Aftermath of the DigitalFilipino.com Club and Bloggers Networking Event Manila in PAGCOR

I, Chris A. (Oh my! sounds too serious) have attended the successful DigitalFilipino.com Club and Bloggers Networking Event Manila (*gasp for air*) in PAGCOR's (Philippine amusement and Gaming Corporation) Forum Hall, Casino Filipino, PIRC Bldg. Ninoy Aquino Avenue, Parañaque City.

The event started of with each blogger introducing their selves (blog URL, Company or business, and about them). There were also various companies present in the event besides bloggers which I can't remember them all but mostly are associated in the field of cosmetics, business and marketing, and newspaper publication. After the "get to know the Bloggers" portion comes a short clipping about the history, the mission, and the plans of PAGCOR. One of the main things that caught my attention in the clip were the future plans of PAGCOR in developing the "Bagong Nayong Filipino" which will make a majestic entertainment and gaming city which features modernized transportation, entertainment, gaming facilities and a lot more.



Rena Elena passing the introduction mic to Heyo Kity



Azrael's introduction.




I attentively listens but my mind wonders hahahaha.



Countdown to my doom...



My friend Vin doing his introductions. Good thing Az forgot to capture me doing my nusual hand gestures as I explain myself hehehe



..The educational clip about PAGCOR








Networking Top 100 and everything more discussed by Ms. Janette Toral (http://www.janettetoral.com/)



Ederic Eder, One of the top blogger in ratified discusses his "accidental" secrets

Dinner was served and everyone grabbed various scrumptious serving of meet, soup and more (uhm! uhm! uhm! Do I have to even mention this? hehehe). Ms. Janette Toral (thanks to her I came to know this event) briskly announces and showed the top 100 bloggers who made it big in Ratified.org and asked some of these bloggers to share how they able to achieve the "top" status. Mainly, the mentioned bloggers didn't expected to be listed as one of the top performing blogs in the blogosphere. Also, they shared that content will always be the key for a good (or great) traffic and what makes readers from coming back for more.



Delicious meal courtesy of PAGCOR. did I mention it's free? hehehehe



Chris A. Digging in.



Chris A. is still obviously hungry as he stares down(at the meal) at the guy sitting next to him while he eat his part hehehe


After the discussion, An intermission number courtesy of PAGCOR's very own Maricel Cruz stunned the crowed with her soothing and lovely voice. She performed four songs which includes "The Way You Look Tonight", "Wonderful World", "Bukas na Lang Kita Mamahalin", and "Sway".








Maricel cruz sings for the Bloggers


Lastly, PAGCOR's management conducted a small raffle draw giving away free money coupons which can only be use for casino and poker games outside the Forum Hall. A previous freebies were given earlier to all the bloggers which include a coupon or gc redeemable for that day alone and an issue of "HIGH PROFILE" (The Magazine of PAGCOR)Issue 1 of Fall 2008.





Raffled and Giveaways to awaken the "inner gambler" in you Hehehe





Bloggers Mingle after the Event



Look at how I mingle Hahahaha

The event officially ended at around 10:00 in the evening but some of the bloggers still continued to socialize (including yours truly) and met some old and new friends. This is the first time I had gone to a blogger event and I can say that it will be the start of many more birthdays (dhuh!).. I mean, many more blog networking events to come.



Chris A. and Azrael

I would like to specially mention some of my new acquaintances and friends:

Anthony Cruz ( http://tonyocruz.com/ )
Ederic Eder ( http://edericeder.com/ )
Gladys Barrer ( http://fromtheheartandmind.blogspot.com/ )
Ada ( http://adaphobic.com/ )

Special Thanks to Azrael Coladilla for letting me grab his captured moments of the special event. You can view his post about the DigitalFilipino.com Club and Bloggers Networking Event Manila - Here -

For a more personal approach of yourstruly chris A. you can also visit my personal Blog here @ Life on a Pencil's Chris A.'s First Blogging Event in PAGCOR

The DigitalFilipino.com Club and Bloggers Davao Networking Event

Chris A. here again with another Author Updates. CMAQUEST will be attending and covering the upcoming DigitalFilipino.com Club and Bloggers Manila Networking Event this Saturday, October 25, 2008. This is what is the what the event is all about:

- - - - - - -

The DigitalFilipino.com Club is organizing a fellowship/networking event where e-commerce industry players and bloggers can catch up and exchange updates. This will be on October 25, Saturday, 6 to 11 pm at Forum Hall, Casino Filipino, PIRC Bldg. Ninoy Aquino Avenue, Parañaque City.

This event is sponsored by our club member PAGCOR.

6:00 - 7:00 Registration and Dinner
7:00 - 7:30 Guest introduction / plugs
7:30 - 8:00 Updates by Janette

* DigitalFilipino Web Awards 2008
* DigitalFilipino.com Club Updates (online workshop and other efforts)
* Ratified.org Philippines Top 100 Blogs 2008 (blogs that had big moves in 2008)

8:00 - 8:30 - PAGCOR launch Internet/E-Commerce project
8:30 - onwards - Raffle, Networking, Games

For more informations and reservations for interested Filipino and nearby-Bloggers in Manila, visit their blog site here:

http://digitalfilipinoclub.blogspot.com/
- - - - - - -


This will be a double featured post here in CMAQUEST: An Entertainment and Magazine Blog and my personal blog Life on a Pencil (http://lifeonapencil.blogspot.com).

Blog Action Day 2008 - Poverty: Addressing Society's Real Conflicts

Blogging has come a long way now, opening many opportunities to various individuals worldwide by letting them have their own space in this vast universe called the internet. The internet has truly become a society which allows one to voice out his ideas without having regrets or fear of being suppressed and controlled. In an online society, freedom is truly exercised.

We are a witness to concerned journalists and news people getting detained, sewed, or arrested from tackling sensitive issues and cases of greed and corruption of those people in "power". Senators, Congressmen and other politicians waste their whole day of session arguing against each other without even a single work done like passing of laws and addressing the country's real issues. These works which are crucial to the growth of a country and its people are being neglected by the same law makers who promised everyone a better future, but once acquire the seat of power, shows what they really are.



The Philippine People Power back in the 80's proved that when together we stand, we can overcome any threats to our freedom and constitution. It is saddening though, this idea of a united movement for a cause has and still is being used by certain individuals for their own personal gains; and the government twisting and exercising laws which prohibits formation of any movements which will voice out what is the "real" situation of the Philippines.

Thus, the fight is brought online through a united stand, tackling one of the REAL issues that concerns every citizen of this country..."Poverty". A call for a united stand is needed to (in some extent) address and help solve these issues with bright ideas of common people, citizens, and bloggers which the government has overseeing these past few decades. Take a stand and join the cause.

FRANKly Speaking and FRANKly Devastating

The full force of the storm locally known here in the Philippines as "Frank" was experienced by the country yesterday. We were lucky here in Dasmariñas, Cavite for not experiencing any major floods (I don't know in some parts of Cavite though).

Our whole barangay was out of power because of an electrical problem in the town's main connection thus making our day very boring and dark. I simply slept the day away, I woke up around 8:30 in the evening with the glow of the candle the only main source of light in the house, ate m dinner and sit and reflected on my life hahahaha. Well after that pointless yet time wasting thinking I finally decided to call it a day and slept in our long chair. My bed is at the floor and becuase it is so freaking cold I decided to sleep on the long chair for additional warmth.



Energy came back at around 3:00 in the morning and that is the tie to charge up all the cellphones and the laptop to prepare if ever a power shortage occurs again and here I am now posting my aftermath "Frank" experience.

This is also my first aftermath storm blog post... and maybe not the last. Nothing beats storm "Rosing" (in the past, I think around the 1997 onwards) though... and hope a storm like that will not make an appearance again because our ro of almost literally flew off.

So much for another Friday the 13th

The incredible Hulk is finally shown on theaters here in the Philippines, can't wait to watch 'em... WEll so far so good there is nothing bad that happened this day... and why will one happen anyways? XD

The 110th Philippine Independence

Today is June 12, 2008 (Well here in the Philippines, of course) and we are all commemorating the 110th Philippine Independence against the tyranny of the Spaniards (Thanks to America for buying the Philippines hahaha that's another historical issue XD). Well let me say this in my proud language...

Mabuhay tayong mga Pilipino. Malaya man tayo ngunit saklaw pa din tayo ng responsibilidad sa ating sarili, sa ating kapwa, sa ating pamilya, sa ating kalikasan, at sa ating bansa kay kilos Pilipino... Makibahagi! magkaisa! Mabuhay tayong mga Pilipino... at...



Well, that made me all hyped up!

__________

Oprah: An Anti-Christ?

Last Night that's June 06, of 2008 after watching my favorite segment on my favorite Filipino Gag Show "Bubble Gang" I browsed the channels and saw "The 700 Club Asia" which discusses about the New Age Belief and its Anti-Christianity Nature. Thus Today, Saturday June 07, 2008 = 06-07-08 (6-7-8) I went out to a friends house to watch more of Oprah's Attack on Christianity. Here are some of the Youtube Videos:


Church of Oprah Exposed
Link: http://youtube.com/watch?v=ZnKwnhQFTK4




Dont Drink The Kool-Aid: Oprah, Obama and The Occult
Link: http://youtube.com/watch?v=zf3Gh8dVoBo



OPRAH = GOD:
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQFHyd7ijNI

As you've also noticed in the videos above there is some sort of a product endorsement here which is the book "Don't Drink the Kool-Aid...", but if you look carefully one important message can be seen in these videos. Oprah as a non-Christ and God Believer. Yeah she believe in God, She believe in herself for she is God according to their belief.

I am a Christian and am exploring what church to be a part of... but after seeing these videos, my image of Oprah's overwhelming majestic image went tumbling down to a pile of ash... dust.

I understand the diversification of religion on the entire globe but what Oprah is doing is intolerable. She and her "spiritual adviser" doing is preposterous. Because they have these belief that they are God and keep on referring their twisted teachings to the Holy Bible. Everything is all good until Oprah proclaimed her belief and started to spread her belief which is slowly corrupting the mind of her viewers.

Well I am furious!!! I say. I am not that devoted yet but I believe that there is a God and through Christ we can be save. Hope we all can see through the New World's Twisted Teaching...

The Broke x The Unemployed x The Unindexed

I have not been blogging much like I usually do in the past because of two factors... My computer monitor finally broke down (after 5 years) and me being unemployed and broke T.T

Well I guess the hunt for a better life has finally been unveiled to me when I graduated last April. As I wait for my School records to be processed and release I am now stuck in the unemployed craze that is hitting almost every fresh graduates here in the Philippines but I am not loosing hope! If there is a will, then there is a way. but if there is no money then what way will I take? hmm well I will just have to find out in the next days to come.

Well I am still not recovered from the page rank dropped from 1 to none. I don't know if my blog "CMAQUEST" is banned or not yet been indexed by google. If you'll try searching the word " cmaquest " on yahoo, the direct link leading here comes first while in google... ahw.. never mind. I have also written a letter of consideration regarding my page rank and submitted my url to Google in order to be index, hope I can retrieve back what I lost. But if not then, it will not stop me from blogging and having more connection here!



"I am Burning!!!"

To Manila: Bus, Van, and Jeep

One week has passed since I last visited Manila (specifically to Carriedo in Sta. Cruz, Metro Manila ~ Hope I got that place right). I renewed my NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) Clearance for it is one of the requirements for the job (that i luckily got hired or was it absorbed, ah! I think it is hired!). The one think that I am irritated about is where the heck did all the buses go? The busses that I am talking about are the provincial buses heading back to Cavite.


Before...

Dating back to the year 2002, where Lito Atienza was still the Mayor of Manila, provincial buses go as far as the "Park and Ride"Bus Terminal alongside SM City Manila. The fare would range from 36-40 Php (Philippine Pesos).



Today...

Alfredo Lim is now the Mayor of Metro Manila, Provincial buses are now limited to Vito Cruz and Buendia area only. If a certain individual, let's say a student from Technological university of the Philippines who resides at Cavite wants to go home. He/she must first ride a jeep all the way to Buendia area and then ride the Bus, or he/she will still proceed to "Park and Ride" but will eventually take the Van heading back to Cavite.

What is the big issue here? Hmm let me enlist it here:


Disadvantage...

- Buses going and heading back to Cavite have a fare rate around 46 Php while if one would take a van, the fare would cost 50 Php.
- Student's (though i am no longer one) time will be wasted. Instead of waiting for provincial buses to pass near the road in front of their colleges/universities, they are required to walk all the way to the terminal only to ride a van that has a fare higher than a regular bus ride would normally cost. I know it is the right venue but it is not really efficient.
- If one will not hike towards the terminal he/she would commute from their respected school via jeep going to Buendia to where the provincial buses are now designated to load and unload passengers. Still inefficient, both for the pocket and the health.
- Traffic along Taft area has greatly increased as undisciplined jeepney drivers rampage the area.
- Caviteños are now burdened with the worry of how much money and time they'll waste just to get back home.

Advantage...

- Metro Manila Jeep Drivers has gained more income and the monopoly of the passengers has turned back once again to them.
- Vans also gain more income because individual with no choice (if in a hurry) will eventually afford their services.

Well, guess this will be the problem of the next Caviteño commuters going to and back from Manila. What will happen in the next years? Will Mayor Lim Change this city ordinance? That is for us to find out...

Chris Tells - A Man in Need of Wisdom

A man came to Socrates and asked him for wisdom. Socrates quickly dismissed him, telling him to come back when he really wanted wisdom. This experience repeated itself several times, with the man coming back and asking for wisdom, until Socrates took the man down to a body of water and stuck his head under the water.

After holding him under for about 10 seconds Socrates pulls the man back up and asks ‘What do you want?’ To which the man replied, ‘ I want wisdom great teacher.’ Socrates put the mans head under the water again, this time holding him under for 30 seconds. Pulling the man up he asks again, ‘What is it that you want?’ The man once again replies, ‘I want wisdom great teacher.’ Socrates holds him under the water again this time for much longer.

The man began struggling, and choking, and gasping for air. At the point that he was about to fall unconscious, Socrates pulled him out of the water and asks one final time, ‘What is it that you want?’ This time all the man can scream is, ‘I want air, I want air!’ Socrates leaves the man saying, “when you want wisdom as much as you wanted air, you will find it.”

Loved this story and wanted it to show to my fellow bloggers and dear readers. I first read it over @ http://www.thomassinfield.com/thoughts/how-much-do-you-really-want-to-succeed-2

, and learned from it.

Thesis Defense Day 01: Aftermath

Got early around 5:00 in the morning to make my PowerPoint presentation of my Thesis entitled "Online Writing and Blogging as an Alternative Source of Income for Non-Information Technology Professionals", after an hour I managed to finish the short presentation (Oh do I love to do things on rush...not!) and managed to improve my tribe's level in "Virtual Villager 2"

Some Screen shots of Virtual Villager 2. Learn more about them and more screenshots over at the Virtual Villager Official Site Here @ http://www.virtualvillagers.com/ (and nope! I am not paid for this >.< ). I will be doing a reviw on it later or on my future blog which will be on the really near future... after graduation perhaps? I borrowed a formal red long sleeved polo shirt from my brother who is a Accounting Student (because they told me to dress formal) plus his silvery designed tie (or a black , gray, and blue blended tie), and of course my ever reliable blazer I two year ago when I was working at a fast food restaurant Greenwich. The result? Me looking like a Professor or that is what I thought I look like. Well you can judge me for yourself here:

I got on a jeep and commute to campus. I was surprised that I was the first to present for the Thesis at 8:00 am, and I thought my schedule was from 10-12:00 am. I immediately ran and really panicked. I was afraid that the panels for the defense might be really in a bad mood because of my lateness, and I wasn't wrong. I arrived at campus at around 9:00 in the morning and immediately plugged in my USB Flash Drive on the system unit and told Miss Imee (the HRM program adviser who, I am thankful for helping me with the meal for the panels) that I am good to go. Of course, they told me to relax and tidy up because I look wasted as sweat poured through my face (both literally and figuratively. If there a figurative meaning of that hehehe) ... and finally I went into the executive office to defend my Thesis. There were four panel, the College Dean/Director of Academics, the College Marketing Department Head, a Professor and Statistician, and the Education Department's Program Adviser.

After reading my defense yup that was the Dean remarked after I finished ahem reading. The inevitable revision and recommendation of Thesis title began. They suggested that I change my title to "Online Writing and Blogging for non-Information Technology Professionals: Source of Alternative Income", they doubted if I can be able to pull off and show my respondents credibility to whether they really earn from blogging and they are non-I.T. (Information Technology) Professionals. Well eventually it ended with little revisions on my Thesis, and now comes the hard part... How can I get my said 10-20 Blogger Respondents, who are non-IT Professionals and alternatively earning money from Blogs. Hope you can help me guys with this one. If you have the time please drop by here... and tell me if you can help me out. It would be really of great help.

The Sleepless x The Inquiry

This week has been a hell week...
Projects that I've neglected in the past has now returned and started haunting me...



This includes my two Thesis. One is for Methods of Research entitled "Online Writing and Blogging as a Good Source of an Alternative Income" and the other one is for Thesis B the Flash Game I will be doing later up to tomorrow (yup I will sit on it the whole evening). Hope I can catch up and complete my requirements in order for me to finally graduate on April 11.

I would like to apologize to my readers (yes, I am talking about you) for my inactivity during this week. I usually post three to four blog posts per week (excluding the surveys) but as you've notice this is the only personal post I had for this week. Hope you can understand my situation.

Oh! there's another thing. As I've mention earlier I am doing a Thesis on "Blogging and Online Writing as a Good Source of Alternative Income for non-Information Technology Professionals", I hope I can have respondents that can help me complete my thesis. It wouldn't eat up much of your time, it is just some questions and choices for you to truthfully answer. I don't know if what I am requesting and writing in this post is ethical but hope to have your help.

Guess after next week I will be back on my blogging schedule..

Entry for the Leap Day of the Leap Year of 2008

I was busy with the completion of my flash game thesis (which is due tomorrow by the way) when I saw an episode of the Sweet Life about Leap Year Myths and then I just realized that it is the last day of the month of February which is also a Leap date too. That is why I am here again to make a Leap date post and post about some things...



An episode about Bloggers was the topic today in "The Sweet Life" Friday February 29 2008 Episode entitled "Blogging Galing!" (Outstanding Blogging) which discussed about some nifty information about what blogging is and how it is a hit now over the world wide web. The guests were Steff Presscot a pretty young artist from Hit Filipino TC Artist Reality Search "Starstruck" (http://stefprescott.com); a well known Filipina comedienne Candy Pangilinan (http://www.pep.ph/blogs/candidly/index.php); A Vespa and Personal Blogger John Rana (http://whoridesavespa.com); and Mike Abundo who serves as Vice-President for Online Services of the Philippine Internet Commerce Society and writes for Inside Online Video, Tech Side Up, and many others (http://mikeabundo.com/).

Just got some nifty info from Mike Abundo. Here are some:

- Create compelling posts. If your into writing then create compelling write-ups; video blogging then make compelling video blogs; and so on.

- Be linky. Other sites and blogs should link to you (that is why viral linking, contests, memes and tags has also been a hit in blogs). Bot should crawl to your blog that is why you should create compelling posts.

- Don't call a Blog as a "Blog Site" because Blog is already a Site.

Awards to C by fellow Bloggers

XXtra Ordinary Blogger Award!

This blog award is intended only for blogger, who has that intense passion for blogging, always there at my BLOG to greet us, and finally the BLOGGER who is simply "XXTRA ORDINARY"

Thanks for Julia Aquino with this tag. The avatar looks adorable by the way.

You Make My Day Award

The you make my day award is courtesy of one of my good blog friend Tessa. Thanks to her for sharing this award, she also makes my day... into a good one (^^,)

5 - Star Blog Award

This 5-Star Blog Award is given to a blogger whose blog is of highest classification.
A blog of excellence in the following criteria:
- content, design and style, informative and accomodating -

Thanks to Marc Roger by giving me this Award. It made me feel like I am this high class expensive, sophisticated, and luxurious hotel... Thanks again.

The Quake that was 2 and Beef Order # 1

The Quake

It was yesterday (November 27) where I felt the ground shake a bit, it was around 12:10-12:15 in the afternoon... My professor also felt that wave too, for we are in his internet shop playing "Warcraft III Defense of the Ancients (DOTA)". As I arrived home that day, it was proven, an earthquake with a magnitude of 6 that hit the Richter scale started (epicenter) around the Pangasinan coasts while the wave of that was experienced here in Cavite with a magnitude of 2. It is a good thing that only a few incidents and no major damage has occured... and after that around 5:00 - 6:00 a hard rain poured, I think that was the storm who PAG-ASA called "Mina" saying Good Bye Cavite.

Beef Order # 1

Around 5:30 I inquired and started my first day at a local GYM, forgot the name of that gym but I swear there was a big lettering of "GYM" near the door. There was a number of good and heavy equipments... and when I say heavy, I mean really HEAVY! Even though I was just a beginner at that gym I guess the trainer thought I was an iron man or something, what I will not remember is the magical number of 10 and 12. 10 counts, rest, followed by 12 counts of heavy barbell lifting. As I went home my shoulder arms and legs were really sore from the tension... well guess I'll have to cope up with this right? No pain, no gain.

P.S.

By the way if you're asking why am I keep on referring body building as "beef" is because uhm, uh... I think cow meat or beef is lean and meaty which I wanted my body to looked like and not like a thin bamboo trunk.

Operation Beef Up!!!

Wha the? This Post is about Cows?

Another week has passed and I am still slim as ever. You can notice it on my friendster and other accounts (See |C is Seen| in the sidebar)thus I came to a resolution... To add up more confidence I will be starting Operation Beef Up, where I basically go to a Local Gym every MWF to gain some muscles.

Is it that important to me? Uhm I think so, coz we are living in a world where people look at the outside features before looking on what really on the inside (as I observe). Hopefully, if I have successfully implemented this then it is gonna give me a really big boost in my confidence and my health.

So many things had happened the last weekend where I wasn't that blogging much. Last Saturday (November 24) Mother celebrated her 42nd Birthday which was a blast, a lot of drinking, and singing thanks to a videoke... mother enjoyed it, and I am glad she did.

Yesterday I went to a good friend around 8:00 in the evening because I was busy doing my "Isla Original Character Round One Tournament" for the contest posted by a fellow Filipino and Deviant who goes by the Username WANSWORLD. I arrived at his house late just to greet him a Happy Birthday, I knew it was really late but hey, he's my best bud! I found out that there was no celebration but it is okay with him (but if that happened to me I think I'll cry... buuhoo! hahaha what a sissy!) and he was just enjoying his sister's new Play Station Pocket... My natural "I wish I have that" mentality kicks in, I really wished for something like that if it wasn't "THAT" expensive. Well after that visit my passion to finish up my studdies fired up! I am going to finish and have a decent job to afford the things which I really wanted the most!!! (That includes a pc tablet, a powerful pc, playstation III, a Wii, a Psp... hahaha what an ambitious frog I am, hahaha)

Well, if I can't have any Psp games, I guess an Nds Emulator and Rom will do. Good thing taht No$gba has been updated and now I can play the games where I am having troubles p[laying before like Pokemon Diamond, Rune Factory, Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy Revenant Wings & III, Lost in Blue and Sims 2 Cast Away...

I only have one question... How can I make fire if there is no touch screen I can blow into if the game is saying "Blow" in a emulated pc game of DS in the keyboard?