Wazzup Pilipinas!
I am expected to co-host the Family Business radio show at Kinse Trenta (formerly Radyo Uno) DZME 1530 AM every Sunday from 5 to 6:30 pm. There is supposed to be a regular segment for Wazzup Pilipinas but since I'm too occupied with so many tasks and obligations, I could only go there when I'm free or less burdened, or when it's on the way from an event or meeting I earlier attended.
I have no choice since my previous two years as a blogger has made me one of the most in-demand by many brands who wants to hire my services to promote their products, services or events. It has been a very rewarding activity for me because not only do I get to see a lot of exciting stuff for the first time, like a expensive gadgets, new mouth-watering dishes, a wide array of products on display at a trade fair, etc., I also get to bring home some freebies they call tokens that are often put inside eco-bags they call loot bags.
Sometimes I feel guilty whenever I receive items like GCs, product samples, and even cash from some. But many will justify them as a form of partial payment in exchange of our services. Partial because if we really want a form of payment, those freebies will not suffice if they really want to compensate us commensurate to our skills, knowledge and effort. We may be able to write a blog article in just a few minutes, but what people are supposed to be paying for is our years of learning from respectable colleges and universities, experiences from former jobs, and the lessons we learned as we go through the realities of life.
But I can't really shake off the fact that it could somehow affect how we would write our articles. Who doesn't love receiving "gifts" or rewards but what makes us different from journalists or broadcasters with daily salaries is that we make ends meet with what little we get from these brands.
Ross is known as the Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas - An Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Professional by profession and a Social Media Evangelist by heart.
