It happened September 19, 2009. That was 3 days ago. I have been super busy since then, so I guess better late than never.

Just like WordCamp last year, I had a hard time finding the right gate. However, this time I have improved! It took me two tries to find the right one, compared to three tries last year. Yahoo to that!

I have my cousin with me so I am not scared of getting lost. We had our temperature check upon entering the building. Then we went to the third floor for the registration.

I though we would win something for being early, just like last year, but there’s no price for early birds this year. Well, I’d still choose being early though, because then I have the choice of where to sit.

Upon entering the main area, we have chosen the best location we could find and then have our pictures taken. The advantage of not being alone, is having someone to take your picture without asking.

So while waiting:

* I enjoyed the free Wi-Fi.

* Picture taking with my cousin.

* Picture with Blogie.

* Picture of a banner on stage.

* Eat cookies.
I wish there was free water in the area.

At last, the event started.

MC Migs
Migs gave a joke that those who have laptops who are using the power outlet would be fined with Php 50 and someone actually took her plug out. BWA HA HA HA

Head Organizer Blogie.
Blogie proudly informs everyone how solid the Mindanao Bloggers are. I hope Iloilo Bloggers would be as solid.

Wordpress guy, Lebens

Here, I knew a lot of WordPress Family that are not as popular as WordPress and the equation:

WPMU != WordPress

Firefox Tshirt give-away

Marku
I learned about WP Super Cache and RSS Footer

Matt just gave a video message.
Everyone was Oooohh

Enjoying the event.
My cousin was teasing me because as a fat lover, there was a fat guy seated next to me, but he transferred in front

Danilo Arao
If I were to interview a writer, I would ask: “What is the essence of journalism?”

Seth, the Mozilla guy

OPEN WEB is IMPRESSIVE!

Lunch Time:

The SALAD was delicious! Overall, food was great. You should have seen my plate. It was wiped clean.

I won a sticker

Showing off our rubber bracelet

Jeff

WordCamp Tshirt, free give-away

Gail

Karla

Interview

Of course, I wouldn’t let the event pass, without a picture from the stars.

Wordpress, Me and Mozilla

Migs and I

Since I was able to attend the WordCamp last year, I can’t help but to compare.

• I was disappointed of the WordCamp badges this year.
  • I don’t know if I have written babsy.com during my registration, as what was written on my badge but I am pretty sure my blog is supposed to be http://www.babsy.name – I checked the .com and it was like a porno site, so not good for me.
  • Mine was better than my cousin though, because mine was computerized while my cousins was handwritten, so we asked why and they informed us that they had a hard time looking for it so it might have been lost, so they just created one for her like the ones they made for walk-in registrant. Unfair, right?
  • Also when they gave us our badges, my cousins badge was without a lanyard. I informed them that we were both registered online, so they got one for her. There are others who have no lanyards as well, so somehow I was thinking that the organizers wasn’t prepared.
• Souvenirs was just in card envelope while we had it on bag last year.
• Wi-Fi connection was intermittent.
• The power socket in my area was broken during the morning, so some have no place to plug-in their laptop.

In summary, I was expecting better because this year we actually paid compared to free one last year. Yet, I have seen more flaws. I hope I could help out next year.

I enjoy attending free events. As obvious, when I attended the WordCamp 2008 and iBlog 5 held in Luzon (specifically in Manila), even if I am from Visayas – Iloilo.

So, when I heard about the DigitalFilipino Club and Bacolod Bloggers Networking event, I immediately confirmed my attendance; If I could go to Manila for an event, why not in Bacolod – Di ba?

The event was sponsored by PAGCOR and was held at Casino Filipino Bacolod. It was my second time to meet Miss Janette Toral of DigitalFilipino and I was amazed by her memory, she remembered me – my name! WOW, because I’m not good in remembering names, in fact just this afternoon in a Mall, someone approached me “all-smiles” and so I did smile at her too, then she grabbed my hand and shook it saying “sorry I am in a hurry.” Goodness, that was a such relief, if she had stayed and talked to me, I would surely have broken her heart. Deary, if you are reading this, “I AM SORRY.”

However, I think I would remember Marcos, Jun, Mary Jane, Tim and Glady whom I just met during the event. These Iloillo Bloggers have been my friends online for a long time, and we just met each other in person, last night. Also, with us is the infamous Enrico Dee, whom I first met at iBlog 5, introduce to me by another Iloilo Blogger, Bernie (who missed the meet-up).

I really had fun during the event because the organizers did a great job and Miss Janette Toral is full of positive energy – she always smiles at the City of Smiles.

A fellow Iloilo Blogger and my officemate, Claire, seems to have enjoyed it as well. We both won a prize during the raffle – Yehey!

Pics available for download at Intiendes Photos. Here’s the slideshow:

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

I arrived early because I don’t want to panic in an unfamiliar place. The event was held in UP Diliman, in which I just knew is a super wide campus. I wasn’t able to explore it because I don’t want to be lost. I helped out in putting things in the kit given to attendees.

Helpful Early Bird

Pic taken from SexyNomad

As an early bird, I get to choose where to sit.

My client sponsored the event, so I am wearing the 611connect shirt. Head up to 611connect website if you are into blogging and cell phone reviews, we have a writers compensation program that could give you an extra income.

The event was fun and educational.

I met a lot of well known bloggers. As a blogger, I could say that attending free events like this is a must, because not only you get to learn a lot of things, you also meet people whom you often just encounter online.

iBlog 5

Pic taken from MariaKatrina

Expect me to be there on the next free bloggers event.

iBlog5: The 5th Philippine Blogging Summit will be on 09 May 2009 at the Malcolm Theater, UP College of Law, UP Diliman, from 8 am to 5 pm. Registration will still be FREE. Register NOW!

This is the schedule for the day but it is still subject to revisions. Will update as soon as we finalize this.

Morning session: (some can be sponsored talk)

• 9:00 – 9:20 Blogging 101 (Micaela Rodriguez & sponsor slot)
• 9:30 – 9:50 Photo Blogging 101 (Faith Salazar and Fritz Tentativa)
• 10:00 – 10:15 Break
• 10:15 to 10:35 Video Blogging 101 (Azrael Coladilla)
• 10:45 – 11:05 Mobile Blogging 101 (sponsor slot)
• 11:15 – 11:35 Do’s and Don’ts of Blogging 101 (Benj Espina and Juned Sonido)
• 11:45 – 12:05 Blog Promotion & Traffic Generation Strategies 101 (Winston Almendras and Coy Caballes)
• 12:05 – 1:00 Lunch break

Afternoon session:

• 1:00 – 1:20 Legal issues in Blogging
• 1:30 – 2:30 Preparing Bloggers for the 2010 Elections
  - COMELEC on Blogging & Bloggers
  - Citizen Journalism for the 2010 Elections (Oliver Robillo, NAMFREL Chairman – Davao City)
  - The Bloggers Election Handbook project release (Janette Toral)
• 2:40 – 3:30 Blog Advertising Situation in the Philippines (Yehey and 2 sponsors)
• 3:30 – 3:45 Break
• 3:45 – 4:45 Blogging to the Next Level (Fitz Villafuerte and another speaker)
• 4:45 – 5:00 Raffle & Group picture taking

7:00 pm onwards After-Event Party (sponsored)

Check the site for more info.

It all started when a friend sent me a message informing about the WordCamp event that is going to happen here in the Philippines. Since, I am a Wordpress fan, I wouldn’t miss it for the world. So, I registered, and in exchange for a free event I have been required to spread the word that I will be joining the WordCamp.

My post was approved and I was able to get my WordCamp pass.

Since, I was so excited I didn’t notice the typo error at first. I just found the error the day before the event. But it was just a minor error. No Biggy.

The morning of September 6, 2008 my father woke me up at 3:30 AM to be ready to go to the airport. I didn’t complain (wow it’s a miracle) even if I set my alarm at 4:30 AM.

I was having this fear that the flight might be delayed and I will be late for the event. Luckily, my flight arrived Manila 15 minutes earlier than scheduled. Thanks to Cebu Pacific, who was also one of the sponsors of the event.

It took me 3 tries to actually find the right gate to enter for the WordCamp venue. I am from Iloilo and I am not familiar of places in Manila, so that is excusable. Anyway, I am not late. So, when I finally arrived at the right gate, I was relieved. I am not lost – Yahoo!

Then while I was registering my equipment for security, my team mate arrived at the entrance. I was happy to see her, finally I have someone to talk to.

There was only a few people falling in line for the WordCamp, but security was slow in processing some things, but since everyone is so excited, they didn’t seem to mind.

Upon entering we were given our badges and some freebies. It was really cool and I was so happy.

Since, we are one of the first to arrive, we get to choose where to sit. We were able to find a good location.

I was situated on the mid part, so I could see the stage clearly.

The first lesson I attended was Creating WordPress Themes & CSS Power by Gail Villanueva. I have learned a lot from Gail;

• Ang hirap maging speaker pag walang laser pointer na may projector na gamit.
• Ang hirap pag hindi na testing yung projector, kasi yung ibang info ay hindi nakikita. Importante pa naman sana.
• Kapag naguguluhan ang speaker, nagugulo ang speech, nagugulo din yung listeners.
• And most importantly, http://browsershots.org/ to check your work on all the browsers available.

Peace tayo Gail ha! Nagulo kasi ako lagi kang nagsasabing naguguluhan ka

Then Building A Blogging Community by Blogie Robillo. I asked Blogie for some tips on how to get sponsors for the event of a Blog community but he said, it is all in the skill and it would take a whole new seminar for it.

and WordPress & SEO by Hans Koch. He taught us some great plugins to be used.

Thanks to another sponsor Chowking that made our tummy full.

Well, it was a small world indeed because I have seen a relative on the venue. He was in charge of the security during the event.

Finally, after lunch. The most awaited event is to hear the father of Wordpress – Matt Mullenweg. For The Future of WordPress by Matt Mullenweg.

Matt has given us some previews of the great features of the Wordpress 2.7 to be released this November. (NOTE: I like the drag and drop feature … THE BEST!)

And Demystifying Google Analytics by Aileen Apolo.

Of course, I wouldn’t leave the event venue if I didn’t get to have a pic with the Man of the event Matt Mullenweg.

I wasn’t able to finish the whole event because I was scared to be caught on traffic and not able to make it on my flight going home.

My cousin was so happy to fetch me because I bought a shirt for her.

After all that has been said and done. It was a day that really made every hour meaningful!

Thanks to Mindanao Bloggers who organized the WordCamp Philippines. It was the greatest experience of my life so far, and I get to see the STARS of my world. Plus, the souvenirs.

Great thanks to my client Promet Host for financing my travel expenses. It has made me very happy to be a part of Promet Source – A great company to be with!

If you are looking for a hosting – dedicated hosting that would have the best customer service or support, check Promet Host. Our main priority is our customer’s satisfaction!