This photo below.
This was our first ever meeting with this guy named Mark Monta.
This was back in 2010. And Dabby was still 4 years old.
After hanging out with him at an event of Ms. Janette Toral called Palamantasan, I learned that he was the founder of the Cebu Bloggers Society, Inc.
Such was the start of my encounter with this wonderful society called Cebu Bloggers Society, Inc. - a group where I met great people to work with in my journey as a startup social media agency founder and business owner.
Fast forward to 2015, 5 years after and I am still a proud member of CBSI.
We may not join much of the events due to being caught up with life and work but we know that being with these guys, it's like having brothers and sisters in the online blogging world who you can rely on.
With our incoming anniversary this Feb 15, I am looking forward to see Mark and the other bloggers again along with the fresh faces.
Kudos CBSI! And happy anniversary! :)
Special mention: All thanks to Marriott Hotel Cebu, the anniversary sponsor, who will make this event possible.
Side note:
If you are a CBSI blogger reading this, I've saved you all the trouble for trivia night. ;)
Trivia and Fun Facts about CBSI (as lifted from the CBSI Facebook Page)
- CBSi stands for Cebu Bloggers Society Inc. and we are commonly known as CBS.
- Cebu Bloggers Society Inc. is founded by Mark M. Monta and later joined by co-founders Kevin Ray Chua and Sir Gervacio who helped in encouraging more members to join the online organization.
- CBS main goal is to promote Cebu through Blogs. This gives us our vision, " A continuously improving world-class institution which will help promote and bring pride to Cebu and help develop the Cebu blogging community which will eventually become not only a value-driven and responsible group but also proactive and productive citizens of our community, country, and world."
- On October 22, 2008, the very first Digital Filipino Club and Bloggers Conference in Cebu was held at PAGCOR in Waterfront Hotel. This was headed by Ms. Janette Toral, the president of the club. It was in that event that the group was publicly recognized. Also during that day, the new Cebu Bloggers Society website was launched
- On October 2008, CBSi Member McBilly Wilford Sy joined Mr. Cebu 2008 and with the help of the organization and it's members and his friends in Blogosphere, McBilly won People’ Choice Award garnering the most votes online. Aside from this pride in Pageantry, CBSi has current members who are professionals ( IT Expert, Doctor, Lawyer, Nurse, among others) and who are dedicated to be passionate in Blogging with CBSi.
- On November 2, 2008, the group was invited for a 30-minute live air and webcast interview with Jun Tariman of DYAB Cebu (this was during his High-Tech Ko Bai segment program). The group discussed about the importance of blogging in SEO (Search Engine Optimization), how to make money through blogging, basics in blogging, importance of blogging in creating our history. The group was also given the chance to promote the organization through air waves.
- A few days after the radio interview, November 9, 2008 to be exact, selected group members were featured in ABS-CBN’s MagTV Na morning program. This served as another opportunity of the group to promote their organization through television.
- On November 10, 2008, the group covered the US Election Watch 2008 held at the Atrium hall of SM Cebu’s Northwing. This event was organized by the US Embassy in the Philippines. It was in that event that the group was first officially tagged as a Media.
- On February 21, 2009, the Cebu Bloggers Society was formally organized after the election of pioneering officers and board of trustees. This was with the help of Atty. Ethelbert Ouano, the legal adviser of the organization.
- On October 18, 2009, the Cebu Bloggers Society received the Visayas Bloggers’ Choice Award at the 2009 Philippines Blog Awards (Visayas).
- The Cebu Bloggers Society has also organized some activities that brought the members closer to each other. Some of the activities are the camp-out, Christmas party, and the 2nd anniversary celebration. The group also started an activity which allowed CBS members to meet other Cebuano bloggers, and that was the World Bloggers’ Day; CBS also initiated outreach programs like the giving of donations/bundles of joy to the Umapad (Mandaue) fire victims and the Computer Literacy Program at Pinamungajan, Cebu.
