#online jobs in the philippines

[melaniekudo]

Application to the Philippine Heart Center under their Critical Care Course . You can research the materials here.

[xcruitech]

Find Your Dream Work from Home Job in Philippines 2024 - Xcruit

Explore your perfect work from home job in the Philippines in 2024 through Xcruit. With a plethora of remote opportunities and seamless navigation, Xcruit simplifies the job search process. Whether you seek flexibility or a new career path, Xcruit helps you discover fulfilling roles that align with your skills and aspirations.

[yulirene]

I'm not particularly fond of posting or sharing my problems since I almost end up oversharing, and I'd find myself feeling both humiliated and embarrassed. I get emotional, something that I honestly hate to acknowledge.

I'm 18, graduating senior high in about 3 1/2 months. I came from a great school, to which people usually say. I, also, regard it as such; quality education, a somehow good environment, and being surrounded by great students and amazing teachers. Perhaps an environment that smart people, or rather, the above average people would love. It's not something to hate.

Although, I will have to admit that I indeed hated the idea of being there, but perhaps meeting my friends lessened that hatred. My main reason for hating is because I got in against my own will despite passing the exam in a fair square manner. Anyways, the teachers also somehow made my days worthwhile despite the constant failures I face there. Struggles, challenges, exhaustion, stress, low scores; Sometimes, I even feel like I'm just average, and perhaps that I'm the least smartest, so I lowered my expectations by a lot. To say that I started to lose my confidence and began de-appreciating myself, I came to a point where I would much rather just survive and not get kicked out of the school. Just make sure not to fail. Submit your requirements. And live. A constant cycle. But I had my friends. And I have a dream. Although I don't have a school in mind, I do have a plan on what I want to do.

I want to study chemistry, then study forensics and become a scientist who could assist in investigations. Childish? Yes, it seems like it. After all, as a child, I loved reading detective books, Sherlock Homes, Agatha Christie, and Hardy Boys, name a few more local books. I loved investigation despite how it may seem horrifying it is in real life. I may hate horror movies, but my heart always ached for finding out the truth in things. Perhaps, if somebody died right now, I would wonder "why?", "how?", and "what happened?" Connecting the threads of it seemed to be something that always caught my attention.

Unfortunately, that dream can't be achieved. Being a forensic scientist is almost unachievable. Perhaps I'm not the best in studying, I procrastinate a lot, but when it comes to my interest in forensics and crimes, I always make sure to put my whole attention to every detail. Much more attention than the one I give in studying.

My parents always remind me to maintain my grades, and of course, I always do my best to do so. Because I have dreams I want to achieve. But, whenever discussions about colleges or universities pop up, I would much rather not attend such a topic. I hate how my mom would always mention the costs it would take to put in the school that I'm aiming for. I'm grateful that she wants to support me, but sometimes, I get the impression that she thinks I want her to support me, as in the type where I wouldn't help her. As if she was expecting that she pays for everything. "I can always get a part-time job." I wanted to say that, but I know she wouldn't want that. Perhaps it was because of pride that she could try to support me financially or that she just wants me to focus solely on my studies. I love her. I love her, really, but I hate how she always talks about financial things regarding college. She ones told me to just study nearby. The farthest I could possibly go is in Cebu so that it'd be cheaper. I get it, but what is the point of putting in such an outstanding school, with scholarship, and just put me in some state college?? The closer I am to home, the better. I understand that, and truly, I would love the idea. But I hate it. I hate it. There's not many opportunities here. One line I will always say to end these college or university topics is that,

"You put me in a prestigious high school, one that I didn't even want to go to. And now that I actually ended up liking it and want to plan my life out, you'd put me in a state college? Here? Just nearby? Where there's less to little to no opportunities?" And that would somehow end it.

I want to get a part-time job as early as now. But living in the Philippines isn't making it easy when there's limited job offers or side hustles available for people around 16 or 17. I'm 18, but it's still a challenge to find a job where you'd earn a lot.

I want to choose my own college and enjoy my life the way I'd want it. Being in this high school, where I am now, gave me the idea that I should always search for bigger opportunities and not be limited to what is only around you. And I will do that.

[carlocarrasco]

Imposition of withholding tax on online sellers could happen before December 2023

Those of you who have been engaging with online selling, you better brace yourselves as the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) hopes to begin imposing a creditable withholding tax before December 2023, according to a BusinessWorld news report. Specifically, this move applies on partner-merchants of online platforms. To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the BusinessWorld…

[zvezdacito]

Diasomnia sexuality (and some gender) headcanons I just wanted to yap about for no reason:

Malleus: Demiromantic Bisexual

-> There's that joke that he doesn't gaf about gender as long as it's Yuu, but (for the demiromantic part) I also like the idea that he's ride-or-die, sentimental and clingy for anyone he gets close to. So generally the only difference for how he cares about people is the type of attraction + specific boundaries (can be slightly possessive in a different way for a romantic interest? Idk)

-> Also not really sexuality but I see his gender as that "I'm probably nonbinary but I have a job so idrc about that rn" tweet but for being the next king In general I think being acespec & nonbinary would be extra perplexing for bro since he never stopped to think about personal identity stuff like that for too long (too duty-pilled🥀)

-> Being dense about regular emotional experiences + actual difference in the norms of attraction and gender add to the gap of understanding between him and others

Lilia: Bisexual (not really a sexuality but he's also polyamorous)

-> This isn't sexuality again but I also think transfeminine Lilia is cool, I genuinely believed that Lilia was just a woman with a really deep voice the first time I saw him (I was watching him vs Leona in Book 2 out of context). There's no way to easily explain this in English but by this the specific identity i see him as is basically 'bakla' in the Philippines. It is really its own gender identity in our culture and isn't a "direct equivalent" of any one anglophone label, but for the sake of non-filipinos i guess you can just understand this to mean i see Lilia as "nonbinary transfem in the Filipino way"👍

-> I think it would align with his story in a good way with how she's maligned by the senate and such, how even as a soldier Lilia was coloring her hair for style. It's also like that thing where a guy who was already considered obviously effeminate and "one of the girls" atp (I see Meleanor as kids playing with Lilia in typically "girly" ways and encouraging his cuteness/hair styling) comes out later on as actually a girl/fem nonbinary

-> General Lilia is this is that type of situation where a transfem person can't really go all out with their expression because current life-threatening circumstances require "masculinity" or their focus to be exclusively on external matters (in this case its Lilia being a lowly bat soldier in an active war. Similar to Malleus, an idea of patriotic obligation stops him from really questioning or exploring since the country needs "strength" and "unity" in these times, there was also just really little time to wonder when you're fighting for your life everyday). But after retiring Lilia is able to realize she likes being perceived as cute and begins going all out in her appearance👍

Lilia edit with the article this headcanon reminds me of:

Silver: Aroace

-> Thought it would be a kind of cool subversion of the usual fairytale prince archetype Silver is made to emulate, where romance is the greatest and purest love and marriage is THE happy end. I think it aligns with Silver wanting to spend his life "repaying" the kindness of Malleus and Lilia; if they asked him to think about gertting a family of his own in the future, I think he'd just say the true love he's found in life is already them. A knight who dedicates his lifetime devotion to familial love instead

Sebek: Gaylm

-> One of bro's most notable character gags is glazing another man at every opportunity so yeah /j. Also fsr I just can't see him as a man romantically with a woman no matter what lol

(THIS ISN'T OBJECTIVE THOUGH this is just how I personally sense his vibes. Go crazy fellow fem yumes and OC artists. You are the pillars of this earth)

⚠️ My only disclaimer is that I am cisgender so the gender headcanons are only me relating the characters to scholarly articles on transfem experiences/from personal accounts of transfem and nonbinary people online and irl.

Another reminder that these are all headcanons made by viewing canon in a specific way, not me saying they're definitively any of these identities. You can still have cis or male malleus and lilia if you prefer that😭

That is all. Thank you for reading👊🔥

[izicodes]

Hi, Hello! It’s me, Izzy and I am back from a very long break!

For those who don’t know who I am and just saw my post, I’m Isabelle but Izzy for short (and even shorter, Izi)! I run a Codeblr blog which I post about anything coding! I try to strictly only talk about coding, programming and computer science, but frankly, I ramble on about something else eventually! Hope you’re doing well!

Now, I know I said I wouldn't come back, but that was because I suddenly became stuck on what to post about and wanted to give myself a break and figure out how to do things on my blog and my online presence in general!

So, in summary, I am back from my break very inspired and eager to help more people get into programming / get better at programming! I will go on to talk about exactly what I have been doing during my break later on in this post, but wanted to say thank you to everyone who messaged me throughout the months and saw how I was! Very thought and extra blessings from God to you, please!

Working at my new-but-not-so-new job!

Yes! So, obviously, as a 21st Century girlie, I am working! Still at the music company that I started back in January! Now that I am 8 months into the job, I feel now I am fully immersed in the job and the projects and not feeling like an outsider! I went on multiple out-the-office events with the whole company and it was nice! Some I couldn’t attend because of religious reasons, but I still had fun! I got to meet a lot more girlies at my office that I don’t usually talk to (because I’m still the only girl in the frontend engineering team but there is a backend girlie but we don’t work close together so… distance)! Cheatingly, I am always ticking the box of “code every day”! However, work has made me do more UI/UX designing + frontend programming websites which I love! Always wanted to be both and not just one or the other! We are allowed to have 2 job titles, remember? (But make sure the salary is in accordance, of course, ~)

Learning new technologies! (for fun, obviously)

By “for fun” I mean personal reasons, the technologies I learnt on a whim were not for work but because I needed to learn them for personal projects I wanted to learn! I stress again; it’s more fun to learn something because you want to and not because you have to! So, I have been learning how to create desktop applications using ElectronJS and ReactJS (React has become my best friend!). Me now compared to me when I started my break is 10x smarter I feel like! My brain has definitely expanded somewhere…!

Latest project?!

Inspired by study productivity apps and wanting to track my Korean language progress, I am making a desktop application called ‘eStudySpace’! It would be my own personal app, but I want to see if I can actually pull something like this off! Right now I have not coded anything because I want to work on the design aspect first (which is smarter and a time saver in the future), so I have been on Figma for the last 2 weeks coming up with designs!

(It looks bad, I know this is like idea no.3287368 ugh...)

Miscs

I have been learning Korean for 4 months now. 

I have plans to move to a South-Eastern country, The Philippines? Singapore? Unsure!

I do have plans to switch to a new career but that’s more like 5 years into the future! But right now, I’m happy where I am at!

[southeastasianists]

The Philippines is known as a country that supports political dynasties, and powerful clans have played a major role in the country’s politics for decades. But in the last week of June, Vice President Sara Duterte made an announcement that rocked the nation as her family appears to be gearing up to take political dynasties to the next level. On June 28, the vice president confirmed that her father, Former President Rodrigo Duterte, and her brothers, Davao First District Rep. Paolo Duterte and Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte, will all run for senator in the 2025 elections. 

Social media is all abuzz with news of this development, with those supporting the Duterte camp ecstatic at the possibility of having all three Dutertes in the Senate. However, those who are staunchly against this have been equally loud on Twitter and Facebook, calling the country’s political system a joke. As one of the most influential political families in the country have benefited from the results of a well-executed social media strategy in the last presidential elections, Filipinos can expect that the Internet will once again turn into an all-out war zone in the coming months. But can social media bring about the downfall of political dynasties, or will it take them to new heights? Here’s what you need to know about the influence of social media on political dynasties in the Philippines. 

Social Media Brought the Marcoses Back to Power

For two decades, Filipinos had to submit to the rules of Ferdinand Marcos’ regime as the former president enforced Martial Law. Historians attest that his dictatorship resulted in over 3,000 extrajudicial killings and more than 30,000 tortures, apart from other human rights violations. The Marcoses also infamously stole $5 to $10 billion from the Central Bank of the Philippines as stated in the documents provided by the Presidential Commission on Good Government. 

After the assassination of opposition leader Benigno Aquino Jr., Marcos was blamed for his death. The family immediately fell from grace as Aquino’s supporters joined hands to support his widow, Corazon Aquino, during the People Power Revolution of 1986. Mrs. Aquino became the new President of the Philippines, while the Marcoses were exiled in Hawaii. In 1989, the matriarch, Imelda, as well as Marcos’ children were allowed to return to the country, and from there, they started planning their political comeback. Their return to politics started with Imelda winning a congressional seat in 1995, while her children, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Imee Marcos, won positions in local government. 

After Bongbong was elected as a senator in the 2010 elections, it was only a matter of time before he decided to run in the presidential elections. In 2022, Bongbong was up against nine other presidential candidates, the most notable being Leni Robredo, who was the Vice President at that time. It was reported that social media campaigns to discredit Robredo, a strong disinformation campaign, and online efforts to revise history contributed to Bongbong’s win, putting the Marcoses firmly back in power. That election year was one of the most divisive times in Philippine history, as it resulted in the falling out of families, the shut down of a major TV network, and increased hostility in social media platforms. 

Political Dynasties and Their Hold on Social Media

Political analysts are saying that the Philippines is where it is right now because certain politicians have turned public office into family businesses. With everyone complaining about the ever-increasing prices of commodities, lack of jobs, and non-stop graft and corruption for so many years now, many would think that Filipinos should have had enough of political families by this time. However, with politicians becoming social media savvy in recent years, it’s likely that more political dynasties will rise in the future. With the majority of Filipinos perpetually online, it’s likely that political clans will take to the Internet to gather support for their family members who are vying for a place in politics.

Other than the Dutertes, political analyst Edmund Tayao predicts that there will be more families running together in the upcoming senate elections. Siblings Pia and Alan Cayetano currently have seats in the senate, and so do Cynthia Villar and her son Mark. They are all projected to run for reelection in 2025. Meanwhile, 3 members of the Tulfo family, which has four members in congress, are also said to run in the senate elections. Their bid for a senate seat will be confirmed upon the filing of Certificates of Candidacy in October.

Countering Political Misinformation on Social Media

Certain influencers have found ways to spread disinformation on social media as a way to promote some political families, but anti-disinformation advocates have also taken to TikTok and Facebook to fight political misinformation. Genealogist Mona Magno-Veluz is one such TikTok personality who is actively battling historical and political misinformation. There’s also the local civic society organization Break the Fake movement, which regularly holds seminars to train influencers to fact-check their sources. 

AI tools have also been used by fact-checking initiatives such as FactsFirstPH to fight disinformation. Meanwhile, to inform the youth about election-related information, nonprofit corporation Pinas Forward created the E-Boto website, which contains background information for all national candidates, presented in a Gen Z-friendly, TikTok style.

Can Social Media Eradicate Political Dynasties in the Philippines?

Social media has made it easier to access information, but it has also created opportunities to spread disinformation and propaganda techniques to sway the results of elections. Knowing how to distinguish facts from lies, and putting a stop to historical revisionism can protect Filipinos from repeating past mistakes. Fact-checking information, hearing the opinions of a diverse group of people, and educating the public about the dangers of disinformation, fear mongering, hate speech, and cyberbullying may all help to boost the nation’s media literacy and prevent political families from dominating in the upcoming elections. 

But as long as Filipinos keep voting for candidates who share the same beliefs and principles as their family members who are in power, no amount of protests on Facebook or Twitter can change the country’s political landscape. As proven by the current administration, social media will continue to be a valuable tool for political dynasties jockeying for power. After all, it helped a once shunned family to regain their place in politics, so no one should be surprised if it enables multiple family members – even those who are blatantly unqualified – to be elected into public office. 

Nina Sumsy Nina Sumsy is a freelance writer with a background in journalism

[sixgears]

INCOMING  TEXT:    omg  hv  u  met  phoenix  laurel  of  the  rodani  prowlers  yet  ?  they’re  one  of  the  crew’s  mechanics  n  actually  go  by  marvel.  the  twenty  three  y/o  is  typically  seen  hanging  arnd  turf's skate park.  allegedly  they’re  frm  manila, philippines  n  hv  been  w/  the  crew  for  three  years.  wtvr.  just  watch  out  for  them,  k  ?  ttyl  !

𝟬𝟬𝟭.　𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪

full  name.　jocelyn  grace  fernandez  laurel aliases.　phoenix,  nix, marvel birthdate.　9th  april  (  23  ) hometown.　manila,  philippines gender  +  pronouns.　genderqueer  +  she/they orientation.　lesbian zodiac.　aries occupation.　mechanic at rodani wheels, comic book store clerk face  claim.　beabadoobee

𝟬𝟬𝟮.　𝗕𝗜𝗢𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗣𝗛𝗬

phoenix  was  born  and  raised  in  manila  to  a  mechanic  and  a  real  estate  agent.  their  father  owned  an  auto  shop,  and  she  spent  a  lot  of  childhood  watching  him  work  on  cars.  he,  along  with  her  mother,  were  also  a  huge  motorsport  fan  (  forza  ferrari  sempre  )  and  loved  collecting  rc  cars  and  diecasts,  so  racing  was  a  huge  deal  in  the  laurel  household.

at  the  age  of  fourteen,  phoenix's  mother  was  given  a  bigger,  better  job  offer  that  required  their  family  to  move  all  the  way  to  miami,  effectively  ripping  phoenix  from  the  only  life  they  knew.  to  say  the  first  few  years  were  rough  would  be  an  understatement  —  she  was  the  new  kid  in  a  town  where  all  the  other  kids  her  age  grew  up  together.

eventually,  phoenix  was  pretty  much  adopted  by  a  group  of  skate  rats  by  the  time  junior  year  rolled  around.  at  the  time,  they  knew  nothing  about  skateboarding,  but  it  quickly  grew  to  be  one  of  her  greatest  passions.

phoenix  only  went  to  college  per  her  parents'  orders.  truthfully  they  didn't  want  to  go  at  all  but  felt  obligated  as  the  only  child  of  immigrant  parents  …  sigh  iykyk  …  but  phoenix  pushed  through,  and  now  they  have  a  degree  in  biology  that  they're  never  gonna  use  unless  her  parents  push  her  to  become  a  doctor.

becoming  a  mechanic  for  the  rodani  prowlers  was  pure  chance.  trundling  about  on  online  forums,  she  stumbled  upon  the  world  underground  racing.  showed  up  to  the  stack  a  couple  nights  later  with  nothing  but  intrigue  and  wonder  in  her  eyes.  members  of  the  rodani  prowlers  had  split  off  to  form  the  nariza  bois,  and  the  crew  was  now  down  a  few  mechanics  —  phoenix  happened  to  be  at  the  right  place  at  the  right  time.

phoenix  loves  her  crew,  considers  them  her  family,  but  a  problem  arose  when  someone  from  the  nariza  bois  saw  her  potential,  realized  their  skills  were  far  more  in  tune  with  the  specialties  of  the  rival  crew,  so  now  she's  left  with  a  dilemma  —  stay  with  the  comfortable  reputation  and  prestige  of  a  crew  that  welcomed  her  with  open  arms,  or  embrace  danger  and  let  themself  flourish  with  the  rivals?

𝟬𝟬𝟯.　𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗥

phoenix  was  born  jocelyn  grace,  but  don't  call  them  that  unles  you  want  to  be  smacked  upside  the  head  with  their  skateboard.  ever  since  they  were  twelve,  they've  been  going  by  phoenix,  after  her  favorite  x-men  character,  jean  grey.  it's  how  they  got  their  alias  marvel.

cringefail  girlboyloser  3000  ….  no  rizz  no  game  no  filter  and  that's  why  she's  never  been  in  a  relationship  that's  lasted  longer  than  two  months

alexa  (  or  i  guess  not  it's  2007  )  play  sk8er  boi  by  avril  lavigne  !  huge  on  skating,  but  for  all  intents  and  purposes  is  considered  an  amateur  skater.  you  can  typically  find  them  at  the  skatepart  trying  (  and  often  failing  )  to  perform  a  bunch  of  advanced  tricks  that  are  way  above  their  skill  set.

loyal  to  a  fault.  will  ride  for  anyone  she  cares  for  even  if  it's  to  her  detriment,  but  she  can't  help  that  friendship  and  family  are  the  things  she  values  the  most.  if  phoenix  considers  you  a  friend  (  tho  let's  be  real  they  consider  anyone  and  everyone  a  friend  )  then  they'll  do  anything  for  you.

undiagnosed  adhd  </3  someone  take  her  to  a  psychiatrist  asap

𝟬𝟬𝟰.　𝗪𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦

best friend.　ride or die, partner in crime, platonic soulmate, whatever you wanna call it. this person welcomed phoenix with open arms when they first joined the rodani prowlers, and the two have been tight ever since. every race, they're seen attached to the hip, and you can't mention one of them without bringing up the other.

crushes.　phoenix is a hopeless romantic and will fall for literally any fem who looks in their direction. i imagine most of these are unrequited but if not 👀 we could work something out.

mentor.　an older, more experienced mechanic who took phoenix under their wing. she used to be pretty clueless besides knowing the basics, but they continuously help her hone her skills to become even better.

persuader.　here's the thing — phoenix's mechanic skills are far more suited to the nariza bois, it's so obvious. this person is constantly trying to poach her, and even phoenix knows they'll flourish there, but she like the prestige and reputation that comes with being a rodani prowler too much to sacrifice it.

recruiter.　the reason phoenix is with their crew in the first place! this person saw a lot of potential in them and brought them in a little after the nariza bois split off and the rodani prowlers lost a couple members.

roommate.　they've been living together for quite some time now. they're not too close, but they're friendly. however, as of recently they discovered that they're on opposite crews, so now it's a little awkward when they run into each other.

[gawrkin]

I really want to do a little side investigation into the historical relationship women have with magic/spirituality. And how that would apply to the Arthurian Tradition. (Consider the weird quasi-veneration of the woman in Courtly Literature)

The existence of women-only roles - the Norse Volva, Greek Sibyls, Japanese Mikos, Philippine Babaylans, etc. - as well as learning about some crossdressing/transgender themes regarding magic

Personally, I've also had this impression that in the pre-christian era, "divination"/"prophecy"/"magic"/"witchcraft" was a general province of women's traditional jobs, and not simply a specialized role. I've wondered for a long if there's any truth behind that or if it's just Pop Culture Osmosis creating a false impression.

I just don't have the trustworthy sources and material beyond a few articles and pages online.

[theresa-of-liechtenstein]

art by em year in review 2024!

i find myself surprised i drew much at all this year considering the circumstances (completing a bachelor's degree. concerts. international trip. starting a phd. general state of world.) however, for the fifth time i am happy to present my yearly retrospective.

as always, reflections under the cut.

jan: i feel like my weakest pieces always happen in january 😭 this was definitely one of those where concept > execution; some of this feels woefully flat and i wasn't too enthused about how herc looked. oh well. that was literally one of the only things i drew in january

feb: one of the developments that came about this year in my drawing was that of my cartoon/comic style, because i wanted to have a record of all the funny shit that happens in my music life. i've continually been surprised at the reception of it online haha. tita conductor is OUR internet microcelebrity now i guess

mar: ah, the douglas seventh wheels the hercolyn wedding fic i've been saying i'd write for almost two years. well, that actually got written and will go up later this week. but anyway, Hurt That Old Man!

apr: in which some professor of media studies with a slide whistle chose to examine a 160-year-old novel through the lens of an intergenerational relationship, and i took it personally. i was not drawing a lot during this time, so i was naturally falling back on my favorite subjects, namely. herc and linda. so much for branching out this year LMAO

may: a pen test for my graduation gift to tita conductor (finished version here, which she loved so much she couldn't stop talking about it when we next saw each other in september). someone once said to me 'it's weird that you can draw her from memory.' i replied 'looking at her is kind of part of the job description.'

jun: drawing theresa is probably one of the ways through which i measure my art progress, given that out of all the character designs i have (bar one, which i don't share on this blog for Reasons) hers is the one that has stuck around the most persistently. the grey is here to stay‼️

jul: i drew this one while having stomach problems in the philippines 😭 but something about the philippines (and like. being around people of my ethnic background on a daily basis) made me think a lot about my character designs for the soft-shoe-shuffle trio, so i wanted to do something with them a bit

aug: for all i talk about martin i sure never draw him, ever 😂 it's probably not obvious, but i was trying painting an base layer rather than an overlay (which i've been using pretty consistently since last year). in the future, i want to experiment more with coloring: i think i've not been eager to touch that part in my art and that needs to change. also pour one out for what i almost captioned it:

if i got onto a plane and i saw a twink in that mfing pilot seat i'm jumping off 😐🤚🏻‼️

sept: the piece that got the most attention this year i think. i'm not sure how well it came across that douglas is supposed to be ever so slightly horny in this one. oh well. it was funny.

oct: i think it was this piece that made me start to realize that i have kind of developed a problem with making everyone's faces super long. which. i don't really know how that happened. anyway this is really cute still. read the theresa-becomes-a-pilot fic.

nov: omg guys remember when i was obsessed with the theresa-maxi dynamic. well it came back for a blazing second of glory in november. maybe it'll come back to me again for good. we'll see

dec: again, familiar subjects during a tumultuous time. not much of note here, except i have noticed myself getting very lazy with lighting recently. also i wrote a fic about this.

overall: going into the new year, i think the whole 'making everyone's faces look super long' thing needs to be addressed; otherwise, as stated earlier, i really should start experimenting with coloring and base layers and shading and lighting.

thank you everyone! and a happy new year to all!

[manetsgarden]

The Directioner to marketing exec pipeline

For my fellow 2012-2014 Tumblr obsessives. A heartfelt tribute to the band, the years spent together online, and the many wonderful friends and life I made along the way. /

A few weeks ago it was my friend’s birthday. Six years ago, almost to the day, she and I met at a cupcake cafe, and bonded over the years we spent on Tumblr and Twitter as ultimate 1D girlies while we ate our cupcakes. We laughed about how we got follows from celebrities, or replies from the band, and how we spent every waking moment online, obsessed by different YouTubers, bands, and TV shows.

When I think about the string that lead me to that cafe in Edinburgh, it starts with Harry Potter. I was six years old in Orlando, Florida, and my parents took us to see the Philosopher’s Stone. In the rest of the pictures of our holiday, I have gigantic, frizzy hair because I begged my mom to braid it every night so I could look like Hermione. Six years old, but I knew how to immediately decide to devote myself to obsession.

Less than ten years later, I was watching trailers of movies on YouTube. At that point, I already had accounts on Twitter and Tumblr, but I wasn’t really sure what I was supposed to do with them. From the moment I clicked on the “What Makes You Beautiful” Youtube video, everything became second nature.

There was no call to action at the end of that video saying “now pick your favourite and love them forever.” There was no need: we watched it and knew immediately what our job was. I wasn’t even halfway through before I knew exactly which one was mine (and I’ve never wavered). Credit is due to the YouTube algorithm for filling my recommended videos with content from their X Factor days, because I spent the rest of that night watching the videos of them on the stairs, searching them on Tumblr, and falling down the 1D rabbit hole.

It was as easy as breathing! There was no ‘how-to’ guide, the word ‘stan’ didn’t even exist yet. The way the internet let us collectively fawn over anything from a band, to a character in a book, to a random person on YouTube felt like a brave new world. I followed One Direction online alongside girls from the UK, Brazil, the Philippines, everywhere. I started my deep dives into other worlds with Harry Potter, but it was as a One Direction fan that I became embedded in the globalisation of the internet. I went from One Direction, to Zoella, to Sherlock, to Doctor Who, to 5SOS, and eventually I graduated from high school and got a life. By the time I did that though, I knew, fundamentally, how the internet worked.

In 2013, I was there as the Mischacopolypse started. I saw those first few posts trickle in. Later that year, I watched the full 7 hour 1D Day livestream. Year after year, I waited for the new Zoella Vlogmas intro like it was the lighting of the Rockefeller tree. Online content, I learned, was addicting because it was the ultimate way to connect with people. I made friends with girls in Toronto, Vancouver, North Carolina, and England. Not just “internet friends” but real, solid, sweet hearted friendship. I still watch their lives unfold on the internet with pride.

By 18 I had built my own website on Wordpress; I knew how to optimise my blogs for SEO, and set up a tripod with a ring light. I knew how to edit on iMovie and MovieMaker, how to find the latest trends, and even how to search engine optimise on YouTube. And, I leveraged it. I had not only a blog and a YouTube channel, and I tried every new thing. I got my first brand deals, and by 21, I got my first job as a Social Media and Web Coordinator for the uni newspaper. When I graduated, there was only one place to go: the home of all my teenage obsessions, and the reason I was who I was, the UK.

Before moving, I debated between Brighton (home of Zoella) and Edinburgh (home of Harry Potter), and it was really just fate that made me choose the latter. Immediately upon moving, I went back to my roots and got a job as a Harry Potter tour guide. I started creating like you wouldn’t believe. I got invited to events, and even more brand deals.

By this point I knew what sold: the person, the story, the personal connection. People needed to feel like they knew me in order to be invested, so I mined my life for content. Within a year, I got a job as a marketing exec, pointing to my blog and my work as a content creator to get me in. Five years later, I have two degrees in history, but a big girl job in content marketing.

Last weekend that same friend and I were driving home together, listening to One Direction and laughing about how we both ended up in marketing. Both confident there was no reason for it other than our obsession with 1D in our teenage years. At the same time, on different sides of the ocean, we fell in love with One Direction, learned Wordpress, obsessed over Zoella, created Instagram personalities, built our “brands”, and eventually, settled for jobs big girl jobs in marketing.

More than our jobs, we have six years of friendship built (from my side) on the trust that because we both know what 2013 Twitter was like as a One Direction fan, we just get each other. We’ve shared countless jokes about the old days, (remember the pandemonium when the pictures of Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, and baby Lux in Central Park dropped??!!!!), and looking forward to when we’re old and there’s inevitably a reunion tour. This was the norm, until she messaged our groupchat at 11:30pm on her birthday, and I only knew it was serious because she wouldn’t be so dramatic if it wasn’t. A quick Google search confirming the truth, one of the most jarring, official endings to anything so far in my life.

When you hear ‘stans’ say they owe their lives to a band or a celebrity, they don’t always mean it in a parasocial or ‘this song saved me when I had serious mental health problems’ sort of way. I was never that intensely obsessed with One Direction, but I wouldn’t have my career, I wouldn’t have met my friend, my husband, I wouldn’t have my home, or, god forbid, my cat(!) if I hadn’t clicked play on that video fifteen years ago.

It feels like a personal loss not because I have a parasocial relationship with Liam Payne, but because in my life there was a clear world before, with him in it, and now a world after, without. It is as simple as saying: it is hard to come to terms with a world without someone who completely created the world that you live in.

Support this essay on substack: https://atmydesk.substack.com/p/the-directioner-to-marketing-exec

[bengiyo]

Marahuyo Project Eps 3 & 4 Stray Thoughts

Last time, we met King, our out queer activist, whose family moved him to Marahuyo after he was expelled from his high school for making out with his friend and then knocking down the dean. Here, on an island with only 12 hours of electricity a day, King finds himself with little queer community and so decides to build it himself. He bonded with Venice, a trans girl in his class, to build an LGBTQIA+ organization in their school. Unfortunately, he must get the approval of the student council president and then the board. King believes the president is his enemy, but it’s clear these two are vibing. We’re also detecting queers all over the place, particularly Lorena and Lili. I’m having a blast to finally be back in the Philippines and to have a show not in the bubble.

Episode 3: Sidapa At Bulan

I’m getting really sad for Ino. I grew up in a city, and so as I started to figure out myself I was able to go online and express that. All he can do is write his letters to the cosmos and the gods and leave them on a rotting boat.

I am so happy for Venice that she has a friend. She’s clearly resurging out of her shell.

OOF, this eye contact scene.

Wow, Lili is smart enough to make sure they’re actually alone in the bathroom before having a serious conversation.

That’s right, Lorena, you take the time to figure out what queerness means to you.

Omg are we faking distress now??

CPR could actually break his ribs, so this is probably a terrible idea.

I’m glad they didn’t touch lips like this.

Okay, that tongue in cheek moment was something else. Holy shit.

I’m a fan of the plan to write letters back to Ino!

I bet it was Ino who vandalized the mural. This mermaid thing is too specific to the people of Marahuyo.

Marco, STFU. This is not about you! Lorena is standing up for her friend! FFS!

I always feel so much for people like Lorie in the community. Lorie never intended to come out, but she did to protect someone else in her community with a show of solidarity. I also came out because I didn’t want to hurt a woman I admired and respected a lot.

Archie and Venice were definitely close before. He knows way too much about her, and is constantly trying to protect her.

I do love how plain the politics of this show are. Drawing the comparison of people wanting to defend Ino’s family and reputation with the lack of defense for King and his friends is a strong note. It’s especially potent because Ino seems to have serious angst about his family’s reputation.

I love the notes exchange. Ino is smart, and definitely suspects that he’s actually writing to King. This is such a great way for him to work up his courage and comfort.

Episode 4: Santelmo

Wow. Cutting his hair while King was asleep is so, so violent.

King, please do not embarrass yourself IN A BARBERSHOP!

The barber may have done a good job with the haircut, but I’m still mad about his mom cutting his hair.

King is correct. Ino is way more attractive when he’s experiencing joy or amusement.

I love Venice. She came over to call out King on his bullshit and then immediately started teasing.

It’s 2024! We all verse now!

Okay, Lorie, that’s so difficult. I had wondered about her reactions whenever her dad came up in discussion.

Oh no. Does Venice know who died by the beach in the Santelmo story?

Oh ho, we’re sitting on a log on the beach and talking about love. I really love the way Adrian turns to the camera as King.

I actually love that King as a character is jaded about love. He’s not building an organization because he’s looking to smash or for love. He’s building it because he believes in community for people like him.

That being said, he’s so ridiculous about Ino.

COUPLE KEY CHAINS ALREADY??

Do we have any fans from the Philippines watching on Tumblr? I’d like some additional linguistic context about the ‘mermaid’ term. Getting the sense that Ino’s dad left for a queer relationship.

King’s shirt looks even gayer during this splashing scene.

They let these boys ride the bike themselves at night? Brave choices from this production team.

Wow, an even gayer crop top.

This grief scene was devastating.

Archie, dude, you’re killing me. You lost one trans friend. Why shove the other away like this?

Yeah, the mom basically just told Ino, “Don’t be gay.”

Um, I’m really fucking nervous about someone approaching the boat with a fucking torch.

I am absolutely in love with this show. I love that for all the posturing that there’s no queerness on Marahuyo, we now know of multiple characters who are either queer or closely related to queer people. It’s been so long since we’ve seen a show where the characters have expressed their feelings for each other in roundabout ways but won’t say it openly, and that not feel like shit. Everyone who’s seen them together can see what’s happening. I’m so nervous for Ino. I love that King is being patient with him without diminishing himself or his goals. I’m going to be thinking about Lorie abandoning the safety of heteronormativity and the closet to stand beside other queers, and also about Venice having to constantly defend hers and Christina’s names to their former best friend.

[xcruitech]

Best Job Posting Website in the Philippines - Xcruit

Xcruit is widely recognized as one of the premier job posting website in the Philippines. Boasting a user-friendly platform and a vast array of job opportunities, Xcruit facilitates seamless connections between employers and job seekers. Its efficiency and effectiveness make it a preferred choice for both parties in the Philippine job market.

[jobyoda-philippines]

Exploring Career and Job Opportunities in Davao City Philippines

Davao City, recognized as one of the Philippines' most progressive cities, continues to experience remarkable economic growth, creating a vibrant job market that attracts professionals from across the country. The city's diverse economy offers numerous employment opportunities, from entry-level positions to executive roles, making it an attractive destination for job seekers at all career stages.

The Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector stands as one of the largest employers in Davao City, providing thousands of jobs across various specializations. Companies in this sector actively recruit customer service representatives, technical support specialists, and quality assurance analysts, offering competitive salaries and comprehensive benefits packages. The industry's continued expansion has created numerous opportunities for career advancement, with many organizations promoting from within and providing extensive training programs.

Part-time employment opportunities have also flourished in Davao City, catering to students, professionals seeking additional income, and individuals preferring flexible work arrangements. The retail sector, food service industry, and education field offer numerous part-time positions with varying schedules and responsibilities. These roles often provide valuable work experience and can serve as stepping stones to full-time careers.

The Information Technology sector in Davao has seen significant growth, with many companies seeking software developers, web designers, and IT support specialists. This growth has been fueled by the city's improving technological infrastructure and the increasing number of tech-focused businesses establishing operations in the region. Tech professionals can find opportunities in both established companies and startups, with many positions offering competitive compensation and the possibility of remote work arrangements.

Davao's hospitality and tourism industry continues to expand, creating jobs in hotels, restaurants, travel agencies, and tour operations. The sector offers positions ranging from entry-level service roles to management positions, with many employers providing training and development opportunities. The industry's growth has also sparked demand for professionals in events management and tourism marketing.

The education sector presents numerous opportunities for both full-time and part-time employment. Educational institutions regularly seek teachers, tutors, and administrative staff. The rise of online learning has created additional opportunities for English language teachers and academic consultants who can work flexible hours from home or teaching centers.

Job hiring  in Davao, the digital economy has opened new avenues for employment. E-commerce specialists, digital content creators, and social media managers are in high demand as businesses increasingly establish their online presence. These positions often offer the flexibility of remote work while providing competitive compensation packages.

Professional development resources are readily available in Davao City, with numerous institutions offering skills training programs and industry certifications. Job seekers can access career counseling services, resume writing assistance, and interview coaching through various employment support organizations. These resources prove invaluable in helping candidates prepare for and secure desired positions.

The financial services sector in Davao has also experienced substantial growth, creating opportunities for banking professionals, insurance specialists, and investment consultants. These positions typically offer attractive compensation packages, including performance bonuses and health benefits, making them highly sought after by experienced professionals.

Davao's agricultural sector continues to evolve, combining traditional farming with modern agribusiness practices. This has created opportunities for agricultural technologists, food processing specialists, and supply chain professionals. The sector offers both technical and management positions, with many companies providing specialized training and development programs.

For those entering Davao's job market, proper preparation is essential. Successful job seekers typically maintain updated resumes, prepare comprehensive portfolios, and stay informed about industry developments. Professional networking, both online and offline, plays a crucial role in discovering opportunities and advancing careers in the city.

The future of Davao's job market looks promising, with emerging industries creating new employment opportunities. The city's commitment to economic development, coupled with its strategic location and robust infrastructure, continues to attract businesses and investors, ensuring a steady stream of job opportunities for qualified candidates.

Whether seeking full-time employment or part-time job in Davao City offers a diverse range of opportunities across multiple industries. Success in this dynamic job market often comes to those who combine proper preparation with continuous skill development and effective networking. As the city continues to grow and evolve, its job market remains a beacon of opportunity for professionals seeking to build meaningful careers in Mindanao's premier business hub.

[carlocarrasco]

BIR says that discounts for senior citizens and PWD for online purchases are mandatory

As far as the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) is concerned, senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs) are entitled to discounts over the online purchases they made, according to a GMA Network news report. To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the GMA Network news article. Some parts in boldface… The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) on Wednesday said the…

[thepastisalreadywritten]

(CNN) — Jack Latham was on a mission to photograph farms in Vietnam — not the country’s sprawling plantations or rice terraces but its “click farms.”

Last year, the British photographer spent a month in the capital Hanoi documenting some of the shadowy enterprises that help clients artificially boost online traffic and social media engagement in the hope of manipulating algorithms and user perceptions.

The resulting images, which feature in his new book “Beggar’s Honey,” provide rare insight into the workshops that hire low-paid workers to cultivate likes, comments and shares for businesses and individuals globally.

“When most people are on social media, they want nothing but attention — they’re begging for it,” Latham said in a phone interview, explaining his book’s title.

“With social media, our attention is a product for advertisers and marketers.”

In the 2000s, the growing popularity of social media sites — including Facebook and Twitter, now called X — created a new market for well-curated digital profiles, with companies and brands vying to maximize visibility and influence.

Though it is unclear when click farms began proliferating, tech experts warned about “virtual gang masters” operating them from low-income countries as early as 2007.

In the following decades, click farms exploded in number — particularly in Asia, where they can be found across India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, the Philippines, and beyond.

Regulations have often failed to keep pace: While some countries, like China, have attempted to crack down on operations (the China Advertising Association banned the use of click farms for commercial gain in 2020), they continue to flourish around the continent, especially in places where low labor and electricity costs make it affordable to power hundreds of devices simultaneously.

‘Like Silicon Valley startups’

Latham’s project took him to five click farms in Vietnam.

(The click farmers he hoped to photograph in Hong Kong “got cold feet,” he said, and pandemic-related travel restrictions dashed his plans to document the practice in mainland China).

On the outskirts of Hanoi, Latham visited workshops operating from residential properties and hotels.

Some had a traditional setup with hundreds of manually operated phones, while others used a newer, compact method called “box farming” — a phrase used by the click farmers Latham visited — where several phones, without screens and batteries, are wired together and linked to a computer interface.

Latham said one of the click farms he visited was a family-run business, though the others appeared more like a tech companies.

Most workers were in their 20s and 30s, he added.

“They all looked like Silicon Valley startups,” he said. “There was a tremendous amount of hardware … whole walls of phones.”

Some of Latham’s photos depict — albeit anonymously — workers tasked with harvesting clicks.

In one image, a man is seen stationed amid a sea of gadgets in what appears to be a lonely and monotonous task.

“It only takes one person to control large amounts of phones,” Latham said. “One person can very quickly (do the work of) 10,000. It’s both solitary and crowded.”

At the farms Lathan visited, individuals were usually in charge of a particular social media platforms.

For instance, one “farmer” would be responsible for mass posting and commenting on Facebook accounts, or setting up YouTube platforms where they post and watch videos on loop.

The photographer added that TikTok is now the most popular platform at the click farms he visited.

The click farmers Latham spoke to mostly advertised their services online for less than one cent per click, view or interaction.

And despite the fraudulent nature of their tasks, they seemed to treat it like just another job, the photographer said.

‘There was an understanding they were just providing a service,” he added. “There wasn’t a shadiness. What they’re offering is shortcuts.”

Deceptive perception

Across its 134 pages, “Beggar’s Honey” includes a collection of abstract photographs — some seductive, others contemplative — depicting videos that appeared on Latham’s TikTok feed.

He included them in the book to represent the kind of content he saw being boosted by click farms.

But many of his photos focus on the hardware used to manipulate social media —webs of wires, phones and computers.

“A lot of my work is about conspiracies,” Latham said. ” Trying to ‘document the machines used to spread disinformation’ is the tagline of the project. The bigger picture is often the thing we don’t see.”

Click farms around the world are also used to amplify political messages and spread disinformation during elections.

In 2016, Cambodia’s then-prime minister Hun Sen was accused of buying Facebook friends and likes, which according to the BBC he denied, while shadowy operations in North Macedonia were found to have spread pro-Donald Trump posts and articles during that year’s US presidential election.

While researching, Latham said he found that algorithms — a topic of his previous book, “Latent Bloom” — often recommended videos that he said got increasingly “extreme” with each click.

“If you only digest a diet of that, it’s a matter of time you become diabetically conspiratorial,” he said.

“The spreading of disinformation is the worst thing. It happens in your pocket, not newspapers, and it’s terrifying that it’s tailored to your kind of neurosis.”

Hoping to raise awareness of the phenomenon and its dangers, Latham is planning to exhibit his own home version of a click farm — a small box with several phones attached to a computer interface — at the 2024 Images Vevey Festival in Switzerland.

He bought the gadget in Vietnam for the equivalent of about $1,000 and has occasionally experimented with it on his social media accounts.

On Instagram, Latham’s photos usually attract anywhere from a few dozen to couple hundred likes.

But when he deployed his personal click farm to announce his latest book, the post generated more than 6,600 likes.

The photographer wants people to realize that there’s more to what they see on social media — and that metrics aren’t a measurement of authenticity.

“When people are better equipped with knowledge of how things work, they can make more informed decisions,” he said.

“Beggar’s Honey,” co-published by Here Press and Images Vevey, is available now.