I started blogging more than ten years ago to share bits and pieces of information about HIV/AIDS.
My husband encouraged me to set up a blog to post the news and feature articles I wrote for a daily publication. Those articles were mostly about People Living with HIV/AIDS or PLWHAs. During those times, fewer materials about PLWHAs are available on the Internet due to privacy issues.
Because I was a newbie in the blogging platform, I searched for other blogs/bloggers who may share the same interests. While lurking, I stumble on mommy blogs. One blog features photos of kids following a weekly theme. I thought it was cute and decided to join the “meme†by sharing my kids’ pictures on the blog. I had fun because I look forward to interacting with fellow mommies every week.
Earn online
While interacting with other bloggers, I’ve learned that I can earn online. So I started signing up for various companies that pay bloggers for writing articles.
In 2010, I bought my first domain to earn more online. New friends were supportive to help me set up a blog with a nice layout. I’m still thankful to them for all the help they’ve extended to me. The other mommy friends helped me with the technical stuff and offered a hosting service for my first blog.
They’re the same friends who shared referrals to paying sites and direct advertisers. I was able to generate funds from the passive income. It was a big help for a single-income family like mine.
Brand ambassador
In 2012, I became part of a campaign that assists people to lose weight. Thanks to mommy friends who recommended me to join the weight loss challenge. Overall, it was a nerve-wracking but productive experience. I believe it was the peak of my blogging journey to date. I’ve met a lot of interesting people behind the blogs.
I guess I share the same sentiments with influencer Amy West when she recalls her experiences with brand partnerships. Amy travels a lot. She promotes brands and writes blogs while traveling to various places. Â
I didn’t win the weight loss challenge, but I learned to take care of my health. I continue to exercise and mind my food intake.
Blog coverage
The blog exposure somewhat allowed me to cover events. I was lucky to attend a few, a Family Day in an exclusive school for girls; green social enterprises in a municipality in Metro Manila; and an art exhibit by human rights activists. The coverages brought back the memories I had as a reporter.
There were opportunities to review certain products. The good thing about blogging is that you can express your honest opinion about the product. For me, blogging plays a significant role in the promotion of new merchandise in the market. Potential consumers can easily access product reviews online and decide if they will buy the product or not.
Blogging onward
I have been in this business for more than a decade now. I can’t say I’ve made a mark in the blogging world because I’m an ordinary blogger with no accolades or large following. I’m happy enough to share the side of an introverted mommy blogger.
What keeps me motivated to continue blogging these days is a personal goal. You see, my son is in the last two years of college, and I rely on the income I get from blogging and online gigs.
Advocacy
I have mentioned sharing about PLWHAs stories in my other blogs. I believe the stories of real people living with HIV/AIDS will help raise awareness about the public health threat among vulnerable populations.Â
Despite repeated warnings by health experts, many continuously violate the health and safety protocols of Covid19. We have seen people posting on social media big gatherings of family members with their relatives and friends outside their home on Christmas Eve.
Face-to-face parties outside the home are still prohibited this holiday season. Why don’t we listen to the warnings of experts? This way, we can protect ourselves and our loved ones from getting Covid.
Photo by Gabriel Tovar on Unsplash
On New Year’s Eve, please do not invite your relatives and friends to any physical parties. There is too much at stake if you hold an activity outdoors. Why not invite them to a zoom party. People are doing this worldwide. I think a virtual party is more fun and does not require you to dress up and prepare a lot of food on the table. Let’s be patient, please. We have been in this situation for several months now; let’s wait for a few more until the vaccine reaches the country.
Even with the dramatic turn of events, let us claim a better 2021 for everyone. Happy holidays and please stay safe.
Let’ have a virtual toast for a healthier life in 2021!
Leading real estate platform Lamudi gathers
the top real estate developers in the Philippines for The Outlook 2019:
Philippine Buyers’ Choice Property Awards, a gala event co-presented by
Philippine Daily Inquirer Property and Holcim Philippines to be held at the
Makati Shangri-la on November 14, 2019. The event recognizes the real estate
innovations developers designed in response to the changing needs of property
seekers all over the country, with nominees shortlisted by a panel of judges
and winners chosen through a survey with 10,000 active Lamudi property seekers.
Lamudi’s preparations started in January, when
nominations were opened to all developers in the Philippines until May 31st,
provided their development has not won at The Outlook Awards before. There was
no nomination fee to submit the name of a project, and no limits were imposed
on the number of nominees in all award categories.
The Judges
The real
estate platform asked judges to review all the nominations between June and
July, using a predefined category-specific score sheet for each category as a
guide in shortlisting the nominees. The panel of judges will determine the
winners of the Special Awards. The winners for the House, Condominium,
Mixed-use, and Grand Awards categories will be determined via a
10,000-respondent survey involving active property seekers on Lamudi.
Here are the panel of judges for The Outlook: Philippine Buyers’ Choice Property Awards:
Atty. Robert Nomar V.
Leyretana, Deputy Administrator of the
Land Registration Authority
Richard Raymundo, Managing
Director of Colliers International Philippines
Kenneth Stern, Country Manager of
RE/MAX Philippines
Platzer Georg, Market Development
Manager of Ikano Philippines Inc. and Store Manager of IKEA Pasay City
Arch. Amado P. de Jesus, Vice
Chairman of Philippine Green Building Initiative and Principal Architect of A. P. de Jesus &
Associates
Theresa Samaniego, Editor of
Philippine Daily Inquirer Property
Amelita Remo, Writing Editor of
Philippine Daily Inquirer Property
Dr. Eduardo Ong, Former Chairman
of the Professional Regulatory Board for Real Estate Services
Leira Buan, Assistant Secretary of
the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC)
James Buskowitz, CEO of Buskowitz
Group
Rick Santos, Chairman and CEO of
Santos Knight Frank
Jason Buensalido, Principal
Architect, Chief Design Ambassador and Founder of Buensalido+Architects
The Nominees
The Outlook: Philippine Buyers’ Choice
Property Awards, which is supported by the Subdivision and Housing Developers
Association (SHDA), received an overall increase of 30% in the number of
nominations in its third year, with a 90% increase in the number of nominees
from Visayas and Mindanao compared to 2018.
Awards for Developments in Luzon
The shortlisted nominees for the Best Affordable Condo in Luzon are:
Amaia Land Corporation – Amaia
Skies Shaw
Cathay Land, Inc. – Stanford
Suites 2
DataLand, Inc. – The Silk
Residences
Empire East Holdings, Inc. –
Cambridge Village
PHINMA Property Holdings
Corporation – Arezzo Place Pasig
SM Development Corporation – Cheer
Residences
Sta. Lucia Land, Inc. – Monte
Carlo
The shortlisted nominees for the Best Premium Condo in Luzon are:
Avida Land Corporation – Avida
Towers Makati Southpoint
Century Properties Group, Inc. –
Iguazu Tower at Acqua Private Residences
Costa del Hamilo, Inc. – Freia at
Pico de Loro Cove
Empire East Land Holdings, Inc. –
San Lorenzo Place
Filinvest Land, Inc. – Fora
Condotel
SM Development Corporation – Hope
Residences
Torre Lorenzo Development
Corporation – Torre Lorenzo Central
Robinsons Land Corporation –
Chimes Greenhills
Alveo Land Corporation – The
Sandstone at Portico
Anchor Land Holdings, Inc. –
Princeview Parksuites
The shortlisted nominees for the Best Luxe Condo in Luzon are:
Ayala Land Premier – Park Central
Towers
Megaworld Corporation – The Albany
North Bonifacio Landmark Realty
and Development Inc. – Grand Landmark Residences South Tower (Grand Hyatt
Manila Residences South Tower)
Century Properties Group, Inc. –
Century Spire
Anchor Land Holdings, Inc. –
Anchor Grandsuites
The shortlisted nominees for the Best Affordable House in Luzon are:
Amaia Land Corporation – Amaia
Scapes Bulacan
Avida Land Corporation – Avida
Southfield Settings NUVALI
CitiHomes Builder and Development,
Inc. – Liora Homes
Demeterland Development
Corporation – Valley Verde Villas
Filinvest Land, Inc. – Amarilyo
Crest
PHirst Park Homes – PHirst Park
Homes Tanza
Taft Property Venture Development
Corporation – Cera at Citation Residences
The shortlisted nominees for the Best Premium House in Luzon are:
AboitizLand, Inc. – Seafront
Residences
Brittany Corporation – Promenade
Crown Asia – Valenza
Filinvest Land Inc. – The Peak
The shortlisted nominees for Best Mixed-Use Development in Luzon are:
Ayala Land Corporation – Evo City
Costa del Hamilo, Inc. – Hamilo
Coast
Italpinas Development Corporation
– Miramonti Green Residences
NAI RCL Philippines – Waves
Beach Club and Residences
Megaworld Corporation – Arcovia
City
Awards for Developments in
Visayas and Mindanao
The shortlisted nominees for Best Affordable Condo in Visayas and Mindanao are:
Amaia Land Corporation – Amaia
Steps Capitol Central
Cebu Landmasters, Inc. – Casa Mira
Towers Labangon
Damosa Land, Inc. – Seawind
Filinvest Land Inc. – One Oasis
Cagayan de Oro
Grand Land Inc. – Amani Citygate
Davao
PHINMA Property Holdings
Corporation – Arezzo Place Davao
Taft Property Venture Development
Corporation – Soltana Nature Residences
The shortlisted nominees for Best Premium Condo in Visayas and Mindanao are:
Anchor Land Holdings, Inc. – 202
Peaklane
Ayala Land Premier – The
Residences at Azuela Cove
Cebu Landmasters, Inc. – 38 Park
Avenue
Federal Land, Inc. – Marco Polo
Residences
Filinvest Land, Inc. – Sanremo
Oasis at City di Mare
Megaworld Corporation – The
Palladium
Torre Lorenzo Development
Corporation – Dusit Thani Residence Davao
The shortlisted nominees for Best House in Visayas and Mindanao are:
On October 17, 2019, Lamudi successfully held
The Outlook Real Estate Conference 2019 at the Makati Shangri-La, bringing
together industry thought leaders from all over the country to talk about the
hot topics in the Philippine real estate sector.
The Outlook: Philippine Real Estate Conference
2019, with co-presenters Philippine Daily Inquirer Property and Holcim
Philippines, provided an avenue for insightful discussion spanning a wide range
of topics from sustainability to alternative ways of investing in real estate.
The major sponsors for the event are the
International Workplace Group and SMDC, and the official TV partner is Cignal
TV. The Outlook Conference has also teamed up with event partner Subdivision
and Housing Developers Association (SHDA), and media partners Philippine Daily
Inquirer Property, Business Mirror, Business World, Malaya Business Insight,
Manila Standard, and Philippine Star.
The Role of Developers in Making
the Philippines More Sustainable
The Outlook Conference started strong with its
first track, “Taking Sustainable Action: Addressing Climate Change Through Real
Estate,†where moderator Cathy Saldaña, Managing Director of PDP Architects,
steered the conversation into a topic dear to her heart. The panel revealed
that though different companies are already pioneering efforts to use solar
energy, waste management, and water recycling to be more sustainable, there is
a need to adopt a more global, top-down approach to initiate change that will
last.
The panelists for this track were Cecilia
Domingo, Vice-President and Head of Meralco; Gian Carlo Valerio, Chief
Executive Officer of Solana Land; Ram Maganti, SVP for Marketing and
Innovations of Holcim Philippines Inc.; and Gay Santos, a financial inclusion
specialist/advocate.
The Philippines is blessed with sun and rain,
Saldaña noted, both of which can be harnessed as sources of energy. Maganti
also mentioned the scarcity of fresh water, prompting the company to use
recycled water as part of their sustainability efforts. Domingo talked about
the residential and commercial efforts started by Meralco and its subsidiaries,
from solar panels to e-sakay as an initiative. According to Domingo, the
Meralco compound has already banned single-use plastic, and are active in
tree-planting initiatives for carbon reduction.
Real Estate Marketing for a
Younger Market
The second track, “New-Age Customer
Experience: Transforming Real Estate Marketing in the Age of Disruption,â€
moderated by Deborah Ong, Head of Corporate Partnerships at Lamudi, explored
the role of disruption in shaping a new breed of real estate clients along with
strategies that should be adapted to thrive in this new consumer environment.
The panel discussed the “end†of the mall to give way to online shopping, and
how this prediction years ago failed to take into account the adaptability of
Filipinos to change. What could have ended an industry sparked disruption,
giving rise to the changes in the way people do business and how consumers
consume.
The panelists for this track were Thomas
Mirasol, General Manager of Federal Land; Marco Antonio, President & CEO of
Century Properties; Tek Samaniego, Property Editor of Philippine Daily Inquirer
Property; Jose Soberano III, CEO of Cebu Landmasters; and Eugene Lozano, First
Vice President for Sales and Marketing for Megaworld Corporation.
Lozano, who has witnessed the transition from
traditional to digital marketing, said there is now a focus on Google
Analytics. To successfully implement these changes, Lozano mentioned the
importance of informing key people in the team. “We’ve been very busy
re-training, providing lectures and materials to different key people just to
keep up with the digital transformation of marketing strategies nowadays.â€
“The consumer today is more demanding,†Ong
noted.
“And they really want to get their money’s
worth,†Samaniego added.
Uncovering New Real Estate Sales
Strategies
“Fresh Perspectives: Mapping Evolving Real
Estate Sales†was moderated by Bhavna Suresh, Chief Executive Officer of
Lamudi. The third track leaned towards preparing the sales team for new
business models, strategies, and practices that improve how real estate is
offered to customers. The panelists mentioned the importance of likability and
trustworthiness, the human touch, malasakit,
and thinking beyond after-sales.
The panelists were David Rafael, President
& CEO of Aboitiz Land; Beth Ventura, President of Anchor Land Holdings,
Inc.; Ricardo Lagdameo, First Vice President of Damosa Land; and
Raphael Felix, President of Phinma Properties
Inc. and Subdivision and Housing Developers Association (SHDA).
Rafael admitted to wondering about the future
of real estate. “Will we ever reach a point where people would buy property the
way they buy food from Foodpanda or they buy a shirt from Lazada?â€
Upon pondering, however, Rafael has come up
with an answer: “At the end of the day, the human person buying property will
really still need to talk to a human person.â€
Startups and Their Exploration of
the Sharing Economy
“Paradigm Shifts: Exploring the Sharing
Economy in Philippine Real Estate†explored the changing Philippine conditions
and the rise of startups that have led to the growth of the sharing economy.
Eric Manuel, of Arch Capital Management, moderated the track, which discussed
the commute as a major pain point for residents who eventually decide to move
to co-living spaces. The very young population of the Philippines wants to be
measured by their performance, not their timesheet. Co-working spaces, on the other hand, allow
young professionals to expand their network.
The track’s panelists were Jelmer Ikink, Group
Director of MyTown; Nick Padilla, Co-founder, CEO & Space Captain of
Kahon.ph; Paul Rivera, Co-Founder & CEO of Kalibrr; and Lars Wittig,
Country Manager Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, S. Korea for
International Workplace Group.
Shared spaces answer the tenants’ need to
escape the commute. Ikink further noted that the future of work, especially its
definition, will change over time and to address this, they are working towards
a zero-commute lifestyle. This means working, living, and all amenities will be
in the same space.
Choosing Investments: From POGO
to Property
“Changing Face: Uncovering Alternative Ways to
Invest in Real Estate†zeroed in on the drivers of investor demand, the new
investment opportunities available in the market, and how the market can tap
into these to encourage a robust real estate economy. The moderator, Cignal
TV’s news anchor Danie Laurel, asked about the viability and sustainability of
POGO as an investment. Panelists also recommend diversifying as a smart way to
invest.
The fifth and final track’s panelists were
Richard Raymundo, Managing Director of Colliers; Mikko Barranda, Associate
Director of Leechiu Property Consultants Inc.; Iluminada Sicat, Assistant
Governor of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas; and Noel Rapadas, Senior Vice
President and Chief Finance Officer of Torre Lorenzo.
Sicat presented an interesting fact that will
help guide investors in diversifying their portfolio: “We did an assessment of
the impact of POGOs on the price of our residences. There was a sudden increase
in the price of rent, but if you look at the net contribution of POGOs, it’s
not that big, actually.â€
Raymundo also noted that if POGOs did not
come, “the rents would have corrected anyway.â€
Rapadas mentioned that there is still a long
way to go for these kinds of investments to be sustainable. He urged investors
to look at what drives prices up, and suggested following a fixed plan to see
growth. Rapadas also said that despite the increase in the prices of real
estate, the Philippines is still relatively cheap compared to other places for
investment in Asia.
Projects Shaping the Filipino
Community
Keynote speaker Vince Dizon, President and
Chief Executive Officer of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority
(BCDA), shared the plans for New Clark City as part of the Build, Build, Build
program. New Clark City is planned to be the Philippines’ first smart, green,
and resilient metropolis.
The Outlook Real Estate Conference also gave a
platform to Virlanie Foundation, a private, non-profit and non-sectarian
organization reaching out to marginalized children and communities in the
Philippines. Lamudi and Virlanie launched a partnership program, Cherish-A-Home
Fundraising, to help the disadvantaged, abused, neglected, and abandoned
children through in-kind and cash donations that will improve their quality of
life in any of the foundation’s eight homes.
The Outlook Conference: Future
Forward
Lamudi’s The Outlook: Philippine Real Estate
Conference 2019 gathered real estate thought leaders to share their insights on
the pressing topics facing Philippine real estate today. The event leads up to
Lamudi’s Outlook Awards: The Philippine Buyers’ Choice Property Awards
scheduled on November 14, 2019, at the Makati Shangri-La, where property
developers from all over the Philippines gather to celebrate the outstanding
achievements that shaped the country and steered it to a greener future.
The winners of the awards are determined by a
panel of judges and a survey involving 10,000 active property seekers.
To know more about The Outlook Awards 2019, head to
lamudi.com.ph/outlook2019
For its second installment this year, Lamudi is bringing its Lamudi Affordable Housing Fair to the Glorietta Activity Center this July 20 to 21, 2019. Aside from bringing together individuals and groups from all ends of the real estate industry, with top property developers, property buyers, financials and government institutions participating, Lamudi Affordable Housing Fair in Glorietta will offer property seekers a unique opportunity to choose from an extensive selection of real estate. The event will also be a great opportunity for industry professionals to elevate their footing in the industry through the various learning opportunities in store at the event.
The
Lamudi Affordable Housing Fair in Glorietta follows the successful housing fair
that was held in TriNoma last April 6 and 7, 2019, which was attended by more
than 3,000 property seekers and brokers. The exhibitors were SMDC, Aspire
by Filinvest, Futura by Filinvest, Prestige by Filinvest, The Hauslands, Amiya
Raya, Taft Properties, Robinsons Communities, BPI Family Housing Loan, Grand
Monaco, Ortigas & Company, Phinma Properties, Pag-IBIG Fund, Sandari
Batulao, and Suntrust. The Subdivision and Housing Developers Association,
Inc. (SHDA) was the official Event Partner with Media Partners Business World,
Business Mirror, Malaya, Inquirer, and Philippine Star.
On top of the affordable property selections, there are a lot more
in store for property seekers during the two-day event.
Free Home Buying Seminar
Like
previous Lamudi housing fairs, there will be a free home buying seminar for
aspiring homeowners and real estate investors to be conducted by the experts.
Knowing the right way to approach this all-too-important process of home buying
is going to help homebuyers tread it with great ease.
Property Discounts
For
those who are looking for more affordable options, Lamudi Housing Fair in
Glorietta will also host an auction. On top of that, property buyers who will
attend the housing fair will also be treated to freebies and exclusive
discounts they won’t find elsewhere.
Real
estate professionals will also find attending the housing fair to their
advantage.
Optimizing lead generation channels
Online real estate marketing experts from Lamudi Academy will teach attending real estate brokers and agents on how to make the most out of the various digital channels that today’s property buyers are exploring through the Top Online Lead Generation Channels course. The course will give you the low down on each digital channel and will provide tips on how you can use them to your advantage.
Harnessing the power of Lamudi
As the
number one real estate platform in the country today, the Lamudi Academy
coaches will also teach you how to make the most of Lamudi. Lamudi is a trusted
brand and learning how to use this to your advantage will ensure that
homebuyers trust you and a step to selling them your property listings.
Aside
from learning valuable insights through these courses, you will also get the
chance to network with other real estate professionals and potential property
buyers. The best part of all is—attendance and the trainings are all free of
charge!
Networking opportunity
Apart
from the free online real estate marketing lessons courtesy of Lamudi Academy,
Lamudi Housing Fair in Glorietta will also be a convergence of the biggest
players in the local property sector—from property developers, financing
institutions, and government agencies—as well other real estate professionals
that might all contribute to your own body of knowledge.
Continued local orientation
With
the prominence of digital as the primary search avenue for property seekers,
the value of personal interactions and the building and maintaining of
relationships between real estate professionals and their clients will continue
to be invaluable Potential buyers will eventually want to speak with a broker
or agent and see a property in person.
According
to Lamudi’s visitor data for 2018, property seekers from Makati account for the
second largest market of visitors, as well in leads. This means there are a
sizable number of users in the city who repeatedly went on the website to look
for property, and are also more likely to drop by the housing fair to further
explore the real estate options available to them.
In
addition to this is the substantial amount of foot traffic typically seen on
weekends in the Glorietta, from mall-goers who won’t miss the sight of the
Lamudi Housing Fair.
Some of
the developers and financial institutions that will be exhibiting their
offerings are SMDC, Lancaster New City by ProFriends, Federal
Land, DMCI Homes, BPI Family Housing Loan, Aboitiz Land, Grand
Monaco, PA Properties, Megaworld Prime RFO, Camella Homes, Polintan –
Agpasa Engineering and Architectural Design, UnionBank Credit Cards, Phinma
Properties, Calmar
Land Development Corporation, Aspire by Filinvest, RCD Land, CDC
Holdings, Inc., Futura Homes by Filinvest, and Food Panda.
SMDC is
a Premium Sponsor. The event’s Major Sponsors are Lancaster New City by
ProFriends and Federal Land. DMCI Homes, BPI Family Housing Loan, Aboitiz Land,
and Food Panda are Minor Sponsors.
