Vote God on May 10, 2010

Will you vote (presidentialCandidate) or (anotherPresidentialcandidate)? A good friend from my hometown in Mindanao asked me through text (SMS).

Unfortunately, he only mentioned two names. There are 9 presidential candidates to choose. Apparently, only the very popular candidates are usually mentioned. Because I know that he knows I am vocal on my support to one presidential candidate, I suspect he wanted to engage another lengthy campaign discussions. I think of another thing. I want to share to him about Vote God advocacy.

So I replied: I will vote God on May 10!

I just read fellow Cebu blogger’s post about election, Vote God this Philippine Elections 2010.

Intriguing indeed! How can we vote God who is not even a candidate? In Vernon’s article he suggested (which inspire me),

Look to your conscience and choose the way of GOD! Do not just listen or even take the word of these aspiring public servants but instead do your research and I encourage you to use this L-A-S-E-R test as your guide.

Another blogger who mentioned about Vote God crafted the striking truth when she wrote that deciding who to vote lies in our minds, hearts, and hands. Isn’t her post Let’s Vote God sounds equally intriguing as Vernon’s?

Recently, I wrote and I asked, Do your candidates pass the LASER test for Election 2010? In that post, I mentioned about Vote God campaign by the Dilaab Foundation.

What is Vote God?

Going back to my friend. As expected my friend exploded with quick reactions. Unsa na nga klase nga joke bai?

Of course you know that I was not kidding. Later my friend understood what I meant. Thanks to God and thanks to Skype. (smile)

Vote God, as described, is a

[..] faith-impelled advocacy which hopes to infuse the electoral process with Christian values and for the discerning bloc to muster enough moral courage to choose good over evil, even the lesser evil, during the elections.

It is choosing the way of  God!

I think you are also eager to know about Vote God. Instead of copying and pasting the Frequently Asked Questions about Vote God, I would point to you the primary source. Please visit http://www.votegod.net.

Go out and vote on May 10

In less than 30 days we will go out and vote. Will you vote?

Most of the people I know say yes but many others say maybe and some no. All of them have reasons.

Many of us are sick and tired of the vicious cycle of Philippine politics. We elect new officials because we want change. We want election because we want change; and the people we have just elected are not satisfactory. This will be repeated and seems never ends.

The Philippine elections have always been intense political exercise, journalist Sheila Coronel observes.

As the call for change was highly audible before the start of election 2010 period, many Filipinos expect some changes on the way we conduct our elections. I personally expect that we shall actively discuss on platforms rather than personal issues; that we will tackle more on real social issues rather than the usual mudslinging and personality assassination.

I am dismayed because the 2010 election is still the same as the 2004, and 2007 elections. These are the elections that I have closely observed. Just the same. In fact, this election is worse as more trash are thrown, more dirty tricks than before.

If this is the case, should we stop electing officials? Should we lose our faith to election?

We should not because in our democratic society, it is during election that we are given equal rights. Whether you are rich or poor, schooled or unschooled; you have only one vote.

A very good friend, Novell Tagailo has a striking line. He said:

We are the reason, why there is an election, they, the candidates are not the star. We are the principal characters here. Let’s take this privilege, use this right and exercise our duty.

He is right. The principal characters during elections are the voters. And the power are within the voters.

As voters, let us use this power to start the change that we are dreaming for.

Cebu’s Haven: Hidden Valley Mountain Resort

When I heared that the CBS volunteers will stay at Hidden Valley Mountain Resort, I felt the excitement.

You might wonder what that volunteers all about. The Tsinelas Association and the Cebu Bloggers Society joined hands for a computer literacy programs for select students of Lut-od High School, Lut-od, Pinamungajan, Cebu. I will share more about this in my next post.

Unexpectedly, I can finally see the Hidden Valley Resort. By the way when you follow the link of Hidden Valley Resort, it brings you to Lamac Multi-Purpose Cooperation (LMPC). Actually the LMPC owns and operate the resort. A little trivia!

This close to nature resort is located in Lamac, Pinamungajan, Cebu. Pinamungajan town is facing the Tanon Strait and Negros Island. The nearest city is Toledo.

I never heard about the mountain resort before. But when I attended the press conference and launching of Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (RAFI)  5th Triennial Awards for the Visayas and Mindanao, I heard about LMPC and the Hidden Valley Resort it operates.

One more thing (before I continue talking about the green-rich haven, let me share that the Lamac Multi-Purpose Cooperation received the very prestigious RAFI Triennial Award.

I suppose to tell you to visit the LMPC website and go to Hidden Valley Resort page but for your convenience, I grab some pictures from the coop’s website and put them here. (Photos have not been changed. All photos below are owned by LMPC)

Okay, I see that the resort offers packages that suite you needs and budget. And also you can find in the website the fees and rates of different facilities as well as discounts. I can’t give that details here but I will give you a number to call: (032) 516-0450.  You can also visit the coop’s site: http://lamacmpc.org.

Our goal is to help students in Lut-od High School (Lut-od, Pinamungajan, Cebu) to learn about computers.  We can say it this way: the mission of Cebu Bloggers Society and the Tsinelas Association are noble; the accommodation offered by Hidden Valley Resort is equally noble. Please pray for our success!

I support Earth Hour 2010

I’ll take action on March 27, 2010! I support Earth Hour 2010. At 8:30 PM, I’ll turn off my computer and stop navigating the net for an hour or more. I’ll turn off the lights and go out and talk with friends.

Whether you are an individual, a business, a school or a city, you can show your support for Earth Hour by turning off your lights at 8:30 PM on March 27 wherever you are on the planet.

Here is the official video of Earth Hour 2010.

The website, earthhour.org suggests ways how you can show your support to Earth Hour 2010.

About Earth Hour

On March 28, 2009, Earth Hour became the biggest mass action on Earth! There were 88 countries and 4,088 cities participated in Earth Hour 2009. That was ten times more cities than Earth Hour 2008 had!

I am not the only one who loves Earth. You can attest that because you too, love our Earth! Aren’t you? Cebu Bloggers Society supports Earth Hour 2010. I hope other groups will support as well.

Celebrate one great Cebu; Celebrate one great Cebu Bloggers Society!

Let me write something very personal. My favorite number is 14. But I won’t say fourteen; I say katorse!

So katorse sounds good, and excites many (not just the Goryo’s). If I sprinkle it by whispering, Pebrero katorse with my Katorse, would you love to turn sweet?

But I’ve been there, so I’ll go to more exciting (titillating sounds indecent, so I won’t use it but love to) event. Pebrero katorse. It’s the second founding anniversary of Cebu Bloggers Society!

We call it, CBS @2: The Cebu Bloggers Society 2nd Anniversary! Yes, Cebu Bloggers Society (CBS) was founded Pebrero katorse!

Was it a coincidence? Or the forces of love conspired to inspired Mark Monta to plant the seeds of Cebu Bloggers Society on the date the lovers celebrate.

It was Pebrero katorse, 2008. I can’t forget that.

I just wonder why Mark hadn’t thought of Cebu Bloggers Alliance or Cebu Bloggers Association? Well, lets just say, it was fate that Cebu Bloggers Society was conceived.

Now, I am saying, it is the bond of love of blogging, and of Cebu that best answer why Cebu Bloggers Society was born Pebrero katorse.

As CBS member, one thing I’m proud most is the commitment of each member to blog responsibly and to take part on making one great Cebu!

Blogger ko bai! So here I am, blogging Cebu Bloggers. Leaping forward: CBS @14? in the future? of course, i-blog nako na bai!

So on Pebrero katorse,CBS members will meet (but I love to use converge) to celebrate CBS @2 at the Celebration Hall of SM Storyland, Lower Ground Floor, SM City Cebu.

Of course,  there are institutions, enterprise, and individuals who celebrate with us. And I would like (of course CBS say this, too) to thank SM City Cebu, SM City Cebu Foodcourt, SM Storyland, Golden Bowl, King Wah Chinese Cuisine, Mama Gie, Jobsdb.com, 88db.com, Balamban Liempo.

And also to Maribago Bluewater Beach Resort, http://www.batangyagit.com, and http://www.jehzlau-concepts.com.

Happy anniversary, Cebu Bloggers Society!