Why Do Filipinos Work Hard?

Advertising serves as the carnival mirror for our society- poking fun at us while simultaneously making us laugh. These two commercials share a real insight at how we Pinoys go to great lengths to make more money. 

 Cebuana Lhullier Pera Padala Raket 

 Sarah selling longganisa is hilarious. I too dabbled in Lucban longganisa reselling. 

 McDonald's McSavers Dance 
This hits home because I work in advertising. I once was part of a pitch 
where we sang, “Don’t Stop Believing” to win back a disgruntled client. 

These spots make us smile because it's true. But do we really just take on extra work because life is hard? Or do we have an innate need to bring home more than what’s expected? Take everyone’s hardest working boxer/ congressman/ host/ endorser/ recording artist/ husband/ and father. 

Does Manny do it for the money?

After the controversial fight, he was going back to opis to do some work. Never has a champion boxer uttered those words. Go back to the opis?!? This is a guy whose net worth is estimated to be in  $26 million to $70 million range. Does he really need to work or does he want to work?


Filipinos are Such Hard Workers

1.     We Have Big Families-

Providing for the family is the driving force for a majority of our countrymen. When your family includes your 3 sons, their families, your out-of-work siblings, your mom and your dad, there is no choice but to take on more work.

2.    The Concept of Sayang-

Pinoys don’t like anything going to waste. Having a party? Pack the leftovers. Bought a can of ice cream? Reuse the packaging. If the opportunity to make more money is there, are we not wired to make full use of it?

3.   We’re a Rice Culture-

In Malcolm Gladwell’s book, “the Outliers”, he talks about how Asians are generally more hardworking than Europeans simply because we used to grow rice and they used to grow potatoes. We worked throughout the year to yield a harvest while Europeans worked seasonally then slept once winter came.

4.    Multitasking is in Our Nature- 

Just look around your village and see how many home business there are. A house is not just a home; it can also be a sari-sari store, a bakery, a dress shop, and an Internet cafe. So an actor can be a politician. A teacher can be in sales. And a copywriter can be a blogger. Again, sayang kasi.

Solenn on Esquire Philippines

Here's a quick plug of the new Esquire Philippines video. It's so sensual and the soundtrack is just spot on. I've never heard of the jazzy soul act- Pinoy Pasta Groove, until my boyfriend started showing me this vid (over and over if I may add). Now, that tune is stuck in my head. I want to hear more Pasta Groove. But yes, enough rambling. Please watch the video. 

If you're drooling, wipe off the dribble, then please go to the Esquire Philippines Facebook Page and click LIKE. They promised to release Solenn's 2nd video if they get 5,000 LIKES.  Personally, that yet-to-be-released video is my all-time favorite Esquire video so I urge you to act with haste to get a peek. 

A Peak into Co.Lab Manila

Here's an inspiring work-related post to jump start the 4-day work week. Meet Co.Lab Manila, an alternative workplace created to spark collaborative infusion among like-minded individuals. For people who have no choice but to work in Coffee Bean or Starbucks, try this instead. The entrance fee is around P500 (I think) and you get to meet some awesome people- as you can see from the video below.  

Their company descriptor: co.lab serves as a hub to a collaborative community that share the same values of entrepreneurship, creativity, and integrity. This shared workspace is ideal for freelance professionals, home office workers, start-up businesses, entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, and graduate students.         

Check them out at: 

4/F Optima Building, 221 Salcedo Street. 

Legaspi Village, Makati City 1229, Philippines 

tel: + 632.759.5000 / local 115 fax: + 632.759.3270

Also related, a link on Hong Kong's 5 Best New Design Spaces . Great ideas should be replicated,  experimented on, and perfected.  So yes, we should do this in Manila. ASAP. This should come naturally for the people who came up with the concept of bayanihan. Give me a holler if you're interested in coming up with more interesting alternative offices/coffee shops/galleries. I certainly am. 

Esquire Magazine's 2nd Issue is Out! It comes with a video of Iza Calzado.

Before you proceed to the Iza video, I just wanted to take the opportunity to post pics of the epic Esquire launch. It's a month-old but everyone from the guests, to the contributors, to the writers, to the artistas glammed it up big time. I can't not blog about it. 

Me with the boyf

 Monica Angeles, Joey Ong, and Vince Uy

 Advertising bigwigs (two of them are my bosses)

Manny Nepumuceno, creator of Dancing Asians

Wella and Budjette Tan, Marlo Ongpin, and Chris Costello 

A great party and a momentous night for all but most especially for my boyfriend, Marlo, and our friend, Chris. They had their first taste of creating a girly video for a major Philippine magazine. This first month featured the lovely, Lovi Poe. 

This month, they have one featuring the bubbly (and bouncy), Iza Calzado. 

These boys have the best job in the world!  

And for saying that, I'm expecting my boyfriend to get me this month's Esquire. Interestingly, it's a woman's issue. I'd love to see what the magazine, which claims to be for the man at his best, has to say about us girls. 


Thanks to Brandie Tan for the great photos! (I need a camera that fits my purse.)

All Souls Long Weekend

So guess where I'm headed this long weekend? 

Why, to the beautiful beaches of Siquijor of course! 

To experience an All Souls Weekend dedicated to experiencing the occult- a weekend of  ghost hunting and possible interactions with aswang locals, in one of the most mystical islands in the Philippines!


I was very enthusiastic about all of that until friends started warning me with their stories of "kulam". Kulam is actually a Tagalog noun which literally means bewitchment or hex. If you irk a powerful mangkukulam (voodoo witch lady), a spell as trivial as a persistent itch and as bad as vomiting cockroaches can be cast on you . Horror writer, Yvette Tan, said that Siquijor was a lovely place but she came back with two of her fingers seemingly having a life of their own. She couldn't type properly for days. That definitely made me think twice about about ghost hunting. Also, I might just skip the town tour and stay in my comfy resort. 


I researched on how to steer clear of trouble in spooky provinces, but I couldn't find anything useful. So I guess I'll just rely on the advice of my friends. 

 Advice from Friends:

1. Don't eat anything.

2. Try not to be touched by anyone.

3. Don't stand out. 

4. Last but not least, huwag kumirengkeng! 

(Meaning, don't be too flirty or flamboyant)

Real useful stuff. Wish me luck everyone!

Lee Urban Riders with Manila Fixed Gear

Looking at my blog, I’m so ashamed. It’s been a month since my last post. The culprit of my lack of presence is my big move from Cainta to Metro Manila. I’ll post more on that later.

Just to get me back on track, I’m posting this awesome video on fixed gear biking in Manila, featuring some friends who are fixie fanatics. Dale and Jeck were encouraging me to get a bike so they'd have a biker girl in the office. But their fixies with no brakes just scare me silly. Seeing them ride on EDSA like this, I think I made the right choice. It's too badass! 

I love biking in general, basta ba may brakes. Last year, I was able to go around Manila on  Carlos Celdran’s bike tour  and I agree that biking needs to be considered as an alternative mode of transportation. Cut traffic, lessen pollution, and trim belly fat! Here’s to a bike-friendly Manila!

WWF Anti-Plastics Print Campaign

There are so many things I've wanted to blog about the past week, but free time just isn't on my side. I was involved in a major pitch and I'm also getting ready to move closer to Makati. Whut, probinsyana no longer! (For those who were not aware, I was originally based in Region 4.)

So in the meantime, here's an ad that I love. Yes, I worked on it! But I love it because the environment is something I care deeply about. It angers me to see trash on rivers, beaches, and even on the road. I'm sure you've witnessed a similar scene when you're stuck in traffic and suddenly a car near you rolls down a window and unloads trash on the street. I want to scream, "Hey people! The world is not your trash can!" Well, in doing these ads I learned that plastics, the most dangerous form of everyday trash, actually ends up primarily in the ocean.

This last print ad was cited by Bestadsontv.com today. Yay.  

Every year, 70% of plastic wastes are dumped into the sea. Most people are unaware of the massive amounts of plastic circling the ocean. In parts of the Pacific Ocean, plastic particles outweigh plankton - the main food source for most fish. Thus, fish accidentally consume these particles. They end up poisoned or on our dinner plates. The key really is to prevent them from reaching the sea. BBDO Guerrero hopes that with these print ads featuring disposable plastic objects shaped into corals, people will think twice the next time they pick up a plastic stirrer.

Agency: BBDO Guerrero

CCO/Writer: David Guerrero

ECD: Brandie Tan and Tin Sanchez

Creative Director: Pia Roxas Ocampo

Art Director: JP Palileo

Copywriter: Knox Balbastro

Photographer: Neil Oshima and Paulo Gripo

Sculptor: Olivia d’Aboville

Partners: Photolibrary

Account Management: Carmela Quirino and Angelica Uy.