gensan Pageant is an official event of the 2007 Tuna Festival and is sponsored by the City Government of Gensan, the GSCCCII, Tuna Festival Council & the KCC Malls.
(cmo-gensan/aomanansala)
(cmo-gensan/aomanansala)
Anthology of essays by young Moro writers
Posted:
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
I am proud to announce that Children of the Ever-Changing Moon, an anthology of essays by young Moro writers, will be out by the end of August. The release will coincide with the annual Manila International Book Fair on August 29 to September 2 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City. The book will then be available in National Bookstore, Powerbooks and other leading bookstores across the country by September.
Children of the Ever-Changing Moon, published by Anvil, features essays by some of our brilliant, gifted young minds today. The writers are:
* Pearlsha Abubakar
* Ayesah Abubakar
* Sarah Matalam Alvarez
* Mucha-Shim Quiling Arquiza
* Nefertari Al Raschid-Arsad
* Allyson Banga-an
* Ayesha Merdeka Alonto-Datu Ramos
* Sittie Jamairah Disomimba
* Samira Ali Gutoc
* Sitti Djalia Turabin-Hataman
* Loren Hallilah Lao
* Zainudin Malang
* Farida D. Mending
* Gonaranao B. Musor
We have a book launch in Davao City tentatively set onSeptember 18.
Please support us by getting a copy of the book, and spreading this news to your friends and family.
If you have queries, you can reach me at 0920-2555305 / 0920-9049336.
Salam,
Teng Mangansakan
Editor
URL: http://www.morofilm.com/
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Gutierrez Mangansakan II, an award-winning writer and filmmaker from Maguindanao, the book will have its Davao City launch on September 18 and will be available in all leading bookstores across the country also next month.
I am proud to announce that Children of the Ever-Changing Moon, an anthology of essays by young Moro writers, will be out by the end of August. The release will coincide with the annual Manila International Book Fair on August 29 to September 2 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City. The book will then be available in National Bookstore, Powerbooks and other leading bookstores across the country by September.
Children of the Ever-Changing Moon, published by Anvil, features essays by some of our brilliant, gifted young minds today. The writers are:
* Pearlsha Abubakar* Ayesah Abubakar
* Sarah Matalam Alvarez
* Mucha-Shim Quiling Arquiza
* Nefertari Al Raschid-Arsad
* Allyson Banga-an
* Ayesha Merdeka Alonto-Datu Ramos
* Sittie Jamairah Disomimba
* Samira Ali Gutoc
* Sitti Djalia Turabin-Hataman
* Loren Hallilah Lao
* Zainudin Malang
* Farida D. Mending
* Gonaranao B. Musor
We have a book launch in Davao City tentatively set onSeptember 18.
Please support us by getting a copy of the book, and spreading this news to your friends and family.
If you have queries, you can reach me at 0920-2555305 / 0920-9049336.
Salam,
Teng Mangansakan
Editor
URL: http://www.morofilm.com/
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Gutierrez Mangansakan II, an award-winning writer and filmmaker from Maguindanao, the book will have its Davao City launch on September 18 and will be available in all leading bookstores across the country also next month.
First Mindanao Bloggers Summit
Posted:
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Welcome to the event details page of the 1st Mindanao Bloggers Summit!
The following information, as well as the program of activities below, will be kept up-to-date:
· Date: 27 October 2007 (Saturday)
· Time: 1:30 to 6:00 P.M.
· Venue: 4th Floor, NCCC Mall, Ma-a, Davao City
· Registration Fee: FREE! (However, participants will be required to post an entry on their blogs declaring that they intend to join the Summit. More details on this very soon!)
There will also be a bloggers party after the Summit. Watch this page for more updates on that!
Kindly visit the web site: http://www.mindanaobloggers.com
The following information, as well as the program of activities below, will be kept up-to-date:
· Date: 27 October 2007 (Saturday)
· Time: 1:30 to 6:00 P.M.
· Venue: 4th Floor, NCCC Mall, Ma-a, Davao City
· Registration Fee: FREE! (However, participants will be required to post an entry on their blogs declaring that they intend to join the Summit. More details on this very soon!)
There will also be a bloggers party after the Summit. Watch this page for more updates on that!
Kindly visit the web site: http://www.mindanaobloggers.com
