Aethen

The Chosen Children of Newton ( In Lake Sebu, South Cotabato ) Time passes so quickly that I could hardly believe that my high school reunion is now knocking at my door step. Waw! Images of my mind swiftly comes remembering the good old days, my first love, first kiss, crushes, junior and seniors prom, long exams, competitions, the parties, and so many things that I have learned from high school days whether good or bad. But for myself, high school life is really the best, from innocence of adolescent, the attraction of the opposite sex, the discovering and awakening. So many beautiful memories that made your life more colorful and worth remembering. As the reunion day comes in Lake Sebu; I was so happy meeting all my high school classmates, t he looks of maturity of their faces cannot be denied, we immense our self talking and reminiscing our high school life while eating, palying hip-hip hurray, endless videoke sessions, and drinking. But somehow we cannot deny the fact that each ...

I just wan't to include this picture. Nothing to do with my post. I realized that if a man breathe in all his visions and exhale them as actions , everything becomes possible well maybe except doing those things in the limit of human boundaries to execute. Now that I am breathing what I thought I needed to survive, procedures must be performed admirably. Often, people decide if they are to live their life as a dream or make it a reality but I chose both. Live your dream in reality – with this direction, you’ll appreciate life more. Once you recognize the value of it, happiness would just come. I thought of these because of people I see walking the same path each day back at the streets and also of hearing their stories of happiness and struggles and sacrifices. Some made change, some are content, and some has nothing. Bottomline of this awareness is that life could be lived the way you wanted it to be. Just not make it complicated. Breathe in your capacity to live and exhale li...

A temporary MBS 2 semi-poster designed by Sir Ariel Lalisan General Santos City , fresh on its bid to become the Convention Capital of Region XII , will be the site of the biggest gathering of bloggers everywhere in the island - the 2nd Mindanao Bloggers Summit or MBS 2 , for short. NAME OF EVENT: The 2nd Mindanao Bloggers Summit (MBS 2) THEME: Mindanawan: Paminawon Intawon. Blogging the Mindanao Consciousness DATE: October 25, 2008, Saturday, during the GenSan E-Business Week of the DTI and the city government. This came after the organizers of the 1st Mindanao Bloggers Summit held last September in Davao City led by Blogie Robillo , and his group, The Usual Suspects , felt it was time for the Tuna Capital to take the lead. The Socsksargen Bloggers have been thinking about it ever since Mark Aethen Agana of Koronadal, spearheaded a SOCCSarGen Blog Seminar last February which gathered almost two hundred participants at the Notre Dame of Marbel University . The positive respo...

VOTE Batang Yagit! Why Batang Yagit should win the blogger's choice award? 1. He's cool. 2. Deserves to win. 3. I have no other choice but him and his blog. 4. He's batang yagit. 5. He's a winner. Read his blog to know him and his geeky yagit life. Voting for the Bloggers’ Choice Award for the Philippine Blog Awards 2008 is now open! The complete list of nominees can be viewed here !

FINALLY, I’ve made up my mind, here’s my ten Emerging Influential Blogs in 2008 organized by Janette Toral : MusikaCentral - My blog partner, Ariel Lalisan's music blog. Listen to the taste of the Music down south of Mindanao. Journeys to the Soul - My blog partner, Ariel Lalisan's Book Review Blog. Read this blog and for you'll be reading it often. Black Pencil Project - A blog trying to influence other people to make a difference. Kuris Kuris Artwork - A blog which features new trend of art. I'm planning to put an exhibit for these artworks soon. Bariles Republic - Sir Avel Manansala's An Idiot’s Guide to General Santos City blog. Build That Geek - Mikko's geeky personal blog. Trashman - Marvin's Tech News Blog from Marbel. Siraniko’s Box - Nash's Tech News Blog from Marbel. Homeward Bound - He dreams to make this blog an empire of blogs that will cater to the information needs of most people. Dong's Byaheng Pinoy - Join him as he f...

From Left: Br. Wilfredo E. Lubrico, FMS -the University President, Moi, Dr. Noemi B. Silva the Vice-president for Academics, and Mr. Andres Magallanes - the Vice-president for Administration ( Giving of the Institutional Leadership Award ) GABI NG PARANGAL 2008 , organized on March 10 to the comfortably structured gymnasium of the Notre Dame of Marbel University to give recognition to student leaders and achievers in University. It also recognized the best and the brightest talents. It was the first special awards night organized in the University and it was [very] formal. The administrators and faculties were the people who organized the event for the students. They serve as ushers and usherettes of the nominees in awarding ceremony. It was like an OSCARS Awards – because of the presence of the red carpet, the spotlight, the background sound that thrilled and exited the audience, and the witty and humorous emcee in a event’s formal atmosphere. Some of the student leaders in t...

If you learn about eye procedures cosmetic surgeons can perform why don’t also learn about participating in nation building? An interfaith prayer rally in celebration of EDSA I and for call and search for TRUTH was organized last February 25, 2007 in Koronadal City . The prayer rally was participated in by the Catholic clergy, Kabataan Party List, Gabriela, Sector of Farmers, and us, the students who participated and represented the few students in the University but declares ourselves us individual supporters. The chamber of Commerce in the Province, and many on truth-side government officials and employees joined the rally. It was mainly organized to awaken the minds of the Filipino people to participate in search for truth and stop corruption. It was lightly organized and ended peacefully with lighting a candle and dancing and singing of the truth. A Piso Para Kay Jun Lozada movement was also made to support him. The rally was entertaining yet substantial. I was rea...

In Notre Dame of Marbel University, a 10% tuition fee increase next school year was proposed. It was proposed that the 10% of the tuition increase will go to the teachers’ salaries and improvement of infrastructures and facilities inside the campus. Some students speak up. The Library is too big for a too small internet section to accommodate the need of students. The computers can be described as “de-uling” due to slow internet connection. Students repeatedly voice-out about the presence of some teachers who are not world class , who don’t know how to speak English well and whose method of instruction is too old school for college-level learning. Are we going to expect fewer teachers of these kinds next school year? Those are just a few. The more than 4000 souls may have more than 4000 different concerns intertwined. I understand the University’s rigid annual increases but I hope that they can compensate the amounts we’re paying, and hope that the minimum increase is enough and can ...

*** Review-a-blog! SOCCSarGen Bloggers’ Review-a-Blog Contest *** Open to all who attended the Blog seminar at Marbel

From left-top: Mikko, Toto Lozano, Br. Vince, Ria Jose, Hecky, Avel, and Hon. Peter Laviña Blog , the fisrt blogging seminar in SOCCSKSarGen (South Cotabato, Cotabato City , Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and Gen. Santos City) here in Region 12 concluded last February 02, 2008 at the SMC Hall of the Notre Dame of Marbel University in Koronadal City. It was a good introduction about blogging and the endless possibilities and opportunities on can experience. at the Hall The seminar was attended by 176 participants from all over the province including students from General Santos and Marbel, some teachers, professionals who are interested in blogging. NDMU President Bro. Willy Lubrico, FMS who welcomed them congratulated the CSIT Student Council and the Mindanao Bloggers group for this and vowed to continue supporting their cause. Hon. Peter Laviña delivered his keynote speech Davao City Councilor Peter Laviña , who came all the way from Davao City , delivered the keynote spe...

Last week the Honors Society distributed the official tee design for this school year. The tee print is designed by Jehzeel Laurente . The tee design is available for white and black t-shirt for only 45.00 pesos. *** TYG volunteers posing for 1GB USB On that day, The Anaheim Village Rotary Club granted the T’nalak Youth Group (TYG) twenty one (21) 1 GB USB through Rotary Club of Koronadal. Chosen TYG Core group members and volunteers received the USB for personal use. ( including me :P ) This project of Rotary aims to extend the awareness on computer and technology. Each Grant-in-Aid (GIA) working students in the University also received the same device.

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) ( open to all with limited slots) Organized by: CSIT Department Student Council headed by Mark Aethen G. Agana. The Computer Science and Information Department Student Council of Notre Dame of Marbel University is conducting a seminar on blogging on February 2, 2003. It 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: To introduce blogging as new media To explore blogging as a means for monetizing, Internet marketing, and advocacy. 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. To utilize blogging to appreciate the beauty of Mindanao 's people, culture, places, creativity as their contr...

2007 was been my most amazing blogger year! The Mindanao Blog Directory made a list of the Top 100 Mindanao Blogs for 2007. And Guess what? My blog is included in the list. I ranked 69 in their list . I am very proud I made it in the top 100 although I just listed my blog there October 2007. The blogs’ ranking were based on the data taken from technorati and feedburner. ( My blog got poor technorati performance this year ) Congratulations to all of us who made it in the list. See the full list here .

(A repost from Rolly ) Ms Grace, her daughter, and the New Year crashers KORONADAL CITY, SOUTH COTABATO—I never thought being “homeless” could be so cool. Royal, Rolly and I spent New Year ’s Eve loitering along Alunan Avenue, one of the busier streets here. At about 11 pm, we dropped by Matchbox, a fast food stall just several meters away from the roundball. The place was no longer serving food, but Miss Grace, the affable owner, treated us to sumptuous servings of oyster valenciana, beef mushroom, and shrimp salad. Before long, we were having slow rounds of Red Horse (still on the house!) as Bob Marley crooned “No woman, no cry” in the karaoke and splendid fireworks illuminated the night sky. Greeting the New year couldn’t be this languorously fun. I and Royal forcibly took 2/3 of Rolly's three-piece tribal bracelet

Yesterday, I received a mail from Google AdSense Support with my Google AdSense Personal Indentification Number (PIN) as an attachment. This will enable payment for my account after confirmation of the PIN on my Account. This is my [shared] first Adsense payment for monetizing my blogs and [other sites] in two (2) months.

Making college more accessible - http://www.schoogle.ph/ I want to share with you the new feature on Pathways' newest pet project. It is called Schoogle . It is a portal designed to help high school students find information on how to apply for scholarships offered by reputable local universities and foundations in the country. Primarily, 'Schoogle' provides RP college scholarship info to students. In short, It's an online resource for kids who want to enter college. Schoogle, a play on the words "school" and "Google," is currently limitedto schools in the National Capital Region. But the project proponentsintend to make it nationwide next year. The online database currently has data on 40 schools and 20 foundationsthat offer scholarships to students. Please support this project so that we can make more paths for better Philippines. :) *** The Search for Outstanding Volunteers 2007 (SOV) , sponsored by the Philippine National Volunteer Service C...

So this is it, I made my final registration in college just this afternoon. I’m enrolled in 27 units for this semester and it is gonna be tough since this will conclude my undergraduate study. I hope I could make use all my remaining time in school in continuing my unfinished businesses, living life the way I should, and meeting my friends. I really have to do my best to make a difference. And to make my volunteering service effective. God bless. *** I met my bestfriend [again] (From Left: Ronnel Victor dela Cruz , a MASICAP scholar and an AYLC Batch07 Alumnus, my bestfriend; Dr. Noemi B. Silva , the Academic Vice President of Notre Dame of Marbel University; and Aethen - taken at Lantaw Marbel during the concluding rites of the 3rd Mindanao Volunteers Convention) Keep the fire burnin', buddy! Continue to make a difference.

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...

Pathways to Higher Education-Mindanao has been empowering college students as instruments in fulfilling the dreams of intellectually gifted but financially underprivileged public high school students to enter college. And as part of the community development they continually embrace the mission of Pathways in creating a society where there is equity to higher education and in molding future Filipino leaders. Currently, there are seven Pathways Youth Groups in various universities and colleges through out Mindanao. On it’s third year of continuous service to Mindanaoan Youth, Pathways to Higher Education will be holding Mindanao Volunteers’ Convention dubbed as “ Moving Ahead ”. The said convention will be on the 28th to the 30th of October at Punta Isla Lake Resort, Lake Sebu South Cotabato. The convention will be attended by student leaders and their moderators from Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, Tacurong, Marbel and Zamboanga. This convention aims to provide an opportunity where the...

I registered as participant for the First Mindanao Bloggers’ Summit and I will be attending on October 27, 2007 at NCCC Mall, Davao City. I have already asked permission from my parents, they eventually permitted me to attend the said gathering. But I will be having a rush-in schedule because on the following day of the summit I have to be in Lake Sebu as early as 8am for the 3-day 3rd Mindanao Volunteers Convention wherein, I am one of the Min-staff/facilitator. Aside from the party and talks, the event will surely become a stream for new ideas that will benefit Mindanao. " Spotlight Mindanao: Blogging for Culture, Identity & Understanding.", was the theme of the event. I shall be in Davao on the that date. Thanks to the sponsors who were so generous in helping The Usual Suspects in making the event possible. Join the DigitalFilipino.com Club! Dimsum Diner BisayaBloggers.com Davao’s Food Huntress NoKiAHOST.COM P5/day webhosting Globe Broadband Act for Peace Programm...