January 2008 Archives

By Erwin Oliva INQUIRER.net A FILIPINO tech blogger has launched a blog that is dedicated to helping overse as Filipino workers (OFWs) to remotely manage their finances and communicate wi th their families back home. "It hopes to bring together information to help OFWs manage their finances. It will contain news and information, such as how they can pay their Meralco (Mani la Electric Co.) electric bill remotely," said founder Edwin "Ka Edong" Soriano , who has been blogging for years. The idea to start the eOFW b log was born two years ago but only materialized this year after Soriano found a Singaporean partner. The blog aims to provide news, as well as links, to information OFWs need to ma nage their finances from abroad. Soriano said the blog links to services like the unlimited calls service now po pular among OFWs. "The blog also aims to teach OFWs," he added, noting that his brief experience in Canada gave him a glimpse of what overseas Filipinos need. "It started with mobile commerce. Then I educated myself on OFW finances while I was in Canada," he said. "So with that, I will be the eyes and ears of the OF Ws." Soriano maintains his own blog, and contributes to several others.

By Alex Villafania INQUIRER.net AYALA-OWNED TriNoma mall in Quezon City recently conducted its first food blogg ers tour, inviting Filipino bloggers to savor food choices from over 30 restaur ants.
Online Videos by Veoh.com TriNoma marketing supervisor Mench Dizon told Blog Addicts that they part nered with online service portal Yehey! to assemble the bloggers. Around 100 bloggers participated in the e vent.
Online Videos by Veoh.com Dizon said that blogging is a new and effective method for getting the word out regarding products and services as bloggers get to be read by other Internet u sers. "The Filipino community on the Internet gets information from bloggers nowadays ," she said. Even Filipinos abroad get information from bloggers in the Philippines and so s atisfying bloggers will also encourage overseas Filipinos to try and experience the mall, she said. Dizon stressed that the purpose of the event was to promote TriNoma as a destin ation for food lovers as the mall has over 100 restaurants, ranging from fast f ood to fine dining. "We basically represent the entire range of food choices as there are local and international restaurants that cater to all people," Dizon said. Dizon also said the food blogging event will just be the first of many activiti es, as TriNoma will eye other segments that use online communities to market sp ecific services.

HERE'S an interesting New York Times article that takes a look at blogging as a "low-cost, high return marketing tool." Excerpt:

But while blogs may be useful to many more small businesses, even b logging experts do not recommend it for the majority. Guy Kawasaki, a serial entrepreneur, managing partner of Garage Technology Vent ures and a prolific blog ger, put it this way: âIf youâre a clothing manufacturer or a restaurant, b logging is probably not as high on your list as making good food or good clothe s.â Blogging requires a large time commitment and some writing skills, which not ev ery small business has on hand. But some companies are suited to blogging. The most obvious candidates, said Al iza Sherman Risdahl, author of âThe Everything Blogging Bookâ (Adams Medi a 2006), are consultants. âThey are experts in their fields and are in the busi ness of telling people what to do.â