A Glimpse of …

Almost Satellite is a Filipino post-rock-alternative band from Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines. The band emerged in October of 2008, as K9, where they showed off their talents and made it to the finals of a regional rock band contest held in Cagayan de Oro that year – Red Horse Muziklaban. Restless from Cagayan de Oro to Bukidnon for the eliminations, to the semi-finals in Butuan, and the finals in Marikina City – they paved their own way instead of  just walking down main street looking to catch a big break.

It was 2009 when they started to write their own songs. Some of the songs were based on some of their personal lives and their experiences as a group and each song they release to the public, never fails to be a hit thus creating many more opportunities for themselves like mainstream media features and guesting.

They decided to change their name as Almost Satellite, last 2010, in accordance with their current band genre and existing band members. Ever since then, in every event they get to perform in, they have been known in doing a great job in bringing the house down.

Their music is labeled as post-rock-alternative – a sub-genre of rock music. Characterized by the influence and use of instruments associated with guitar rhythms as melodic and textures, with post drum and bass style, and high vocal pitch and scream.

Almost Satellite’s current line-up consists of Tyrone Encabo (vocals), Bam Roa (guitar), Tatski Lagrosas (bass), Jopax Arendain (guitar), and Jedi Dela Cruz (drums).

November 2011, they finished recording their debut album “The Final Cut” with 8 original singles and 2 music videos of their current hit tracks – “As You Sleep” and “Sleepless Streets”.

Witness as they take the stage and launch their first album, “The Final Cut”, on Saturday, January 28, 2012 at Punchbowl-Karomata together with the best Cagayan de Oro and Iligan indie bands. Show starts 8pm.

LIKE Almost Satellite on Facebook

Ever since Typhoon Sendong (international name: Washi) struck Cagayan de Oro and Iligan city, a lot of people I personally know have been constantly asking about the situations and updates here, some asking for photos, the city and the people’s needs, the people they know, some even asked about our precious river.

I know there are a whole lot of people who are hating the river now for what had recently happened, but it wasn’t the river’s fault – I guess it has been clear all along. For me, it all sums up to greed and abuse of power…Your thoughts?

To those who don’t know, might have forgotten, or those that needs to know what we can benefit from the river, here are some: it can generate electricity, provide food, for domestic purposes, and of-course a tourist attraction. So, we really should take care of it, along with the other key parts of the ecosystem.

The Cagayan de Oro River was originally called Kalambaguasasahan River, because of the presence of Lambago trees (Hibiscus tiliaceus) along the river banks. It moves down slope at a fast velocity that the water creates white-foam rapids which makes it suitable for white water rafting — this is a natural trait NOT ALL rivers exhibit. If you want to know the history of the river, you can read here.

It was in 2002 that Cagayan de Oro was labeled the White Water Rafting Capital. But a couple of nature lovers and adventurers started navigating the Cagayan de Oro River since 1995, followed by the former president of the country in 2002. Since then, a lot of rafting companies had emerged and together they had been promoting one of the city’s wonders and at the same time protecting it, up until now.

I got the chance to revisit the river last January 19, 2012 along with the other media groups (bloggers, photographers, videographers, news people, and individuals) including the people behind the movement “Barog, Kagay-anon” (Move, Kagay-anon) which is a series of activities that aims to revive the Cagayan de Oro Tourism and eventually the city.

For 3 successive days, the group experienced the beauty and excitement of CDO! We revisited the river with the new and exciting rapids and features. They were all a new challenge for us but they were still breathtakingly fun!

Watch out for the video releases of our experience coming real soon!

For now, here are some photos captured for us to remember!

Salamat Great White Water Tours and to the river guides for the awesome experience! It’s definitely a go for CDO!

This was our transpo heading to the start of the experience

Quick stop at the Makahambus Cave

Cagayan de Oro and Mindanao Bloggers all geared up for the experience

Mini Falls along the Cagayan de Oro River

That's us, on the newest and most challenging rapid called 'Surprise'.

Click here to view more photos.

Destructive Mining in Opol

Mining in the Philippines should be stopped due to its dangerous effects to the environment and indigenous communities. The DENR and its attached agencies virtually committed grave abuse of power when they issued permits and tenements to mining firms. Most of the mining firms also encroach mostly on the marginal farmers and ancestral lands(Yutang Gisaad) knowing that it would harm the environment.

Let’s help save our remaining forests. Climate Justice, Life for all.. Act now!

- Bahanding Kinaiyahan, Nature Inc., and NCPF

Ato ipakita atong pagsupporta sa “NO TO MINING” by joining the hearing this January 26, 2012. 9:00am at Court of appeals (YMCA Bldg., Julio Pacana Street, Cagayan de Oro City)

Articles about this issue:

https://www.facebook.com/notes/bob-ocio/mr-president-political-will-starts-with-you-oro-officials-must-go-including-your/10150502133944405

http://www.columbanmission.net/when.html

News about this issue:

http://www.goldstardailynews.com/northern-mindanao-x/7677-rufus-to-city-hall-stop-mining-now.html

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/regions/14923-ngos-zamboanga-folk-file-writ-of-kalikasan-vs-mining-firms

http://no2mininginpalawan.com/2011/09/14/denr-against-total-stoppage-of-mining-in-zambo-peninsula/

As I was cooking earlier today, I noticed something that I never really notice most of the time and it got me asking myself if I still knew what I learned back in grade school. It was a bit of challenge and I had a bit of a hard time. So anyway, while I was cooking and the idle time for braising came along, I just sat there staring at the gas tank or should I correct it now, gas bottle. Yep, that is what it’s supposed to be called. I found it amazing that these bottles help us in our current daily lives, even for those who are sick and depending on it.

I researched about it and how each one is made and what they are for and I found out how critical and risky getting yourself into making gas cylinders is. There are a couple of types of high pressured gas cylinders out there but to name a few, there’s nitrogen cylinder, medical gas cylinder, oxygen tanks (bottles), and our daily kitchen best friend, the LPG or the liquefied petroleum gas.

If you plan on acquiring one type of gas bottle that you need for your residence or office, please do check on the cylinder size and type of each item that you will acquire first because those are the key topics that might cost price differences and each design has different rates. So when you decide to purchase one in the near future, think of these.

There are still a lot of important things that one should know when acquiring or even having one already. There are safety tips that one should consider. One should always bear in mind that these bottles are pressurized, so this will explode if not taken care of the right way. I’ll write about the safety tips soon.

Below is a map of the Cagayan de Oro Sendong Evacuation Sites / Camps. A link below the map is provided for the larger map view and the details of each evacuation site including the number of families and individuals, contact person and number, and the site needs as of their latest update.

You can zoom in and out using the + and – buttons at the top left portion of the map. You can also click and drag anywhere on the map for easier navigation.

Cagayan de Oro Sendong Evacuation Camps mapped.

Click on this link for the details of each camp site and larger map.

P.S.

In two days time marks the first month since Sendong happened.