Blogger's Hot Seat: Joel of BatangMangyan.com

Last but not the least na pasok sa ating Blogger of the Year Contest ay ang blogger na masasabi nating Happy Feet. Ito ay sa kadahilanang madalas siyang bumibisita sa iba't ibang lugar di lang sa Pinas kundi maging sa labas ng bansa. Isa siya sa mga naparangalan sa nakaraang PEBA 2010 para sa OFW Supporters Division. Isa rin siya sa mga admins ng Facebook Group na U-Blog. Ating kilalanin si Joel ng Batangmangyan.com

Pangalan/Alias: Joel/Leoj/BatangMangyan/BM
Blog Name at URL: batangmangyan.com
Lokasyon: Cainta, Rizal


PERSONAL QUESTIONS:

Bino: Tell me something about yourself.
BM: I’m a happy person. Smile is my thing. I dream but I don’t expect, I only hope. I eat street food, lalo na ang isaw ng manok. I like dinuguan, dinakdakan (Ilokano version of sisig), bicol express, fish kinilaw of Davao at syempre ang butterscotch ng Iloilo. I’m afraid of heights but I’d like to try paragliding and bungee, I hope I can. I collect miniature motorcycles and airplanes, it’s fun. I have a huge aquarium, it’s relaxing, fish do sleep, too. I had a labrador named Leoj, he’s gone a few months back but now I have Posh, an askal. I love to travel, explore new things. Travel for me is happiness. I make friends, it’s rewarding, and friends can count on me. I live simple, sakto lang, basta happy!

Bino: Kelan at paano ka nagsimulang magblog?
BM: I started blogging in August 2009, was just bloghopping at first until my friend Bon of bonistation.com encouraged me to make my own, to share my experiences from my trips. I remember I made one which turned out like a “travel agency” blog hahaha. I didn’t like it, I wanted it more personal and then BatangMangyan came out.

Bino: Bakit mo naisipang pasukin ang mundo ng blogging?
BM: Bakit nga ba? I find it interesting. I can share my insights and my experiences. I can learn from others, too. I can meet new faces, make friends. Reading also refreshes my mind. Though I really lack time to write, to blog, it’s my problem until now, taragis!

Bino: Sino ang iyong inspirasyon o hinahangaan sa bloggging? Ipaliwanag
BM: No blogger in particular but I like those with humors, informative stuff, life-inspiring stories and experiences, and of course travel tips, but not much of those with heavy stuff and drama, oftentimes these make me feel sick 

Bino: Kung may hinahangaan kang blogero, mayroon ka ba namang kinaiinisan? Bakit o ano ang dahilan?
BM: Para sa akin kasi, what a blogger writes simply describes the kind of person behind it. I’d say blogging is all about people. Everyone is different. If I put too many conditions on how others should behave, I risk putting myself out of the blogosphere. I can choose to be irritated haha but I’d rather practice tolerance to be happier ;)


Bino: Ano ang pinakamagandang karanasan mo sa daigdig ng blogging?
BM: Knowing you guys here is really a rewarding thing, friends keep coming and I consider it a blessing. One great experience also is the award I got from PEBA, my tribute to all OFW bloggers around the world. At syempre, to be featured in Damuhan is also a different experience; feels like I’m really on a hot seat, taragis pare!

Bino: Ano naman ang hindi magandang karanasan mo dito? Paano mo ito nalampasan?
BM: So far, so good haha, I don’t think I’ll have one but I am ready enough just in case. Laging handa ang BatangMangyan pare haha!

Bino: Dumating na ba sa punto na tinamad ka na magblog? ipaliwanag.
BM: Yeah, several times. Nakakatawa lang kasi, I blog at least once a month tinamad pa haha. But I’ll keep blogging kahit once a year pa yan, I won’t leave this world. I have so much to tell while I keep exploring and keep traveling.

Bino: Ano ang nagbago sa buhay mo dulot ng blogging?
BM: A lot of things learned. I keep learning more. I appreciate more. Wait, there’s one thing, I learned how to say NO, mahirap pala, taragis!

Bino: Ano ang maipapayo mo sa mga kapwa blogero na nagsisimula pa lang sa ganitong larangan ganundin sa mga gustong gumawa ng blog?
BM: I’d say just write what you like, what you think you are good at, you are the boss and you can do best if you really know what you want. Write from within but don’t write when in bad mood, words are really powerful. Write to express, not to impress. Be careful. Be responsible.

Bino: Ano ang masasabi mo sa Filipino Bloggers? Paano mo sila maikukumpara sa bloggers sa ibang lahi?
BM: Iba pa din syempre ang Pinoy, ramdam pa din ang drama haha! Generally, Pinoys are affectionate and still this trait comes out naturally even in writing.


Bloggers’ Questions:


MP: Sa tingin ko kasi napaka-successful mo, bigyan mo naman kami ng tip(s) para maging successful
BM: Sa tingin mo lang hahaha. Well, being successful for me is being happy and good in what we’re doing. Dream, make at least a concrete plan as guide but be flexible. Don’t despair if things turn out differently as planned. You can always revise, you can risk. Don’t expect too much. Hope. At ang pinakaimportante pare, pray and ask for guidance. At huwag kalimutan ngumiti at magpasalamat!

Zen: Kung meron kang maipagmamalaking isang lugar lamang dito sa Pilipinas, ano iyon at bakit?
BM: Sagada, Mt. Province, it’s the only place that you would feel you’re really on top haha. no kidding, it’s entirely different, the weather, the people, the culture. And you would love to come back once you experienced climbing up Sagada! Try to find out why lels!

Leah: Tinanong to sa akin ni Zyra.. ibabato ko din sayo. Hehe. Ano ba ang trabaho mo? Bakit gala ka lang nang gala? And bakit you look so yaman?
BM: Natawa ako dito leah sa “you look so yaman.” Taragis, ‘di naman. I’m into research work that requires a lot of trips. We pilot action-research projects, do surveys, info campaign - and it’s nationwide. So after work, gala na!

Leah: Sabi nila, kalog ka daw. Palangiti. Palatawa. Pero sa tuwing merong hangout sa Google+, parang ang mahal ng ngiti mo. Yun lang talaga ang nanotice ko. Bakit nga ba? Paki explain? lol
BM: I am. Sabi ko nga “smile” is my thing. Mahirap lang talaga siguro ngumiti ON CAM haha!

Leah: Kung manalo ka ng isang all-expenses-paid trip for two with luxury accommodations to the destination of your choice, anong lugar/bansa ang pipiliin mo at sino naman ang isasama mo?
BM: I’ll bring my mom to Lourdes, France.

Leah: What is your favorite movie of all time, and what is your favorite scene in it?
BM: Life Is Beautiful, an Italian film and my favorite part is towards the end, when in the middle of the chaos, the innocent child still believes that what’s happening is still part of the game as what his father told him before he left. You got to watch this; it made me appreciate life…MORE.

Leah: If there is one thing you could change about your past, what would it be.. and why?
BM: Nothing, what I have today is the result of my past. If I change it, wala ako sa blogosphere lels! (pang Ginoong Pilipinas na ang tanong, taragis!)

Leah: What is the BEST piece of advice anyone has ever given to you?
BM: Look back! Count your blessings!

Bernard: Sa lahat ng byahe mo, alin ang pinaka memorable sayo?
BM: haha lahat ay memorable. But still there’s always a “pinaka”, Israel I think. Umiyak kasi ako pare when I touched the stone where Jesus’ body was anointed after death. It’s real. Nakakakilabot!

Bernard: Anong pinakamahalagang bagay ang natutunan mo sa mga byahe mo?
BM: Respect and appreciation. At isa pa, be prepared at all times. And be on time, hindi pwede ang Filipino time. Lels!

Bernard: Ano ang next dream place mo na gustong puntahan?
BM: Rome and any country in Africa.

Bernard: Kung magiging secretary ka ng Department of Toursim, paano mo itataguyod ang turismo ng Pilipinas?
BM: (nakakapagod ang tanong na ito lels) I wish. I’d still promote local tourism, I’ll bring back the projects of Wow Philippines, it worked at it will work again. Naitaguyod din kasi ang local products that helped boost local economy.

Bernard:. Naniniwala ka ba na uunlad ang bansa natin sa konsepto ng Sustainable Development; kung saan itataguyod pa rin natin ang bansa bilang isang agrikultural na bansa?
BM: Yes, (pang-Secretary na ang tanong na ito) taragis! Of course, countries in the first world like Japan, Israel, US, NZ, Aus. still depend on Agriculture, but this time it’s a modernized agriculture. With the emerging technology and of course good governance and leaders, Philippines has also a better way to do it, sagana tayo sa resources. this is to ideal tho haha, but still let’s hope, we can do our part, taragis!

Kikilabotz: Sino sa mga bloggers ang gusto mo halikan?
BM: With due respect to all the girls here, I would like to kiss them all. But to choose only one from them, ibang usapan na yan haha taragis ka Marvin!

Kikilabotz: Kung bibigyan ka ng chance para mahalikan ang sagot sa unang tanong ko, saan mo siya hahalikan, sa upper lip o sa lower lip? at bkit?
BM: I’ll start from the upper to lower then both! Para sulit. Hahaha.

Bon: Sa dami mong byahe abroad, anong isang katangian nating mga pinoy ang palagi mong dala dala at ipinagmamalaki? bakit?
BM: I always bring my smiles with me everywhere I go, and I can easily make friends out from it. Being friendly is important when you go places. You can be rewarded with good people who will give you a hand especially when you travel alone.

Bon: Sa loob ng eroplano ano ang masaasabi mo sa voice over during demonstration before take off : In the event of a change in cabin pressure, panels above your head will open revealing oxygen masks. Pull the mask down toward you to activate the flow of oxygen. Cover your nose and mouth with the mask. Place the elastic band around your head and continue to breathe normally. "Remember to secure your own mask before assisting others.” - Ano ang pananaw mo sa "attend to yourself before helping others".
BM: haha, taragis! Yeah, inside the plane, we have to secure our own mask before assisting others, how can we assist if we can’t breathe. Even outside the plane, in our daily life, we can be of great help if we are well-equipped, if we have enough weapons, if we have enough strength to share with others, if we have enough resources, and if we have the willingness to help.

Cuteberl: Nakita ko sa damit mo ito sa isang blog post mo "I thank God for making me a FILIPINO". Give me at least 3 reasons why you are thanking God that you are a FILIPINO?
BM: haha, I didn’t say that, PENSHOPPE said that lels. Filipino sa isip, sa salita at sa gawa, haha. kidding aside, we really mean what we think, say and do. masarap maging Pinoy!

Cuteberl: Madami dami ka na ring napuntahang bansa. Minsan ba naisip mong tumira sa ibang bansa? kung meron man san at bakit dun?
BM: Yup, I’d like to live in NZ, kasi you feel safe, it’s zero crime. You can leave your house unlocked lels. Though it’s a lil bit laid back but still you have everything there. I want a slow-paced living, why rush in the first place while you can do some petiks! lels

Cuteberl: Anung bansa ang dream mong mapuntahan at bakit?
BM: I want to explore the secrets of Vatican. Haha.

CJ:  Gaano mo ka favorite ang durian at kelan ka huling nakatikim nito? Anong meron sa davao na durian na inaasam asam mo lalo na nung pupunta ako ng manila then ngayon pa iloilo?
BM: Wow. yup I like it as much as I like Davao haha. kelan huli nakatikim, 3 weeks ago if I may remember, passed by Tiendesitas then I had some. I like Durian ice cream too and Durian pie. Hahaha. You’ll know more only if you bring me some when you go to Iloilo lels.

Message from BM.


Bino, maraming salamat sa napakainit na Damuhan seat, taragis, kakaibang experience to be proud of. Guys, salamat sa maiinit na tanong, it’s like I just made a back-to-station report of one of my project visits, but this time it’s no technical, it’s personal. Salamat sa inyong lahat. See you guys in Iloilo.
More power to Damuhan!



To Joel

Isang superrrrrr thank you sa pagpapaunlak na maitampok ka dito sa Damuhan! Isang super Taragis! See you sa Ilo-ilo! :)