By Erwin Oliva
INQUIRER.net

AN ANONYMOUS Filipino blogger who is behind Blog ni Inday: Ang Sosyal na Katulong, believes blogging could communicate the different sentiments and idiosyncrasies of Filipinos through humor.

Blog ni Inday is about a fictional intelligent Filipino maid who speaks perfect English, sometimes to the point of being superfluous. The person or persons behind the blog admit that the project is the epitome of the Filipino who often does not take life too seriously.

“Inday’s life is a collection of ideas from Filipinos from all walks of life,” the anonymous blogger known as the “Manager” said in an e-mail interview.

Hoping to bring a smile or laughter to anyone who has had a stressful day, Blog ni Inday has captured some of the Filipino’s idiosyncrasies.

Started as a hobby by someone trapped in the corporate world, the Manager said Inday began as a series of text messages being sent to friends. It eventually evolved into a full-blown blog.

“Yes, it’s only a hobby. I am someone who has lots of funny ideas that’s being constrained in a corporate environment, and the blog is an outlet for those,” the Manager said.

The blog pokes fun at everyday situations, taking fictional Inday’s life as an example of hilarious moments in peoples’ lives.

The Manager acknowledges that Filipinos can easily relate to Inday, similar to how the comic strip Pugad Baboy became a hit.

“When I wrote the Deal or No Deal series, I was just voicing out my comments every time I watch the show or portray what I would have done if I were a contestant,” continued the Manager.

The blog started sometime in September 2007. It was not the first Inday blog to go online. There were others but somehow Blog ni Inday became a bigger hit, and it literally got more hits online than other similar blogs, the Manager said.

Asked if Inday was the epitome of being a Filipino, Inday — who also answered questions via e-mail, replied — “In a way, you can say that I am an epitome of being a Filipino. I’m erudite, given the proper education and the opportunity to have one. I am almost always much better than my employer but I never forget my roots. I stand firmly on my beliefs that don’t fold easily. Most of all, I love and I hurt but I choose to remain happy.”

Manager added that since most of Inday’s stories are reflections of Filipinos’ sentiments, “we can’t help but see a small sampling of Inday in ourselves.”