1st Blog Seminar in Soccsksargen a Smash!

The first Blog Seminar in Soccsksargen (South Cotabato, Cotabato City, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and Gen. Santos City) here in Region 12 was finally held last Saturday , February 2 at the SMC Hall of the Notre Dame of Marbel University in Koronadal City.

Organizers led by NDMU student leader Mark Aethen Agana expected about 75 participants only but 166 eager participants from all over the province including GenSan showed up and attended the whole-day seminar. 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.

Here are some of the photos taken during that momentous occasion.

The Mindanao Bloggers old and new pose with the seminar poster right after the start of the seminar: (L-R) Davao City Councilor Peter Laviña, NDMU teacher & Marist Bro. Vince Celeste, Davao student and Gensan native Mikko Gozalo, Davao’s shoppingera Ria Jose, Koronadal web developer Toto Lozano, Gensan-based consultant Hector Miñoza and moi.

Blog Seminar Organizer Mark Aethen Agana, a CSIT Department Student Council Officer hands over to Davao City Coucilor and Keynote Speaker Peter Laviña a Certificate of Appreciation from the CSIT. Got to talk with this gentleman and I wish that there were more public servants like him. Learned that he is a good friend of South Cotabato First District Representative Darlene Antonino-Custodio.

UN Consultant Hector Miñoza of GenSan is emphatic on his topic on Participatory Governance. His topic may be serious stuff but he made it fun and interesting for the student-participants with his wit and candor.

Sarangani teacher Ariel Lalisan orients the participants on the origins of blogging. Ariel designed the seminar poster and the header of this blog of mine. (see above)

Crowd -favorite shoppingera Ria Jose regales everyone with her talk on Internet Marketing. A very effective speaker, Ria has eleven blogs to her name and counting. She came all the way from Davao with Councilor Peter and Mikko.

A “shout-out” from Bro. Vince Celeste, FMS on his personal blog about life as a religious brother. He is the epitome of cool here but revealed later that he almost forgot some of his lines.

Toto Lozano (right) of Koronadal calling out the name of the winner to his web development package, an impromptu prize. Toto has a web-hosting company and designs web pages.

Ariel & Mark announcing the winner of Gensan-based Dennis Paul Custorio‘s (in black) FREE TEMPLATE package which they raffled off prior to the announcement of winners. Now I don’t have to worry about the template of my new coming-up blog anymore with Dennis around.

The last part of the seminar was the reading of the Mindanao Bloggers Summit resolution by all of the participants. I had goosebumps while taking this pictures. Finally, more voices of the youth of Soccsksargen will soon be heard all over the blogosphere.

SULONG SOCCSKSARGEN!