Passion: An Indespensible Ingredient in Blogging

The era of blogging is still alive in the country, which for me - is still in its infancy. I believe we've barely scratched the surface; as the expertise and passion required to be in this industry has been satisfied by the skin of one's teeth.

I've been writing online since 1995. I started doing journals of my life, of goofy personal anecdotes as I was already building websites and didn't have content for them during the dial up era. My official hosted website started around 2003 as I've seen a surge of it of sorts in the US. I felt there were barely a few blogs in the Philippines and most of them were transcribed in Filipino which I wasn't too confident writing with. It was awesome to have been able to talk to them (US bloggers) while I was starting, I got the advice I needed from industry leaders/professional bloggers whom I could learn from early on.

 

I started covering local events in Manila and saw how my writing passion could help businesses and startups be known on the web. This started the expansion of my network as I got to be recognized with the value of what I write and see conversion first hand as people started to tell me about what I wrote about this and that product. In 2010, I got bit by the photography bug and bought my first DSLR camera. With it, I combined my love for fashion, photography and  writing appearing in Philippine Fashion Week, fashion shows, bi annual brand shows (the biggest in the country) and got to see the Philippines brightest celebrities, international stars, models, fashion designers and got to know them a little better. I also started to interview stars from broadcast stations, and increased my tribe including those from other countries because of the medium I decided to write with and established what my website is today.

Prior to that, I've been working for a multinational corporation as a Computer Engineer. It was totally off from my day job but it was something that I believed would take me places, unbeknownst to some of my peers. Others say it was a crazy idea to quit a secure and prestigious job and do this full time. When I left the corporate world a few years ago and did this stint, I didn't feel that it was work and I was only following my passion. I also had the chance to write for a travel magazine, a men's magazine with an international circulation which was only a dream for a budding writer like me. It happened all so fast, but I'm glad to have been able to go through the trials and tribulations of blogging early on.

Some international celebrities who have graced my blog. There are more, we couldn't fit them in one frame!

 
Here’s some pointers to note if you would like to start in the same profession:

1.    Don’t do it because you can earn from it. It’s a perk, but it’s not a good place to start. Pretty soon, you’ll run out of ideas and you won’t be in the right place to find inspiration to write if it’s something you’re not passionate about.

2.    Get a handy camera. These days, telling a story isn’t just going to cut it if you don’t spend time telling a story with photos or videos. Invest in a good digital camera or a mobile phone that can be your best buddy when doing interviews. It will save you a lot of time. Owning your own images and videos will also save you from the headache of fighting copyright issues from day 1.

3.    Be nice to people. Say hello and thank you often. Make sure the connections you make in one event last a lifetime because brands, deals, people would make you thrive in this industry. Help them as they help you.

4.    Appreciate the little things. From saying thanks to a simple gift, it wouldn’t hurt to reciprocate the good things people do for you. 

5.    Don’t shortchange yourself. In this industry, the last person that should doubt yourself is YOU. If you feel and think you are in the right, fight for it. Just like in any job, the playing field is huge… and there are people that will take advantage of your kindness. Be nice, but if you find a situation where you need to be stern, become it.

6.    Be honest with your readers, because they can spot who’s not from a mile away even before you press that publish button.

7.    Follow your passion. At the end of the day, it will make you happy. 

One of the highlights of my career probably was the chance to go back to my university and tell them about what I've gone through; so they too would take the chance and follow their dreams. I’ve been blogging for a little around 22 years, yet I feel like I’ve just started doing what I love… and I have no plans of stopping anytime soon. Passion is an ingredient mostly looked over, but it is the most important thing I've had - it kept my desire for writing stay.

PBA Starts LIVE Audience and Broadcast on TV5

After a little heartbreak hearing Alaska being on the verge of leaving the league, hearing the crowd will be back in games was big news. This will all happen on PBA Governors Cup as the metro stays on Alert Level 2 and the league willing to go have 50% venue capacity, all happening this week. The theme this time is "Tayo ang Bida, Tuloy ang Laban".

For those who love the games, they'll be having double shows on Wednesday to Sunday and it will all be covered by TV5 and One Sports where you can watch it from the comforts of your home. If you prefer the live games, you can start getting tickets over at the Araneta Coliseum ticket office when the games happen live.

Magnolia Hotshots is still the team to beat since they haven't had any losses. Meralco Bolts and NLEX Road Warriors follow closely with some of their players dishing out the best plays in the league coming from the national pool veterans and good rookies. The transfers of Arwind Santos to Northport, Alex Cabagnot to Terrafirma  and Chris Banchero to Meralco Bolts might affect the standings soon, plus the new imports... so don't get your hopes up yet even if you've got a comfy lead, it can change anytime soon.

There's more to watch out for in the coming weeks, so if you don't have the time to go there live, go get your basketball fix from TV5 as the official broadcaster of the league promises thorough coverage every game day. You can watch it too on One Sports and PBA Rush on Cignal. Follow their social channels too for blow by blow accounts of the games when it happens on the PBA.

Legarda Reiterates Need for Innovation to Induce Growth and Development

It's been three years since the Philippine Innovation Act has been enacted and its author Senator Loren Legarda reiterates the importance of innovation in order to spur growth in the country.

She has previously spent three terms in the Senate and has placed these as key strategies in order to see economic development in the Philippines. The Republic Act No. 11293 will intensify the capabilities of micro, small and medium enterprises to compete with other businesses by utilizing advancements in science and technology and source needed change in these sectors.

Ms. Loren pushed adequate response from the National Economic and Development Authority, the Depart of Trade and Industry, plus the Department of Science and Technology in order to fund these projects and benefit various sectors including MSME's who are in need of expertise in the fields of finance, design, technology, marketing, quality assurance, promotion and intellectual property rights so they too can protect themselves. She sets the DOST and the Universiyty of Antique partnerships which bore fruit to great value in existing programs that produced needed support in the region that utilized agricultural produce and resources from the same province. It generated employment and opportunities for individuals and entrepreneurs in their respective municipalities. This resolved problems in malnutrition as people got work and pay, to put food on the table.

She also has seen the cooperation of the Department of Trade and Industry and the Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University in Bacnotan, La Union, funded by her office in 2018 which gives access to capital, skills training and assistance. This benefited fisherfolk, traditional weavers and farmers who work on fabrics like abaca, pineapple and banana that are naturally grown and sought after by international designers.

Ms. Loren says "We need to see effective implementation and proper funding for programs under the Philippine Innovation Act so we can help MSME's to sustain and promote their trade. This is done not just locally, but for the global market. This will surely benefit a lot of Filipinos." and I agree with that.

Multinational Business Growth set To Increase Residential Home Demand in Bataan

It's been two years since the pandemic hit the Philippines and with even bigger fervor, the country is set to bounce back from it's economic setbacks. If you're aware of PEZA (Philippine Economic Zone Authority) and the things they do to promote the country as a business destination, they are doing legwork in Bataan which is also boosting demand for residential homes in the province.

The said agency has attracted Taiwanese businesses to put up shop in the region and this will benefit not just qualified Filipinos from Manila, but also the locals which reside in the province. That growth will spur the need for more homes and BRIA Homes has seen that need in their Mariveles and Hermosa municipality properties which are some of their 50 plus projects in the country.

 

 Development in the region has been much awaited and this growth will make BRIA Homes Bataan a wise and economically sound option especially as these companies make the municipalities more vibrant and great place to work in the coming years. Fron Family Friendly Fixtures like sports and recreational facilities, secured spaces, you're bound to love that BRIA property near you.

 

This also comes with nearby educational institutions which make this place a liveable one. If you're starting a family, or want them to go to good schools, you can choose from various institutions like Mariveles National High School, PUP Bataan, Balanga State University, Limay Polytechnic College among others. There's also churches like Cabcaben Catholic Chuch and INC Cabcaben too for the religious. For the shopaholics, there's VistaMall Bataan, Puregold Cabcaben and Mariveles Market for native flair. 

Quality and best value for homes that would make a great investment and place to start a family, that's what BRIA Homes brings. There's a lot more in their portfolio so if you don't like one, there's another one that you would love. If you want to see them all, just head on to bria.com.ph or their Facebook page Bria Homes Inc. Other social channels like Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, Spotify and others are available, just look up their mobile 09398879637 and they'll be standing by to receive your call.