Here is a new game twist thats circling around facebook that will make an offline get together more like the old times. No smartphone on the hands so every one will be concentrated on the bonding moment. Everyone puts their phones in the middle of the table. Whoever cracks first by touching their phone, pays for the entire meal.

The purpose of the game was to get everyone off their phones, away from twitter, facebook, texting, etc and to encourage conversations. In other words, help cure the “Anti-Social Social Media Craziness.”

Rules:

1) The game starts after everyone sits down.

2) Everybody places their phone in the middle of the table.

3) The first person to touch their phone loses the game.

4) Loser of the game pays the bill for everyone’s meal.

5) If the bill comes before anyone has touched their phone, everybody is declared a winner and pays for their own meal.

We had a blast. Conversation rocked. Everyone loved it.

Are You Game? Are you willing to turn the tide of anti-social behavior? What do you think?!?

A new pasalubong from Cagayan de Oro was just launched at Missy BonBon Breadshop. Tourists and locals who want to take tasty Cagay-anon treats with them as they leave the city now have more options, as the city’s premier breadshop Missy Bon Bon has become a go-to place for pasalubong goodies. Any of Missy Bon Bon’s breads would make great pasalubongs, according to Henrik Yu, one of the owners of the breadshop.

But in addition to the old favorites, Missy Bon Bon has also come up with a new product – its very own pastel, a soft chewy bun with a sweet and creamy custard filling, available in boxes of 6’s or 12’s.

The classic Missy Bon Bon creations that have become popular as pasalubongs include: the ensaimada, the sweet potato bread, and the cheesy sponge.

Missy Bon Bon Breadshop is located in Rosario Drive, Lim Ket Kai Center, and has stalls at G/F Robinson’s Cagayan de Oro and G/F Gaisano Mall.

Dahilayan Adventure Park’s latest extreme adventure ride at the Crocodile Lagoon. Pull the ripcord at 120 ft above the ground and experience the fear that is overcome in seconds as you dive at over 50 miles per hour in speed. Extreme Fear is overcome in seconds and an Adrenaline high is experienced at Dahilayan Adventure Park’s latest super thriller of a ride. Riders on a Superman style harness are raised to a level near the apex of a 120 ft tower; They pull the ripcord themselves and dive head first into the Crocodile lagoon.

This coming October 29 to 30, I will be joining the 5th Mindanao Bloggers Summit which will be held in Iligan City at the Celadon Pension Haus. I’m excited to join this event to meet the newly organize Iligan Bloggers Society and network with other bloggers from Mindanao and other parts of the Philippines. 

The event is co-presented by Globe Telecom – “You’re On with Globe: Taking mobile internet to the next level”. With the proliferation of smartphones nowadays and the price getting cheaper its time to be mobile with your internet access. I love how the modern world today makes my day so updated about the world around me. From friends in social media networks, updating my blogs, checking my analytics, checking-in to where I am and many others, all possible just in my hand using a smartphone and Globe Telecoms mobile internet.

Globe Telecom offers the most affordable mobile internet plan with Globe Prepaid PowerSurf15. If you are hungry for more, you can also have there Globe Postpaid PowerSurf that give Globe Postpaid subscribers bulk megabytes of mobile data, consumable per kilobyte (kb) and valid for 30 days.Postpaid PowerSurf allows you to be ON at fixed charges, enabling you to enjoy push notifications and instant updates on your mobile phone.

Globe Postpaid PowerSurf is available in 3 denominations:
PowerSurf 99 with 50MB allocation, PowerSurf 299 with 300MB allocation and PowerSurf 499 with 1GB allocation.

Not too privy about KB/MB consumption of mobile data? Fast facts: A 1 one-minute YouTube video viewed is approximately 2MB, 1 pure text e-mail sent is approximately 20KB, 1 pure text tweet sent is approximately 30KB, 1 page of a Google search result is approximately 40KB. One page of Facebook (http://m.facebook.com) is approximately 25KB. PowerSurf 99 lets you enjoy 1,250 Google searches or viewing of 25 1-minute videos! Visit www.globe.com.ph/surf for a quick assessment of your mobile data usage as well as for more details on KB/MB usage.

Turn on your Globe PowerSurf now!

For Prepaid PowerSurf, text POWERSURF15 to 8888 to register. Other available variants: Text POWERSURF30 to 8888, P30 for 3 hours, valid 1 day; text POWERSURF50 to 8888, P50 for 5 hours,It is valid 3 days. For Postpaid PowerSurf, text POWERSURF 99, POWERSURF 299 and POWERSURF 499 to 8888.

For all of you bloggers and would be bloggers, hope to see you at the 5th Mindanao Bloggers Summit in Iligan City and will talk about future collaborations.

PineGrove Mountain Lodge is the newest accommodation facility in the cool place of Dahilayan in Manolo Fortich Bukidnon. It is located inside the Dahilayan Adventure Park where the famous ZipZone is located, one of the longest zipline in Asia.

The following is the room rates:

Family Room – P5,000
Good for 5 persons ( no free breakfast)

Standard Room – P2,800
Good for 2 to 3 persons (with free breakfast for the 2 person only)

DeLuxe Room – P3,200
Good for 2 to 3 persons (with free breakfast for the 2 person only)

Suite Room – P3,500
Good for 3 persons (with free breakfast for the 2 person only)

Extra Bed: P500 (no free breakfast)

For Reservation, you can call there mobile phone: 0922.880.1319

CEPALCO or the Cagayan de Oro Electric Power and Light Company which is the major distributor of electric power in Northern Mindanao is gearing up to an awareness campaign for a Solar Energy Mindanao. Solar Energy is one of the cleanest technology to generate electricity and has low maintaining cost. It very fast to setup which can be ready in about one year time unlike any other electric generators which can take up to 3 to 5 years in construction time. It is one of the immediate solution that CEPALCO find to mitigate the looming energy shortage in Mindanao in the coming years. Solar Energy in Mindanao is the way to go.

Last Saturday September 3, 2011, The CDOBloggers group was invited to a Solar Energy Awareness Talk spearheaded by CEPALCO, the local electric distribution company in Cagayan de Oro City. The speaker was Engr. Cecilio Sumaoy. We were enlightened and we all realized that it’s high time for the Mindanao people to fully understand the reliability and effectiveness of the Solar Energy and support the development plan for Mindanao its economic growth and future power needs that is sustainable.

Mindanao will be short in power capacity in the very near future. As the population grows and as the economy of Mindanao prospers, the demand of power also increases. That is a fact right now. So how will the current Power Plants address these fast growing demands without us experiencing all those annoying blackouts? Yes, probably the current Power Plants we have now will help but until when? Below is a part of the news I got from Philippine Star concerning the tight electricity supply situation in Mindanao.

Energy Secretary Rene Almendras said the government is also concerned over the tight electricity supply situation in Mindanao especially because reserve energy margins remained below the targeted 21 percent, which could plunge the island into daily brownouts again if a power plant or unit breaks down.

In 2010, a dry spell brought by El Niño caused water levels to go critical in Mindanao’s hydro plants, causing a rotating daily brownout that stunted a three-fold increase in its economy in the last three years of the Arroyo administration.

Even with plans by Conal Holdings, Inc., owned by the Alcantara-led Alsons, Inc., to put up two 200-megawatt coal-fired power plants in Sarangani and Zamboanga, and a P25-billion plan by Aboitiz Power, owned by the Aboitiz family which divested its maritime cargo business to go into the energy industry, to construct a power plant in Davao, power demand in Mindanao is expected to exceed supply by 2014.

Almendras said the Department of Energy is considering the transfer of oil-fired power barges and the re-commissioning of a 35-megawatt thermal plant in Iligan to offset a very tight electricity supply situation in Mindanao as power supply margins last summer had breached the required 21 percent despite the full generation performance of its hydro-electric power plants.

Local economists have bewailed the current high electricity costs in the Philippines as the major contributor to the rapid decline in the country’s competitiveness in the world market, with neighbors like Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand offering rates as low as 5-7 cents per kilowatthour against the Philippines’ 23 cents.

In Mindanao our electricity is mostly produce from Diesel, Geothermal, Coal and Hydro. These sources are finite and dwindling while Solar Energy has always been there for the longest time and has been utilized by other fast growing countries.

So Why SOLAR ENERGY?

The biggest factor why most people refuse Solar Energy in Mindanao is because of its COST. It’s expensive! It’s not practical! That’s the argument.

Well here are some Facts:
Solar installation cost is declining! Because the demand is increasing fast and the production cost is getting down since the technology is mature already. Solar Energy is the cheapest alternative and one of the fastest way to put up in large scale power plant where it can be setup in less than a year. Solar Energy can supply the world’s total energy requirement for the next hundred years! Electricity from Solar Energy is covered by the Renewable Energy Law.

The following are the existing Renewable Power Technology in the Philippines:

• Wind – All located in LUZON
• Ocean – All located in LUZON
• Hydro – Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao
• Biomass – mostly in Luzon and Visayas
• Solar – Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao (including the 1MW we have in Cagayan de Oro)

Now, did you know that even if those Renewable Energy Technologies are largely located and consumed by the people from Luzon and Visayas, we here in Mindanao are also paying? YES DEFINITELY! That is because of this Renewable Energy Law below:

FiT-All (Feed in Tariff Allowance) – The FIT-All is considered most relevant among the calculations because this manifests the pass-on effect on the consumers’ electricity bills. ALL electricity end users are required to pay a uniform Peso/kWh charge as a feed-in tariff allowance (FIT-All), which will be placed in a fund from which the payments to renewable energy developers will be paid. This FIT-All, which will be determined annually, will appear as a separate line item on customers’ bills.

It simply means, even if the people of Mindanao chose to do NOTHING, Mindanao consumers will still end up paying for those Renewable Energies already established. So why are we all just sit around opposing the generation of a Solar Energy in Mindanao while other consumers from Luzon and Visayas are enjoying their own Renewable Energy with us here in Mindanao paying at the same time?

Come to think of it, the cost of Mindanao electricity usage through Solar Energy divided by the whole Electricity consuming population of the entire Philippines? Do you still think it’s expensive? We are just talking about the cost issue here. How about its effect to our failing environment? That’s a HUGE bonus! So let’s support the rapid development of Solar Energy in Mindanao so we will not be left behind.

Its Kagay-an Festival once again and the city of Golden Friendship is now in the festive mood. Here are the latest schedule of events of the Kagay-an Festival 2011.

Core Events

August 19 to 28, 4:00 PM
Halad sa Lambagohan – Rodelsa Circle, Paseo Del Rio

August 21, 5:00 AM
Kagay-an Festival Run – Divisoria Kiosk

August 22 to 28, 10:00 AM
Kahimunan Regional Trade Fair 2011 – Liketkai Rotunda

August 24, 7:00 PM
Ms. Kagay-an Coronation Night – Limketkai Atrium

August 7, 3:00 PM
Swimwear Competition – N Hotel

August 13, 6:00 PM
Casual Wear Competition – City Tourism Hall

August 14, 4:00 PM
Talent Competition – SM City CDO

August 21, 6:00 PM
Mags on the Catwalk – Limketkai Atrium

August 25, 1:00 PM
PE Rhythmic Dance Festival – Pelaez Sports Center

August 26, 8:00 AM
Folkloric Dance Competition: “Plowtawo” & Dance Showcase – Pelaez Sports Center

August 26, 5:00 PM
Kalo Parade Competition – SM City

August 26, 9:00 PM
SM City Kagay-an Pyro Festival – SM City

August 27, 7:00 AM
5th Golden Float Parade Competition – Main City Streets

Please click the image above to enlarge and read the entire schedules of the celebration. For more updates and information of the Festival please visit our sister site Cagayan de Oro Places.

Its reunion time once again! Coming may 1 this sunday is the 2nd Grand Reunion of the clan of Faustino Abonitalla and Cristina Saluper. The venue of the reunion will be at the Residence of EMILIO & CRESILDA LLAUSAS in Linggangao, Balingasag, Misamis Oriental. For your guidance, you can read the program of the event below.

Programme

6:00 AM - Regular Parish Mass
8:00 AM - Arrival & Registration
9:00 AM - Program

Invocation - Dr/Col Santiago Casino Sabal
National Anthem - Sound System

AC K N O W L E D G E M E N T of the OLDEST of each Clan

Juan Abonitalla Clan

Teodorico Abonitalla Clan

Petra ‘Olis’ Abonitalla-Llausas Clan

Bonifacio Abonitalla Clan

Felicitas Abonitalla-Sabal Clan

I N T R O D U C T I O N BY RESPECTIVE CLANS

Welcome Address Verna S. Llausas-Chittendon

Flowers Offering & Silent Prayers in Honor of the late
FAUSTINO ABONITALLA and CRISTINA SALUPER & ALL DECEASED DESCENDANTS

Intermission Representative from Petra Clan

FELLOWSHIP LUNCH

Presentations
Representative from Teodorico Clan
Representative from Juan Clan
Repesentative from Bonifacio Clan
Repesentative from Felicitas Clan

Closing Remarks Nestor Abonitalla, President

Business Meeting & Election of Officers

Master of Ceremonies – Homer Bana and Ponciano Bana

C O M M I T T E E S

Physical Arrangements
Septembrina L. Llagas & Verna Llausas-Chittendon

Reception
Robert Michael L. Zaballero & Joanne L. Llagas

Video Coverage & Streamers Verna S. Llausas-Chittendon
Sound System Elden M. Echeveria
Programme Anna Cresilda Z. Palomero
Registration Rebecca A. Damasing
Documentation & Publication Maria Christine L. Zaballero
Tokens & Flowers Ma. Monina S. Llausas-Allen

REGISTRATION FEES:

Php 100.00 Head of the Family
Php 50.00 Employed
Php 25.00 Self-Employed
Free 20 years old and below

Forest Park in Dahilayan is a new attraction just beside the Dahilayan Zip Zone Adventure Park. For those first time to hear about this place, Dahiliayan is located in Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon it’s a very cool place much like Baguio and its definitely the best place to unwind when your in Cagayan de Oro or Bukidnon area. It is around 40 kilometers from Cagayan de Oro City passing by Del Monte Camp Phillips. Forest Park has lots of fun activities awaiting you to enjoy. There is Zorbit, a large balloon that you will go inside and feel the adrenaline rush while tumbling down the hill. The Playground is also a fun thing to go around even for adults already, there are so many life like animals  around. Picnic grounds under the pine trees is a good experience too. There is also the Tree Top adventure, Bungy Bounce, ATV and Buggy riding and more. You can also unwind in there spacious cafe overlooking the whole area. If you plan to stay overnight, they also have great accomodations. Check below for the rates, this is current only from the date this is posted and is subject to change from the management which we are not connected.

Standard Room (good for 3) P2,800
Deluxe Room (good for 4) P 3,200
Barkada Room (minimum of 10) P300 per pax