1mbs: not the last

Am I late to post this?

I hope it is not.

Anyway, I was in the first ever Bloggers Summit in the Mindanao which was held at 4th Floor NCCC Mall, Davao and was organized by the Usual Suspects.

Ariel and I arrived at the venue about 10:45pm and were lucky that the event had just started. We did not heard the keynote speech on Blogging and Participatory Governance of Davao City Councilor Peter Laviña where he addressed that blogs were effective for participative governance.

In our entrance to the summit Bob Martin who is staying in Mindanao for almost 5 years and owns Mindanao.com and many other proPhilippines travel blog. He gave a speech on Travel and Technology. He featured his experience in Mindanao and he travels a lot for earnings.

A “Promote-Your-Blog activity” was done to fill some idle time in the program. Maybe it was part of the program. They gave also freebies (IBM Pens, IBM Notepads, Google package, Domain and hosting package, MBS shirts and caps) in random raffle. And I won an IBM pen, and also Ariel in the latter part of the program. Conrad won an IBM notepad and Dulce (http://dulcenegosyante.com/) won a domain and hosting package. The four of us were in the same table and been together during the summit. I met Winston of batangyagit.com who was very accommodating and friendly in person.

I met Aice of Aice concepts. She was good in person.

Fr. Albert Alejo, SJ’s was one of the speakers also for that event. He was also one of the authors of Ehem! And an active advocate of clean governance and nation building. In the summit he talks about Socio-Cultural Mindset of Mindanaoans. I was really inspired of his talk and sharing on how to keep peace and order in Mindanao. He identified clearly to where the conflict in Mindanao rooted - Culture and Perception of Mindanaoans. I was moved by the music video presented, the “Meme na Mindanaw”. I want to have a copy of that video for our advocacy also. I hope a can grab one.

Winston texted that night before that there will be free lunch sponsored by Dimsum Diner and “everything” might be freely given. It was and we did enjoy it. Kuya Blogie joined us in our table while having lunch. And after a while he invited a guy from England who promotes and encourages bloggers to write about opensource and freeware. Winston was in our table also and he (I think enjoy the conversation with that English guy) confidently answered the question of the guy about outsourcing. Conrad and Dulce were sort of making fun of the guy because they can’t clearly understand what the guy was saying.

Aileen presented a Google Testimonial Video after the lunch.

Kim Castillo of Southisms‘shared on “Transistion from Emo to Niche Blogging”. One must make his/her blog unique from other bloggers to invite viewers and readers. Make your own world and space and open it to online people. Make a difference and be the difference in the blogger world.

Matt of Wordpress has also sent a video for the summit. He sent his regard for organizing such event. He was in Hawaii when he recorded the video. The summit got a support from the developer of wordpress.

Jayvee Fernandez talked about Problogging and new media. He promoted about blogging as a new profession wherein one can earn more than they can if they are in a conventional work. He owns the A Bugged Life.com and he was connected to the technology channel b5media, as an editor.

Marc Macalua who owns the SEO Philippines and Macalua.com shared about SEO programs and stuffs. He talked also about his profession and how much he earn on it. In the program he supposed to talk about How to Optimize Your Wordpress Blog for Top Search but he left his materials in manila so instead he shared on that things.

The Usual Suspect made a Resolution on the Role of Bloggers in Fostering Understanding & Peace in Mindanao. The resolution was so general that one can affirm and agree consently. It will bring and create more positive views of Mindanao.

A panel composed of successful bloggers were organized, Jayvee Fernandez, Marc Macalau, Andrew dela Serna, Abe Olandresand Bob Martin. They entertained questions from other bloggers of all sort related to blogging. I learnt so much from them and it inspires me more to blog and earn seriously.

After the program, Kuya Blogie invited us (Ariel, Conrad, Richard, and other far-places bloggers) for a [free] dinner. But before that we strolled around NCCC Mall while waiting for the Usual Suspects who were the organizers of this successful event. We spent our time most at the 9th Davao Trade Expo infront of the venue of the 1MBS. I met Ate sweet also in the mall while strolling. She suppose tojoin the summit but she had conflicting activities and promised to catch us at the party.

Bloggers' Party

We have dinner with the Usual Suspects at the Pinutos [I hope I spelled it correctly]. They have a kind-a-not-so-good service but the food was good. After dinner we went to Casa Habana where the Bloggers Fellowship Night was hosted.

The party started at 9pm and there were pica-pica and beers. Light beers. The organizers had also invited an entertainer for the night fun. S/he was hilarious and witty but kinda naughty also. Jehzeel Laurente sent a message to Kuya Blogie greeting the bloggers and congratulating the organizers for making the event possible.

They gave seven (7) domain and hosting package also that night and I luckly got one. How? That would be kept secret.

Until next time bloggers

Congratulations to the Usual Suspect for your leadership.