Philippine Blog Awards 2 (PBA 2008): All Systems Go!


Philippine Blog Awards 2Howdy, everyone! I’m making a quick post about the highly-anticipated  Philippine Blog Awards happening September 21, 2008 at Coral B of One Esplanade (near Mall of Asia). Whoa! That’s the Philippine Martial Law Declaration anniversary too, right? Oh, yeah it is! All the more reason for you not to miss it! :) Blogging, just like any other form of media these days, celebrates freedom — freedom of speech, freedom of expression — this is enough proof of our thriving democracy. So, show the world how free you are! Free to blog and free to party! It’s a Sunday, too. So, you better have a very clever excuse if you can’t go… :)

Registration starts 5:00pm and program proper begins 6:30pm.

From the video I’ve seen, it looks like the perfect venue for such a grand event! Well done Jayvee and all the organizers!

The Philippine Blog Awards (PBA) is just on it’s 2nd year this year so it’s relatively young and yet as early as now, we can see how rapidly and significantly the blogosphere has changed. And that’s evident in additional categories this year making a total  of 36 awards to be given! Ain’t that awesome?! :)

If you are a Filipino blogger or know of a Filipino blogger that you would like to nominate, well don’t waste time! Nominations have been open since April 16, 2008 and will close sometime August, I think. Better visit the official website to make sure.  Make your vote count and let your favorite blog get the love it deserves, baby! :) Nominate your favorite blogs now!

So, there. Don’t forget, Philippine Blog Awards 2 happening September 21, 2008 at Coral 2 of One Esplanade (near Mall of Asia). It’s too big a structure to miss so I doubt that you’ll ever get lost looking for it..lol..

Be there and make history! For more info, visit the Official Philippine Blog Awards blog and don’t forget to subscribe via RSS or email so you won’t miss out on any updates! That’s all, folks! :) I hope to be there, too… :(

15 responses to “Philippine Blog Awards 2 (PBA 2008): All Systems Go!”

  1. ay nako! if only i where in Manila…pero nope I am not! hahaha anyway sayang naman yung mga bloggers who are not in Manila…tsk tsk tsk

    Zrizs last blog post..Tags: Links and Chains

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  2. You hope to be there, but why the sad face? :)

    Sure sounds like a fun event! I hope to be there too.:)

    I am a Filipino and a blogger, but I haven’t been sociable ’til now. :)

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  3. @zriz! go! how much will your plane ticket cost? hahaha.. nope, i ain’t paying, though..just trying to be funny.. :) but seriously, every blogger must be there,if only to mingle with like-minded individuals and learn a thing or two from the pros! :) so, come one, come all! :)

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  4. @meikah, sad face because i want to be there, but not so sure yet if i can go.. :( but i will try to move heaven and earth to be there.. *oops, rickrolling* are you going? :)

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  5. Good Luck to all bloggers… This kind of contests happens in almost all countries…

    Raavi@Social Medias last blog post..The Dead Future of MP3 Players [Digg]

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  6. @raavi, thanks! yeah, it does and it’s very encouraging for new bloggers..like a goal of some sort to win one in the future, you know. so, it’s all good. :)

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  7. im really excited to watch the awarding. this will be my first time to take part with things like this :D

    KRISs last blog post..End Social Apathy

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  8. @kris, hello! :) oh, you’re going to the awards! wow, that’s good! well, there’s always a first time.. :)

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  9. Can I nominate myself? Just kidding. Thanks for the update. I really appreciate it. Hopefully I can participate with the event.

    Hye Munars last blog post..iPhone 2.0 Jailbreak: Unlock iPhone 3G

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  10. @hye munar..it says on the site that you can nominate yourself.. :) yes, please do. nominate blogs that you like and also, it would be nice if you can attend the event.. :)

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  11. Hey RJ! I’ve been a little out of touch lately.. just wanted to say hi! and I’m still around! That’s an awesome feature on your sidebar links with the previews popping up! Thanks so much for including my blog there! bye for now! :)

    Jonathon (a.k.a. Victor)s last blog post..Pounding Sound

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  12. hello po! This is great! I have just started making my own blog. This certainly gives me some push in the future to make my blog worthwhile for people who have the same interest as me. Anyway, my classmates are currently working on a documentary about the Philippine blog scene and i think that this is a great reference in the future! Looking forward to this momentou event!

    kokays last blog post..

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  13. @kokay, hello! :) thanks for the visit and comment. a documentary on the philippine blog scene sounds like a good idea. good luck with that endeavor. if there’s anything i can do to help, please let me know. cheers!

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  14. @victor, hey!

    Hey RJ! I’ve been a little out of touch lately.. just wanted to say hi! and I’m still around! That’s an awesome feature on your sidebar links with the previews popping up! Thanks so much for including my blog there! bye for now!

    i’m relieved to know that you are well. :) it doesn’t matter if you’ve been out of touch. so long as you are perfectly fine, i’m happy to hear that. yeah, do you like the external “link preview” feature? it’s a plugin and i currently have it enabled for all outgoing links. it is my pleasure to include your link in my “friend blogs”.. hope to hear more from you soon.. cheers!

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  15. looks to be a nice initiative in your country the blogs awards. keep us updated about the awards.. looking forward to visit philipine someday nice country friendly people

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About Me
Cecilia Regina Aquino Blanquera Marmol aka RJ Marmol profile picture

I’m RJ Marmol — writer, musician, and independent creator based in Manila.

I write songs, essays, and books about the messy overlap between money, overwhelm, creativity, identity, and rebuilding. Much of my work circles around what happens when life stops feeling manageable — and how we try to think clearly, make decisions, and keep moving anyway.

I’m also the author of Rebuilding Under Debt: Thinking Clearly When Everything Is a Blur, a nonfiction book published under Steady Hand Press. The paperback edition is listed under my full publishing name, Cecilia Regina Aquino Blanquera.

On the music side, I release work as HeyRJ. On the writing side, this site is where I gather my books, essays, notes, and whatever I’m building next.

Music

HeyRJ is my sonic soul project. I create raw, minimalist-style and deeply personal music interpretations that feel like a late-night conversation with your truest self.

By blending lo-fi acoustic textures with poetic honesty, my work explores love, loss, grief, healing, and the quiet in-betweens of life. Each song is a letter — a journal entry — a gentle companion for when the world feels too loud or too quiet.

While my catalogue began with intimate cover renditions, my work is increasingly being shaped by original writing, drawing from years of poems, lived questions, and emotional survival.

“Stuck Home Syndrome” released on March 20, 2026 is my first original 20-track album written during a period when time felt compressed and days began to blur into each other. The songs came from sitting with thoughts that had nowhere else to go — unfiltered, repetitive, and sometimes uncomfortable. It’s a concept album that isn’t built around singles or polish. It’s closer to a continuous inner monologue, recorded with minimal production and very little ornamentation and meant to be listened to as one cohesive body of work. The goal wasn’t to resolve anything, only to document how it felt while it was happening.

On May 29, 2026 I released new original singles – “Rapturous”, “Uh Huh”, “Look At You”, “All That” and “Blew Print”. I continue to release both original and cover songs and intend to so for as long as I can so check back every once in a while — you might. just find something you’ll like.

For business inquiries relating to music, email me at: heyrjmusic[at]gmail[dot]com or my personal email at: rjmarmol[at]gmail[dot]com.

Books

Rebuilding Under Debt: Thinking Clearly When Everything Is a Blur

A nonfiction book about what debt does to the mind — and how to begin functioning again when financial stress has made everything feel blurred, urgent, and overwhelming.

Rather than treating debt only as a financial math problem, the book explores the emotional and cognitive realities of financial distress: shame, decision fatigue, avoidance, panic, relationship strain, and the difficulty of making sound decisions while mentally depleted.

Published under Steady Hand Press. It’s available worldwide in ebook and paperback formats on Amazon. Bookstores and libraries can also be order it wholesale via Ingram.

Contact

For book-related inquiries, media requests, bookstore questions, or discussion-group invitations, you can reach me through the contact page on this site or send me an email to rjmarmol[at]gmail[dot]com or hello[at]steadyhandpress.com