History
Cebu Bloggers Society was founded on the 14th of February, 2008 by Mark Monta. The idea of organizing bloggers in Cebu came to him after an online conference with Jerry Gervacio and Kevin Ray Chua. On that very day, he created a Yahoo group called Cebu Bloggers Society. A few months after that, more and more bloggers joined the group.
On August 18, 2008, the pioneering members of the group met Aileen Apolo, the country’s Google marketing consultant. She personally met the group to hand Kevin Ray Chua’s plaque of recognition for winning in the Top Ten Emerging Influential Blogs in the country.
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 Janette Toral, the president of the club. It was in that event that the group was publicly recognized. During that day also, the new Cebu Bloggers Society website was launched.
Along with the new website, the group has also decided to change their medium of communication. That is, from Yahoo group, they created their own forum under the new Cebu Bloggers Society portal. All group members exclusively communicate to each other in the forum.
On November 02, 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 09, 2008 to be exact, a selected group members was 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.
The group ended year 2008 with a successful Christmas party that was held at Jardin De Busay inside the Mendoza Residence. And by the start of the year 2009, February 21 to be exact, the Cebu Bloggers Society was formally organized after the election of pioneering officers and board of trustees. This was with the help of Attorney Ethelbert Ouano, the legal adviser of the organization.
During the first quarter of 2009, the group has already covered lots of events. Among these events are:
- In the Company of Mom Concert with Aiza Seguerra
- ASUS Ultimate Overclocking Showdown
- Mama Maria’s Pizzeria Opening Day
- One-Hour Interview with Senator Mar Roxas
- Hob Con 2009
- Project Headshot Clinic One Youth
- SM City Cebu Launching of Free Mallwide Wi-Fi
Other than that, the group has also successfuly organized its very first community service outreach for the Umapad fire victims in Mandaue last 14th of June, 2009.
The group was also invited to attend the following events: Maribago Bluewater Summer Blowout, Yehey and La Maison Conference, UCC Cafe Bloggers Treat and Sumilon Island Day Tour Trip.
Cebu Bloggers Society is currently an official media partner of Cane Events (the organizer of Hob Con 2009 and Satin Eclipse 2009), and Otaku Fest (the organizer of Otaku Fest 3.0 ). The organization is open for possible media partnerships with companies and organizations, specifically Cebu based ones.
The organization, being true to its main purpose of promoting Cebu through blogging and along with its highly competitive members, has achieved a new level of reputation both online and offline. The group is now exploring the field of new media (internet broadcasting), wherein it recounts facts based from genuine sources through bias-free citizen journalists – no other than the Cebu Bloggers Society members.
