A Child's Poem: Something for the victims of Typhoon Haiyan

This poem is written apparently more than a week ago by my brother-in-law's daughter in the UK, Jelena, whose around Grade 5 or 6, if I'm not mistaken. According to her, "The feelings overwhelmed me so much I had to put it into words." Here is the poem:

When all the nations come as one
To help a single place,
All their kindness truly shone
As they helped the human race.

The cries, the wails, their plea
If you would only listen!
It would tell of all their need,
'Food, drink and health supplies
All have been lessened'.

'Something for the traumatised,
The injured and the ill,
Something for the souls departed,
The streets to all be cleared!'

'Look! What has this storm done?
It wrecked all our houses!
We really need a shelter fast!
Before something else rouses!'

'We need some money to rebuild
The world that disappeared
And something to clothe our backs
And a few new shacks!'

That is all they the help they need,
If you would only give!
When all the nations come as one,
To help these lives rebuild.

Please continue to help the victims of Typhoon Haiyan.

Mendero Medical Center, healthcare within Consolacion and neighboring towns' reach

Dr. Samuel Mendero is not a newbie when it comes to putting up a hospital as the Pagadian City Medical Center in Zamboanga del Sur is run by the family. But it took some persistent convincing in order for him to gain support in putting up his dream hospital in Cebu. And that dream is now becoming a reality.

Dr. Samuel Mendero, the main man behind Mendero Medical Center

“We are continuing what we have started…in giving the modern people of the northern part of Cebu this medical center they certainly deserved.” With these words, Dr. Samuel Mendero formally announced the upcoming entry of Mendero Medical Center to the healthcare scene of Consolacion, Cebu.

Consolacion town mayor Teresa P. Alegado

No less than Consolacion town Mayor Teresa P. Alegado led the welcoming of Mendero Medical Center to the progressive town of Consolacion during the blessing last November 12, 2013 of the aforementioned 200-bed capacity medical center. The Mendero Medical Center Consolacion Cebu, intended to be a completely modern tertiary hospital serving those in the northern part of Cebu is targeted to open before year’s end.

Many are awaiting the opening of this hospital as it will help address the shortage of hospitals in the north. Waiting to be utilized are several state-of-the art equipment including CT scan and incubators, a complete modern laboratory, ICU, four operating rooms, delivery rooms, and medical clinics among others. Together with competent doctors and healthcare personnel, these will help provide quality and affordable health care within reach to the people of Consolacion and beyond.

Incubators and machines for ICU

Operating room

Emergency room

The blessing which began with a Holy mass was attended by incorporators, future hospital staff, and other guests. Doctors that will comprise the Internal Medicine, Obstetrics-Gynecology, Pediatrics, Surgery and Family Medicine Departments of the hospital were also in attendance.

The future of health care indeed looks bright for Consolacion and neighboring towns.

Mendero Medical Center is located in Baranggay Pitogo, Consolacion, Cebu almost across SeaOil gasoline station and within walking distance of SM City Consolacion. Like their Facebook page to see their updates.

"Criticisms" on the President's handling of the situation post-Yolanda is a Call to Action. Not Spreading negativity.

Watching Christiane Amanpour's interview with President BS Aquino, it appears with the way the president responds, he is more concerned in looking good and passing the blame on local government.

Playing the blaming game card is nothing new for the president. From Day one post Yolanda until now, the country has yet to hear the president inspire us instead of doing the usual blaming. Meanwhile, there are many first hand accounts of Yolanda survivors complaining that relief goods still not reaching their own towns despite the numerous relief goods and foreign aid coming in as cited by the president in his address to the nation the other day. The private sector actually gave their overwhelming support to the president by mobilizing to obtain relief goods but almost a week after the powerful storm, the national government is moving without urgency despite admitting the failure of local government mechanisms. I was even expecting the president to at least make an appeal to transport services (airlines and shipping) to lower fares at least for people going out from Leyte and other severely affected areas.

Then there are other reports (it is unclear whether they are true or not) of looting, shooting and even rape. And these sad news of politics playing a role even in the distribution of goods.

Now tell me, is it wrong to voice out these concerns, complain, or call out the government in avenues such as social media? Others consider this as "criticizing" or "spreading negativity". For me it is more of calling the attention of the government or calling the president's attention. It is more of a call to action. a wake up call. And we have that right to do so. We have the right to demand this from our government. I don't consider this to be bad. In fact it is better to pressure them to move fast especially when lives are at stake.

Others say, complaining in your own Facebook account does not reach the president so it has no effect. On the contrary, a lot of the president or the government's actions and reactions lately were a response to social media pressure.

Others contend we should just shut up and help instead by way of actually donating goods and perhaps going to the areas to distribute the relief goods to affected areas. But do you think these relief goods will reach these areas without the help of government especially at these dangerous times? Security, law and order is government's responsibility and no matter how many goods we manage to collect, it will be very difficult to distribute equitably these goods or give medical services to hungry individuals without government's help. So yes, we have to be noisy to wake the president up and inspire the government to move fast. Isn't this also another form of helping?

Can we just remain silent as more of our countrymen die of "preventable" causes? Yes, preventable because they were supposed to already survive the supertyphoon, but just because no food and water reached them, they will just die? We are not even mentioning the threat of tetanus, leptospirosis and diarrhea.Can we remain silent with the threat of chaos?

Some would say, give the president a break because being a President is not easy. Tell that to the Yolanda victims without food and water. It's not easy being in their situation without food and water to feed themselves and their families. On top of no shelter. And some dead loved ones for some.

You know what would makes things even more difficult for these victims? Feeling that the government abandoned them.

Now tell me, should we remain silent?

Novuhair 3-in-1 Pack: Herbal Product for Hair Loss

Up until second year college, I have no idea that I will become "opaw" experiencing more baldness as years passed. Being bald may indeed result to some loss of confidence.

But not in the case of this very inspiring lady, Abby Asistio of The Voice Philippines fame. Abby has alopecia areata, an autoimmune disorder wherein the immune system (which protects our body from infections) attacks a person's own hair follicles causing patches of hair loss. It may affect both males and females. One would think alopecia would stop Abby from doing the things she loves. But she just keeps on going. She does travel shows, sings, records, supports causes including breast cancer and of course, alopecia awareness. She serves as the Voice of Alopecia Awareness in the Philippines.

For those who really don't have the courage to face the world being bald, one product may offer some hope.

Novuhair claims to be Nature's answer to hair loss because it is composed of a mix of herbal ingredients made to solve hair loss. And Abby confirmed that she is also using it.

Nutramedica, manufacturer and exclusive distributor of Novuhair, recently introduced the Novuhair 3-in-1 Pack - which comes with a herbal conditioner to complement the herbal shampoo and topical scalp lotion.

The trio is available in 200mL bottles each, bundled as a set to provide the best results for Novuhair’s users to address hair loss.

“We were amazed by the big demand from our customers clamoring for an herbal conditioner. Same as with the shampoo and topical scalp lotion, the conditioner has all-natural active ingredients which include herbal extracts, essential oils and co-factor nutrients,” said Mae Velilla, Chief Operating Officer of Nutramedica.

Action

According to Nutramedica, the action of Novuhair is as follows:

"The Novuhair brand rejuvenates hair follicles and improves blood circulation to the scalp to stimulate hair growth. It also provides optimum nutrition to combat hair loss and hair thinning.

Developed to prepare the scalp for the application of Novuhair Topical Scalp Lotion, Novuhair Herbal Shampoo softens the hair, and nourishes the scalp through pure botanical extracts. The Novuhair Herbal Conditioner, meanwhile, helps moisturize and condition the hair, giving it a shinier look, making it suppler, and nourishing its overall health while being gentle for everyday use.

“When used in combination, Novuhair Topical Scalp Lotion, Novuhair Herbal Shampoo and Novuhair Conditioner deliver greater effectiveness and significantly better results than when used individually,” added Velilla.

A clinical trial conducted last year by renowned hair and scalp expert Dr. Rica Mallari showed a 100% success rate among the volunteers. All subjects experienced no progression of hair loss and a decrease in hair shedding. More importantly, no side effects were experienced by the subjects."

Mallari adds, "Cosmetic remedies, chemically formulated solutions, and surgical procedures available today that claim to address drastic hair problems can be quite expensive, and unsafe. Novuhair is a safe and effective way to address the problem of hair loss."

Ingredients

Regarding the herbal ingredients, here's what is being said about Novuhair:

"Moringa oleifera or malunggay is one ingredient that helps restore the skin’s condition and prevent falling hair. Sweet almond oil, another ingredient, is a moisture-rich oil that contains vitamins A, B1, B6 and E, as well as minerals such as magnesium and iron. Scientifically known as prunus amygdalus, sweet almond oil easily penetrates the hair shaft and follicles, relieving hair dryness and itching and providing nourishment to the hair to promote hair growth.

Other ingredients include panax ginseng, which improves blood circulation to the scalp, as well as ginger, which is also a hair bulb nutrient and stimulant. Together with aloe, they become an effective agent for hair growth and the prevention of falling hair.

Lavender helps relieve itching, and like rosemary, another ingredient, it contains properties that help combat dandruff and disinfects the scalp. Lemongrass helps clean the scalp’s pores, while peppermint is known to slow the growth of bacteria and fungi, aside from having a relaxing effect on the muscles."

"Novuhair Herbal Shampoo and Conditioner may be used during bathing, to be followed by the Scalp Lotion. Simply massage a generous amount of the lotion onto the scalp for five to ten minutes, and then rinse off or leave on as a hair-styling agent.

While there are no known contraindications to Novuhair Herbal Conditioner, users are pre-cautioned against use in cases of sensitivity to the ingredients. Novuhair herbal products are only for topical use and may not be ingested."

For those using Novuhair, do feel to give feedback if Novuhair works for you in the comments section.

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The Novuhair 3-in-1 Topical Scalp Lotion, Herbal Shampoo and Herbal Conditioner Pack is available at all Mercury Drug and Watsons stores. Suggested retail price of the Novuhair 3-in1 Pack P4,980. To know more about Novuhair 3-in-1 pack, visit http://www.novuhair.com/product-information/novuhair-3-in-1-pack/

Call 413-6570 or 0922-883-0575 and visit www.novuhair.com for more details. Novuhair Facebook: Novuhair Official. They are also in Twitter @NovuhairUpdates.

Gaisano Country Mall 20th Anniversary Run this October 13, 2013

How fast time flies! Gaisano Country Mall is already on its 20th year. I will never forget Gaisano Country Mall because as a former student in USC Talamban Campus and a former Talamban resident, it is where I used to go to relax and buy groceries and Christmas gifts. And now the said mall is celebrating the milestone by organizing a run in cooperation with the C.U.R.E. Foundation (non-government organization in Cebu dedicated to rebuilding human lives, rebuilding human dignity and rebuilding a nation).

Below are the details:

Name: Gaisano Country Mall 20th Anniversary Run
When: October 13, 2013
Assembly Time: 4:00am
Assembly Point: Gaisano Country Mall Parking Lot
Gun Time: 5:00am
Distance: 5K, 10K, 15K (inclusive of snacks, loot bag, raffle ticket & singlet)
Registration Fee: 

• 5K = Php300
• 10K = Php350
• 15K = Php500

Registration Points: Runnr – Ayala
Gaisano Country Mall – Customer Service Counter
ARC – Raintree Mall

• Prizes are available for the Male & Female Category

• Finisher’s Medal for the 15K RUNNERS

• Distribution of Singlets will be at Gaisano Country Mall on October 1-12, 2013

Below is the Route Map of the race:

Friends, if you want a change of scenery when it comes to runs, then this run is for you. Doctor runners, students, you may want to invite your friends to join you in this run. If not for fitness sake or for a cause, run to honor Gaisano Country Mall, an original friend of the Cebuanos for 20 years already.

Cebu MD joins 48 other finalists for the Globe Cebu Media Excellence Awards 2013

49 entries made it to the finals of the Globe Cebu Media Excellence Awards to be held at the Marriott Hotel in Cebu this September 17, 2013 in connection with the Cebu Press Freedom Week.

The awards recognizes those who excelled in the field of broadcast, print and digital media.

“We are very happy over the great interest and overwhelming response to our call for entries. It was really a challenge doing the shortlist as there are so many of them that are worthy as finalists.  They are all deserving of an award,” said Globe Corporate Communications Head Yoly Crisanto. 

The finalists will vie for the following award categories:  

• Reporter of the Year for Print, 
• Feature Story of the Year for Print, 
• Columnist of the Year, 
• Photojournalist of the Year, 
• Reporter of the Year for Television, 
• Feature Story of the Year for Television, 
• Reporter of the Year for Radio, 
• Blogger of the Year,  and 
• Social Media Advocate of the Year.

Yours truly made the final cut in the Blogger of the Year category for his entry, “Things one should know about dengue.” 

The other finalists for Blogger of the Year are:

• Adrian Lino S. Arquiza, Eat's My Life – “The Ten People You'll Find in a Buffet”;  
• Bjornson A. Bernales, Bjorn Cebuano Media – “7 Reasons why Cebu should be a Tech Hub”; 
• Marlen D. Limpag, Cebu Business Guide –“School project becomes full-blown guyabano tea business”; 
• Nancy R. Cudis, The Memoriter - formerly Simple Clockwork – “Getting to know our National Artists for Literature”; 
• Vernon  Joseph M. Go - Independent blogger – “Tree planting of People Development- Lessons Learned”; 

Criteria for judging for Blogger of the year are as follows:

• Consistency of content on the advocacy (50%) 

• Reader friendly presentation and design of content (20%) 

• Social Impact (30%).

Stay in unusual accommodations or earn money from your unused space through Airbnb

Hardworking people including doctors do take vacations too and I know a lot who want to explore new places. Perhaps you also want to explore new places to stay, new accommodations like a tree house or a castle? Or you want a homey cheaper room within walking distance to a tourist spot with a nice view. Well, here's your chance.

Airbnb for travellers

From the humble beginnings of the founders who rented out their space and provided bed and breakfast to individuals attending a convention, Airbnb now is a global trusted community marketplace with verification and security safeguards in place for people to discover unique accommodations all over the globe be it Europe, North America or Asia or even within Cebu. You can be in an island or a castle or a tree house or a boat instead of a usual hotel.

Using their website or app, you can now browse different properties or places to stay in your destination, browse their availability at the dates you want, communicate with your host for clarifications, book the place like that in a hotel and voila!

Airbnb for hosts

You may also want to earn money from unused spaces in your property ---say, a beachhouse or a room in your house near a tourist spot. Have your property listed for free, upload photos of it, set your price, answer potential guests' questions and choose whether to decline or accept a guest reservation request. Payment will be thru Airbnb and you will be paid 24 hours after the guests check-in. And oh, don't forget to leave a review about your guest. Reviews is one way of ensuring security and safety for Airbnb users.

Airbnb growing in Cebu

“Philippines is emerging as an exciting tourism and we expect significant demand for Cebu City, both for leisure and business travellers“ says Airbnb’s Phlippines Country Expert Ms. Joy Tacandong, a Cebuana. As Airbnb currently has about 1,600 listings within the country, it plans to have at least 300 in Cebu with your help. In the last year, there has been a growin number (over 300% increase) of guests visiting Cebu through Airbnb. The top 5 nationalities visiting Cebu are Americans, Koreans, fellow Filipinos, Australians and Germans.


Still worried about security, or you want to know more about Airbnb and how it works? Then visit them here at the Airbnb website.

Superman is Back! Man of Steel Review

There have been several versions of Superman in TV and film and seeing the trailers for this one, I initially feared that this movie might all be drama with much less action.

I was proven wrong. This Superman film proved to be the most action-packed. Some may say the scenes are OA but this is exactly the Superman I was looking for. Think Justice League animation fighting scenes coming to life in the big screen. Or imagine the Dragon Ball's Son Goku versus Vegeta fighting scenes except you have Superman and General Zod slugging it out. Picture the Hulk smashing his adversaries destroying buildings in the process except you have Superman doing it here. When you have Zach Snyder on board I guess this is expected.

However if in 300 and Watchmen Snyder employs slow motion closeups in his fight scenes, you have in Man of Steel the opposite. The action scenes reminds me of the Matrix except there is more destruction in this one and the speed is just crazy to make you appreciate the power, strength and speed of the characters.

The film is start-studded with Russel Crowe (as Jor-el, Superman's biological dad), Kevin Costner (as Jonathan Kent, Superman's father on Earth), Diane Lane (as Martha Kent, Superman's mother on Earth), Lawrence Fishburne (as a re-imagined Perry White) and Amy Adams (as a non-brunette Lois Lane). These actors did not disappoint with their performances. With a script, storyline and approach quite different from the previous Superman films, the film provides some heart (the human part) amidst the special effects-laden latter half of the film (the Super part) and the Nolan touch was evident.

After watching Terrence Stamp's General Zod in the previous years, I thought it will be difficult for another actor to successfully play it but Michael Shannon also nailed it.

Henry Cavill did not fail us either with his convincing portrayal. He deserved to be the modern Superman, with the right build, look and expressions.  So much so that like Christopher Reeve, I think there will be many sequels with him as Superman after this one.

I have to admit, I was waiting to hear the original Superman theme by John Williams but the film succeeded in putting up a credible new soundtrack for this one.

The film also had that Independence Day or an alien movie feel with the costumes and spaceships in it.

I don't want to give out some spoilers so I refrained from discussing the plot. All I can say is there are very clear differences in this Superman from the previous Superman films. The story is a little different. The environment is different. Lois Lane is different. Perry White is different. Even Jimmy Olsen is replaced by a Jenny. Clark Kent is also different. You may or may not like it.

As for me, I liked it. Even more than Iron Man 3. Superman and DC is back in the game. Bring on the Justice League movie I say.

Reliving the Tartanilla Experience during the Gabii sa Kabilin

About a little more than 30 years ago, if I remember correctly, the tartanillas (local horse-driven carriage) were still plying some routes passing through streets like Sanciangko. I recall riding the tartanilla going to various destinations.

Of course now the tartanillas are already few. And perhaps one gets to experience it again only in Gabii sa Kabilin.

My wife was particularly interested in experiencing the tartanilla so we really set time for it in our itinerary that night. We rode a bus to Fort San Pedro and there along with many others, lined up to wait for our turn to ride the tartanilla. Of course we took several pictures to document the experience.

Riding the tartanilla was fun! One nice thing about being in the tartanilla is you can have time chatting with the "kutsero" (carriage driver) or anyone in the tartanilla. I guess that's why you have the tagalog term "kwentong kutsero".

We learned from the kutsero that there are only 3 places in Cebu City that assembles the tartanilla. And they rent the tartanilla unit together with the horse for a certain amount per day (I think 150 pesos). The usual tartanilla fare is around 5 pesos and these days it only travels in very few routes including the Carbon area. Despite this limitation, it is nice to know that there are few people who retain tartanillas.

Regarding the horse and kutsero relationship, the kutsero feeds the horse and basically becomes its buddy so that the horse would be more comfortable only with a certain kutsero it is used to. We can tell that our kutsero takes good care of the horse. It appears to be healthy and it follows the kutsero's directions without it being whipped. Just a little pull of the ropes here and there and the horse knows what to and where to go. There was even one time that the kutsero did not do anything and the horse just went into its designated "parking" area. Amazing! The kutsero was a horse whisperer I guess.

My wife was all smiles during the short but memorable trip. We were bouncing up and down a bit inside the carriage but it's ok. That's part of what's enjoyable in this experience. Even if the carriage is made of simple wood without much decorations as a jeepney would have.

As I stepped down the tartanilla, I told myself that if I have time I would like to know more about the tartanilla by researching more about it. For now, I am just glad that even for a day, many people are able to experience the tartanilla thanks to the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Incorporated through the Gabii sa Kabilin (GSK).

From our Association of Philippine Medical Colleges Convention experience, I know many doctors would want to experience the Gabii sa Kabilin. I hope some of them were able to attend the 2013 edition and ride the tartanilla because it is definitely one of GSK's highlights.

2 Days to Go before Gabii sa Kabilin 2013

Felt "bitin" from last year's Gabii sa Kabilin? Not able to visit the other heritage sites you want to see last year. Friday (May 31) is your chance to visit them. But there are even more participating sites including some in Mandaue and Lapu Lapu City so that you'll have more to visit now and in the following years.

Anyway, do not forget the Gabii sa Kabilin 2013 is not about museums only. Natural heritage will also be featured through an exhibit of native tree species in Casa Gorordo for example. Cebu has its own native tree species that needs to be preserved.

The Gabii sa Kabilin also offers a gastronomic experience. In Casa Gorordo for example, they will show food recipes from the Gorordos like the humba and bihon. Cebu City Museum will also offer various dishes.

Expect also cultural performances in the different venues.

When you go around the different destinations for Gabii sa Kabilin, it would be nice to reflect on our past. This is what I learned among other things when I attended a workshop for documenting, reporting or writing about heritage initiated by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Incorporated (RAFI) last May 25. (Thanks RAFI and to the speakers!)

Be curious. For example, did you know that some of our schools in Cebu were used as Japanese garrisons, stockade or headquarters? When you eat a delicacy, ask yourself how this was made. When you ride the tartanilla, imagine how where they made or how transportation was in the past. Let us give a silent salute to our local heroes as we visit some of the museums. These heroes were not as popular as their Luzon counterparts but tghe Gabii sa Kabilin is the chance to know more about them. These heroes and personalities are the names behind many of our streets even.

For a guide on the destinations for Gabii sa Kabilin, you can visit http://rafi.org.ph/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/gabii-sa-kabilin_final_05152013.pdf

Tickets are available at the participating destinations and also at the Casa Gorordo Museum.

Thank you Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Incorporated (RAFI) for bringing Gabii sa Kabilin.

LASIK Eye Surgery and where to have it in Cebu

In some major roads in Cebu, you see billboards that show these words "LASIK".

LASIK stands for laser-assisted-in-situ keratomileusis, the most common type of refractive surgery that changes the shape of your cornea with the aim of producing a clearer, sharper vision without glasses or contact lenses by enabling light entering the eye to be properly focused onto the retina.

It is an option for people with nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), astigmatism and presbyopia. Of course, your ophthalmologist will screen you first if LASIK surgery is really for you considering factors such as other health conditions that you may have. Like any surgery, there may also be potential risks and complications or side effects but they can be avoided or resolved in most cases.

The eye surgeon makes use of tools like a microkeratome or a femtosecond laser to make a thin flap in the cornea. The hinged flap is folded to access the underlying cornea. A portion of corneal tissue is then removed with the use of an excimer laser, a highly-specialized laser.

After the cornea is reshaped, the flap is then laid back in place.

In Cebu, there are several facilities that offer LASIK surgery with each one of them highlighting the tools or equipment that they have. Below are the ones connected to the major hospitals.

1. Centre for Sight - found at Cebu Doctors' University Hospital, Osmena Blvd., Cebu City tel no. 2542020/ 412-2020
2. ACES Eye Referral Clinics found at Perpetual Succour Hospital Cebu, SPC Specialty Bldg.. Gorordo Ave., Cebu City, tel.no. 234-1520/232-1727 or at Cebu Velez General Hospital. F. Ramos St., Cebu City, tel.no. 255-2821 or 253-1871
3. Chong Hua Hospital Eye Institute - Don Mariano Cui St., Fuente Osmena, tel. nos. 255-8000 local 58000
4. Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center Laser and Eye Bank (no specific website) B. Rodriguez St., Cebu City, 253-9891 to 99

Remember, more than the equipment, the most important factors that may determine the outcome of your planned surgery are 1) your suitability as a candidate, and 2) your surgeon's skill and experience.

Aboitiz Group participates in Earth Hour

On March 23, it will be Earth Hour and the Aboitiz Group, one of the country's biggest conglomerates and long term investor in Cebu will join the entire globe in celebrating Earth Hour at the Plaza Independencia, Cebu.

To recall, Earth Hour is a worldwide event, organized in 2007 by the World Wildlife Fund to encourage households and businesses to switch off their lights for one hour to raise awareness about the need to take action on climate change.

Through the years, the campaign spread to more countries.

Locally, the Aboitiz Group has consistently took part in the Earth Hour celebration even going beyond the one hour of Earth Hour.

Driven by a Passion  for a Better World, the group continues to pursue initiatives such as Reuse and recycle, Reduce, Renewable energy and Recharge communities.

The group also has the APARK (Aboitiz Passion for Reforest and Agro forest to Keep) program, the Aboitiz group's biodiversity enhancement program that aims to plant 3 million trees by 2015.

There is also the group's Race to Reduce program where team members from the different business units participate in reducing consumption of water, paper and energy.

We should follow the Aboitiz group's lead and on our own find ways to save Mother Earth and take action on the problem of climate change.

Cebu Bloggers Society Turns 5

One of the best things that happened to me was joining this group, the Cebu Bloggers Society (CBSi). I learned a lot from them and it is because of this group that I get to widen my circle of friends and networks. I got to enjoy Cebu more and it's products because of CBSi. It's because of Cebu Bloggers Society that I am able now to receive writing and speaking opportunities and reach out to more readers spreading my public health and other advocacies. And it's because of CBSi that I was emboldened to raise funds for my kidney transplant.

And now CBSI is turning 5. How fast time flies. I may not be one of it's original members but I have definitely grown roots here. I am with them in celebrating this memorable occasion even as I celebrate it in a hemodialysis chair or perhaps in the hospital bed once my surgery is scheduled.

Cebu Bloggers Society will have the CBSi Appreciation Night to celebrate it's 5th year and to thank all those who supported the organization through the years. It will be held at the Harolds Hotel,  which boasts of 5-star rooms with 3-star prices, is conveniently located along Gorordo Avenue cor. Rosal Street, Lahug, Cebu City.

I would have loved to be there on that night. I am sure it will be a great night at Harolds Hotel but perhaps I will just witness the event from my computer.

Anyway, here's to CBSi. Cheers! And more years to come! Continue being a positive influence in the blogosphere!