The First Laguna Blogging Summit: Top Eight

Realizations I’ve Learned From The Event

The First Laguna Blogging Summit banner greets attendees in front of the Cultural Center of Laguna

When in Manila, it isn’t a big surprise that tourists and “balikbayans” often pick Laguna, a province of

the Philippines found in the CALABARZON region in Luzon, as one of their prime destinations included

in their travel itinerary. That’s most probably because Laguna has earned a very good reputation for

having the best hot and cold spring resorts – for a soothing rest and recreation, legendary and iconic

scenic spots like the Pagsanjan Falls, Laguna Lake, and Mt. Makiling - a feast for all of our senses, a

Disney-like theme park with magical and “enchanting” rides, and notable as the birthplace of Jose Rizal,

our country’s national hero, – to satisfy our thirst for some Philippine history, plus a lot of other historic

spots and postcard-perfect attractions for a very satisfying and memorable vacation.

Now it seems Laguna has more reasons to be proud of because it can now boast of having its very first

Laguna Blogging Summit. According to the event website, “the First Laguna Blogging Summit is an

open event for the Pinoy Social Media/Blogging community. The objective of this event is to bring to the

south the best speakers in the Philippines to make Laguna aware about the advantages and benefits of

Social Media. This is also one way to promote tourism and that it’s more fun in the Philippines and

Laguna is one place to spend the fun be due to its relaxing weather, hot spring resorts and sweetest

tropical fruits.”

The Cultural Center of Laguna

Online, the hashtag “1LaBS” went trending for two consecutive days (September 27 and 28) indicating

The First Laguna Blogging Summit was very much a buzz in Twitter verse. At the event itself, a huge

crowd composed of pro and newbie bloggers, TV and print media men and journalists, college students

and professionals, filled up the Cultural Center of Laguna located at the urban municipality of Sta. Cruz,

the capital of Laguna.

The fabulous @rodmagaru was one of the hosts of the two-day event

@fpjjr and @shekinahchic cheers the crowd

The two-day event was alternately hosted by @rodmagaru, @fpjjr, and @shekinahchic. It had an

incredibly long list of speakers with great advises making it very difficult for me to summarize all of them

in just one blog post (I have enough material to write myself a very long essay, or even a book if I would

include before and after-event activities). So, I decided to just come up with my top eight list of

realizations encompassing the best things that I learned at The First Laguna Blogging Summit.

Early birds get VIP tables

1. Students are also VIPs

You can really feel that the organizers have a heart towards the students, and that the summit was really

for their benefit, when the organizers surprised the early birds with VIP table privileges (free VIP lunch

and snacks on both days of the summit)! This is the first time I’ve seen organizers reward punctual

students with such VIP treatment. Since the organizers wouldn’t be able to accommodate the hundreds of

students who attended the summit with the same VIP treatment, they still made sure that all the rest of the

students got a chance to try out some great tasting muffins and cream rolls from Gardenia Philippines, the

brand where great tasting breads come from. These students will soon become bloggers or social media

influencers and advocates themselves, and would eventually become the future leaders of the country, so

it’s just appropriate that we should take care of their “social” and intellectual development.

Mayor Girlie sings along with the music video “Bangkero, Lahat ay Masaya”

2. Once a Star, Always a Star

The Mayor of Pagsanjan, honorable Girlie Maita Javier Ejercito, was exceptionally stunning in her outfit

that morning when she welcomed the summit participants with a very vibrant speech. She made a special

request to the audience to keep in mind of her pretty face especially her “matangos na ilong” and

“mestiza” complexion, and then jokingly said we should inform her if we see her husband with somebody

else (lol). It was then followed by an impromptu but surprisingly very energetic song number – complete

with a backdrop music video entitled Bangkero, Lahat ay Masaya, and a few hints of dance steps. The

promotional video highlighted the beauty of Laguna, especially the majestic Pagsanjan falls, and

introduced us to the still lively celebrity appeal of the distinguished leader of Pagsanjan.

Miss Girlie is better known as former actress Maita Sanchez, and also the adorable wife of the honorable

Laguna Governor, E.R. Ejercito (popularly known to many as Jeorge “Asiong Salonga” Estregan Jr.).

One of the great things about celebrities- turned-politicians is that they can really entertain with very little

inhibition, and can become ideal ambassadors of “social” good if ever they want to try blogging to

promote their advocacy. As per Tony Ahn’s little booklet, they can positively “Blog Like a Star!”

@_TonyAhn_ reveals some interesting facts about budgets for blogger events

3. Too Much Disclosure Could Be Dangerous

Tony Ahn, one of the most highly sought after social media evangelists in Asia, shared with us a typical

blogger event budget and gave us a good idea on how they are actually spent. This probably motivated a

very inquisitive and determined participant to squeeze more information out of Tony. Time restraint was

the only thing that stopped them from discussing more blogger monetary compensation issues. The great

thing about the situation is that Tony had the patience and understanding to politely answer the many

“sensitive” questions being thrown at him.

Even in our blogs, we can also encounter similar situations when we give too much controversial or

sensitive information. Our readers ask more from us bloggers; to the point that they expect us to always

have all the “right” answers to all their questions. Just remember not to make enemies by ignoring or

insulting our readers. We have the responsibility to empower the community and not to engage in online

“fistfights” with our blog or social media followers.

A gazillion of great tasting bread from Gardenia Philippines, and donuts from Krispy Kreme, flooded the

First Laguna Blogging Summit

I think the only things that were plenty and not a bit dangerous at the event were the rich information

given by the good mix of speakers from various fields, the exciting contest giveaways and gifts courtesy

of the many sponsors like Chowking, Krispy Kreme, Tiny Buds, Walk This Way Tours, Mary Pauline

Salon, Star Salon, Microsoft Philippines, Mer-nels Cake, among many others. A special mention goes to

the “gazillion” and sumptuous breads from Gardenia Philippines. Love the muffins!

Laguna truly has many beautiful attractions. More reasons to keep coming back to Laguna!

The camera did not do justice to these cool “dudes” of Laguna

Oh, yes! There were also several pretty college babes and “feeling” hunks at the event – all fairly excited

in trying out blogging for the first time. These youth will probably become the new social media icons in

the near future! They just have to strengthen the learning experience that they had at the First Laguna

Blogging Summit by staying in school and getting god grades.

”John Lloyd” Luna brings the house down with his “ccccrrrazzzyyy” antics

4. Revenge is Sweet Especially When “Branding” Hits Fast

Lloyd Luna, the motivational speaker cum blogger, really knows how to tickle the fancy of the crowd.

With his non-traditional look, (we normally see speakers as well dressed and highly formal), he was able

to get away with bringing the house down by just uttering a few words but with convincingly humorous

delivery. The great thing about Lloyd is that he was able to use awkward situations in his favor. The

“photographer” scenario with the students was a laugh trip for everyone. He indeed caught everyone’s

attention when he got the last laugh after he showed the students he was more than just an ordinary guy,

and that’s an amazing feat considering he was the next speaker after Pocholo Gonzales, the voice actor

behind many anime or cartoon characters we see on TV.

Pocholo Gonzales brings back the audience to the days of radio drama

Pocholo’s talk on personal branding was a tough act to follow (complete with sound effects and various

voices reminiscent of the radio dramas during the old days), yet Lloyd undoubtedly still topped the charts

because of his unique “brand” of entertainment similar to Pocholo’s unique identity. In fact, he would

definitely rank high in my list of motivational speakers. With regards to his expertise in blogging, I have

yet to read more of his blogs in order to give a better review. However, with numerous books and

speaking engagements under his name, something’s telling me I won’t need much convincing and will

soon become an avid follower of his blogs as well.

COMELEC Spokesperson James Jimenez “educates” us about true Voter Education

5. Social Media can Empower our Advocacy

COMELEC Spokesperson James Jimenez talked about the Impact of Social Media on Voters Education

where he emphasized that there is a real need to properly educate the voting public, and social media can

help a great deal because of its increasing reach. He cited some examples of advocacy formed thru the

power of social media like the #Epalwatch and Anti-Epal movement where the COMELEC had recently

formed an alliance with to become their arm in helping them identify the “Epals in the City.”

COMELEC Spokesperson James Jimenez with an avid fan way back from Manila.

Jayvee Fernandez amazes the audience with remarkable images of marine life

PR Officer Jayvee Fernandez shared with us several images and stories about his Marine Life advocacy,

and nurse Alvin Cloyd Dakis presented his iBlog for Health along with his motivations and frustrations

about the Health, while congressional Chief of Staff Wenchie Flores Sabban gave us the political

perspective of blogging, and how we can use it to initiate conversations towards political change.

Increasing Access to Health Information through Blogging by Nurse Alvin Cloyd Dakis

Wenchie Flores Sabban goes “political” as she discussed about good governance and advocacy

Elizabeth Angsioco says it should be social media ++

Elizabeth Angsioco, a forefront activist for women’s right, told us that being active in social media alone

couldn’t create a complete social change. She said we also need to take our hands off the keyboard and go

out into the real world to actually implement the change we are looking for.

Sonnie Santos says its “not always a numbers game”

Sonnie Santos shares that even though we want to change the world one blog post at a time, our good

intentions can be polluted by the obsession to rob elbows with well-known personalities and the extreme

desire to become equally famous. It is important to take note that motives can be questioned if we start

seeing it as the prime objective and not just the reward.

Jonel Uy vigorously explains his “Prezi” presentation

6. Pay It Forward, Share the Blessings

Jonel Uy, considered as a very prominent blogger whose blogs keep ending up among the top ten of

several blog awards, said during the second day of the summit that the participants were very lucky to

have the rare opportunity to attend for free an event where plenty of great speakers were willing enough

to share their expertise and insights. He said that normally, you would need to pay a considerable amount

just to be able to attend similar events. I believe these speakers are actually sharing their blessings to

wannabe successful bloggers. They are paying it forward, and we thank them for their generosity.

Janette Toral was the last one to talk to the First Laguna Blogging Summit crowd – organizers definitely

saved the best for last!

Among the very long list of speakers were Janette Toral, the social media expert behind all the successful

iBlog Philippine Blogging Summit, who gave us practical advice on how to suit up, dodge attacks, and

fight back when needed. There was also Mark Acsay III, a SEO Consultant and CIO/Director of an

Inbound Marketing and SEO Consulting agency, who shared his mastery of SEO blogging strategies, and

Jinkee Umali, founder and publisher of Calamba Online, Live Life Fullest and other successful websites,

who discussed the several ways of making an impressive looking website.

SEO guru Mark Acsay III delivers his proven strategies

Also among the speakers were Engr. Fitz Gerard Villafuerte, Civil Engineer turned entrepreneur, who

shared with us the ways to become rich, and Dean Jorge Bocobo, publisher and blogger of the Rizalist

Press, who explained the state of education in the Philippines. Juned Sonido also went onstage to explain

to us about the Ethics and Etiquette issues involved online, and Jaypee David shared with us an amazing

video taken at one of the countries he traveled to and how social media and blogging helped him in his

career, Benjamin During the first day of the summit, Vergel De Dios, the Executive Director of the

Philippine Information Agency talked about Knowledge Community and was also there to award Grace

with an appreciation certificate for her valuable contribution towards spreading the “good news”. Norito

Cabotaje, Regional Director of the Philippine Information Agency, and Dr. Nestor De Vera, President of

the Laguna State Polytechnic University, started the 2nd day of the summit with their Welcome and

Keynote addresses respectively.

Dean Jorge Bocobo, historian and rocket scientist, in his somewhat military-looking outfit

Award-winning Financial speaker Fitz Gerard Villafuerte discussing the Blog Income Allocation

Juned Sonido asks “Does it Matter?”

Jaypee David’s travel video plus high-tech presentation awed the audience, but was slightly interrupted

by the frequently lagging Internet connection

Benjamin Vergel De Dios ends the first day of the summit with a surprise award for Grace

Welcome Address from Norito Cabotaje, the Regional Director of the Philippine Information Agency

Keynote Address from Dr. Nestor De Vera, President of Laguna State Polytechnic University (LSPU)

Just some of the many speakers of the First Laguna Blogging Summit

We thank all of them for making the First Laguna Blogging Summit a great source of new learning and

realizations. My apologies to those who I might have missed, as there were really a lot of them I can

consider as my “social media heroes.”

Neil Andrew Nocon welcomes the attendees

7. Laguna Residents Are Very Hospitable

Neil Andrew Nocon, 2nd District Board Member of Laguna, is really an ideal Tourism lead for the

province as he was all smiles when greeting the guests and participants of the summit. You can really feel

the warm welcome when he introduced himself and handed us his business card. It is a rare sight to see

politicians approach you personally and shake your hands except during campaign periods. Positives

vibes were felt indeed.

Grace Bondad-Nicolas delivering her Opening Remarks

I was also impressed with Grace Bondad-Nicolas, Project Engineer and owner of Andrew Grace Home

Builders, the lead organizer of the event, and is a resident of Laguna herself, when she decided to invite

over at our hotel the mother and daughter bloggers, Merceditas and Jasmine Cruz who came all the way

from Quezon City.

Mother and daughter bloggers Merceditas and Jasmine Cruz

Earlier, the mother and daughter bloggers were interviewed by TV5, and that night they got free hotel

accommodations complete with dinner and breakfast courtesy of Grace. Later that afternoon, the daughter

also won a prize in the raffle and got a free invite to Janette Toral’s Digital Influencers Marketing

Summit. Talk about a spree of blessings.

Also enjoyed our stay at the Asia Blooms hotel – small yet neat and comfy that all of us slept like a baby

The “big bad blogger” Laguna bus

Check out also the “cool and colorful” Laguna bus which picked us up from Makati City all the way to

Sta. Cruz, Laguna. The driver was so excited to bring us to Laguna on time for the event that he even got

caught by traffic enforcers due to over-speeding!

The First Laguna Blogging Summit logo

8. The First Laguna Blogging Summit was a Huge Success

There was an estimated 600 participants on the first day, and a whopping 900 during the second day! A

huge difference from the expected 300 attendees. It was definitely a successful gathering of blogging and

social media enthusiasts.

Jampacked crowd composed of a majority of students from AMA, STI and LSPU

To end the event, the particpants made a final huge wave and then applause for a very successful First

Laguna Blogging Summit

Indeed, Laguna can now take pride of having its own blogging summit right at the capital of the province.

The Laguna government can now add the event alongside its powerful credentials of being “The Silicon

Valley of the Philippines” and “The Official Tourist Destination of Miss World-Philippines 2012”,

among others.

The

1LaBS logo as seen from a gadget

When in Manila, you’ll be amazed of the many individuals who want to make a difference by generously

contributing their time and effort to organize events that contribute to nation building. After all, a nation

full of educated and responsible bloggers is a nation on its way to a better and more productive future.

The organizers can now pat each other on the back for a job well done. Congratulations, and see you

again on the 2nd Laguna Blogging Summit! #2LaBS

Source: wheninmanila.com/the-first-laguna-blogging-summit-top-eight-realizations-ive-learned-from-

the-event/