Successful Entrepreneur: Almerol Dry Goods

One way to become successful in the field of business is to stay focus and determined in attaining the goal why the business is being established.

Almerol Dry Goods, owned by Mr. and Mrs. Alpi Almerol, situated at Brgy. Aurora, Taganaan, Surigao del Norte is a rags to riches kind of story. Their twist and turn journey has taught them lessons in business and in life. It was a “tabo-tabo” type of searching opportunity. Their luck relies on it, wherein they would transfer from one place to another just to display their products and offer it with reasonable prices. It was then very difficult for them to do the same routine while carrying and travelling also their two little children, Alpi John a 4 year old boy and April Jane a 1 and a half baby girl, under the heat of the sun.

Through their persistence and a strong faith to God, opportunity opened to them when one of their relatives offered their house which was considered to be a strategic location for them to build and start their small business. Now, their store offers variety of products --- RTW, apparels, hardware, clothing and others.

After 3 years of planning and hard work they now have expanded their business. They have now put up their grocery store managed by his brother Mr. Antonio Almerol.

Indeed, no matter how many adversities you encounter as long as you have the courage, determination, focus, motivation and perseverance you will succeed.

Peace Blogging in the Heart of Mindanao

       Blogging is one of the social media activities wherein someone can have his/her personal reflections, comments and suggestions which can create widen the relationship of the people connecting on the internet all over the world. It is one of the aids to open the minds and hearts of others to gain information and knowledge about, perhaps, the perspective and conception of others towards something.

      The Marketing 111 (E-Commerce and Internet Marketing) Students have given the privilege to present “Blogging for Peace in the Heart of Mindanao-Marawi” at Mindanao State University-Marawi City last November 30, 2016. 

      Peace is a state of tranquility and freedom from disquieting thoughts or emotions that everybody needs to have a harmony in personal relations. 

       The Marketing 111 students, with the supervision of their instructor Prof. Richard S. Celeste, are bestowed the task to be the vessels to spread the virtue and change the issues pertaining the negative impact on the society towards Mindanao. Through blogging as he stressed, we can help using our brilliant minds and passionate hearts.

      Commonly, when people think about Mindanao, what comes to their minds are war, fighting, chaos and any other negative thoughts they can formulate. But NO! People are just focusing on the TEXT not on the SUBTEXT. People have different perspective. Yes, but some just believe on their own perspective, they don’t have an open mind that Mindanao is a peaceful haven for Mindanaons. Mindanao can show its warmth welcome not just to those who are ready and willing to take a step but also to those who are reluctant that She is a beautiful array for the world. Mindanao has its own - - - its hospitable people, stunning places, tradition and culture. What lacks people is to experience the sweet taste of the genuine picture and story of Mindanao. Remember, even the salt looks like sugar.

      Now, are you ready to trek the Land of Promise?

MSU Tour

  The most amazing thing, the Marketing 111 (E-Commerce and Internet Marketing) Students have done is to have a tour to their very own institution---Mindanao State University – Marawi City, which gives them the chance to explore and discover the scenic structures of MSU.

To have a little background, Mindanao State University – Marawi City was established on September 1, 1961 under the Republic Act 1387 as amended by R. A. 1893. It is situated in the breezy one hundred hectares which is about four kilometres away from Marawi City, right in the province of Lanao del Sur. It is 2, 800 feet above the sea level, overlooking the scenic Lanao Lake and the city of Marawi.

   Under the wonderful shining weather, the Marketing 111 bloggers together with their instructor Prof. Richard S. Celeste with guts to walk, had their first stop at the College of Business Administration and Accountancy taking pictures in its 3D mark of “CBAA <3s U” with big smiles on their faces while grabbing positions to have a best shot. Second stop was at the MSU-Grandstand taking pictures using their smartphones in “MSU” 3D. Then, they went to TayTay (The so-called Tagaytay of MSU) giving their best post to the beautiful and tall trees as their backgrounds. 

     Afterwards, they had their fourth stop to the breath-taking Golf Course because of the Lanao Lake and the Sleeping Lady view. There, they played games to break and divert their tiredness of walking into laughter. The two sections got the opportunity to bind the connection and tighten the relationship through, perhaps, if you call it mischievous hugot and barahan moments while also eating snacks.

    Next location was the Aga Khan Museum, wherein the students had seen the beauty of the past, the Maranao culture and the History of the Maranao people by looking the paintings, the different musical instruments, miniature of the Turugan, different weapons for battle and many others. Then, the students had their walk to Marawi Resort Hotel.

      Touchdown to King Faisal Center for Islamic, Arabic and Asian Studies wherein they visited the Green Mosque and an enormous sculpture of the Holy Qur’an of the said college. The students were very excited and surprised, especially to those first timers, to take picture while others were videotaping the place. 

       Their last stop was at the MSU Arc located at the entrance of the campus. The students again took their cameras to have a nice group picture while holding the tarpaulin “Blogging for Peace.”

    Through the support of their instructor, their relationship is bonded. The very essence of the tour was to open the gate of hearts of the kingdoms to let the MSU reveal its wondrous palace.
      Hence, Mindanao State University is worth remembering for.

Digital Marketing Skills Training

    Digital Marketing is one of the umbrellas in the field of marketing by means of using digital technologies, specifically the Internet, in promoting and selling products and services. It also includes the involvement of mobile phones, display advertising and other digital medium.

   The Internet Marketing and E-Commerce (Marketing 111) students was able to learn and experience the actual input activities in the so-called Digital Marketing Skills Training 2016 in Iligan Computer Institute, Iligan City last October 21. 

      With the various lessons discussed by different intellectual persons in the said field the students were very excited and curious about the field. 

They tackled about the approaches in using this kind of strategy which was discussed by Mr. Ronald “Piper” Ramboanga, CEO of KOM Knights of Online Marketers.

These 3 strategies are the heart of the SMART Insights as the benchmark in looking the difference where you are to assess the potential against where you need to be in the future.

Additionally, in aiming integrated digital marketing it has to be dealing with capability assessment, checking to how well a business and/or client needs to exploit  its digital channels and prioritize techniques for improvement. First, you have to create a PLAN (Strategic Roadmap), REACH (Build Awareness), INTERACT (Experience and touch the environment of your business), CONVERT (Build Multichannel Sales), ENGAGE (Build Customer Relationship Marketing), BRAND (Build Emotional Connection) and GOVERNANCE (Manage Growth Approach).

Through this, you may Basic Lifecycle Marketing (Initial), Improving Lifecycle Marketing (Managed), Planned Lifecycle Marketing (Defined), Managed Lifecycle Marketing (Quantified) and Optimized Lifecycle Marketing (Optimized).

Mr. Junriel Bonachita, a Website Developer, discussed about Web programming. E-commerce Platform which is a software technology solution that allows to build storefronts and Content Management System which supports the creation and modification of digital.

The next speakers were Mrs. Xerxes Queen A. Libre, Dexter Printhouse Iligan City and Mr. Francis Steve Martinez, Tibo Martinez Videography.

The most awakening-speaker was again Ronald “Piper” Ramboanga. He discussed about Virtual Assistance. Quote from his presentation:

“You are the boss – decide  on your own, set your goals and give the service you want. Enjoy the freedom and be the man!”

The event was very successful with our very supportive instructor letting us be exposed in the real scenario of our course BSBA Entrepreneurial Marketing.

The Aga Khan Museum

The Aga Khan Museum is one of the significant Islamic Landmarks in Marawi City and one of the pioneer units of Mindanao State University – Main Campus. It was opened on June 13, 1962, as one-room affair. The museum was first known as the University Folk Arts Center founded by Dr. Mamitua D. Saber.

The museum has the biggest Philippine Muslim collection in the country. It was named after His Royal Highness, Prince Shah Karim Al Hussaini Aga Khan (Aga Khan IV). It was Aga Khan IV who made the construction of the museum possible where important memorabilia and priceless artifacts of the Meranao people are displayed.

 

A sculptured  of Prince Aga Khan

The Aga Khan Museum was officially opened to the public on March 23, 1969. It aimed to: collect and preserve folk art specimens and artifacts of the thirteen Muslim tribes and other indigenous minorities of the MINSUPALA Region; organize a systematic collection that could be useful to scholars, researchers of Philippine Muslim culture; encourage research in and to lend assistance to the revival and salvaging of folk arts; and spread knowledge about the people of these regions in effort towards cultural integrat

A masgit, a torogan, and a lamin

Several replicas of the classic Muslim architecture are displayed inside the Aga Khan Museum. At left is a masgit, a traditional Maranao mosque showing Indian and Malaysian influences. At the center is a torogan, a traditional royal house. At the right is a lamin, a traditional Maranao princess dormitory.

Alotang is a Maranao bamboo xylophone mounted on the langkongan (stand). It is made of bamboo gongs and it is used by the children learning to play the kolintang.

Kobing is a Maranao bamboo jaw’s harp. A type of mouth-resonated instrument consisting of a flexible tongue fixed at one end to a surrounding frame.

Saronay is a Maranao metal xylophone mounted on the langkongan. It is played in the same manner as the kolintang. A beginner plays the saronay before she can play the kolintang in a formal kalilang exhibition.

Tagotok is a Maranao bamboo percussion instrument used for entertainment and for driving away birds. A rice field watcher plays the tagotok to entertain himself in hut in the middle of the field.

Kotiyapi is an ornately-carved two-stringed guitar. It is the largest musical instrument of a Maranao orchestra, used for serenading.

This is a replica of a lepa boat, a traditional Sama D’Laut or Badjao houseboat of Bongao, Tawi-Tawi.

Battle of Marawi

Behind us is a painting that depicted the Battle of Marawi, the Spanish colonial authorities’ attempt to conquer and Christianize the thriving civilization at the mouth of Agus River. The Battle of Marawi consists of three stages; the first was in 1639 when the Spanish joint military and religious expedition was launched against the Maranaos, under the command of Captain Francisco de Atienza and Fray de San Pedro. They were not able to succeed and were driven back to Iligan.

The second stage took place in 1891 when General Valeriano Weyler led the operations with 1242 heavily armed Spanish and Filipino soldiers against the Maranaos. General Weyler captured the Fort Marahui which was defended by Datu Amai Pakpak and his followers in surprise attack at dawn on a Muslim holiday.

The third was on March 10, 1895 when General Ramon Blanco and his 5000-strong army marched toward Marawi. After heavy bombardment of Fort Marahui and hand-to-hand fight between the Spanish-Filipino forces and the Maranao fighters armed only with brass cannons (laila/lantaka), kampilans, spears and krises, General Blanco finally took possession of Fort Marahui.

The ceramics displayed in the museum were projects of MSU-Filipinas Foundation. The designs adopted the Maranao art, okir.

Maranao women produced intricate and colorful embroideries and clothing. Here is a fine example of kapangantowiras, a sequin embroidery which is a traditional Maranao women’s handicraft.

Displayed at the second floor is a replica of a traditional royal bed. In front is the Maranao dining set composed of tabak (brass food tray), todong (food cover), kararao (drinking water container), tangla or panalagadan (water pot stand), sakdo (drinking water dipper), doda’i (used for spitting or for washing of hands before and after eating).

Possibly the single most important artifact at the Aga Khan Museum is the antique copy of the Qur’an. It was sent all over the world including the Philippines, distributed at the end of the holy month of Ramadhan, Hijrah 1309 (in 1893) by authority of Sultan Abdul Hamid II of the Ottoman Empire.

Visiting the Aga Khan Museum of Islamic Arts creates an appreciative stance and understanding on the rich Maranao history, culture and heritage.