Looking Back to Retell My Story

".....tell me a bit about yourself, what your interests and passions are, and what your schedule is like (...do you already have a full-time job you're happy with? How many hours per day can you work?) and add me on Skype....."

My very first experience in writing for others was when I contributed a few articles to a tech magazine starting 2004, but had written for our school newspaper while in college, and church newspaper while still looking for a job after graduating in 2003. 

My last job as an employee was working for the United Nations as their ICT officer in 2005. After only 3 years, believing I've earned enough, I setup my own tech-related business (gaming shop and tech services like repairs, networking, maintenance, etc) in 2008, but it ended abruptly only after a year when typhoon Ondoy flooded our business. Everything went under the murky flood waters in a matter of hours.

I started blogging since 2008 while I reopened my business, but only on a personal level, then went into blogging professionally (full time) by 2013 when I got so many invites to attend events like product launchings, press conferences, bloggers events, product reviews and media partnerships. I closed my ga me business that time and concentrated on providing online services. Monetizing my blog was a lot more promising since many businesses were strengthening their online presence.

This was only after I became a voluntary correspondent for a popular online publication for around 6 months back 2012. The short stint with them as senior writer opened up a lot of opportunities for me as the invites kept coming in. I left them to setup my own online publication in 2013.

Eventually got so many awards and recognitions from different award-giving bodies, got invited to guests on TV and radio shows, co-hosted a few radio shows, got some speaking engagements, and lately had my own radio show with livestreaming on Facebook and YouTube for one season (13 episodes) that ended just last month. It was not as profitable compared to running an online publication.

I was offered to host my own TV show too, but is thinking twice since I prefer writing instead of setting up my own lifestyle show...and the real reason is - the co-production cost and search for sponsorships may be too much to handle. :)

Thus, right now, the only thing that keeps me busy, as of the moment, is my blog, my family (with a daughter that is also the Editor-in-Chief of her college newspaper), and worrying about the recent rampant killings in the Philippines, especially now that there are youths being killed as well. 

I usually blog (including social media postings) and rants, from morning until midnight...but is of course looking to contribute again for publications that pay. It will be an additional source of income aside from accepting sponsored articles with backlinks on my site, and the numerous media partnerships.

I can write about almost anything since I am fairly curious about everything. I get challenged by deadlines, but prefer to take my time since artists need more time to connect with our moody creativity :)

The last time I used Skype was way back 2003 when I got interviewed for a job. In the Philippines, we now chat more on Facebook instead. But I would be willing to open a new account again (since I don't remember my existing account's password anymore) if needed.

Crowdsourcing for Lei of PNA

I think there's going to be an opening soon at the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

Well, a certain Lei might be needing some help with the editing process as he or she even accidentally published the editor's comments and instructions as part of the title for their articles.

Somebody was indeed in a hurry,  rushing for the deadline, or simply that the task of final release was assigned to a newbie.

However,  immediately after a few netizens took notice of the mistake,  the article quickly went down and the site suddenly went under maintenance.

Do they need a new Editor-in-Chief?  Or do they have a new publishing platform?

Who knows because I haven't reached out to them to get their side of the issue.

The hell with us!  It was a simple mistake.  They must be busy working on deadlines down, or up, there especially that the administration is in deep shit with all the youth killings by cops, Pulong and Mans involvement in smuggling (shabu?) and that dragon tattoo supposedly linking the Davao Vice Mayor to the Chinese triad, and also how they made September 11 a non-working holiday to commemmorate the birthday of a late dictator.

By the way, anybody knows who Lei is?

I'm sure he or she can shed light to all these questions. This is not a serious issue though. Just a technical glitch, perhaps. But poking fun and aggravating issues to greater proportions is what majes articles sell,  especially on a slow day when we've written all that needs to be written about EJK.

Immune Ba Ang VIP Sa Tokhang?

VIP lang ang exempted sa Tokhang.

Kahit pa drug lord, kung maraming pera naman, sa Malacanang pa iimbitahan iyan. Pero kung ikaw ay dukha, malamang patay ka na at sasabihing nanlaban, nakipag-putukan o nang-agaw ng baril.

"Walang kahihitnan ang War on Drugs na iyan. Ang problema ng bansa ay mga gahaman na pulitiko na hinahayaang sa iilan lamang napupunta ang oportunidad at biyaya. Mga inutil na ahensiya ng gobyerno na mas pinapaboran ang mga korporasyon at oligarch.

Mabibilang mo kung sino-sino ang mga natatanging "Anak ng Diyos" dito sa Pilipinas - mga mayayamang pamilya na pag-aari na halos buong bansa.

At ang kakulangan sa edukasyon para matuto ang lahat. Kaya hinahayaang nilang maging mangmang ang mga tao ay para di sila maging mapanuri. Maabutan lang ng kaunting halaga o groceries, akala mo superhero na yung nagbigay.

Kailangang matuto ng tao para malaman kung sino ang tamang taong mamumuno sa atin. Hindi yung kung sino lang ang may kayang gumastos ng milyon-milyon, pero Hindi naman qualified. Walang alam kundi magpa-cute sa camera. Sadyang photo ops lang ang habol para masulat sa dyaryo na namimigay kunwari ng tulong.

Saan pa ba nila babawiin ang kanilang ginastos kundi sa kaban ng bayan. Sino ba naman ang maglalabas ng malaking pera para lang maglingkod eh magagawa naman natin yun kahit wala tayo sa pwesto.

Once na magkaroon ng posisyon sa gobyerno, akala mo VIP na sa lahat ng pagtitipon. Eh di ba public servant sila, so taong bayan dapat ang umupo sa magarbong silya.

Kahit ano pa sabihin nila, may motibong iba ang mga iyan. Lalo na ngayon maraming drama dahil malapit na naman ang eleksyon. Siguradong maraming pasabog na naman tayong mababalitaan."

Ang VIP treatment at hindi dapat napupunta sa mga public servants. Sila dapat ang nagbibigay sa atin ng special tender loving care and attention.

Kapag dumarating tayo, hindi dapat tayo pinaghihintay. Hoy, yung forced tax contribution ko ang nagpapasweldo sa inyo. Ako dapat ang nauunang pinagsisilbihan!

Tanga lang kasi ang peg ng karamihan. Nakakalimutan na tayo dapat ang boss at hindi yung ating binoto.