Ria Jose and Avel Manansala

100 Days Project: Mr Bariles

98 days to go and I dedicate this day to a dear friend. The second blogger seminar I was ever invited to was the Notre Dame of Marbel University (NDMU) Blogging Seminar organized by bloggers I met in a bloggers event here in Davao. It was 2008 and we had just founded a bloggers organization in Mindanao. I was teeming with enthusiasm and idealism. In that NDMU event, one of the persons I met was a blogger whom I was already following through his blog Dust Dadiangas. Back then, we has an audience member who was generous enough to drive me back to General Santos City from Marbel. The blogger is Avel Manansala who is no longer Mr Dust Dadiangas. And who, more importantly, is no longer just an audience member in blogging events. After the NDMU blogging seminar, Avel and I participated and collaborated in many other events and projects. Primary of which is the establishment of Mindanao New Media. He was also a big supporter of the Davao Food Appreciation Tour (DFAT) since it's first year. In not so many words, Avel supported Davao Bloggers, Avatar Media, and events by these groups ever since I met him on…

Ria Jose at Lake Sebu

MFAT: Soccsksargen Summer Safari Day 2

This is a very late post. I know. I'm sorry. :P But better late than never, right? May 30 was Day 2 of the first ever Mindanao Food Appreciation Tour: Soccsksargen Summer Safari. The day began early for the participants as we woke up from our comfy beds at the Ice Castle Experience. Our gracious hosts Avel and Orman Manansala together with Donna Congson fetched us very early. Why? To have our breakfast at Dolores Farm Resort en route to Lake Sebu. Most of us lacked sleep, but nobody complained after seeing the very beautiful Dolores Farm Resort and the yummy breakfast they have prepared. Aside from the bangus, sinangag, and itlog combo meal, they served deep fried tilapia and hot native chocolate. I love Tilapia. Bow. And I was overly (AS IN OA!) excited to see the very pretty deep fried tilapia. And the hot native chocolate was a the perfect drink to complement the meal. Aside from breakfast, we toured the Dolores Farm Zoo. It freaked me out by most of the participants enjoyed it. Sorry na, I'm not an animal lover. Our next stop? The Seven Falls of Lake Sebu. It was breath-taking. Literally and figuratively. We…