Eight authoritative blogs, 10 devout bloggers, three rigorous writers, and a photographer extraordinaire constitute Rogue’s Portfolio this month. These bloggers may come from different backgrounds and espouse divergent culinary destinations, but there is no longer any discounting their collective influence as a growing number of foodies rely on their online opinions on where—and what—to eat

The Advocate - http://www.ivanhenares.com
Ivan Henares, Marketing Operations Manager of North Philippines Visitors Bureau
PHOTOGRAPHED AT MARKET! MARKET! TAGUIG CITY ON JULY 8, 2009

Reading “Ivan About Town” is, for the most part, like thumbing through an almanac of miscellany. There are, however, no long-winded musings, just bite-sized accounts about the places he has traveled to and the food he’s eaten . . . and whatever else strikes the fancy of a man who has a penchant for off-the-beaten treks and novel experiences. The posts are peppered with historical trivia, and there are mini-resources like a dictionary of Philippine street food and a series of posts devoted to the variety of local longganisa and pancit. The blog, nevertheless, never feels pedantic—there’s a sincere clarity here, a sense of Ivan’s good-natured desire to inform his readers. Even the pictures and the occasional video clip seem carefully curated.

Ivan, who recently turned 30, began the blog in 2005 as a more manageable way to tell friends and family about his trip to Kota Kinabalu and Brunei. Eventually, he found himself looking for more things to write about, and feeling an urge to see as much of the Philippines as he could. “We have eighty provinces and I’ve been to sixty-three. But there’s still a lot of ground to cover. [The blog has] given me a medium to articulate how important it is to preserve both our natural and cultural heritage and how beautiful our country is.” Ivan’s advocacy of preserving local heritage is evident throughout his writing, particularly in one of his more emotional posts, a seething commentary about the demolished colonial structures in Camp John Hay.

It’s this earnestness (and the refreshing absence of gratuitous adjectives) that makes this blog so appealing, leading to it winning the award for Best Travel Blog at the 2007 Philippine Blog Awards. It also explains why a growing number of foodies, travel and history buffs, activists, and just plain normal folk keep coming back for their latest fix.

By Charlene F. Sawit

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