Last May 14, I got the honor of getting featured again on TV – this time, on one of my favorite shows – QTube! I would like to thank segment producers Japs and Lawrence for giving me this opportunity. I got quite more awesome feedback from visitors because of this feature (a lot better than what I got from “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho”) ; thanks to the more in-depth (lengthy 8-minute) interview and i-Share exclusive, show!

Also, special thanks to my awesome Chong Roy for giving me a Flip – the smallest (and coolest) HD video recorder in teh wurrrld (featured here on the show)!

Here are the 2 parts:

Blogger’s Digest

Videoblogging is the next stage in the evolution of blogging. And although it’s at its infancy in the Philippines, there is one man who is truly pioneering this innovative platform – Coy Coballes a.k.a. Cokskiblue in cyberspace!

i-Share Exclusive

If you can’t get enough of v-logger Coy Caballes and his popular v-logs on the web, here’s your chance to see his next v-log before it comes out on the web. Get an exclusive sneak peek at his next Coskiblue installment! (From Andi & Andy’s Blog)

P.S. Thanks Christine for the greeting!

Good thing I watched Primetime News on QTV Channel 11 last night or else I would’ve missed the pilot of my new favorite show – QTube! Not one. Not two. But three bloggers are featured – Peter Juan, Anton Diaz and Kring Elenzano! That’s no surprise since these guys are indeed making big waves on the internet. And I also found out that QTube’s spiels director is a blogger! Great job Glenn Ala! Cool show!

Wanna know more about QTube? Here’s what I got from their official website:

Watch TV, download music, post photos and videos, make new friends, and reconnect with old ones – there’s truly nothing you can’t do when you’re connected to the internet! Our whole lives are practically connected to – and through – the web. It’s no wonder we’re called the “Wired Generation.” And with the Philippines leading the way in Asia when it comes to photo uploading and social networking, it’s pretty safe to say that Filipinos are tech-savvy. Geek or no geek, if you can’t live without logging on to the web, then you’ll definitely love us. Q-Tube is the ultimate merging of the net and the box! With Qtube, the power of the net is now within your reach – for real, and alive, right on your TV screens!

Blogger’s Digest

It’s all about being heard loud and proud on the net. Blogger’s Digest features the hottest blogs and the personalities behind them – from celebrity bloggers, to obscure but controversial non-celebrity bloggers, and vloggers who are not afraid to speak their minds. Find them all here in Blogger’s Digest.

i-Share and i-Share Exclusive

Do you think you’ve got what it takes to be the next internet star? With i-Share, you get the chance to upload your viral videos for the whole world to see – on TV! And with i-Share Exclusive, you get exclusive sneak peeks at the next video uploads of your favorite internet sensations before they’re even uploaded!

i-Shop

i-Shop is all about the wonderful world of cyber-shopping. We zone in on the world of online trading and show you everything from the best buys online to the weirdest finds on the internet. We’ll let you in on some of the best kept secrets of online shoppers. We’ll even let our hosts check out these products in person! iShop is definitely your ultimate guide to internet shopping!

i-Love

i-Love features touching and inspiring love stories that happened via the internet. These are stories from you and by you – love stories so real they’ll make even the most skeptic cyber-surfer a true believer in l’amour.

i-Sore and i-Report

Thanks to the Internet, the world has become a smaller place. Breaking news spreads faster and no issue is left unturned. With iSore and iReport, we show you how the World Wide Web has shaped and continually shapes news, issues, and current events.

i-Travel

i-Travel is your on-air guide to online travel. Navigate your way through cyberspace to find the best destinations, the best rates, and the best travel packages. Get to see the world before you even leave your seats. With i-Travel, you get to stay updated with just one click and get in touch with Pinoys all over the world through your webcam.

Get 100% virus-free internet TV on Qtube every Thursday, 10:15 PM on Q Channel 11!

You’ve seen Part 1 and Behind the Scenes of Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho’s feature on Pinoy Video Blogging. Now here comes my part of the segment…

…after the Jump!

I shall officially call these kind of posts as part of the Singlehood Chronicles Series. If you remember by this time last year, I was in the same predicament. Only this year, I’m not too Bitter Ocampo about it. Rather than gloating and whining, last Saturday I actually did something about the situation. Although it wasn’t really part of any of my plans, Speed Dating is a welcome new hobby distraction while looking for that *ehem* special someone. So what is Speed Dating? Check out this awesome feature by ABS-CBN’s Probe featuring awesome Arete events organizer Poyt, event host/”chix” Kring, camery shy rockstar Fritz, “spontaneous lover” BillyCoy and yours truly:

Just last night, I got into this heated discussion with friends about the reasons why people go to speed dates. A friend said – people who know what they want and know how to get it should not be part of these “superficial” activities. First dates are bad enough since we know that we only get to see their best foot forward but 3 minutes? That’s just the tip of a large, cold, scary iceberg.

But I disagree. Forget about meeting the ONE. Am I the only person who thinks I have to meet as much people as I can? It’s not really about what I might be missing out but it’s more on what I can learn from these new acquaintances – you get to discover certain aspects of who you are, how you wanna grow and what you really want. Everyone is different. And each person will touch affect you in a different way.

But if I’m lucky enough to actually meet her – that person who’s not necessarily the perfect match but the right one, like what one of my close friends said, “Huwag mo nang pakawalan.”

Arete Events
Galileo Enoteca Italian Restaurant and Deli, Makati
Graphic tees from Solo
Freeway
Stylebible

Awesome photography by http://certainkindofhue.multiply.com/

Manual Magazine‘s December 2008-January 2009 issue features bloggers and different blogging articles for every guy (and gal) blogger out there!

Four bloggers – Markku, Regnard, Mike and yours truly shared our insights on how we blog and what we blog about. Other very interesting articles written by RJ, Rico and Jayvee are here as well:

• Who’s Afraid of the Big, Bad Blog?
• How to Write a Juicy Blog
• What Kind of Blog Do You Have?
• 5 Things I Learned from Blogging
• Blogged Down
• Milking the Blogging Cash Cow

Here’s a sneak peek to CokskiBlue’s interview:

I knew they were going to quote that! LOL.

GET YOUR COPIES NOW!

The first week of December seems to be a week for Filipino Voices bloggers on National TV as Benj, Dean Jorge, and Nick visit the sets of ANC (ABS-CBN New Channel) for Media in Focus and The Explainer guestings.

Here is Part 1 of the Media in Focus episode last December 3 entitled “Cyber Checks”:

Now here’s Part 2:

CokskiBlue is not exactly the most socially relevant blog (duh) but when I *try* to speak of issues that actually matter, Filipino Voices is one of the strong forces that have inspired and motivated me to do so. Nick’s call to speak up on the Malu Fernandez issue in his blog, Tingog.com, was my first to delve into the more weighty side of video blogging. I tend to be too conscious of what I say on social or political topics and I really don’t go into much details but I do hope my simple videos have provided awareness to a number of people about the issues I choose to vlog about – like my video entries for the Philippine Issues Writing Project where I got an awesome Coffee Table book courtesy of Gibbs Cadiz:

  It’s great to have finally met Nick of Tingog.com and Filipino Voices. May you inspire more bloggers to stand up and be heard.

Plurkfiesta with Nick of Filipino Voices. Thanks Hannah for the pic!

“UPCAT” Premiere Coverage and Screening Details!

UPCAT The Movie, one of the films under Cinema One Originals Film Festival premiered at the UP Film Center, Diliman Quezon City last November 20, 2008. The event, one of the first stops of Cinema One Originals 2008 Campus Tour, was attended by a great number of indie film fans and movie-goers. Reactions to the movie is kinda mixed but the comedy scenes were sure hits to the crowd composed mostly of UP students and alumni.

Here are screening details and the synopsis of the film:

December 3 to 9, 2008
Robinson’s Galleria Indiesine

Lucas and Joaquin are two teenage boys from the province who believe passing the UPCAT (University of the Philippines College Admissions Test) is the passport to their dreams. While Joaquin’s goal is to get a well-paying job and bring his OFW parents back home, Lucas wants nothing more than to win the heart of his schoolmate Jane – and perhaps her family, all of whom are UP-educated. The two seek help in reviewing from Michael, a UP Fine Arts graduate with a secret. In this light coming-of-age story, Lucas and Joaquin discover some truths about life, love, dreams and shaded circles and a little more about themselves along the way.

Part 1 Here.

Now, here’s the second and last part of ANC’s feature and bloggers interview about the Philippine Blog Awards. Topics covered are:

• Challenges Faced in the Philippine Community of Bloggers
• PhilippineBlogAwards.com is not “office safe” (joke lolz)
• Reasons in Blogging
• Future of Blogging and the Philippine Blog Awards
• Plug your Blog!

Also check-out My Philippine Blog Awards Top 5 Hits.

SUBSCRIBE to CokskiBlue for more updates.

The Philippine Blog Awards indeed has more media coverage this year. First, on GMA 7 and QTV 11. Then on Jove Francisco’s segment on TV 5. And now, on the ABS-CBN News Channel’s Mornings @ ANC. Watch the first part of this segment with TJ Manotoc featuring Juned, Ferdz and Karlo.

Watch out for Part 2 and SUBSCRIBE TO BE UPDATED.

Also, check-out my vlog on My Philippine Blog Awards’ Top 5 Hits Featuring Happyslip.

Blog and Soul

For three of the country’s most influential bloggers, it’s not all about fame and moneymaking ratings. Transit chats with Jayvee Fernandez, Phoebe Ramos and Coy Caballes who have turned their hobbies into a powerful media tool.

By Julian Catral
Photos by Mark Chester Ang

Internet’s high page ratings don’t always belong to the rumormongers, the gossip-frenzied, and those run-of-the-mill social climbers. We met three bloggers who prove that there is substantial life out there on the web. Their pages showcase their passion for a variety of click-worthy topics.

Coy Caballes
thisiscoy.net

Coy is a fresh UP graduate and an aspiring filmmaker, and through his vlog (short for video-blog) he takes on his aspirations YouTube-style. He started out in 2004 as a personal blogger. “And then when I discovered Happy Slip’s show in 2006, it inspired me to make my own show,” he shares.

Coy’s video blog was launched in April 2007, via a short personal introduction. What followed was a video blog about his family trip to Baguio, which got a lot of comments. “Readers said it was the first time they saw a blog that’s purely video,” says the 22-year-old. “It was new to them; and they said they wanted more. It inspired me to do more.”

While video blogging would be a toil for many—with all the conceptualizing, shooting and editing one has to do—Coy still prefers it to writing. “Writing takes a lot of my time. With video-blogging, you just face the camera, hold the microphone, and you can talk about anything. Your only problem would be editing. You have to fit everything in five minutes because web viewers have a short attention span. You have to be interesting within the first few seconds.”

This Is Coy contains hardly any of the Moymoy Palaboy kind. His vlogs are about witty observations on his everyday life. “My videos are a bit tame because my entire family is watching—even my relatives from the States. But I did one controversial entry about Malou Fernandez, the writer who dissed OFWs. I made an essay-type video blog about her—pictures included. It was even shown on ANC as a prelude to a show about her.”

While video vlogginh is still a growing niche, Coy has already been recognized in several contests, including last year’s Top 10 Emerging Influential Blogs. The funny thing is, Coy doesn’t even use a fancy video camera to shoot the episodes of his vlog—just digital cameras. And he got them all for free. “I’ve been very lucky,” he says.

KNOW MORE ABOUT THE FEATURED BLOGGERS

Location: Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf at A.Venue, Makati.
Special thanks to Geiser-Maclang PR.