Recently, a comment was caught by this blog’s moderation queue, meaning it was automatically marked as spam, with good reason. This comment, which seeked to promote a future senate candidate, was totally unrelated to my last Malu Fernandez post. Luis, who blogs over at drivebyshooter.net, also reported receiving the same comment from 122.53.136.228. We both shared our irritation through email.
The Jester-in-Exile lead me to this post, which lead to this source. Malu Fernandez will continue writing for The Manila Standard.
A company once sold their second-hand and old-model products at low prices. Unfortunately, their price list was inaccurate. Hundreds of customers lined up under the hot sun, and were disappointed when told that many of the eagerly expected products were no longer available. And of course, some of them voiced their displeasure online. Some were calling for boycotts, unaware that it’s basically impossible to boycott a major distributor. The management chose to keep quiet, correctly thinking that the issue would be largely forgotten after a few days. Has the same thing happened with Malu Fernandez?
Did Malu and company just decide to lay low until the name-calling, boycott proclamations and viral disdain disappeared? If so, I don’t blame them one bit. After all, would you take comments like “Malu Fernandez = Life in its lowest form!!!” seriously? The fact is that the sheer number of shallow and from-the-hip opinions of this issue have simply overwhelmed any thoughtful arguments. Why would anyone let this kind of discussion dictate what they do?
To be fair, I’ve done nothing to elevate the discussion or approach the issue constructively, unlike Nick and Tess. This will be the last time I’ll ever write about the Malu Fernandez controversy on this blog, because sometimes it’s just best to move on. Especially when there really is no point in continuing.
The Bayanihan Blog Network is The First Filipino Blog Network, so obviously we consider all of our member blogs Filipino.If you take a look at our blogs, our idea of “Filipino Blog” becomes clear. We all cover topics related to the Philippines, or relate topics to the Philippines. All the editors are Filipino who mainly write in English.
In other words, location doesn’t matter, so long as there’s a reliable internet connection and some Filipino blood behind the post. Melissa, one of the partners of this network, blogs about her expat experiences all the way in Germany.
English is the medium here, because we really believe that the Filipino voice deserves to be heard by as much people as possible. It remains the most widely used language online, making it a great way to get the word out. It also helps that all of the bloggers here are fluent in it.
But we’d like to hear what you have to say. In your opinion, what makes a blog Filipino? Could it be the language, the person behind the blog, the topic, or simply something intangible that we haven’t thought of?
Gail (who holds the fort over at My Filipino Wedding) asks if bloggers are selling themselves too cheaply. The post talks about a condescending remark implying that an easy way to create exposure is to treat bloggers out to free food and drinks.
Over the last few months companies have increasingly wined and dined bloggers. Recent examples include the Timbuk2 event and the first Bloggers’ Fest.
Art isn’t exactly an accessible topic, and writers living out of the Philippines tend to portray the country in an unrealistic manner. Which is why the article Filipino Art is About Being Urban, not Asian by Gina Fairley is quite a joy to read.
Perhaps the most accurate barometer of current trends is provided by the country’s many competitions and awards…Last year’s winners…were: Maya Muñoz’s psychological portraits in “Closer” at Hiraya Gallery in Manila; the compelling performance / installation Banquet by Mideo M. Cruz at the CCP; and Poklong Anading’s “Anonymity” at Finale gallery in Makati City, combining high and low technology in a comment on Filipino identity. This year’s winners are announced on 8 August.
It’s obvious that Fairley took the time to research her subject matter. Foreign news, while citing accurate statistics, tend to leave a skewed impression. By consistently covering sensational stories like the recently-freed Italian priest, readers are left with the notion of the Philippines as a lawless terrorist wasteland. Even if most Filipinos would scoff at that.
Fairley distinguishes herself not by focusing on only the positives of the Manila art scene. Indeed, she cites the decentralized locations of the galleries as a barrier to their enjoyment. It’s quite possible that her real-life experiences with our country let her provide a balanced approach to the topic—much like how the bloggers of the BBN use their actual experiences with the Philippines to their advantage.
Here’s how I see it. The high-traffic blogs are either:
Or any combination of the above.
Much has been said about the first movers losing their advantage and how value counts. So that leaves snarkiness.
…Or anywhere else for that matter?
The way I see it, the blogosphere is currently dominated by tech and entertainment blogs. They’re the biggest traffic drawers, because your typical surfer knows a bit about technology, and/or wants to find out new stuff as soon as possible. The also applies here in the Philippines. We love our smartphones and our penchant for chismis (gossip) is legendary. But what about blogs that specialize in other topics? I mean, I can’t a beekeeping blog pulling millions of visitors.
It’s true that some niches will never enjoy the widespread appeal of The Pinoy Tech Blog and Filipino celebrity blogs (as listed by Andrew dela Serna). Yet the chances for specialty blogs gaining a significant audience increase. As more people learn how to locate the information they’re looking for, they’ll start patronizing niche blogs, such as the one on email marketing.
The prospect of an ever-increasing online audience means that niche blogs do have a chance in the Philippines. As Filipinos become aware of the advantages of the Internet, they’ll be more open to trying out new sites, venturing away from staples like Friendster and YouTube. And the members of The Bayanihan Blog Network will welcome them with open arms, by providing unique content on specialty topics from a Filipino perspective.
Last night, many local bloggers enjoyed the hospitality of the local distributor of Timbuk2. Over some free food and drinks, we were briefed on Timbuk2 the brand and its advantages over the other lifestyle bags. Some goodies were even raffled off and given away, much to the delight of the attending bloggers, including yours truly. We’d like to thank Timbuk2 and GMCI, their local PR agency, for being great hosts.
One thing I noticed while talking to some of the product managers was their relative inexperience with the online marketing. Which isn’t a problem, because the Philippines (their target market) isn’t that wired yet. But it could become one, as more and more Filipinos get connected. Advertisers should start learning more about terms like hits, visits, page views, and web analytics, so that they’ll know if they’re spending their money wisely, avoiding commitments that generate no return.
If you’re knowledgeable about cost per impression, click-through rate, pay per click, affiliate marketing, and someone asks about them, you should share your expertise. You’re one of the few who can educate the establishment about what’s new and what’s up. As more advertisers learn about the opportunities of online marketing (it’s low cost of operation and tracking), they’ll be more open to taking advantage of them and be more successful at it. Which translates into more potential ad revenue for publishers of compelling online content. Particularly publishers of the Philippine blogosphere.
And if this is the first time you’ve heard the terms mentioned here, let the links of this post be your starting point. The concepts are easy enough to understand. Happy reading!
A few hours ago, the Philippine President gave her State of the Nation Address.
I get the feeling that the SONA here in the Philippines is much more closely watched by its citizens than in other countries. That’s because for both the administration and opposition—and their supporters—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s annual speech determines the points and issues to argue over. Which usually boils down to question of whether the Philippines has improved under her direction.
The GMA administration is far from perfect. Over half of my countrymen continue to live below the poverty line. The suppressive practices of the government towards protestors and critical press coverage is very very troubling, especially for a blogger like me who believes in responsible freedom of expression.
Nevertheless, and I must emphasize that this opinion only comes from me, and in no way represents the stance of The Bayanihan Blog Network or its bloggers, President Arroyo has been the most effective Philippine President in recent memory.
Matthew Haughey shares his experiences with Living online, with web apps, relating how he uses online services like Google Browser Sync and Twitter to do most of his work:
Pretty much anything having to do with my business and personal life is online and easily retrievable. I barely use my operating system’s taskbar/dock — my bookmark toolbar launches every app I need. People have been promising this kind of thing for over a decade and it was always just around the corner but for the last year, it finally became a reality to me.
Working with online apps can be particularly helpful for many Filipinos, for whom the local net cafe is the only way they can use a computer.
