Maayong adlaw!
That's the Cebuano phrase meaning "Good day!". Cebuano is the official dialect of the province of Cebu, a humble group of islands situated somewhere in the middle of the archipelago of the Philippines. Have you been to our location before?
It's with tremendous pleasure to be broadcasting from my current base of the city of Cebu as I participate in the Hi From Hive Community initiative by 
Before we proceed, allow me to share with you a brief background about myself and Cebu, the place I call home.
I am Erne. An introvert, daydreamer, and creative. It's obviously a short name and if you search for that term in the dictionary, it's surprisingly defined as a European sea eagle. My parents probably didn't have any idea of the word when they had me baptized with it after I was born. Nevertheless, I love my name because of its powerful symbolic significance.
Like an eagle, I consider myself fearless. I used to be an extremely timid person yet, after an ocean of painful lessons learned, I decided to change my old ways to become a more friendly, approachable, and understanding human being. Because of this crucial transformation, I successfully conquered my shyness and escaped my comfort zone with the needed strength to push beyond the limits. Similar to this bird of prey, I was able to soar into new heights and by reaching the sky, I achieved more goals that were seemingly impossible before.
Since the day I was conceived into this world, and for most of my childhood years until the period after my college graduation, I have lived, stayed, studied, and worked in Cebu. During this period, I pursued the profession of Architecture, and after immersing in it for some time locally, I got the huge opportunity to be employed abroad as an OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker). After over 2 decades of being away from my native nation, I eventually settled back in my homeland.
Nowadays, I'm a private-practicing Architect coupled with the pursuit of serving humanity through entrepreneurship, personal mentorship, and digital media productions. I also enjoy exploring new experiences around the world as a way of feeding my passion for discovery, taming my curiosity, and satisfying my wanderlust.
Also recognized as the "Queen City of the South", I presently reside in the oldest metropolis of the Philippines: Cebu City. It has the most ancient thoroughfare in the country called Colon Street. Historically, this is where the famous Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan who led the Spanish expedition to the East, initially landed after their sea voyage. Together with his crew on March 1521, they planted the cross of Christianity on the island of Cebu as part of their global conquests to spread the faith and investigate new territories. However, this was also where Magellan met his unfortunate demise in the hands of a local chieftain named Lapu-Lapu. Fast forward to the present, the Philippines has largely remained to be a Roman Catholic nation due to the religious legacy these foreign invaders left behind. In fact, the religion will be celebrating its 500th anniversary by the year 2021.
Moreover, Cebu is also widely known for many other things. The island has recently emerged as the "Best Island in Asia" in the 2020 Readers Choice Awards by the travel magazine Conde Nast. The province of Cebu is a flourishing haven for tourists and visitors alike because of its sugary-white sand beaches, historical landmarks, cultural diversities, and hospitable nature of its people.
Cebu City was also designated by UNESCO as a "Creative City of Design" last October 30, 2019 because of its vast richness in the culinary arts, literature, film, music, crafts, media arts, and design.
On top of it all, Cebu is popularly known worldwide for the highly-acclaimed Sinulog Festival. This annual event is a religious celebration to pay homage to the island's Patron Saint, the Senyor Santo Niño. Aside from daily masses, processions, and other cultural programs, the famous street parade is the grand culmination of the festivities. Here are a few photos to give you a glimpse of what the highlight of Sinulog in Cebu is all about.
These are just a few of the major reasons why Cebu has become a favorite destination for international and local tourists and why they have fallen in love with this place.
If you've been exposed to crypto-currency and have been an avid user of the various social media platforms available online, the Hive is not a stranger in the field. Fundamentally speaking, the Hive is a social blockchain where its members, bloggers, and content creators get rewarded with digital money for their valuable contributions to this decentralized community. The social aspect of the blockchain is also what makes it attractive by allowing you to meet people from all walks of life with locations from around the globe. There are no startup fees, and registration is absolutely free!
I was introduced to the Hive community more than 2 months ago by my dear friend and fellow Architect 
And yes, I'm a fairly new user of the platform (a bit over 2 months to be exact) yet, it feels like I've been here for a long time - thanks to the warm, friendly, and homely atmosphere offered by my fellow Hive members.
And here's more fantastic news. Did you know that there are also several Hive bloggers and content creators living in Cebu? And the numbers are increasing every single day!
With the Hive blockchain's recent hardfork (version update) a few days ago, the online platform has become more robust, secure, and powerful to accommodate the demands of new users being on-boarded. Thus, the tribe has eventually transformed into what it is today.
Okay, I have to admit - blogging is not easy (at least for me it isn't). Thoughts, ideas, and sparks of inspiration don't appear automatically inside my head. There are times when I'm totally out of words that my brain freezes and dives into a mental blackout.
Blogging is self-expression! It's a significant extension of ourselves. This medium of writing is one of the most sustainable tools for our growth and development as human beings. Without the freedom of speech and the ability to share our unique voices with the world, we would remain stagnant and therefore end up useless. We would not evolve!
The Hive has equipped me with the power to express myself through my words, my talents, and my creativity. And as an added bonus, I also get rewarded for these enjoyable activities. Without regrets, becoming part of the Hive community is one of the best decisions I've ever made and I wouldn't trade anything else for that.
The Hive social blockchain nurtures and supports numerous sub-communities within its diverse digital ecosystem. Whatever your passion or niche may be, there is a special tribe that serves and focuses on your particular area of interest. Being a creative person within the platform, I have willingly participated and subscribed to the following vibrant communities below.
Because I love traveling and its related activities so much, I allocate time to actively participate in the Haveyoubeenhere Community by 
Most communities within the Hive social blockchain are equipped with discord channels that act like chat rooms where you can interact and socialize with other Hive subscribers of that group. Isn't that cool?
Furthermore, I'm also an active follower plus supporter of the #WhoAreTheyPhilippines by 
To add to that, I've also commenced a personal community initiative called "Problem and Solution" #problemandsolution addressing global issues that plague humanity and for us to execute effective remedies to enhance people's lives and improve their world for the better. To give you an idea of this endeavor, below is the opening post to introduce this program.
And finally, to boost our valuable contributions and express our sincere gratitude to the Hive family, my founding partner
This is a dedicated community where digital content about Architecture, Interior Design, Furniture Design, Urban Design, and Environmental Design is published for your education, insight, and entertainment. Everyone is welcome here, and we look forward to your valuable input and participation as we grow together with the Hive in the years to come.
There's so much happening in the online world today, that it gets overwhelming sometimes to the point of mentally and physically draining our productive energies. However, there are certain opportunities that should not be missed. And one of these excellent chances of a lifetime is the investment of time and effort in a wonderful community like Hive.
Until next time, warmest greetings from Cebu!
Don’t be left behind. Join the revolution and secure your free #Hive account today! Register here.
Originally posted on STORIES OF ERNE. Hive blog powered by ENGRAVE.
