Calling all bloggers in any blog platform to join the First Negros Tourism Blog Contest sponsored by the the Province of Negros Occidental through the Negros Occidental Tourism Center. This is in line with the celebration of the Provincial Tourism Week on September 19-27 with the theme, “Tourism and Biodiversity.”

Below are the mechanics:

1. The contest is open to all residents of Negros Occidental aged 15-65 years old.
2. Entries should be written in English with a minimum of 500 to a maximum of 1000 words and must speak about Negros tourism, attractions, destinations, festivals or the blogger’s experience.
3. Each blogger is only allowed to submit three entries that have not been published online or in print, or copy pasted from other articles.
4. Entries should have a link using the Negros Tourism Website (www.negrosoccidentaltourism.com) or should be emailed to tourism_negocc@yahoo.com on or before September 17.

Criteria for judging:

Content and Organization of Ideas 50%;

Mastery of English language 20%;

Writing style and Approaches 20%; and

Use of pictures and videos 10%;

Winning entries will be published in a local paper and posted on the official Negros Tourism website and will receive P3000, P2000, P1000, for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd placers plus trophy.

Original Post From: Experience Negros

Let us know why you love your city and why you love SM and get a chance to win P5,000 worth of SM Gift Cards or one of six Sony Ericsson phones!

During the last few months, prominent personalities brought us on a visual tour of their hometown in the My City, My SM campaign, sharing with us why they love their city and why they love SM.

Multi-awarded film director Brillante Mendoza and Mutya ng Kapampangan Nicolette Henson let us know why despite all their success, they Left their Heart in San Fernando; while the entrepreneurial Aldeguer brothers – Jay, Michael, and Chris, and socialite Teresin Mendezona talked about their booming and beautiful city in Cebu, Cebu.
Mang Inasal’s Edgar Sia II and Dr. Josette Biyo, who has a planet named after her, gave us a tour of Sweet Home Iloilo; while National artist Bencab and Binibining Pilipinas Universe 2001 and lawyer Zorayda Ruth Andam shared with us why it is Baguio on My Mind for each of them.

Artist, writer, and foodie Claude Tayag and educator and CHED Chairman Dr. Emmanuel Y. Angeles were upbeat about their hometown in Up, Up, and Away at Clark; while Philippine Tatler Magazine’s Managing Editor and Rotary District Governor Chit Lijauco and the Tiongco Brothers – Emil, Jun, and Art – showed us the other side of progressive Santa Rosa in If You Are Going to Santa Rosa.

Now it is your turn to be our tour guide and share with us the attractions, festivals, history, culture, and lifestyle of your hometown in the My City, My SM Contest. Simply let us know why you love your city and why you love the SM mall in it –in a photo essay- and get a chance to win exciting prizes from SM and Sony Ericsson.

The contest will run until July 2010, and you can join by simply sending an email of your photo essay to lorena.martinez@smsupermalls.com or pstar_smmycity@yahoo.com.
SM will choose one lucky winner per week, who will be entitled to P5,000.00 worth of SM Gift Cards, and whose write up will be published in the Lifestyle sections of leading national papers.

There will also be a Special Category for photo essays using a camera phone, wherein winners will be awarded one of six There will also be a Special Category for photo essays using a camera phone, wherein winners will be awarded one of six Sony Ericsson phones. Five (5) winners will each be entitled to a C510 Cyber-Shot phone with the famous smile shutter and intuitive zero-click access to Facebook. One also has a chance to winning this category’s Grand Prize – the Sony Ericsson Vivaz, the second installment in a new family of communication entertainment phones that introduces HD video capabilities in the portfolio.

In celebration of the Bacolaodiat Festival in February, SM City Bacolod will hold a Chinese Zodiac Lantern-Making Contest with P35,000 worth of prizes at stake.

The competition is open to groups composed of 3-5 members. Design should be lighted, weather-proof, and tri-dimentional. Lanterns must be a minimum of 5 feet and 7 feet including the stand. All teams will draw to get their respective assigned Chinese Zodiac. Interested parties may acquire application forms on or before Feb. 4, 2010 at the Marketing Department of the mall administration office.

Deadline of submission of entries will be on Feb. 6. All entries will be displayed at the mall’s North and South Al Fresco on Feb. 7 – 14 while winners will be announced and awarded on Feb. 14 at 6PM.