It has been two years since this blog won in Janette Toral‘s annual Search for the TOP 10 MOST INFLUENTIAL EMERGING BLOGS.  This was in 2008 when GenSan News Online Mag was still known as Bariles Republic.

To be lumped together with the country’s other fledgling but “quite popular” blogs at that time was something that a blogger from Mindanao could only dream of.  Inspired by that recognition, Author Bariles strived on and right now, with almost a million readers already,  his blog lives on and he is proud to say that it has really earned a certain amount of influence in his turf, the Tuna Capital of the Philippines.

Fast forward to today, August 2010.  It’s again that time of the year when bloggers from all over choose their own bets for the Top 10 Most Influential Emerging Blogs Writing Project.

Being a member of the Soccsksargen Bloggers, Bariles would like to be partial to blogs from this side of the Philippines and although they might not be known nationally, as of yet, these blogs have been exerting a great degree of “influence” already in the region, depending on their niches, in the way they are crafted and the manner that they have been bringing information and entertainment to their readers.

The rest of the 10 in Bariles’s list are also from Mindanao and again, he would like to believe that they deserve to be in his TOP 10 Most Influential Emerging Blogs for 2010 and should be recognized nationally.

Without babbling any further, here they are, Bariles’ TOP 10 Most Influential Emerging Blogs for 2010:

1. Ganda Ever So Much - banker Orman Manansala‘s personal blog is a favorite among the Soccsksargen, Davao and Cagayan de Oro Blogging communities with its no-holds-barred account of everything coming out from the scathing, venomous but mostly lovelorn and wishful mind of the writer.  His tips on love, life and lust should give Dr. Margie Holmes stiff competition.  And I mean, stiff!
2. Alexis Chua – This is a self-titled blog from a fresh Accounting graduate of the Mindanao State University. This young blogger could give the older ones a lesson or two on how to write exceptionally well.  A college debater and a multi-awarded student writer, he is one of Mindanao’s blogging communities’ rarest gems.  Hopefully, we don’t lose him to the corporate world.
3. Kikay Much – is from young and pretty Salon owner and restaurateur Donna Mae Congson.  This blogger’s matter-of-fact and practical takes on fashion, beauty, health and wellness is refreshing at the very least.  Although now a blooming fashionista, she still has got that girly sense of wonder in her writing especially if it’s about a new discovered beauty product, for one.  This makes it a must for a light and amusing read.
4. A Thousand Ships – It’s not just a simple photo blog which you forget that easily.  What makes you linger and go over the rest of Mandi Nicolas‘ works from his travels around the world are his captions of each shot.  Each paragraph is painstakingly crafted with exactly the right words to make you see beyond the photo and on to the heart and soul of this former Singapore expat.  It’s one photo blog which will make even the best blog writers out there insecure.
5. Digital Exposures – Another Photoblog, this time owned by an orthopedic surgeon!  Dr. Remo Aguilar who practices his craft and blogs on the side in his hometown in Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat just recently added this blog to his incessantly growing list of online journals.  One of the very few photobloggers in this side of Mindanao, he deserves to be in Bariles’ list.  Definitely, the DOCTOR IS IN!
6. Kusina ni Maria – It’s just a matter of time that Davao City’s most famous lady blogger comes up with her own food blog not because she eats everywhere and gets invited to a lot of restos.  It’s because she is a certified junior chef already after graduating in some short cooking courses in the Durian Capital.  Because of that, Ria Abella Jose can now write with more authority and experience because she knows whereof she speaks.
7. Plurk Designs – For the thousands who use Plurk to update their friends, Plurk Designs has acquired a good degree of influence already. Designer and blog owner Lyle Santos has gotten more than the amount messages of gratitude than he ever really needed from plurkers who have used his theme designs.  And if you’re a good friend, he could produce your very own custom-made theme for FREE!
8. Get Prettified – I did not know that one of the best lady bloggers in Southern Mindanao is a closet fashionista until I came upon this blog of hers.  The variety of topics Brendel Balaga churns out could delight ladies out there who are on the lookout for the latest fashion and make-over trends and tips.  And lately, she’s been espousing what she writes, looking more fab and svelte than she was before.  That’s making rampa the talk!
9. Ako Si Rabsky – one of the youngest bloggers to come out of GenSan, Rabsky Villanueva is all of 17 summers.  He is included in Bariles’ list because his well-designed blog has already garnered a considerable degree of influence in the Mindanao State University where he is a 2nd year I.T. student.  It has become a “shop window” of sorts for his fellow students wanting to come up with their very own blogs.  Although he admits that his blog is still in its infancy stage, Bariles feels that including it here will encourage more of his peers to follow in his footsteps.
10. Mabuhay ang Bagong Kasal – authored by Aileen Apolo, the adopted daughter of Mindanao, and began right after her marriage last year, her blog does not go in one direction but manages to surprise Bariles each time he opens it.  It has household advices, personal musings on her relationship with her “Sweetie” and her son, easy-to-cook recipes, kitchen tips and all sorts of stuff which everyone, not only housewives may find interesting .  Every post is brief and could leave you asking for more.  Who knows? Some bedroom secrets may be spilled soon.  Hehehe! Joke Ate Aileen!

So there!  I hope you could visit these blogs and find out why for Bariles, they are TOPS!

And yes, he would surely be very happy if you could nominate them too in your blogs.  Deadline of submission of your list is on August 31, 2010.  For more information, check out Janette Toral’s guidelines by SIMPLY CLICKING HERE.

The Top 10 Most Influential Emerging Blogs Writing Project for 2010 is brought to us by Events and Corporate Video, Budget Hotel in Makati, Pinoy Party Food, Copyediting Services, PR Agency Philippines, Budget Travel Philippines, Send Gifts to the Philippines, Black Friday Deals, Roomrent – units for rent, Search Profile Index, and Corporate Events Organizer.

HAVEN - (noun) a sanctuary, a refuge.  A place where one experiences bliss, delight, joy, happiness, nirvana.

Before the imposing structure of Robinsons Place GenSan dominated the scenery along the Lagao National Highway, Bariles and his happy group of online writers, now famously known as the SOCCSKSARGEN BLOGGERS used to share a common problem – where to blog?

Some are lucky, including Bariles if they have wi-fi connections at home making it more convenient for them to blog there until the wee hours of the morning, when they are most productive mentally.

Most however, have to use their hard-earned money to visit internet cafes or if they have laptops, purchase uber expensive coffee from the two or three cafes in the city back then to avail of their wifi services.

Blogging and surfing the net for them, along with other internet users was an expensive exercise.  Everyone must have been praying for an establishment to offer them FREE WIFI connection.

The gods must have been listening  because in September 2009, the gods created Robinsons Place GenSan which was promising a whole new malling experience for the Generals! Consider these – spacious promenades, clean restrooms, new and updated merchandise, secure parking, gracious guards, super cool ambience, well-stocked supermarket, dining establishments which open late into the night and high-end cinemas including one equipped with 3D!  It was a revolutionary way to shop, to say the least!

And a few months after it opened, the mall began offering FREE WI-FI Connection to its clients.

First it was through their Al Fresco strip of restaurants and cafes starting with the trendsetting Piyesta KTV and Resto Bar followed by Coffee Club 101 and Grab A Crab Restaurant, Sunset Bistro, BluGre Coffee, Big Ben’s Steaks and finally, Bigby’s Restaurant.

For the Soccsksargen bloggers with laptops and with the extra cash to order a few drinks and some eats, this was more than what they have hoped for!  And depending on the day of the week, these establishments are open up to midnight, a dream-come-true for some of the bloggers who are nocturnal creatures!

Then in a TRIAL MODE, the Robinsons Management started to provide FREE internet connection all throughout the mall in early 2010,  a move which strengthened its appeal among the Soccsksargen Bloggers and other internet users!

This was most helpful during the summer months of March, April and May 2010 when the whole island of Mindanao suffered the worst energy crisis in its checkered history!  Rob (as people fondly call the mall) luckily had standby generators and served as the populace’s oasis and refuge during the 12-hour blackouts in their homes.

By then, the mall’s reputation as a BLOGGER’s HAVEN started growing because basically, it was THE perfect place not only to shop, dine  and hang out in all its air-conditioned, brownout-free and sparklingly clean and spacious comfort but the ONLY MALL in Region 12 which dangled FREE WIFI CONNECTION to its cients!

Thus, when the time came for Robinsons Place GenSan to officially launch their MALL-WIDE FREE WIFI SERVICE (reaching up to the parking lot, mind you) through a Wifi party with the Soccsksargen Bloggers two weeks ago, it was just a formality.

For by then, the Soccsksargen Bloggers were already strongly convinced that by providing free wi-fi, the mall truly was true to its word in providing the people of GenSan the best malling experience ever.  And for their group of almost two hundred members, Robinsons Place GenSan is truly the OFFICIAL BLOGGER’S HAVEN of South Central Mindanao!

But do not just take Bariles’ word for it.  Here is the list of  what the other bloggers have to say.  Click on each one to read them and find out why they agree that at Robinsons, talagang “MAS MAGANDA DITO”.

• New Shopping Experience at Robinsons Place GenSan – Donna Mae Congson
• Another Good Reason to come to GenSan – Sheila Marie Dumalay
• Looking for a Mall with Free WiFi in the City? – Dr. Remo Aguilar
• Mas Maganda Dito – Robinsons GenSan’s Absolutely Free Wifi Access - Hector Minoza
• Mas Maganda Ever So Much Dito – Orman Manansala
• The “Mas Maganda Dito” Promise Delivers – Alexis Chua
• Robinsons GenSan: Mas Maganda Dito, A totally new shopping haven – Rosilie Lim
• Where the Scientist in the Kitchen does her Grocery -  Gay Carillo
• Why Robinsons Place GenSan Feels like Home -  Ariel Lalisan
• Robinsons Place GenSan, Newfound Oasis -  Gilbert Tan
• Lintik lang ang walang ganti – Lyle Santos
• Loving Robinsons -  Dimple Dulay
• The Robinsons Experience: Blogger Moms Know Best -  Jinky Borela
• I Love Robinsons GenSan -  Liezl Oberio
• Mas Maganda Dito -  Hannah Garchitorena
• Robinsons Place: Delightful Shopping Experience -  Arnel Joshua Lim
• Robinsons Place GenSan: Mas Masaya Dito -  Lito Antoque
• Connecting with the World at Robinsons Place GenSan -  Eunice Aclan
• Tanong: Saan Ba Mas Masaya’t Maganda? -  Rabsky Villanueva

PHOTOS COURTESY OF DAVAO BLOGGER AND BARILES' MENTOR, LYLE SANTOS.

For the first part of this series on the Soccsksargen Summer Safari (click here), we featured the over-forty blog posts/articles written about the biggest escapade of bloggers from Southern, Central and Northern Mindanao.  Today, it’s all about the Safari establishment and individual partners who were mainly responsible for its success.

This is therefore our GRATITUDE POST and following are the people and establishments we would like to thank for the success of the First Soccsksargen Summer Safari. Daghang salamat for the bloggers who supplied the photo collages below:  Miah Laborte, Kuya Migs Hipolito, Dr. Charles Ortiz, ChiQ Montes, Lyle Santos. (Please message me if I forgot your name. Links to follow soon.)

Ice Castle Experience

Thanks to Ice Castle Experience, GenSan’s first themed-hotel owned by marketing guru Rey Billena who is the distributor of Nestle ice cream and drinks in Region 12.   It was the OFFICIAL RESIDENCE of the bloggers from Davao, Cagayan de Oro and Kidapawan for two days and the guests swear by the comfort and homey feel of their rooms.

The hotel facade which is nearing completion is being made to look like a medieval castle and is built on top of the owner’s huge freezer storage compartments for his Nestle products.  Basically, Ice Castle Experience is the hotel that ice-cream built.

Last we heard, the SMI Group is commissioning all the rooms of the hotel for its staff after seeing how fully-equipped and well-furnished the rooms are.  If that is the case, then only their soon-to-be-resurrected Genee’s restaurant and coffee shop will be open to the public.

"ICE CASTLE BOASTS OF 16 WIFI-EQUIPPED AND FULLY FURNISHED TWIN-BED ROOMS. IT WILL HAVE A RESTO-BAR, COFFEE SHOP AND A SALON SPA."

Ice Castle Experience is located inside the Glex Business Center, Ambassador Provido Village, City Heights, General Santos City.  For inquiries, please call them at (083) 554-4423 or check out their website at http://www.gensanice.com as soon as its available for viewing.

Pacman Sports Bar

We have to thank Ms Jinkee Pacquiao, the lovely wife of boxing champ and now Congressman Manny Pacquiao of Sarangani Province for agreeing to sponsor the pre-dinner welcome drinks and refreshments of the newly-arrived bloggers during the early evening of Day 1 of the Safari.

For an hour or so, the group played billiards, tried darts and just lazed inside the Pacman Sport Bar while trying out an assortment of pica-pica and pulutan which the attentive staff served them.  To die for is their beef sisig, according to Bloggers Jun Macarambon and Lyle Santos.

"PACMAN SPORTS BAR IS EQUIPPED WITH IMPORTED BRUNSWICK BILLIARD TABLES AND DART BOARDS. IT HAS A WELL-FURNISHED BAR OFFERING LIGHT MEALS FOR PLAYERS. WALLS ARE ADORNED WITH INTERESTING PACQUIAO MEMORABILIA" (COLLAGE BY MIAH LABORTE)

Pacquiao Sports Bar is located at the ground floor of JMIX 2 Building, at corner of Aparente Avenue and Provido Village.  It is Sarangani Representative Manny Pacquiao’s favorite hang-out and if one is lucky, just like the CDO and Davao bloggers, you can catch the new Congressman playing billiards there up until the wee hours of the morning.

Arnevel’s Restaurant and Catering Services

GenSan News Online Mag is also grateful to Tita Nits Velasquez, owner of Arnevel’s Restaurant and Catering Services.  Arnevel’s provided the Safari participants a huge feast during the welcome dinner at the poolside of their sprawling Le Jardin Arnevel’s along Mabuhay Road.

Here, the bloggers feasted on a whole lechon with skin so crispy and the meat tender you’d think it was DE LECHE; grilled tuna jaw with matching seaweed salad and an assortment of veggies for the veggie salad mix.  Then there was the crabs cooked in their own yellow delicious crab fat which had them eating with their bare hands; the freshly mixed kinilaw na tanguinge with mango strips; boiled tasty tahong; and the delectable juicy chicken barbecue.  Tita Nits also served them steamed lapu-lapu!

"LE JARDIN ARNEVEL'S PREPARED MOSTLY PINOY BESTSELLERS DURING THE WELCOME DINNER AT THEIR POOLSIDE FOR THE BLOGGERS. PHOTO SHOWS OWNER TITA NITZ AND SON ARNOLD VELASQUEZ. AN ASSORTMENT OF SEAFOODS, CHICKEN, PORK, BEEF PLUS A WHOLE LECHON AND PINOY VEGGIE SALADS WERE SPREAD OUT FOR ALL TO PARTAKE."

Piyesta KTV & Resto Bar

The group, now filled up to their necks with glorious food, headed to Robinsons Place Al Fresco strip where the Grand Eyeball is gonna happen.  There, they met the GenSan bloggers for the first time and immediately bonded with each other.  Free drinks courtesy of bar owner, Kikay Blogger Donna Mae Congson overflowed while chopped lechon donated by Congressman Jun Acharon, of the first district of South Cotabato was passed around.  Thank you Ms. Donna and to the former GenSan mayor.

Everyone had a fill of Piyesta’s exclusive fare like kurat sticks, Pinakurat dish, Gello syringes, the drinks in test tubes, the sisig, etc.   Those who did not drink opted to update their Plurk and Facebook accounts using the bar’s free Wi-Fi.

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"THE BLOGGERS EYEBALL GATHERED THE ONLINE WRITERS FROM SOCCSKSARGEN, DAVAO, CDO AT ROBINSONS TOP RESTO BAR OWNED BY KIKAY BLOGGER DONNA MAE CONGSON. ASIDE FROM CONGRESSMAN JUN ACHARON'S CRISPY LECHON, THEY TRIED THE EXCITING DRINK CONCOCTIONS WHICH WERE EXCLUSIVE TO THE BAR."

Dolores Farm Garden Resort

Day 2 of the Soccsksargen Summer Safari started with a breakfast at Dolores Farm Garden Resort, 15 kilometers away from GenSan, at Polomolok, South Cotabato.  Not only were the mixed group bloggers served with delicious Filipino meals but were also given a tour of the green farm resort, which is the municipality’s top tourism draw.

"BREAKFAST FOR BLOGGERS CONSISTED OF NATIVE FARE LIKE FRIED BANGUS, CORNED BEEF, CRISPY TILAPIA, EGGS AND AN ASSORTMENT OF TROPICAL FRUITS. THEY TOURED THE PANGASIUS POND, AND THE MINI ZOO WHICH FEATURES A NAUGHTY MONKEY."

Dolores Farm Garden Resort is under the RD Hotels and Resorts Group.  They have overnight hotel rooms, a large hall which could be  divided into smalle and two large swimming pools.  The bloggers had breakfast at their Wi-Fi equipped Kiosk overlooking the pool.  Thanks in particular to RD Hotels and Resorts VP Tata Mondido for hosting the group.

Next summer, Dolores Farm will be the site of the “Bikini Hunk and Babe 2011″.

Punta Isla Lake Resort

We are also indebted to Lake Sebu’s most patronized destination, the Punta Isla Lake Resort.  After visiting the Seven Falls and the Zipline Jump-Off area on Day 2, Punta Isla Lake Resort was obviously the next stop.   The bloggers were all famished after the trek they did going to and from the Seven Falls and was expecting a treat.

"THE SEVEN FALLS OF LAKE SEBU AND THE ZIPLINE DESIGNED TO FLY YOU ABOVE THEM ARE RUN BY THE LAKE SEBU MUNICIPALITY LGU. EACH RIDE COSTS P250."

They were not disappointed after waiting quite long.  Punta Isla Resort served the hungry bloggers with all sorts of tilapia dishes other than entertaining them with a dance performance from their resident T’boli dancers.  It was delicious Tilapia all the way.  The visitors also had a field day filming the majestic view of the Lake from the resort.

"PUNTA ISLA LAKE RESORT SITS ON A HILL EXTENDING DOWN THE LAKESHORE AND THUS OFFERS A BREATH-TAKING VIEW OF THE LAKE. IT HAS OVERNITE COTTAGES FOR INDIVIDUALS, SMALL & BIG GROUPS AND HAS FUNCTION ROOMS TO BOOT. IT ALSO HAS A FLOATING RESTO AND OFFERS ONE-HOUR BOAT RIDES AROUND THE LAKE."

Merl’s Garden Resort

The bloggers last stop at Lake Sebu was the refreshing Merl’s Garden Resort, located a few kilometers from the lake.  It boasts of two swimming pools and their own Zipline!!

"MERL'S GARDEN RESORT HAS ADULT AND KIDDIE SPRING WATER POOLS AND A RESTAURANT WHICH SERVES THE FINEST PANCIT CANTON."

It’s zipline though shorter and less high than that at the 7 Falls was still a thrill ride for the GenSan bloggers who braved it.  The zipline passes above the resort’s pools so if in case the line breaks, you’ll land safely into the waters below. (Joke!)

"MS. GENSAN ROMARIE CUNANAN HAVING FUN RIDING THE MERL'S GARDEN RESORT ZIPLINE. ON HER WAY BACK, SHE HAD TO CLIMB A VERTICAL LADDER GOING FARTHER UP A TREE TO REACH THE SECOND ZIPLINE STATION.""

Merl’s Garden Resort also offers overnite cottages and function rooms.  For inquiries, text or call them at +63-919-4577221 or +63-922-5713078.

Sa Balai Bistro

Koronadal City was represented in the Soccsargen Summer Safari by its hip and trendy Sa Balai Bistro.  Thanks to owner and master chef Carlo Ebeo who also assisted Bariles in getting Punta Isla Lake Resort to sponsor the tourists along with Zion Travel and Tours’ Francis Sablon.

Dining at Sa Balai Bistro was an experience in itself.  The place is packed with all sorts of antiques and mementos collected from the owner’s travel abroad and around the country.  Being a nature lover, Carlo served the group cool and refreshing Mulberry Iced Tea,  sweet and healthy pandan salad, and reinvigorating native tsokolate.  Too bad, it was not his Pasta and Pizza Day because for sure, they will leave the place even more convinced that it is Koronadal’s MUST-VISIT place in anyone’s itinerary.

"SA BALAI BISTRO IS KORONADAL CITY'S MOST FAMOUS CULTURAL ICON. IT SERVES THE MOST DELICIOUS PASTA, PIZZA, LENGUA AND BEEF CASSEROLE IN TOWN."

The Red Tent Steak House

GenSan News Online Mag also in indebted to The Red Tent Steak House which was the last stop for Day 2 of the Soccsksargen Summer Safari.  Located at the Shell Petroleum Station at the corner of Mabuhay Road (P. Dacera Avenue) and Yumang Street, the place is just what its name says – inside a Red Tent.

The simplicity of the establishment stops there however, because what followed is the superb variety of food that it offered  and the quality of service that the owners showered on the famished and tired bloggers.  Owners Dexter and Dina Dumaran, a young and good-looking couple made sure, just like with all the rest of the Safari’s sponsors made sure that it was one dinner which will forever be etched in their minds.  The juiciest, fattest steaks, the tastiest’s tenderest pork roast and the yummiest crabs on earth were finished off in no time at all!

The Red Tent, we take off our hats to you for giving the Soccsksargen Summer Safari a glorious finish.  Thank you blogger Gilbert Tan, who facilitated their participation.

More thanksgiving to follow…. Check back later.. for the contact #s of the different Safari partners too.

Thanks also to the following:

• Kakanin, Atbp. – for the pabaon they distributed to the visitors.
• Rolee’s Bakeshop – for the cupcakes which helped ease their hunger at Lake Sebu.
• Robinsons Place GenSan – for allowing the bloggers to take photographs inside their mall.
• Pablo’s Davao – for the lunch they served during the CDO Bloggers’ short stop in Davao on their way to GenSan.
• MP Princess Printing Shop – for the free printing of the safari tarpauline streamer.
• GenSan City Mayor’s Office – for facilitating the use of an extra vehicle for the bloggers.
• Davao Bloggers – for always being there to support their counterparts from Soccsksargen.
• Cagayan de Oro – for making it here and showing us their warm brand of friendship.
• Orman Manansala – for providing the oars to the sailboat which launched the Safari.
• Lord God Almighty – for the safe, peaceful and fruitful conduct of the tour and for giving Bariles the strength to join the escapades although having just been released from the hospital.

Until next time, bloggers!!!  See you soon in Sarangani for the Sarangani Discovery Tour: SARANGANI, YOUR ADVENTURE.

It has been almost 5 weeks already since the succesful conduct of the Soccsksargen Summer Safari which GenSan News Online Mag and GandaEverSoMuch spearheaded for the Soccsksargen Bloggers and yet the repercussions are still being felt all over the blogosphere and the net, in general.

"THE AWESOME POSTER DESIGNED BY ALEXIS CHUA AND XYRILLOID LANDICHO"

Bariles is therefore writing a two-part post in grateful appreciation to all who were instrumental to its success and dedicating this most especially to the safari partner establshments, to whom he promised worldwide exposure through the blogs of the participants.

May 29-30, 2010 should go down in history as one of the most hectic albeit fun-filled adventure-laden eyeballs of bloggers from Northern and Southern Mindanao in GenSan and one of the most chronicled.

Over twenty A-list and notable personages in the blogosphere from Davao, Cagayan de Oro and Kidapawan Cities accepted the invitation of the brothers Bariles and Ganda Ever to discover the culinary and tourist destinations of South Central Mindanao and meet up with the rest of the bloggers from this side of the island.

"BLOGGERS FROM DAVAO, CAGAYAN DE ORO, KIDAPAWAN MEET THE SOCCSKSARGEN BLOGGERS AT THE GRAND BLOGGERS EYEBALL AT PIYESTA KTV AND RESTO BAR ON DAY 1 OF THE SOCCSKSARGEN SUMMER SAFARI"

Now, a month after that momentous weekend escapade, here are the over forty (40) blog posts written about it and which are currently flooding the Internet – featuring of course Soccsksargen Summer Safari’s PARTNER ESTABLISHMENTS, DESTINATIONS and SPONSORS.

For details on the events and activities which transpired during these two days in May, complete with photos and videos, check out the following blogs by clicking on their links:

1. Soccsksargen Summer Safari Day 1 – by ChiQ Montes (Cagayan de Oro)
2. Soccsksargen Summer Safari Day 2 – by ChiQ Montes
3. MFAT/Summer Safari Video Blog – by ChiQ Montes
4. SoCCSkSarGen Summer Safari Day 1 – by Brendel Balaga (Davao City)
5. SoCCSkSarGen Summer Safari Day 2 - by Brendel Balaga
6. SoCCSkSargen Summer Safari – Day 1 Highlights –  by Lyle Santos (Davao City)
7. SoCCSkSargen Summer Safari – Day 2 Highlights – by Lyle Santos
8. ICE CASTLE Experience – by Lyle Santos
9. 1st Day of MFAT/Soccsksargen Summer Safari – by Eldie Aban (Cagayan de Oro)
10. 2nd Day of MFAT/Soccsksargen Summer Safari – by Eldie Aban
11. Ice Castle Experience -  by Atty. Magman (Cagayan de Oro)
12. Thank You Speech – by Atty. Magman
13. MFAT/ Soccsksargen Summer Safari – The Movie – by Atty. Magman
14. The First Soccsksargen Summer Safari – Day 1 –  by Sheng Dumalay (General Santos City)
15. 7 Falls, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato – 2nd Day Summer Safari – by Sheng Dumalay
16. MFAT/Soccsksargen Summer Safari Adventure – Day 1 –  by Michael Abonitalla (Cag de Oro)
17. MFAT/Soccsksargen Summer Safari Adventure – Day 2 –  by Michael Abonitalla
18. MFAT Summer Safari in Mindanao – by  Richard Badilisan (Cagayan de Oro)
19. Mindanao Fat – Soccsksargen Summer Safari Day 1 –  by Mindanao New Media (Davao)
20. Caught on MFAT- Soccsksargen Summer Safari Day 1 –  by Robstroy (Cag de Oro)
21. Caught on Summer Safari Day 2 – by Robstroy
22. Mindanao FAT: Soccsksargen Summer Safari Day 1 - by Mindanao New Media (Davao)
23. Mindanao Food Apprentice Tour & Soccsksargen Summer Safari - by Elva Agbon (Cag de Oro)
24. A Weekend of First Experiences Day 1 -  Venus Mabale (Cag de Oro)
25. A Weekend of First Experiences Day 2 - Venus Mabale
26. My First Zipline  -  Venus Mabale
27. Socsksargen Summer Safari Day 1 -  by Meiyah Laborte (Davao)
28. Soccsksargen Summer Safari Meetups Day 1  - by Faust Principe (Davao)
29. Soccsksargen Summer Safari Meetups Day 2 -  by Faust Principe
30. MFAT Summer Safari in Mindanao  - by CDO Bloggers
31. Mindanao Food Appreciation Tour Day 1  -  by Ria Jose (Davao)
32. MFAT: Soccsksargen Summer Safari Day 2  - Ria Jose
33. Mindanao New Media Bloggers’ 1st Summer Safari & FAT 1 -  by Richard Diongson (Kidapawan)
34. Mindanao New Media Bloggers’ 1st Summer Safari & FAT 2 - by Richard Diongson
35. Soccsksargen Summer Safari Day 1  - Migs Hipolito (Davao)
36. Soccsksargen Summer Safari Day 2 -  Migs Hipolito
37. Pacman Sports Bar -  Migs Hipolito
38. Arnevel’s Restaurant & Catering Services  – Migs Hipolito
39. Piyesta KTV and Resto Bar - Migs Hipolito
40. Pacman Sports Bar  - by Jun Macarambon (Davao)
41. Summer Safari Day 1 -  Kevin Paquet (Davao)
42. How the MFAT and the Summer Safari gave me a good summer - Ariel Lalisan (Sarangani)
43. Summer Safari:  Off to a good start  -  Orman Manansala (GenSan)
44. The Many Miracles of the Summer Safari -  Orman Manansala

That’s over 40 blog posts and articles written about the Soccsksargen Summer Safari which is basically a record of sorts!!!  

Thank God, it was a smooth ride from the start for Bariles, who planned everything with the help of Orman and talked to all the prospective sponsors.  That says a lot about how accepting the establishment owners of Soccsksargen are with regard to the power of the new online media in creating much-welcomed exposure and waves for their businesses on the Internet.

And not only that!  This safari and the blogs chronicling it will further open the eyes of outsiders to the wonders and beauty of the region and erase whatever negative perceptions there are left about this blessed part of Mindanao Island.  That is basically one of the reasons for the existence of the blogs of these writers.

In fact, an offshoot of the Soccsksargen Summer Safari is DTI-Sarangani’s plan to come up with their own Sarangani Blogger Discovery Tour in August 2010, with the intention of showcasing the province’s existing and promising tourism destinations.  Bravo!

Again, GenSan News Online Mag is thanking the bloggers who participated and wrote about their experiences and the rest who will still be blogging about it.

As for the identity of the generous Summer Safari partners, watch out for Bariles’ succeeding blog post about them.  Abangan!

Are you a blogger from this part of South Central Mindanao?  Do you have a travel blog or simply put, do you often write about your experiences while on travel within the country or abroad?

Then this event, organized by the Soccsksargen Bloggers, together with GenSan News Online Mag and in celebration of the first blogoversary of  GandaEverSoMuch‘s First Blogoversary is for you.

This is BYAHE NA: Travel Blog Tales, Tips & Tricks.  This is basically a FIRESIDE CHAT with three professional travel bloggers coming from Manila, Cebu and Iloilo.

They are Enrico Dee (Byahilo), Cebuano Sinjin Pineda (Sinjin’s House) and Ilonggo Marc Caratao (Explore Iloilo).

All three of them will be converging in General Santos City on July 6 and will be meeting the Soccsksargen Bloggers for the first time during the fireside forum.  The two-hour chat and eyeball will be free-wheeling and will basically deal with their experiences as travel bloggers and the tips and tricks they can share with the participants.

Byahe Na! is scheduled on July 7, 2010, Wednesday evening, 7:30pm at LITTLE DUBAI Kebab Grills, SAFI Arcade, Bula-Lagao Road (beside KCC Parking Lot).

Admission is FREE but we will be limiting the gathering to about 20-25 bloggers only.

If you want to join and learn from these renowned professional travel bloggers, then simply do these:

• Write a message below stating your intention to join BYAHE NA.
• Give a most convincing reason why you want to be there.

If chosen, be sure to be at the venue before 7:30pm and bring extra money for the snacks and drinks you might want to order from Little Dubai Kebab Grills delicious Mediterranean food and drinks while listening to the tales, tips and tricks of our guest bloggers.

Check back for more updates!

Thanks to Xyrilloid and Alexis for the wonderful poster!!!!

Byahe Na! Travel Blog Tales, Tips and Tricks is brought to us by the Soccsksargen Bloggers, in coordination with GenSan News Online Mag and in celebration of the first blogoversary of GANDAEVERSOMUCH.COM.

Finally, we are releasing the winners to the “May Nag-Text, May Show ako: Vice Ganda Live @ GenSan Concert” ONLINE Contest.

But before that, we are thanking the all the bloggers who submitted entries and to the few commenters who joined.  We would have like to reward everyone but we only have very limited tickets as prizes to give away.  And yes, unluckily, one blogger did not follow instructions and was therefore disqualified.

Anyway, here goes:

WITTIEST COMMENT WINNERS:

Each winner will receive a Consolation Prize of one (1) Lower Box Ticket each (P500).  Only three comments qualified in the witty department, so we are giving the other two tickets as CONSOLATION PRIZEs for the Blog Writing Contest.

1. AIRWIN
2. FAHDINGDING
3. IAMSTAR

BLOG WRITING CONTEST WINNERS:

• Grand Winner of 2 GOLD Tickets (P1000 each) – I AM SUPERMARK
• 2ND Prize Winner of 1 GOLD Ticket (P1000) – TOTALLYVICE
• 5 Major Consolation Prize Winners of 1 SILVER Ticket (P750) each-
  • BUSY B
  • IANESCENCE
  • DINNADIN
  • TIMBERLINE
  • ZHEN CHEN
• 2 Minor Consolation of 1 BRONZE (LOWER BOX TICKET) (P500) each -
  • WHEN9TUT
  • LITTLE ANIKA

The selection of winners was done by Bariles and blogger MSU Professor Gilbert Tan of KnowRead-KnoWrite.  Thank you Sir Gilbert!

Congratulations to all who joined.  You may claim your tickets at Piyesta KTV Bar and Resto, starting now and until 5pm.  Please bring your Identification Card.

Again, thanks to this blog contest major sponsor, SR Food Philippines, the exclusive distributor of Ming’s Mei Pa Koa and Ming’s Herba Health Products.  All the winners will receive FREE samples of their products.

This is it!  The contest that the fans of Vice Ganda have all been waiting for is here.

If you have been sleeping under Mt. Matutum for quite sometime, please be informed that the famous stand-up comedian and TV talent search judge VICE GANDA will be in General Santos City on June 27, 2010 for a concert entitled:  “May Nag-Text, May Show Ako, Vice Ganda Live @ Gensan” which we featured here in an earlier article which you may read by CLICKING HERE.

And in relation to that we are giving away FREE TICKETS TO THE CONCERT via, “May Nag-Text, May Show Ako: Vice Ganda Live @ GenSanConcert” ONLINE Contest.

If you have a blog, here are the Contest Mechanics:

Write about the Vice-Ganda concert based on this blog post and on a prior write-up we did which can be found by CLICKING HERE.

Put a link to this contest page on your contest entries.

Be sure to include all the sponsors in your blog post.

Subscribe to GenSan News Online Mag.

Be a Fan of GenSan News Online Mag Fan Page on Facebook.

Submit your blog URL’s at the MESSAGES portion below.

Advertise your blog entry by uploading the link at the Soccsksargen Bloggers Group Page at Facebook & at your very own Facebook profile page.

Make sure to promote your blog post.  The blog post with the most numbers of COMMENTS will win Ming’s Pei Pa Koa Candies. (updated)

Deadline of submission of entries is 6pm, June 25, 2010 (Philippine Time).

Winners will be announced after 12pm, June 26, 2010.

Prizes are non-transferrable.

Here are the prizes, bloggers:

• GRAND PRIZE:  Two (2) GOLD (P1,000) Courtyard (Front) Tickets
• 2nd PRIZE:  One (1) GOLD (P1,000) Courtyard(Front)  Tickets
• 5 Major Consolation Prizes:  One (1)  BRONZE (P750) Courtyard (Back) Ticket each.

If you don’t have a blog but wish to enter the contest, here are the mechanics:

Subscribe to GenSan News Online Mag.

Be a fan of Bariles Republic’s GenSan News Online Mag FAN PAGE on Facebook.

Write on the comment section below your answer to the question:  “Why do you think Vice Ganda should be declared PAMBANSANG KOMEDYANTE?”

Deadline of writing of comments is 6pm, June 25, 2010.

The writers of the  five (5) wittiest answers will be given one P500 Lower Box Ticket each.

Winners will be declared after 12 noon, June 26, 2010.

Prizes are non-transferable.

There, go for it readers!

Whether you are a blogger or not, you may join this contest now na and pray you get FREE tickets to some of the best seats in the house for “May Nag-Text, May Show Ako – Vice Ganda Live @ Gensan!”.

Of course, this is brought to you by SR Food Philippines, exclusive distributor of Ming’s Pei Pa Koa Candies and Ming’s Herbal Health Products in coordination with the GenSan News Online Mag, OFFICIAL BLOG of South Central Mindanao’s GIGS & EVENTS!

Yes!  You read it right!  Bariles, the author of this multi-awarded blog, the number one blog in South Central Mindanao, got himself interviewed by Ratified.org!

So what’s the big deal?  What is Ratified.org and what does it do?

Its website actually puts it very clearly:

Ratified.org is a new directory featuring the best Filipino blogs in the blogosphere. Using data from Technorati.com and Alexa each blog’s statistics such as rank, links and other information are gathered and stored, therefore “ratifying” it. The data is then used as the basis for ranking Ratified.org’s top 100 Philippine blogs. (highlights ours)

For quite some time now, GenSan News Online Mag has moved up the ranks of Ratified.org since it applied for “ratification” in 2009.

Currently, Bariles’ blog is included in the TOP 50 Philippine blogs and is ranked as number 43! Yey!

Ayway, just very recently, Bariles received an email from Ratified.org containing a set of questions concerning his blog and his blogging experiences!  Wow! Bariles was ecstatic of course!  His blog’s inclusion in the Top 50 Philippine Blogs was one thing but to be featured in an interview at the same site is well, like winning the lotto!

Just imagine, being in the same league as these famous and illustrious bloggers who were interviewed before him – Derek Punsalan, Jayvee Fernandez, Aileen Apolo, Andrew dela Serna, Lyle Santos, Jehzeel Laurente, AJ Mahtela, Dexter Panganiban, Karlo “Pinoyblogero” Licudine, among others!

Bariles is on cloud nine today and couldn’t talk.  So we might us well end this with the link to that RATIFIED.org interview.

Congratulations Bariles!!!

Bariles has already announced this contest to the Soccsksargen Bloggers a week back and reiterated it during their Google Precinct Mapping Party at the Grab A Crab Restaurant Oval Room.  Today however, he feels he needs to announce it formally, and so here it is.

Bloggers everywhere, join the “Why Watching the Michael J Tribute Concert is a Must” Blog Contest, brought to us by Digital Detours Inc. and JeTV Channel 43.

"This POSTER was designed by MARTHIN MILLADO."

Here are the mechanics to the blog-writing contest on the concert featuring Kenny Wizz, the MJ impersonator from Vegas, or putting it correctly, Tribute Artist:

1. The contest is open to all Filipino bloggers based here or abroad.  Prizes are transferable.
2. Participants must be subscribed to GenSan News Online Mag.
3. Participants must write a blog post on the topic: “Why is Watching the  Michael J Tribute Concert a Must”.
4. The blog post may be in Tagalog, English, Taglish or Englog.
5. The blog post must contain the following KEY WORDS:
   1. GenSan News Online Mag – pointing to http://www.gensantos.com/
   2. Michael Jackson Tribute Concert in GenSan – pointing to http://www.gensantos.com/2010/04/08/michael-jackson-tribute-artist-moonwalks-in-gensan/
   3. Why is Watching the Michael J Tribute Concert a Must?  -  pointing to http://www.gensantos.com/2010/04/27/why-is-watching-the-michael-j-tribute-concert-is-a-must-blog-contest/
6. The blog post must contain the names of the producers and sponsors of the contest, together with other pertinent facts about the concert.
7. As soon as you are finished with your entry, leave a message at the CONTACT FORM of this blog and NOT on the MESSAGE BOX below.  It should contain your FULL NAME, Current Address, Age, School, Place of Work, Contact Number, URL of your blog entry and Title of your blog entry,
8. Criteria for Judging are:
   1. 1. Originality  -  25%
      2. Story Development  -  25%
      3. Quality of writing  -  25%
      4. Ability to engage the reader  -  25%
9. Deadline of entries is on Friday, April 30, 2010, 6:00pm.
10. Winning entries will be announced in a blog post on Saturday, May 1, 2010.

Here are the prizes to the “Why Watching the Michael J Tribute Concert is a Must”.

• Grand Prize – Two (2) Platinum Tickets
• 1st Runner-Up -  Two (2) Gold Tickets
• 2nd Runner-Up – One (1) Gold Ticket
• Next Five Winners:  One (1) General Admission Ticket Each.

So what are you waiting for?  Go blog now!!

Here is the blog post that I am sure bloggers everywhere in Soccsksargen are waiting for!  It is our first ever BLOG WRITING CONTEST for the year 2010!

This time, our blog contest will be for the upcoming GenSan Concert on Aprl 23 2010 – Asia’s Prince of Pop Christian Bautista’s “Constant Change” Concert.

Here are the Official Rules to the Christian Bautista‘s “Constant Change” Concert in GenSan Blog Writing Contest:

1. The contest is open to all Filipino bloggers based in the Philippines or abroad.  Prizes are transferable.
2. Contest participants should be subscribed to this blog to be able to participate.
3. Contest participants will just have to write about the “Constant Change” GenSan Concert of Christian Bautista in their blogs.
4. They may write in Tagalog, English or a mixture of both.
5. The blog post should include names of the co-presentors and major sponsors Drumbeat Ventures, Starbright Offic Depot, Vertical Builders, DGO Depot and the Office of the City Mayor of GenSan.
6. The article entry must contain a link to this blog post with the keywords “GenSan News Online Mag” and “Christian Bautista’s Constant Change” GenSan Concert”.
7. Please email Bariles your blog’s URL at admin@gensantos.com.  State your name, address, contact number.
8. The contest criteria are the following:
   1. Originality -  25%
   2. Story Development – 25%
   3. Quality of Writing – 25%
   4. Ability to engage the reader – 25%.
9. Deadline of Submission of entries is on April 21, 2010, 6pm.
10. Announcement of winners will be made on April 22, 2010.

One LOWER BOX ticket worth P500 will be given each to the TOP FIVE WINNERS.

Good-luck to all the participants and happy blogging!

A few weeks back, a Google Mapping Party (GenSan Mapping Party)  was conducted in General Santos City with the Tuna Capital’s very active bloggers in attendance for an afternoon of fun, learning and advocacy.

But first, what is a Mapping Party?

A Mapping Party is a gathering where you invite your friends who have laptops to a venue with fast internet connection, and together, with the use of Google Map Maker  and aided by an instructor, map out and name your locality’s streets, roads, highways, establishments, housing, etc.

In this case, Bariles, through his network of online journalists, the Soccsksargen Bloggers group, gathered  20 of the best ones from General Santos City at one of GenSan’s newer coffee shops, Cafe Amoree.  Lending his expertise to the exercise if GenSan Blogger and UP Diliman student, Mikko Gozalo.

The Mapping Party lived up to its slogan “Mapping GenSan for the world: Now no one gets lost in General Santos City again!” by being able to insert more than a thousand names for the the map of the Tuna Capital collectively.  It was one notable project of the Soccsksargen Bloggers and hopefully, will not be the last of its kind for their beloved locality.

Here are more photos to show for it.

"BLOGGER MIKO GOZALO EXPLAINING THE GOOGLE MAPPING PROCEDURES TO THE SOCCSKSARGEN BLOGGERS AT CAFE AMOREE'S FUNCTION ROOM"

"A CAMERAMAN OF ABS-CBN FILMS THE SOCCSKSARGEN BLOGGERS AT WORK. THIS ACTIVITY WAS FEATURED ON THE LOCAL KAPAMILYA NEWS PROGRAM."

"THE SOX BLOGGERS AT WORK DILIGENTLY ON THEIR MAPS"

"THE SOCCSKSARGEN BLOGGERS AT THE MAIN DINING AREA OF CAFE AMOREE AFTER THE GOOGLE MAPPING PARTY"

The attendees, by the way are the following bloggers:  Orman Manansala, Ariel Lalisan, Mark Aethen Agana, Gilbert Tan, Mikko Gozalo, Donna Mae Congson, Emman, Mandi Nicolas, Rain Cindy and her friend, Hannah Espinosa, Rabsky Villanueva,  Arnel and Rosilie Lim, Gay Carillo, www and her husband and yours truly, Bariles.

A million thanks goes out to the owners of Cafe Amoree, especially our good friend Ricky and his lovely wife and to Orman for facilitating their hosting of this first ever and historical GenSan Mapping Party.

Shout outs of gratitude to Ate Aileen Apolo-De Jesus for the Google shwags, to K101′s Kabayan Joe for the mousepads with wristrests and Mr. Mandi Nicolas for the Adobe Photoshop freebies.

And to the people of GenSan who are into mapping the city, and making it easier to circumnavigate, thank you for sharing our very own home with the rest of the world.

Bariles, our beloved author of GenSan News Online Mag is taking some time off to celebrate his natal day today, January 19th.

He will be off partying with personal friends, childhood friends, office friends, Plurk friends, Facebook friends, blogger friends and forever-friends at his brother Orman‘s mansion.  Orman is the author of Ganda Ever So Much, a funny blog that is starting to make waves.

Right now, the Capricornian, who was born on the Year of the Tiger is busy preparing the venue hoping that his Potluck Party will have enough food and drinks for everyone.

By the way, since you are a regular reader here…. you are invited to the Party tonight.

Just make sure you bring something to eat… or drink… or both.

Happy Birthday Bariles!!!

GENSAN NEWS ONLINE MAG'S THREE AWARDS AT THE PHILIPPINE BLOG AWARDS MADE THE YEAR 2009 MOST MEMORABLE FOR BARILES.

Finally, Bariles is back after a hiatus of over a week caused not so much by the holiday “lazy virus”  but by a “writer’s block” so powerful that it knocked out all his resolve to go back to writing, after living and eating like a boar during the long Christmas break.

Anyway, all that is past now and so with your indulgence, dear readers and subscribers, here is Bariles’ first blog post for the Year of the Metal Tiger, 2010,

For this article, Bariles reviews the year gone by, starting with this item, on the most read articles for 2009.

I.     GENSAN NEWS ONLINE’s TOP 10 POSTS for 2009:

1. More Funny Pictures of Manny Pacquiao -     8,517 pageviews
2. Dionisia Pacquiao and Presidentiables’ Funny Pictures -     4,716 pageviews
3. More and more Pacquiao Funny Pictures by Popular Request -     4,231 pageviews
4. Jinkee Paquiao’s Fashion World -    3,861 pageviews
5. Happy 60th Birthday, Mommy Dionisia Pacquiao -     3.727 pageviews
6. Pinoy Big Brother Double Up Housemate is from GenSan -     3.476 pageviews
7. An Invite to Manny Pacquiao’s Daughter Queenie’s Baptismal Party -     3,398 pageviews
8. Dolores Tropicana Resort’s 10th Bikini Open, A Visual Delight -     2,958 pageviews
9. Manny Pacquiao fetes Dionisia in Grand Debut Party -     2,870 pageviews
10. Hong Kong Columnist calls Philippines a Nation of Servants -     2,715 pageviews

The Top 10 posts which received the most number of readers were mostly about Manny Pacquiao and his Family, including wife Jinkee, Second Daughter Queen Elizabeth and mother Dionisia.  This just goes to show how even more popular GenSan’s former resident has become for the past year and with fame, he and his loved ones have become favorite subjects of cartoonists, caricaturists, photoshop artists and anime artists.  And as a sort of tribute to them, this blog gathered most that it can find out there in the Internet.

Bariles has also noted that readers would like to peek into Pacquiao’s family’s parties and grand celebrations in General Santos City.  This is the reason why his blog posts on the birthdays of the Champ, daughter Queenie and mother Dionisia also got a lot of pageviews.  Bariles is very fortunate to have been invited to these events and was able to relate first-hand the star-studded ongoings during those fabulous gatherings.

II.  YEAR OF AWARDS.

2009 turned out to be a Year of Achievement for this 2-year old blog about GenSan  with its three awards from the Philippine Blog Awards for Mindanao, held during the 3rd Mindanao Bloggers Summit in Cagayan de Oro in October 2009.

These are the Chikka Reader’s Choice Awards for Mindanao (chosen by text voting); one of the 10 Globe Tattoo Digital Tribe Awardees; and, the Best Destination Blog for Mindanao.

One award was actually enough for Bariles to keep him going with his advocacy to promote GenSan but having been given three awards unexpectedly has made this a lifelong commitment… wherever this may take him.

III.  YEAR OF THE BLOG CONTESTS

For 2009, we conducted a total of 8 blog contests, with restaurateur Mr. Michael Wee as perennial partner in most of them.  Mr. Wee represents the new breed of entrepreneur in GenSan, young ,very dynamic and in tune with the times where Internet presence is now a necessity for business sucess.

1. Vote For Your Best Photo in the TAHANAN NI MARIA PHOTO CONTEST QUALIFIERS
2. David Pomeranz in Concert Blog Contest
3. Pooh-K “Laugh Out Loud” Concert Blog Contest
4. Side A Band All-Hits-Live SEO Contest
5. “What Air Supply Song Are You?” Blog Contest
6. The 2nd Blogoversary Ultimate Greeting Contest
7. PBA Coca-Cola Tigers vs. Talk n Text Tropang Texters Game Contest
8. The Next One – Sarah G. Concert in Gensan Blog Contest

GenSan News Online gathered about 250 entries to all these contests and the winners were given their very own row of choice VIP seats during the concerts.  For 2010, Bariles will again conduct contests and promises to make them more exciting and with more prizes.

IV.   THE YEAR OF EYEBALLS, PLURK FIESTAS AND SCHWAGS:

The Soccsksargen Bloggers Group which Bariles helped organize with partners Hecky Minoza, Bro. Vince Celeste FMS, Ariel Lalisan, Job Oberio and Mark Aethen Agana in 2008 have gone a long way since the time they first eyeballed at Coffee Club 1o1.

Now boasting of more than 160 members from all over the globe (from 83 in January 2009), 40% of which are the more active ones based in GenSan, the bloggers have been busy in a good number of gatherings, together with Davao Bloggers (Blogie Robillo, Lyle Santos, Brendel Balaga, Jim Haw, Angel Abella, Chattee) as immortalized in the following blog posts:

• Plurk Fiesta at Generals Brew
• GenSan Bloggers at St. Elizabeth Hospital’s New Modern Wing
• Bloggers Plurk Fiesta at Ranchero Grill
• Plurk Feista at Orange Bistro
• Taaz Bar Welcomes the Bloggers
• Rediscovering Giacomino’s Pizza
• Rediscovering Olaer Springs Resort
• Soccsksargen Bloggers Grand Eyeball at Robinsons Place (by Hector Minoza)
  
• Photo-Journalism Workshop for Bloggers and Christmas Eyeball
  
• GenSan Google Mapping Party
  

V.  THE YEAR BARILES GOT EXPOSED:

Two publications took notice of Bariles and this blog and exposed him to its thousands of readers.  We have not even included the few times that ABS-CBN Socsksargen featured him in their news reports.

• Cebu Pacific’s Smile Magazine
• M Magazine

V. THE YEAR OF FACEBOOK:

• GenSan News Online Mag built its own Fan Page last year on Facebook.  To date, it has over 1,500 fans, mostly generals, some of which are now based abroad.  To check it out, log on to:  www.facebook.com/gensannews .

VII.  THE YEAR OF RECORD-BREAKING PAGEVIEWS:

For 2009, General Santos Online Mag received almost 400,000 Pageviews, according to the blog’s Google Analytics.

Next year, we are aiming for at least HALF A MILLION.

VIII.  THE YEAR TO BE MOST THANKFUL FOR.

The year 2009 came and went by so fast and despite some issues on personal health and work, everything went better than what Bariles expected.  Shout-outs of gratitude are therefore given to the following for making our 2nd year of existence more meaningful and eventful.

• Bro, the Great Editor-in-Chief.
• Orman, Bariles’ #1 Fan and Critic who has now become a well-loved blogger himself — www.gandaeversomuch.com/.
• The Planetman who has been Bariles’ formidable companion throughout all his blog sorties, acting as photographer, listener and wake-upper when sleep takes over at the middle of an occasion.
• GenSan News Online Mag’s 500++ subscribers.
• Bariles’ mailing list consisting of uncomplaining friends worldwide who receive his updates everytime there is a new blog post.
• Generous readers of GenSan News Online Mag who have touched Bariles so much with their personal gifts (George, Eve, Marilou, Ate Guy aka Mimi, Bobby, Lelen, Bambi, Ging and Roi, Ate Sen, Kimberly, Peng, Sir Ernie, Malou and Tito, Cecille D, Kuya Ely, and others whose names will be added here later once Bariles remembers them).
• GenSan News Online Mag’s Contest Sponsors.
• GenSan News Online Mag’s Sponsors for two years in the running:
  • East Asia Royale Hotel
  • RD Hotels and Resorts
  • GenSan City Mayor’s Office
  • Amie Zonio of My Fairways and Bunkers
• Bariles’ close-knit blogger friends who have been his constant companions for the most part of 2009, sharing his triumphs and joys and giving him the much needed wind to spread his wings and fly even higher (flying fish huh?).  You know who you are.
• And of course to YOU, dear reader for always finding the time to visit this blog, leaving a note or two and telling other people about it.  Thank you very much, Magandang GenSan and  Happy New Year!
  

One of the glossy publications published locally in Mindanao is M Magazine.

M Magazine is a monthly lifestyle slash travel slash outdoor magazine which has been running features on the Promised Land and the personalities who matter on the island.  Only on its 2nd year, M or m, which runs the blurb “Live and Living in Mindanao” on its front cover has proven itself to be Southern Philippines’ social barometer.

For its latest December issue, it featured six Mindanao blogs, two of which were by bloggers from General Santos City.  This is for a short feature they entitled,“wwow.Mindanao”.

According to its introduction. “Here’s one kind of surfing that needs no sun, sea or wet surf.  Hit the techie side of the island and get awashed with these interesting sights, created by Mindanawons for the virtual universe.”

Then, it proceeded to name the six blogs including our friends Bob Timonera‘s Kape Ta Bay;  Blogie Robbillo‘s DavaoDeli plus our very own “GenSan News Online Mag” and  our sister blog “Ganda Ever So Much” (from younger sibling Orman),  together with screenshots of the blogs themselves.  

Noteworthy is Ganda Ever So Much since it is less than 4 months old and yet has reached quite a sizeable number of followers and dedicated readers due to the author Orman’s no-holds-barred style of spewing tales of  love, laughter, and the latest on Pinoy Big Brother.

Below is a picture of that page from m Magazine.

"M Magazine's feature on Mindanao blogs, including two from GenSan - GenSan News Online and Ganda Ever So Much"

Thank you to the writer behind this feature on us and to the editorial staff of m Magazine. Mabuhay kayo!!

With just a few more days before showtime, we are releasing the names of the winners of the “5 Reasons Why You Should Watch ‘The Next One-Sarah G Concert’ BLOG CONTEST!

"The Next One Poster"

But first, we have to thank our members of the distinguished board of judges who helped rank the best among the best of the sixteen (16) entries we received.  Here they are:

• Gilbert Yap Tan – author of “Know Read-KnoWrite“, a professor at the Mindanao State University – GenSan.
• Dennis Gajo – author of “Cars Obsessed“, a blogger and educator from Davao City.
• Brendel Balaga – author of “Blogging Frenzy“, full-time blogger and part-time nurse from Davao City.
• Ark Hilario – author of “Hakuna Matata“, a USAID worker from Cotabato City.
• Francis Sablon – author of “The Zion Travel“, a travel consultant and tourism officer of Koronadal City.
• Cidy Bascon – author of “Rain Cindy’s Blogging Time“, a young busineswoman from GenSan.
• Marc Wales – one of the persons behind High Frequency Productions, a major partner of Dreamwork Ventures, the producer of the concert.
• Orman Manansala – author of “Ganda Ever So Much“, a banker and Festival King of GenSan.
• Bariles himself.

Unluckily, we had to disqualify one entry because he was not able to provide links in his blog article, one of the major requirements in the contest.

Here are the winners:

GRAND PRIZE WINNER:

Rosilie Lim, for her blog post entitled, “Why I Must Watch Sarah Geronim’s Next One Concert“, which took the top honors among 7 out of the 9 judges and even scored  perfect “100′s” from two judges.  For her efforts , Rosilie will receive the following, thanks to concert producer and restaurateur Michael Wee:

• • Two tickets to the concert worth P1,500 each (Courtyard seats);
  • One Gift Certificate from Grab-A-Crab Restaurant, worth P1,500;
  • Two invites to the opening of “Grab A Crab Resto” and “Coffee Club 101″ at Robinsons Place GenSan;
  • Meet and Greet Sarah Geronimo before or after the concert.

"The blog of Grand Prize Winner for South Cental Mindanao"

FIVE GOLD PRIZE WINNERS:

1. Alexis Chua – who wrote “Top 5 Reasons Why I Should Watch Sarah G.’s Concert“;
2. Devon Sullera – who submitted “An Idiot’s Reasons to Watch the Next One Concert“;
3. Gay Carrillo – who cooked up “A Year of Firsts“;
4. Sheila Dumalay – who posted “My 5 Sarah Geronimo Reasons for Jitters”; and,
5. Kristan Franco - who dished out “Why Watching The Next Concert Is A Must“.

They will all receive the following prizes, again thanks to Dreamwork Ventures, of Mr. Michael Wee:

• • Two tickets worth P1,500 each;
  • One Gift Certificate from Grab A Crab Restaurant, worth P1,000.00;
  • One Invite to the Opening of Grab A Crab Restaurant and Coffee Club 101 (Robinsons);
  • Meet and Greet Sarah Geronimo, before or after her concert.

THE SILVER PRIZE WINNERS: (in no particular order) to receive two tickets worth P750 each.

1. Ian Paul Carreon - You Shouldn’t Dare Miss Sarah G.’s Concert
2. Jinky Borela – Philippines Pop Star Princess’ Next Concert is in GenSan (I have my reasons why am watching this)
3. Mark Bill G. David – 5 Reasons on why you should watch The Next One Concert of Sarah G. in GenSan
4. Pauline Mae Serenina - Sarah G. The Next One
5. Raffee Borela - I Want to Watch Sarah Geronimo Invade GenSan
6. Lito Antoque =  Why I Love to watch Sarah Geronimo’s Concert
7. Hannah Espinosa -  5 Reasons Why I should watch Sarah G. Concert
8. Ralph Gregorio -  Sarah G., I’m Coming At Yah!
9. Ravi Marcos Villanueva -  Top 5 Simple Reasons Why I should watch the Next One-Sarah G. Concert

Winners may start getting their prizes from Bariles tomorrow, Thursday, at 1:00pm at his office.  You know where it is.  To all of you, CONGRATULATIONS!  Hope to read your BLOGS about your experience at this contest and during the concert.

See you on Friday, December 11, 2009 at GenSan Gym by 7pm.

As mentioned in an earlier post here, as part of PASKO-SA-GENSAN 2009,  Sarah Geronimo is once again performing in General Santos City via her new concert entitled “Sarah Geronimo – The Next One Conert”.  And just like the earlier contests run by GenSan News Online Mag, in cooperation with Michael Wee‘s Dreamwork Ventures,  we are again capitalizing on Sarah’s GenSan stint to launch the  “5 Reasons on why you should watch ‘The Next One’ Concert” BLOG CONTEST.

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"Sarah Geronimo-The Next One" Concert Poster

Here are the Mechanics to the Blog Writing Contest on “Sarah Geronimo-The Next One Concert in GenSan”.

• Contest is open to all Filipino bloggers all over the globe.
• Contest participants must be SUBSCRIBED to GenSan News Online Mag.
• Contest participants must write a blog post on the subject, “5 Reasons on Why You Should Watch  “The Next One” Concert of Sarah Geronimo in GenSan?”.
• Contest partiipants could write in English, Tagalog, Taglish, Englog.
• The blog post should contain the following key words:
  • GenSan News Online Mag, pointing to: http://www.gensantos.com/.
  • “Sarah Geronimo-the Next One Concert” in GenSan pointing to: http://www.gensantos.com/2009/11/19/sarah-geronimos-the-next-one-concert-in-gensan/.
  • “5 Reasons why you should watch ‘The Next One Concert’ BLOG Contest”, pointing to: http://www.gensantos.com/2009/11/27/5-reasons-on-why-you-should-watch-the-next-one-concert-blog-contest/
• The blog post entry should also contain the names of the producer (Mr. Michael Wee),  sponsors and other pertinent details about the concert.
• As soon as your blog entry is published, please leave a message in this blog’s CONTACT FORM (above the header), and not in the MESSAGE BOX below.  Write there the following info:  Full Name, Blog Name, Blog URL and contest entry URL, together with other important info about you:  (Sex/age/Address/school/Telephone #).
• Deadline of submission of blog post entries is on December 4, 2009, Friday.
• A group of judges will determine the best of the best blog entries guided by the following set of criteria:
  • Originality  -  25%
  • Story Development  – 25%
  • Quality of Writing  -  25%
  • Ability to Engage the Reader  -  25%
• Winners will be announced in a blog post here to be published on December 8, 2009.

The PRIZES:

• GRAND PRIZE:
  • Two Tickets worth P1,500 each (Courtyard Seats);
  • One Gift Certificate from Grab-A-Crab Restaurant (Robinsons) worth P1,500;
  • Two Invites to the Opening of Coffee Club 101 and Grab A Crab Restaurant at Robinsons GenSan, on December 10, 2009.
  • Meet-and-Greet Sarah Geronimo before or after her concert.
• 5 GOLD PRIZES:
  • Two Tickets worth P1,500 each (Courtyard Seats);
  • One Gift Cert from Grab-A-Crab Restaurant (Robinsons) worth P1,000 each;
  • One Invite each to the Opening of Coffee Club 101 and Grab A Crab Restaurant at Robinsons GenSan, on December 10, 2009.
  • Meet-and-Greet Sarah Geronimo before or after her concert.
• 10 SILVER PRIZES:
  • Two Tickets worth P750 each (Lower Box).

So what are you waiting for?  Write that winning entry to the “5 Reasons why you should watch ‘The Next One Concert’ concert” BLOG CONTEST now and get your chance not only to watch Sarah Geronimo perform but meet, greet and maybe have your photo taken with her.

Now that would be something that only GENSAN NEWS ONLINE MAG can cook up, right?   Gosh!  What will we all do without Mr. Michael Wee, our generous and dashing benefactor!!!

Check out a SAMPLE BLOG POST ENTRY from GANDA EVER SO MUCH.  CLICK HERE.

Dya-raaan!!!  Hear ye!  Hear ye!

Bariles is finally releasing the names of the winners to this blog’s Second Blogoversary “Ultimate Greeting Contest”!

The response to the contest was to say the least, better than he ever expected.   Compared to last year, there are more entries this time,  the messages are better composed and conceptualized and more personal in nature.

To guide him in his judging, he was on the lookout for the responses which not only touched him  and inspired him the most but he was also partial to those messages which were able to encapsulate the real essence of this blog’s existence for the past two years.

In the end, all of the greeters are winners and nobody will come out of this unrewarded…. thanks to the generosity of  our sponsors and donors, all of whom have also been part of Bariles’ success and have contributed to GenSan News Online Mag‘s transformation into becoming one of Mindanao’s and perhaps, of the country’s most well-received blogs.

Marami pong salamat sa lahat-lahat!

And now, the winners:

GRAND PRIZE WINNER:

One (1) Free Day Tour for two to Lake Sebu, inclusive of lunch at Punta Isla Lake Resort; zipline ride and trip to the Seven Falls.  Roundtrip transfer starts from Koronadal City to Lake Sebu.  Sponsor:  Francis Sablon of Zion Travel and Tours,  PLUS

One (1) EAT-ALL-YOU-CAN Buffet at Arnevel’s Restaurant; and,

One (1) Gift Certificate from  THIRSTY Juices and Shakes, Robinsons GenSan (near Mercury Drug).

• WINNER:  Migz (Davao City)

PLATINUM WINNER 1:

One (1) Overnight Stay for Two with Complimentary Breakfast at Dolores Tropicana Resort Hotel, GenSan.  Sponsor: Dolores Hotels and Resorts;

One (1) CD of Centerpoint Band’s First Album, “Paper Floors“.

One (1) Gift Certificate from Thirsty Fresh Juices and Shakes, Robinsons GenSan (near Mercury Drug).

• WINNER:  Robstroy (Cagayan de Oro)

PLATINUM WINNER 2:

One Overnight Stay for Two at Lemlunay Dive Resort, Tinoto, Maasim, Sarangani.  Sponsor:  Ms. Michelle Lopez-Solon of Go Sarangani Travel and Tours; plus,

One (1) Gift Certificate from THIRSTY Fresh Juices and Shakes, Robinsons GenSan (near Mercury Drugstore); and,

One (1) Token from ABS-CBN Socsksargen, through Station Manager Annie Solon.

• WINNER:  Joana (GenSan)

GOLD PRIZE WINNERS:

One Free Slot each on a short course on either Photo Editing with Adobe Photoshop or Basic Web Design at ACLC College, courtesy of Atty. Rey and Maya Cartojano.

• WINNER 1:  Fahdingding (GenSan)
  
• WINNER 2: Lito (GenSan)
  
• WINNER 3:  Orman (GenSan)

SILVER PRIZES:

One (1) “Dinner for Two” at Grab-A-Crab Restaurant, Robinsons Place GenSan.  Sponsored by Mr. Michael Wee, owner.

• WINNER: Nice A (Thailand)

One (1) “Dinner for Two” at Giacominos Pizza, Robinsons Place GenSan.  Sponsored by Ms. Aymie Bartolome, owner.

• WINNER: Jinky (GenSan)

One (1) “Dinner for Two” at Sunset Bistro, Robinsons Place GenSan.  Sponsored by Ms. Petit Veneracion of Sud-An Resto Grill.

• WINNER:  Raffy (Manila)
  

One (1) “Dinner for Two” at Orange Bistro, Lagao, National Highway, GenSan.  Sponsored by Ms. Cathy Teng.

• WINNER:  Cheng Gonzales (GenSan)
  

One (1) “Dinner for Two” at Ranchero Grill GenSan or Davao, sponsored by Mr. Paolo Sunglao.

• WINNER: Liezl Oberio (GenSan)

One (1)  “Dinner for Two” at O-ohlang Native Grill and Seafoods Restaurant, NCCC Compound, NatL. Highway.  Sponsored by Ms. Baby Ayon.

• WINNER: Lyle Santos (Davao)

One (1) “Dinner for Two” at Gio Mongolian Grill, Tiongson Arcade, Tiongson Street, Lagao, GenSan.  Sponsored by Allan Sanidad.

• WINNER:  Sheng (GenSan)

Two (2) “Eat-All-You-Can” Buffets at Arnevel’s Restaurant, National Highway, GenSan.

• WINNER 1:  Daxi (Koronadal)
  
• WINNER 2:  Psyche (GenSan)
  

One(1) Gift Certificate from Bread and Music Box Family KTV, sponsored by Ms. Armie Royeca.

• WINNER: Elmerceq (GenSan)

Three (3) Gift Certificates from Kakanin, Atbp., thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Chito and Junith Bugayong.

• WINNER:  JM Lavega (South Cotabato)
  
• WINNER:  Bravo Six (Dubai)
  
• WINNER:  Cidy (GenSan)
  

Two (2) Gift Certificate worth P250 from Fonti Coffee Shop-Robinsons.

• WINNER 1:  Leonard Pe (GenSan)
  
• WINNER 2:  Blogie Robillo  (Davao)
  

Six  (6) Toppings/Sizzler Meals at Junji Oriental Fusion, Robinsons Foodcourt, sponsored by Chimes Concept Events Management.

• WINNER 1: SonnyC
  
• WINNER 2: GenSanite  (Cebu)
  
• WINNER 3: Anyabelle  (Davao)
  
• WINNER 4: Sweet  (Davao)
  
• WINNER 5: Rammyboi (GenSan)
• WINNER 6: Pinoybisnis (Cagayan de Oro)
  

DIAMOND PRIZES:

One (1) CD each of Centerpoint Band‘s First Album, “PAPER FLOORS”:

• WINNER:  Francis
• WINNER:  Aprille
  
• WINNER:  Lovelz
• WINNER:  Alexis

One (1) Bestseller Book from KnowRead-KnoWrite, courtesy of blog author Gilbert Tan.

• WINNER:  Ryann Elumba (Zamboanga)

One (1) Free Make-over Gift Certificate from Envy Me Salon, Robinsons, courtesy of Ms. Donna Mae Congson.

• WINNER: TrisJa (GenSan)
  

One (1) Token from Gandaeversomuch.com of Mr. Orman Manansala.

• WINNER:  Dave (GenSan)
  

One (1) Token from Google Philippines, courtesy of Google Phils Consultant Aileen Apolo.

• WINNER: Arlene (Iligan)
  

TITANIUM PRIZES:

Three (3) Free Domain Names from Jehzreel Laurente, of Jehzlau Concepts.

• WINNER 1:  Ragpalizer (Cagayan)
  
• WINNER 2:  Dimple (GenSan)
• WINNER:  IanSTAR (GenSan)
  

Three (3) Free Premium WordPress Themes from Ms. ChiQ Montes of WPThemeDesigner.Com.

• Winner 1:  Tiara (Davao)
  
• Winner 2:  Faust  (Davao)
  
• Winner 3:  Miah  (Davao)
  

One (1) Free Domain Name and Free Hosting (One Year) , from GenSanSale.com and Nokiahost.com, of Job Oberio.

• Winner: Danzoy (Tacurong)
  

Hey wait!  That is not all!

Ten (10) Tokens from GMA-8 Kapuso GenSan, through its manager Ms. Mariles Puentebella.

• WINNERS:  The First 10 Commenters on this Blog Post.

All the winners may claim their prizes starting on Thursday, November 19, 2009.  Just visit Bariles at his office between 9am and 5pm.  You know where it is.

For out-of-town winners, you may want them mailed to you or give them to your friends who are based here in GenSan.  It’s your call.

Again, thanks for joining and CONGRATULATIONS!!!!  MABUHAY tayong lahat! See you for the 3rd Blogoversary!!

Today, November 8, 2009 marks a special milestone in the history of this blog!

It is the SECOND BIRTHDAY or BLOGOVERSARY of GenSan News Online Mag!!!!

Who would have thought that this blog would have gone this far since that time when a tech-challenged newbie blogger who called himself BARILES, first published an entry entitled, “Banana Snack Vendors at the Oval Plaza Court” in a blog he named as BARILES REPUBLIC, An Idiot’s Guide to Gen. Santos City?

The article contained a single picture of a young man buying turon from a vendor at the city oval plaza and about four sentences describing the scene.  So far, it has elicited four responses from readers, starting from this blog’s very first commenter, Arfel Paqueo who was then and until now, a resident of Canada.

Bariles’  plan was to showcase, through the photos he will publish in the blog,  positive images of his city and was targetting generals who are based outside of GenSan, mainly OFWs and people like Arfel, who have permanently moved abroad.

Bariles was also incharged of the news updates of the local government website  (http://www.gensantos.gov.ph) which he felt was stifling since all he could put there was hard news and he could not interact with his readers.  He wanted something with a personal approach and only a BLOG could do that.

"The old header for Bariles Republic's GenSantos.Com"

The little blog went on to be called Bariles Republic’s GenSantos.com and finally, GenSan News Online Mag.

He realized that he wanted it to be a Magazine about GenSan on the internet, where people can search for articles about places to go, dine, visit in GenSan and find developmental news and positive feature articles about the Tuna Capital. And with GenSan being the hometown of boxing champ Manny Pacquiao, it should also be a source of info about him.

"The latest GenSan News Online Mag Header"

534 POSTS & 11,000 COMMENTS:

For the past two years since he started his personal blog, Bariles, has single-handedly written 534 posts, and has received 11,032 comments from his readers.  This doesn’t include the private email he received from all over the globe, most of which were messages of thanks and gratitude from people who appreciated the blog’s worth.

HALF A MILLION VISITS:

GenSan News Online Mag has also received 542,267 visits since December 2007, according to stats released by Bravenet, an Internet visitor-counter widget.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION:

On its first year, the blog won as one of the TOP 10 Emerging Influential Blogs for 2008.  For 2009, it garnered three awards at the Philippine Blog Awards:  the Readers’ Choice Award for Mindanao; the Best Destination Blog for Mindanao and one of the 10 Globe Tattoo Digital Tribe awardees for Mindanao.

"Bariles and his trophies at the Philippine Blog Awards"

Whew!

Therefore, in gratitude for all of these and in celebration of its 2nd Blogoversary, GenSan News Online Mag is running an ULTIMATE GREETING CONTEST much like the one during the first blogoversary.

Here are the mechanics:

1. Only subscribers to GenSan News Online Mag are eligible to join the Ultimate Greeting Contest.
2. Subscribers may post their Blogoversary Greetings on the Message Box below.
3. The most unique, most touching and most well-written greetings will win prizes.
4. Contest period is from November 8 – 14, 2009.
5. Winners will be announced on November 16, 2009.
6. The decision of the judges will be final.
7. Prizes are transferrable.

Here are the simple prizes:

GRAND PRIZE:

One Free Day Tour for Two to Lake Sebu with Lunch at Punta Isla Lake Resort. Package includes a zipline ride and a trip to the Seven Falls.  Sponsored by Zion Travel and Tours owned by Bariles’ BFF Francis Sablon.  Roundtrip transfer starts from Koronadal City to Lake Sebu.

PLATINUM PRIZES:

• One Free Overnight Stay for Two with Complimentary Breakfast at Dolores Tropicana Resort Hotel, Tambler, General Santos City.  This is sponsored by the Dolores Hotels and Resorts.
• One Free Overnight Stay at Lemlunay Dive Resort, Barangay Tinoto, Maasim, Sarangani Province, courtesy of Miss Michelle Lopez-Solon of Go Sarangani Travel and Tours. (NEW)

GOLD PRIZE:

Three (3) FREE Slots for a Short Course on either Photo-editing with Adobe Photoshop CS or Basic Web Design at the ACLC College, Magsaysay Avenue, GenSan.  This is sponsored by Atty. and Mrs. Rey and Maya Cartojano.

SILVER PRIZES:

• Three (3) “Eat-All-You-Can” Lunch for Two, from Arnevel’s Restaurant, National Highway, GenSan.
• One (1) “Dinner for Two” at Grab-A-Crab Restaurant, Robinsons Place GenSan.  Sponsored by Mr. Michael Wee, owner.
• One (1) “Dinner for Two” at Giacominos Pizza, Robinsons Place GenSan.  Sponsored by Ms. Aymie Bartolome, owner.
• One (1) “Dinner for Two” at Sunset Bistro, Robinsons Place GenSan.  Sponsored by Ms. Petit Veneracion of Sud-An Resto Grill.
• One (1) “Dinner for Two” at Orange Bistro, Lagao, National Highway, GenSan.  Sponsored by Ms. Cathy Teng.
• One (1) “Dinner for Two” at Ranchero Grill GenSan or Davao, sponsored by Mr. Paolo Sunglao.
• One (1)  “Dinner for Two” at O-ohlang Native Grill and Seafoods Restaurant, NCCC Compound, National Highway.  Sponsored by Ms. Baby Ayon.
• One (1) “Dinner for Two” at Gio Mongolian Grill, Tiongson Arcade, Tiongson Street, Lagao, GenSan.  Sponsored by Allan Sanidad.
• Gift Certificates from “Genee’s Fastfoods” and “Ice Crops-Robinsons“, courtesy of Mr. Rey Billena.
• Six Toppings/Sizzler Meals at Junji Oriental Fusion, Robinsons Foodcourt, sponsored by Chimes Concept Events Management.
• One(1) Gift Certificate from Bread and Music Box Family KTV, sponsored by Ms. Armie Royeca.
• Three (3) Gift Certificates from Kakanin, Atbp., thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Chito and Junith Bugayong.
• Two (2) Gift Certificates from Thirsty Fresh Fruit Juices;
• Two (2) Gift Certificates from Fonti Coffee Shop-Robinsons.

DIAMOND PRIZES:

• Five (5) CD’s of Centerpoint Band‘s first album, “Paper Floors“, courtesy of their manager, Ms. Geraldine Oville.
• One (1) Bestseller from KnowRead-KnoWrite, from blog author Gilbert Tan.
• One (1) Free Make-over Gift Certificate from Envy Me Salon, Robinsons, courtesy of Ms. Donna Mae Congson.
• Token from ABS-CBN Socsksargen, through Station Manager Ms. Annie Solon.
• Tokens from GMA-8 GenSan, through Station Manager Mariles Fuentebela.
• Token from Gandaeversomuch.com of Mr. Orman Manansala.
• Token from Google Philippines, courtesy of Google Phils Consultant Aileen Apolo.

TITANIUM PRIZES:

• Three (3) Free Domain Names from Jehzreel Laurente, of Jehzlau Concepts.
• Three (3) Free Premium WordPress Themes from Ms. ChiQ Montes of WPThemeDesigner.Com.
• One (1) Free Domain Name and Free Hosting (One Year) , from GenSanSale.com and Nokiahost.com, of Job Oberio.

Thanks to all the friends of Bariles who whole-heartedly gave us these prizes.  A few more will be added.   But as for now, go on and start writing your messages right away!

Happy 2nd Blogoversary GenSan News Online Mag!  We rock!  We really, really rock!

Yes!  GenSan News Online Mag is an official nominee to the Philippine Blog Awards – CHIKKA Readers’ Choice Award for Mindanao!!

"The Philippine Blog Awards Website"

The Philippine Blog Awards is a yearly event that aims to give recognition to outstandings blogs in but not limited to the Filipino Blogging Community since 2007.

For 2009, it adopted the theme:  One Blogging Nation.  For this reason, it included a search for outstanding blogs on a regional level.

Thus on the evening of October 24, 2009, during the 3rd Mindanao Bloggers Summit in Cagayan de Oro City, it will hand out awards to blogs by Mindanaoans, chosen through text messaging.

One of these is the CHIKKA Readers’ Choice Award where our humble blog, GenSan News Online Mag is nominated.

So, if you are a fan or a friend of Bariles and like what he does for General Santos City, please vote for this blog.

To vote, user just has to text CHIKKARC M4 and send to 2929 (Only via SMART & GLOBE). You an vote more than once.

Deadline for voting is October 23, 2009 which is on Friday already.

SMS voting = 3 votes per SMS sent (each SMS vote costs PHP 2.50)

If you are out of the country now, you can still help Bariles make it by ASKING YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS back home to do the voting for you.  Now, how’s that?  Or else, if you have a roaming number, that will do.

Thanks to all of Bariles’ friends, fans, family, readers, and subscribers!!!  I love you all!!!

REMEMBER:  A vote for Bariles is a vote for GenSan!!!  GO GENERALS GO!!!

Isang tulog na lang!

With only one night left before the much, much-awaited “Air Supply in General Santos City Live in Concert“, Bariles is proud to release the names of winners to his contest in relation to this.

"The poster of the "What Air Supply Song Are YOu?" Blog Contest designed by Marthin Millado."

This project, aptly called the “What Air Suppy Song Are You?” Blog Writing Contest was launched last September 14, 2009, from an idea suggested by SEO Queen Janette Toral, who was a GenSan visitor last August.

After posting the contest, Bariles religiously promoted it his Facebook account; in GenSan News Online Mag’s Facebook FanPage; in Multiply; in the e-group he put up – Soccssksargen Bloggers; in the Mindanao Bloggers and Pinoyblogosphere Mailing Lists; and, in his updates at his Friendster, Tweeter and Plurk accounts.

Janette herself promoted it in her Facebook Pages too while Mindanao Bloggers Convenor Blogie Robillo wrote about it in his Blogie Blog, while another friend, Migs Hipolito featured it in Manilenyo in Davao.

This must be the reason why he received 27 entries (minus one from a judge who is not qualified, Orman of Ganda Ever So Much) from bloggers, mostly from GenSan, Davao, Manila and even Thailand!

The sad part however is that out of the 15 superstar judges who confirmed their participation in the contest, four were not able to finish judging the entries as they were all affected by Typhoon Ondoy.  As of this writing however, they are all safe and sound with their families and are in the process of rebuilding their lives again.  Thank God!

Aileen Apolo, Jay de Jesus, Migs Hipolito (who was in Manila because his wife gave birth, Congrats!), Winston Almendras promised to judge the next blog contest that Bariles is cooking up for the “Sarah Geronimo Concert in GenSan” though.

With that settled, here are the winners as picked out by  superstar bloggers (who were featured in an earlier blog post)  Blogie Robillo, Jehz Laurente, ChiQ Montes, Orman Manansala, Brendel Balaga, Michelle Lopez-Solon, Bro. Vince Celeste FMS, Mark Aethen Agana, Flow Galindez, and Ms. Janette Toral, plus Bariles himself.

"Mr. Michael Wee (extreme left), producer of Air Supply in GenSan Concert with Bariles and some of the winners of the Blog Contest, after the awarding rites at Coffee Club 101 on September 28, 2009. Photo by Hector Minoza"

Most of them were present during the Awarding Ceremony at the Coffee Club 101 owned by concert producer Michael Wee.

The Platinum Prize Winner is Rammyboi of Otakus Notes.

Rammyboi or Mario Pison, an I.T teacher at the Notre Dame of Dadiangas University, whose winning entry entitled “What Air Supply Song Am I?” was dedicated to his father, is only 23 years old.

He chose the song “All Out of Love” for his post which moved the 11 judges to to give it an average score of 91.91 points.

Rammyboi got 2 Platinum Courtyard Tickets, a Gift Certificate worth P1,500.00 from Grab A Crab Restaurant, an official Air Supply in GenSan t-shirt and a chance to meet the Air Supply duo after the concert.

The four Gold Prize Winners who will each receive the same # of tickets plus a P1,000 Gift Certificate from Grab A Crab are:

1)  Atty. Jose Villanueva, of Comelec GenSan.  The lawyer blogger chose the “Every Woman in the World” and pointed out his former girlfriend and now his wife plus his daughter as his inspiration for the post in his blog, Bottom Lines.  

2)  Ariel Lalisan, a full-time teacher at Alabel Science High School, Sarangani Province.  Sir Ariel related his story about a former high school sweetheart and chose the song, “Come What May” in his blog Homeward Bound.

3)  Swexie Balucanag, a law student from Davao, won for her blog post where she wrote an open letter for her beloved.  She also chose the song “Come What May” to encapsulize how she feels in her blog which goes by the name, Khakiness.

4) Lito Antoque, a hairdresser from Barangay Calumpang, GenSan, is an Air Supply fan ever since the soft rock duo broke into the consciousness of the Pinoys.  He dedicated the song, “Lonely Is The Night” to his sick mother.  A few days after submitting his touching entry, which he posted in his “A Hairdresser’s Blog“,  Lito’s mother peacefully  joined her Maker.  Our prayers go out to her and to her bereaved son and family.

The next 10 GOLD winners will all receive two pieces of P1,500 tickets each, and they are as follows:

1. Gilbert Tan, an MSU professor who chose the song, I Simply Want to Give It All, in his blog, “KnowRead, KnowRite“.
2. Jinky Borela, a DOLE officer who told her love story though the song, I Am Keeping the Love Alive, in her blog, “Small Steps“.
3. Rosilie Lim, an entrepreneur who feels that “The Power of Love” is HER song in her blog, “Wacky Knit Kin“.
4. Eunice Miguel Aclan, of Bangkok, Thailand, who picked out “All Out of Love” for herself in her blog, “Nice Thoughts and Thrills.”
5. Rea Remigio, who’s working in Cebu, believes in the song “Two Less Lonely People” and explains why in “Confessions of a Gene-use“.
6. Lainy, a bride-to-be who swears on the song, “Now and Forever” in her blog, “Lainy’s Musings“.
7. Ric Dumalay, of CMO-SHEEP who dedicated “Every Woman in the World” to his wife in his blog, “Blagadaggg“.
8. Marie Borela, who’s studying in Ateneo de Manila, chose “Making Love Out of Nothing At All” and explained why in “Talaarawan ng Payatot“.
9. Lolli Agulan, a high school blogger from NDGSC in her blog, “I Am Loved“, writes about the song, Goodbye.
10. Jan David, a NDDU student loves “All Out of Love” and reveals why in “Si Juan David“.

To all of them, Congratulations!

But wait, there is more…

All the non-winning entries will not go home empty-handed and will receive ONE GENERAL ADMISSION TICKET each!

If that won’t make you love Bariles and Dreamwork Ventures’ Michael Wee even more, then let us all just go home and plant camote.

Again, thank you to all these wonderful bloggers who, by joining our blog contest revealed their hearts and souls for all the world to see.  To them, our profuse wishes of good health, happy minds and fruitful affairs of the heart.

Now here is the You Tube video of ABS-CBN Socsargen’s news report by Anne Santos of the awarding.  Thanks to Rammyboi for posting it.

And a million thank you’s to the AIR SUPPLY for without them and their songs, falling in love would be a drag.  Believe you me.