I Am Blogie

[Media Release]

Manila—Birdwatchers, conservationists and eco-tourism promoters from all over Asia and elsewhere have their eyes on the Philippines, which is hosting Asia’s first-ever region-wide bird festival.

The Wild Bird Club of the Philippines said the First Asian Bird Fair will be held in Davao City from 24 to 26 September 2010, in tandem with the 6th Philippine Bird Festival, the country’s premier avian conservation and eco-tourism event. The milestone event is co-hosted by the Philippine Eagle Foundation and the Davao City local government.

The First Asian Bird Fair — themed “Nurture Nature, Save our Future” — is a common initiative of the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines, the Bird Conservation Society of Thailand, the Chinese Wild Bird Federation, the Wild Bird Society of Taipei, the Malaysian Nature Society and the Nature Society (Singapore).

The Asian Bird Fair, which highlights the respective bird festivals of the participating countries, seeks to enrich eco-tourism through birdwatching and promote the natural and cultural heritage of host cities.

The Asian Bird Fair and 6th Philippine Bird Festival will be held at the Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao on 24-25 September, in time for the autumn migration of birds from Japan, China and parts of Siberia. Entrance to the Asian Bird Fair exhibit area is free of charge, according to organizers.

Highlights of the fair include the Bird Conservation Forum and turn-over ceremony to representatives of the Chinese Wild Bird Federation, host of next year’s Asian Bird Fair in Tainan City. International and Philippine delegates will also tour the Philippine Eagle Center and Eden Garden Resorts while in Davao.

WBCP president Michael Lu said the fair will include photo exhibits, presentations and fun activities for the young “and young at heart.” Children can also look forward to a guided tour at low tide of the tidal flats fronting the Waterfront Insular Hotel, where children can have a close look at marine species like fiddler crabs and mudskippers as well as spectacular views of herons, egrets and shorebirds.

Lu expects the event to draw birdwatchers, conservationists, eco-tourism promoters, sustainable development providers, and nature lovers from around the country, Asia and Europe.

Alice Villa-Real, chair of the committee organizing the 1st Asian Bird Festival and 6th Philippine Bird Festival, said the latest initiative is a significant move to draw attention to pressing conservation issues.

“We can make a significant difference to protect the rich bird life and habitats of our islands, whilst promoting responsible enjoyment of nature and encouraging related sustainable businesses in the local communities,” Villa-Real pointed out.

International groups participating in the Asian Bird Festival are Chinese Wild Bird Federation, Bird Conservation Society of Thailand, Malaysian Nature Society, Nature Society of Singapore, Wild Bird Society of Taipei, the Shanghai Wild Bird Society, Fujian Birdwatching Society, Kaoshiung Wild Bird Society, Wild Bird Society of Tainan, Hong Kong Birdwatching Society, Eco-education and Resources Center, Asian Raptor Research and Conservation Network, Borneo Bird Club, Hornbill Research Foundation, the Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Association, Bird Conservation Nepal and the Oriental Bird Club confirmed participation in the event.

Local organizations joining are Conservation International, Fauna and Flora International, Katala Foundation, WWF-Philippines, Birding Adventure Philippines, Kaakbay, Malagos Garden Resort, Monfort Bat Cave & Conservation Foundation, Philippine Association of Wildlife Veterinarians, Philippine Wild Bird Photographers, My Zoo Foundation, City of Alaminos (Pangasinan), City of Balanga (Bataan) and the Municipality of Candaba (Pampanga).

Event sponsors include the Philippine Eagle Foundation, the City Government of Davao, Team Energy Foundation, Primer Group, Aboitiz Power, Phoenix Petroleum Philippines, Tanduay Distillers, Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, Fauna & Flora International, Philippine Association of Wildlife Veterinarians, C. K. Lu Enterprises, Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao, Grand Men Seng Hotel and NCCC Mall.

Probably the most gratifying compliment I got after my WordPress talk at the Asian Bloggers & Social Media Conference in Kuala Lumpur last 29 July 2010 was when a gentleman from an English-language training company left me his name card with this message scrawled in: “Great presentation! You sold me on WordPress!”

In fact, the response from the Malaysian participants was very encouraging. It was my first time in Kuala Lumpur, and I had no idea what to expect because the event organizers weren’t able to provide me with a profile of the conference participants. However, I did know that the Malaysian WP community had had a WordCamp already (held on 22 May 2010), and that, to date, WordPress.com is one of the top ten most-visited sites in Malaysia.

I was given only an hour to do my WordPress presentation, so I focused on the fundamentals of Web content publishing. Of course, I also touched on the form and function aspects of WordPress site development. Judging by the amount of feedback I got afterwards, I believe I was able to convince the audience of the power of WordPress when it comes to delivering content online. Although, I did hear this one complaint consistently: that the presentation was too short!

That’s why I’m hoping the couple of offers I got to return to KL will materialize. I’d really love to be able to go back and conduct a more in-depth seminar on content deployment & management via WordPress.

Here’s the link to the presentation I did at KL: Web Publishing with WordPress. I designed this presentation to last 3 hours actually — I’m hoping to do that in KL soon! And below are a few of the photos taken during the conference.

I had a very good time in KL, and it was a fulfilling experience because of the enthusiasm and hunger for knowledge among my fellow WordPress lovers out there. Hopefully I’ll be back again and soon! I’d like to thank the people at My Events International (organizers of the 1st Asian Bloggers & Social Media Conference), and my Malaysian friends who made my stay unforgettable.

In an effort to bring attention to a serious social problem in the Philippines, Kraft Foods Phils. has undertaken a worthy corporate social responsibility project called Cheez Whiz Palamantasan ng Sarap, Sustansya at Saya. In coordination with the Department of Education, this nationwide campaign was launched in Davao City last 17 July 2010 to help address the problem of under- and malnutrition among Filipino children.

“Palamantasan ng Sarap” — a witty play of words, don’t you think? The idea, according to Cheez Whiz senior brand manager, Paolo Serrano, is to make an educational campaign more fun so that kids will take to it and, thus, learn from it. If you take a look at the Palamantasan website, you’ll know what they mean by engaging kids in a way that’ll get their attention.

At the launching of Palamantasan in Davao, which was held at the Buhangin Central Elementary School, several local grade schools participated in competitions that were designed to create awareness of nutrition issues. There were the usual contests, such as the Sabayang Pagbigkas (group speech contest), cheering, and essay-writing. There was also a unique event called “Jarchitecture“, where participating pupils unleashed their creativity in crafting buildings or robots made of empty Cheez Whiz bottles and caps.

The contest that I liked, though, was the Mom & Child Sandwich-Making Contest. There were three teams that competed at Buhangin Central, and it was fun to watch the pairs (two mom-and-daughter and one mom-and-son teams) concoct fancy- and yummy-looking healthy snacks.

“These schoolchildren are at the stage of developing a sense of responsibility,” explains Serrano. “This is why we want them to realize the significance of proper nutrition themselves — through a series of fun, creative and learning activities.”

Studies by the Philippine government have shown that millions of Filipino children are malnourished. That’s why, among the poorer sectors of society, it’s not uncommon to see ten-year-old kids looking like they were barely six. This could stem from the lack of education about proper nutrition in many Filipino families. What Kraft Foods has started, therefore, is worthy of praise.

I hope that many more big corporations, especially those involved in the food industry, will take it upon themselves to help eradicate the country’s nutrition problems. Better yet, it would be great for other companies to get on board and make a pledge to theh Palamantasan initiative. It will ultimately benefit them, too, because they would be ensuring a healthy workforce for the future.

As for schools that aren’t yet part of the program, they would do well to urge their students to join Palamantasan. I remember when I was in Grade School, it was always fun to take part in those fun-filled activities that involved food. Little did we know that we were in fact learning from the experience already! As Palamantasan has reminded me, the best way to get kids interested is to get their attention through exciting and challenging activities — and with a full stomach in the mix, the Cheez Whiz Palamantasan program certainly concocted the best formula!

Today is the 112th Independence Day of the Philippines, and I’m on my way to Hong Kong to represent the country in the Asia-Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum (APrIGF). Together with Juned Sonido (who was also in Hong Kong with me for BlogFest.Asia), Ernie Tomas of the newly-created Mindanao Development Authority (formerly the Mindanao Economic [...]

The Asian Institute of Management, Asia’s first and leading business school, is holding a preview of its renowned MBA program this 9 June 2010. It will be held at the Marco Polo from 5:30pm and will give Dabawenyos a chance to see why AIM’s business degrees are held in such high regard all over Asia. Here is the text of the invitation that I got today:

It is our privilege to be given an opportunity to share with you the programs of AIM, considered to be one of our country’s invaluable contributions to management development in the region.

AIM was co-founded by the Harvard Business School, Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University in 1968. It has had more than forty years of experience in training managers, entrepreneurs and development leaders in both the public and private sectors. Our degree programs — Master in Business Administration, Master in Management, and the Master in Development Management — and our executive, non-degree programs are practitioner-oriented. Using the case method, our programs have a distinctly Asian focus, providing intensive exposure to management principles and best practices in Asia.

The Asian Institute of Management has a strategic role in unlocking these opportunities and to carve the destiny of our region by being an active player in regional integration. Our goal is seek to develop managers, entrepreneurs and leaders who:

• Are knowledgeable and uniquely capable of operating effectively in Asia;
• Have a good understanding of the business opportunities presented by Asian regional economic integration (i.e. from West and South Asia to Southeast and Northeast Asia); and
• Are sensitive to the diverse cultures/belief systems, business structures, as well as governance and regulatory environment

AIM is fortunate to have had a head start as the pioneer business school in Asia, with its accompanying advantages:

• AIM has one of the largest and strategically positioned alumni networks in over 75 countries, with more than 33,000 alumni;
• We have among the most extensive lists of institutional private and public sector clients in the region; and
• Our faculty has had extensive teaching experience in Asia.

On behalf of AIM we would like to invite you to our events on June 9 & 10, 2010.

The AIM Preview on June 9, 5:30pm at the Marco Polo Hotel will highlight our Master in Business Administration and Masters in Management. Learn more about how these programs can bring your career to a higher level. Know more about AIM through your fellow Davaoeños who are students and graduates of AIM.

There will be a one-day admission process on 10 June, 9:00am. To avail of this opportunity, please email enrollment.management.aim [at] gmail.com for the application form. You may take the AIM Admission Test (AIMAT) at the Marco Polo Hotel. After passing the exam, you will be interviewed by the AIM faculty roster. Please confirm attendance by emailing the above address before 8 June, 5:00pm.

Alternatively, you may download the AIM application form from here.

Whatever state the economy is in, it can’t be denied that more and more vehicles are plying the highways, avenues, streets and even dirt roads of the country. In Davao City alone, we see a burgeoning number of private cars and PUVs that are starting to clog the city’s streets (the number of which has [...]

The annual celebration of Philippine Eagle Week is just around the corner (not to mention Philippine Independence Day). As you may know, the Philippine Eagle Foundation is aggressively and positively pushing for the preservation of our national bird, which was once hailed by Charles Lindbergh as “the air’s noblest flier,” as well as its habitat. Let’s all join in the celebration and help contribute to this very worthy cause!

There are several events lined up, including a Green Mobilization and a wildlife photography workshop. Please see the schedule below for more information.

Date	Event	Venue
June 4 (Fri)	GreenMob & Opening Ceremonies of the 12th Philippine Eagle Week Open House at the Philippine Eagle Center	Magsaysay Park to Philippine Eagle Center
June 5, 6 & 9	Wild Views Basic Wildlife Photography Workshop	SM City Davao (Lectures) Philippine Eagle Center (Photo Safari)
June 5-6, 12-13	Animal Encounter	SM City Davao
June 5-12	Exhibits	SM City Davao
June 6 (Sun)	Race for Pag-Asa, Race against Climate Change	People’s Park to Philippine Eagle Center
June 4-13	Raptor Display, Fun Games, Exhibits, Film Showing, Petting Zoo	Philippine Eagle Center
June 12 (Sat)	Tree of Hope Caravan with PLDT The Agila Gang – Eagle Week Closing Ceremonies	Arakan Valley, Cotabato SM City Davao
June 13	Launching of the 6th Philippine Bird Fest & 1st Asian Bird Fair	NCCC Mall
All June	Tree of Hope Caravan	Arakan Valley, Cotabato

Below is the poster for GreenMob 2010, a movement that’s in line with the Foundation’s objective of saving the eagle’s natural habitat. Everyone is encouraged to join and spread the word about the importance of saving our environment — not only for the eagle but for ourselves.

This poster is for Race for Pag-Asa, Race Against Climate Change:

The Foundation and the Eagle Center are located in Malagos, Baguio District, Davao City. (Dabawenyos commonly refer to this place as being in Calinan.) Tel. no.: 271-2337. Fax: 301-1033. E-mail: info[at]philippineeagle.org. For snail-mail correspondence, please use the following address:

The Philippine Eagle Foundation
PO Box 81015
8000 Davao City
Philippines

Happy Eagle Week to all!

Ever since I became active in the blogosphere, especially in the advocacy efforts of the Mindanao Bloggers Community, I’ve been getting invited to conferences, seminars, workshops and similar events. Most of them relate to Internet and cyber-media / journalism issues. There were the speaking engagements in local conferences, then came opportunities to contribute to larger-scale [...]

ICT Davao Inc. (IDI), the umbrella organization of all information and communications technology associations in Davao City, is spearheading a truly worthy endeavor to help protect the environment. Recognizing that its particular industry is a huge contributor to e-waste, this organization has mounted this campaign to hopefully stave off environmental damage. Such damage, caused by irresponsible dumping of electronic waste (junked computers, mobile phones, etc.), is already a global concern.

The proponents of this advocacy are currently campaigning for 10 million signatures. In order for our political leaders to pay attention to the seriousness of environmental problems, it is imperative that an overwhelming number of advocates join the effort. If you believe in this campaign — it doesn’t matter whether you’re from Davao or not — please lend your support by signing the online petition. Please click here to view the petition (you will see a link for signing near the bottom of the page). Leave your mark and be heard!

There is also a community site that details the advocacy, as well as a Facebook page. It would certainly help if you could display the badge below on your own blogs / websites:

Visit 10 Million Movement

If you take a look at the Facebook page, you’ll learn about the upcoming event, Davao’s e-Tapok e-Waste Collection Event, on 24 & 25 April 2010. I hope to see a lot of bloggers there — the venue will be announced on the FB page.

It would be very fulfilling indeed if this initiative were replicated in other cities of Mindanao, as well as the rest of the Philippines!

Thanks to the International Visitor Leadership Program fellowship I received from the U.S. Department of State, I was finally able to visit the physical offices of Automattic in San Francisco last 4 February 2010. I was in the States primarily for the IVLP from 21-25 January in Washington, D.C.

Too bad, though, Matt Mullenweg wasn’t in town when I came calling — he was in Ireland then. But, I was happy to have finally met Maya Desai, who gave me a tour of their space in Pier 38. Here are some photos I took. I know, I know… I should’ve taken more. But I was just so excited to be there I neglected to do so.

The place is huge! And it doesn’t look anything like an office at all. The wide open spaces and the high ceiling gives it a comfortable, homey atmosphere. Maya tells me that it was actually meant to be a restaurant.

While in San Francisco, I was also able to spread the word about WordPress to a high school there. This was part of the IVLP, the San Francisco leg of which was arranged for me by the Institute of International Education, and it was for me the best part of the program.

At the high school, I was able to give a talk about blogging, WordPress, and the various opportunities online publishing presented to virtually anybody. It was a class of seniors, and it was very fulfilling indeed seeing the glimmer in the eyes of those young men and women. I hope that I was able to inspire at least a few of them to take up blogging and succeed in the endeavor.