Help for Typhoon Sendong Victims

As you may have probably heard, flash floods has killed 133 Filipinos in Iligan and Cagayan de Oro this morning and more than 200 are still missing. Local organizations are requesting for help in cash and kind. 

Hoping for your kind generosity.

Thanks,

Aileen

Here's how you can help:

Philippine Red Cross

Cash or Check Donations

Account Name: Philippine Red Cross

Bank Name: Banco De Oro

Peso Account: 453-0018647

Type of Account: Savings

SMS Donations

Text RED<space>AMOUNT to 2899 (Globe) or 4143 (Smart)

Cebuana Lhuillier Pawnshops

Make a donation at any of the 1,500 Cebuana Lhuillier pawnshops nationwide.

In kind, through ABS-CBN

 SAGIP KAPAMILYA ABS-CBN Foundation Inc. Mother Ignacia cor. Eugenio Lopez St. Diliman, QC

Directly send through Iligan through the Iligan Bloggers Society (they are my friends)

One For Iligan

Donate $1 for the ILIGAN FLOOD VICTIMS OF TYPHOON SENDONG DONATIONS: Paypal ID: singcol.inquisitor@gmail.com BDO Account: Revilla N. Carbonell-Noel - 109451077611 Maayong Iligan in this season of giving. Iligan Bloggers Society, Inc. is humbly requesting your generous help for the victims Bagyong Sendong of Iligan City. Iligan Bloggers Society, Inc. is accepting donations in kind for the victims of Typhoon Sendong in the city. We encourage the following items for donations: canned goods, noodles, bath and laundry soaps, toothpaste, rice, used clothings, slippers, and cash donations. SENDONG DONATION DROP You can contact the following point persons for your donations and other inquiries. ILIGAN BLOGGERS SOCIETY, Inc. SITE: http//:iliganbloggers.com EMAIL: iliganbloggers@gmail.com FB Fanpage: http://www.facebook.com/iliganbloggers LISA (LAI) MARIE MIRASOL | Pinay Travelista, @pinaytravelista (IBS, Inc. Web Content Manager) http://www.pinaytravelista.com/ 09062558863; (+63) 222-2117 ALEXANDER SINGCOL | iligan Inquisitor, @lexuzinquisitor (IBS, Inc Board of Trustee Member) http://theiliganinquisitor.blogspot.com/ 09053117925, (+63) 8360272 REVILLA CARBONELL-NOEL | Adventures in Life (IBS, Inc Board of Trustee Member) 092193209944, 09427009788 For more Updates on Iligan City status after Typhoon Sendong: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/rmn-dxic-iligan

Hola Zamboanga!

I've wanted to visit Zamboanga for the longest time and I finally made it on my third attempt! Hooray!

My family was anxious about my trip, but I said I was just going to be gone for about 24 hours. I love Mindanao and I have friends all over Mindanao. They call Cagayan de Oro "The city of golden friendship", but to me that extends to all of Mindanao.

My trip went perfectly. Plane took off on time and landed on time. Did not experience any turbulence and the sky was clear. I peered out the window and saw how different Zamboanga's landscape was compared to other places I've been to. I also noted an island and islet near Zamboanga -- Basilan and Santa Cruz I learned later in the day.

Airport to Hotel, literally just a 5 minute walk

My dear friend, Yolynne, was waiting for me outside of the airport. The Garden Orchid Hotel was just a few meters away so we just walked. I didn't even break a sweat. Check-in was a breeze and then we hopped on a tricycle to go to Ateneo de Zamboanga University.

I mused that the school looked a lot like Xavier University in Cagayan de Oro and the building we entered looked like the computer science building of Ateneo de Manila University. I was then surprised by the Sockksargen bloggers who were all sporting DevFest shirts!

We then started the photo walk to Paseo del Mar. We passed the beautiful Metropolitan Cathedral of Immaculate Concepcion. The church was huge and looked very modern.

Zamboanga tour on a Motorbike!

After a few more meters  Avel insisted I back-ride on Arnel's motorcycle since I was on the verge of having an asthma attack. I admit I was terrified since it's been 2 decades since I rode a hopper (take not a hopper and not a motorcycle). Arnel drove slowly and gave me a short tour of the city. We passed by Plaza Rizal, the City Hall, went around Fort Pilar and finally parked at Paseo del Mar.

Paseo del Mar

Paseo del Mar is Zamboanga's newest park/gimmick place. I immediately loved the place because of the breeze coming from the Zamboanga Peninsula. You can also see Basilan and Santa Cruz from Paseo del Mar.

While waiting for the other bloggers (from Davao, GenSan, Iligan and CDO), Arnel, Blogie and I shared a pizza (it was just PhP35!) while watching the hiding sun set. Later on we ate again at Distrito and had some very, very spicy kilawin. After dinner we visited Fort Pilar where Bobby and I learned more about Zamboanga from Yolynne.

The only things I was able to buy in Zamboanga were Spanish sardines, lukot-lukot (great with ice cream!) and a woven wallet. I learned though from Mayor Celso Lobregat's talk the next day at the Mindanao Blogger's Summit that Zamboanga has more industrial businesses. They have more than ten canning factories that produce almost 20 famous sardine brands. And they also have tin can factories that support these businesses. Zamboanga is the fifth largest city in the Philippines. In fact Metro Manila would cover less than one-fourth of Zamboanga according to Mayor Lobregat. Wow!

I didn't get to see much of Zamboanga because my time was limited, but I'm very happy that I did go. I would surely remember the warm welcome of friends and participants of the 4th Mindanao Bloggers Summit.

Iligan, I hope to be there soon! (And many, many thanks for the Chedeng's peanuts!!!).

Experience Mindanao

Once I was in the office abroad a colleague of mine approached me and showed me the newspaper. The headline was about bombing somewhere in Mindanao. She asked me if it was that way always in our country. I quickly dispelled her view about Mindanao and I even said I really wanted to live in Davao (that's true!).

That incident made me sad. It also made me remember another colleague's story about his homeland, Pakistan. It was a very similar story. It's a PR nightmare for people who live there. Why? Because with the negative opinion about the region they won't be able to encourage tourists to go, much less invest. And one needs investments for progress.

I've been going to the Visayas and Mindanao region often in the past 5 years and from my observation, the Visayas region (specifically Cebu) has grown by leaps and bounds. There's been change in the Mindanao region (specifically Davao), but not as fast as what I've seen in Cebu. I'm basing this on construction growth because it's the most obvious one to observe.

I went to Davao and GenSan last weekend for the 2nd Mindanao Bloggers Summit. I eagerly said yes to Avel when he sent me the invitation. I love going to Mindanao because it's so different there. Everybody's open, friendly and accommodating. I told Arbet while we were chatting during MBS that Mindanao bloggers are definitely more pro-active than their counterparts anywhere else. Why? Because they have limited resources and as Mayor Acharon said, "We have to be more resilient."

I have no doubt that the bloggers who attended the Mindanao Bloggers Summit would definitely help in changing the mindset of people about their region. It will not happen overnight, but it will happen.

And if you have not visited the region, you should! Here are some video blogs I did about Davao and GenSan.





More details about the trip at LakwatseraAko (Davao and Gensan)

Why I Want to Live in Davao

I fell in love with Davao on my first visit. That was in August 2005 when I went on a business trip.

I said then, "I want to live in Davao."

And I've said that in each visit I've made (November 2006 and March 2007). And I would if I wasn't tied by commitments and family in Manila.

So, why do I want to live in Davao?

1. It's peaceful. I know there are a lot of bad news associated with the region and I always end up arguing with friends abroad about it, but I believe any place or city has it's own dangers. Mind you, locals here follow the law.

2. The people. I noticed that it is easy to deal with and befriend people from the South. I've always been treated well here and I've made a number of friends already.



3. The food. Need I say that food here is very, very cheap? Where else can you get 3 sticks of barbecue with unlimited cups of rice for only PhP20? Plus! Everything's fresh and you have the choice of eating by the sea, in the jungle or just take a walk anywhere and you'll find food.



4. Recreational facilities. Samal Island is just 20 minutes away from the city. Want a mountain adventure? Just head up towards the mountains and you'll find Eden, a real heaven 2,000 feet above sea level. Or go white water rafting. Or just head over to the crocodile farm or wherever. The slow pace doesn't bother me at all coz there are more things I could actually do.



5. And just because I want to live simply. I guess I'm just a very private person and outside of my work I just want to have fun with my family and friends. And I believe Davao can provide that.

Plus! Wi-fi is free everywhere! Even in Jollibee! That's what I call life. :)

I must've been born in the wrong region. Hehehe.