The Mindanao blog

No, I’m not talking about this baby blog of ours. The Mindanao blog, if there ever was one, is Bob Martin’s and none other. Although he’s American and has been living here less than a decade, Bob has been to more places in Mindanao than most of us! Check out his Lakbayan map: you’ll see he’s covered more than 80% of the country’s 2nd largest island already. (Some of us were astounded when, one day, he showed us photos of his trip to Tawi-Tawi!)

What I appreciate the most in the Mindanao blog is that it’s honest, down-to-earth and very today. Reading Bob’s posts, I can see how much he cares about how the world perceives his adoptive home. We all know the bad image the world holds of Mindanao (due in large part to unfair and incomplete reportage); they’re not all untrue, but the bad press has certainly been more damaging than the real deal. The Mindanao blog balances this — dare I say, cancels out the negative publicity?

True, there is strife and hardship and poverty in Mindanao. The blog doesn’t hide that fact, and I have never seen Bob sugar-coat his posts. He paints the true picture, as only an objective outsider can achieve. And yet, this amiable fellow is no longer an outsider. His love for Mindanao has made him one of us.

The Mindanao blog is part of Bob’s e-commerce network of websites. Yes, it’s a monetized site and Bob actually makes a decent living off of his online presence. But beyond that, the Mindanao blog, through its balanced views and timely updates, provides an invaluable service to the world. I’m not exaggerating: Whenever there’s bad news on the wires about our island, Bob’s blog gets hit with tons of online traffic from all over. So much so that he’s had to upgrade to a bigger and faster server recently.

My good friend Bob, whom I first “met” via an e-mailing list called Mindanao-L in 1996, now lives with his family in Davao City. He has been a positive influence on my blogging activities, and is in fact generously providing hosting services for a number of my blogs.

Bob Martin will be one of our speakers during the 1st Mindanao Bloggers Summit. He’ll be talking about his various experiences with regards to his Mindanao sojourns, as well as how and why he blogs about it.

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13 Responses to “The Mindanao blog”
  1. Mindanao Bob 10 July 2007 at 6:29 am #

    Hi Blogie – Wow! Thank you for the nice write-up. I really enjoyed what you had to say. It humbles me.

  2. jehzlau 10 July 2007 at 9:36 am #

    wow nice! exciting to ah.. hehehe

  3. tj_brewed 11 July 2007 at 5:50 pm #

    Great Blog. Mindanao Blog is one of my fave!

  4. Felmar Fiel 31 July 2007 at 11:39 pm #

    i am interested to join the you got blogged…after our midterm exams…hehe

  5. Blogie 31 July 2007 at 11:50 pm #

    @Felmar — you have up to mid-October to join! :)

  6. ailema 9 August 2007 at 10:15 pm #

    hahha wow exciting naman ito :D

  7. phileagle 1 October 2007 at 3:52 pm #

    Help needed! How to start po
    sting blogs here. Thanks.

  8. Blogie 1 October 2007 at 6:08 pm #

    @phileagle — I’d be glad to help you out… but, what do you mean by “sting blogs”?

  9. reah 14 March 2008 at 11:09 pm #

    Thanks Bob for this wonderful site

  10. LEA 25 June 2008 at 6:35 pm #

    i’ve been reading letters from people who admire u and r grateful to u 4 ur blog and i’d like to add my admiration 4 what u have done 4 the people of mindanao.I’D ALSO LIKE TO SAY THAT WHEN I WAS IN MINDANAO I WAS NEVER AFRAID EVEN THO MY FILIPINO FAMILY WERE VERY PROTECTIVE OF ME. MAYBE IT WAS BECAUSE OF MY IGNORANCE. I LOVE FILIPINOS AND THE PHILIPPINES IS 4EVER IN MY HEART. BAYANG MAGILIEW IS THE NATIONAL ANTHEM THAT MOVES ME TO TEARS. PHILIPPINES AND FILIPINOS R IN MY HEART AND SOUL 4EVER GOD BLESS U ALL. LEA

  11. pregnancy symptoms 9 February 2009 at 11:48 pm #

    I wish to wish all pregnant women of good mood, easy pregnancy and natural sorts! Good luck also are happy! Give birth easily and independently! Let not doctors give birth for you, and you! Also adjust itself on chest feeding of the kid! Read the necessary information! Be, lovely pregnant mums and expecting posterities of the daddy, are healthy and wise!

  12. Purely yours 22 February 2009 at 11:38 pm #

    It's truly amazing! thanks for the information about it. I appreciate it, just bookmarking you, will definitely be back again.

  13. stevekolodziejczyk 23 July 2009 at 2:45 am #

    Bob,

    Maayong buntag!! My name is Steve Kolodziejcyzk. I want to know something about Mindano. Specifically, the hospital system. Ok. Well, do the small medical clinics in Salug, Zamboanga Del Norte region of Mindano require a admittance fee . If so, what would the general admittance price be??

    Bob, i really need u to contact me if u can text message from there.Today is the 22 July 2009. My text number from Seattle,WA is 360-850-2011

    Tinuud, my problem is that my wife is struggling in that province and we need advice from someone i can trust.

    Daghan kaaying salamat po.

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