It still feels surreal like I’m living in a dream I once wrote about.
If you told the 17-year-old me, typing away on a clunky computer in 2009, that one day my words would inspire thousands, I probably would’ve laughed. Back then, blogging was just a place to pour out my teenage heart love, heartbreak, and everything in between. My first post on Myspace wasn’t glamorous or planned; it was simply me, honest and curious. But little did I know, that single post would spark something that would define the rest of my journey.
From that raw moment, a dream began not overnight, not loud, but slowly.
My blog grew with me. From messy teenage emotions to discovering my identity, it became my digital diary one that evolved into iamkimcharlie, a name that would soon stand for lifestyle, fashion, food, and everything I love about Cebu.
I was inspired by glossy magazines Vogue, Elle, Cosmo, Harper’s Bazaar the way they captured not just style, but stories. I wanted to do the same, but through a Cebuano lens. Instagram became my visual playground, where every post was a story my story of Cebu, culture, and creativity.
From there, iamkimcharlie wasn’t just a blog anymore.
It became a reflection of who I am: a proud Chinito Cebuano who believes that fashion is more than clothes it’s confidence, comfort, and character. It’s about celebrating authenticity, embracing where you come from, and living life in color and style.
As years passed, I found my rhythm. Every blog post, every photo, every story was a love letter to Cebu our city’s food, people, art, and vibrant lifestyle. I wanted to show that our local culture deserves to be celebrated, that there’s beauty in our everyday lives.
And through it all, you my readers, supporters, and fellow dreamers grew with me.
I still remember the first time I got nominated for the Best Cebu Blogs Awards in 2017. I didn’t win, but walking out of that event, I felt more inspired than ever. That night reminded me that success isn’t about the trophy it’s about perseverance, consistency, and the love you pour into what you do.
Fast forward to 2024.
After more than a decade of blogging, countless collaborations, and endless stories told from the heart, I finally achieved what once felt impossible Best Cebu Blogs Awards 2024 Lifestyle Blogger of the Year.
As years passed, I found my rhythm. Every blog post, every photo, every story was a love letter to Cebu our city’s food, people, art, and vibrant lifestyle. I wanted to show that our local culture deserves to be celebrated, that there’s beauty in our everyday lives.
And through it all, you my readers, supporters, and fellow dreamers grew with me.
I still remember the first time I got nominated for the Best Cebu Blogs Awards in 2017. I didn’t win, but walking out of that event, I felt more inspired than ever. That night reminded me that success isn’t about the trophy it’s about perseverance, consistency, and the love you pour into what you do.
Fast forward to 2024.
After more than a decade of blogging, countless collaborations, and endless stories told from the heart, I finally achieved what once felt impossible Best Cebu Blogs Awards 2024 Lifestyle Blogger of the Year.
That win wasn’t just mine. It was for every person who clicked, liked, read, shared, and believed. It was for every Cebuano creative who dared to tell their story and for everyone who ever thought their dream was too small. It was proof that passion, when nurtured, can move mountains.
Since then, doors have opened new collaborations, bigger opportunities, and a deeper purpose. But even with all the achievements, I stay grounded in one truth: it’s never just about winning it’s about inspiring others to dream too.
And now, in 2025, I’m once again humbled and grateful to be nominated for the Best Cebu Blogs Awards Lifestyle and Events Blogger of the Year.
This nomination feels like another full-circle moment. It’s a reminder that stories when told with honesty have the power to connect, inspire, and uplift.
I’m not aiming for a back-to-back win just for myself. I’m doing it for everyone who’s ever believed in me, for the Cebuano blogging community that shaped me, and for every aspiring storyteller who’s still chasing their “one day.”
The Best Cebu Blogs Awards, now in its 18th year under the visionary leadership of Mark Monta, continues to honor Cebu’s most creative voices bloggers, vloggers, and digital storytellers who make the online space more authentic, inspiring, and proudly Cebuano.
To my family, friends, collaborators, the Cebu Bloggers Society, and every person who’s been part of this journey thank you. This nomination isn’t just mine. It’s ours.
As we celebrate at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino, let’s remember what brought us here our love for storytelling, our passion for creativity, and our Cebuano pride.
Here’s to more adventures, stories, and inspiration.
Here’s to more years of #iamkimcharlie a reflection of Cebu’s soul, style, and unstoppable creativity.
Because dreams don’t end when you achieve them they evolve, they grow, and they continue to inspire others to dream too.
From dreamer to believer, and from believer to achiever this is my story. This is #iamkimcharlie.
