Long time no post, internet!

My priorities have changed significantly since February of this year when I attended a seminar to improve my skills in my chosen field--which is business and marketing.

I've shifted my focus sa pagkatkat from attending events and being pa-fame (because I realized, I'm really not much into having to deal with plastikan) to making an impact by helping businesses. Ultimately, the goal is to make a shitload of money--so I can buy a forest instead of complaining there isn't enough trees, or invest in a company that makes alternatives to plastics instead of crying about the dead sea turtles autopsied with straws in their mouths.

That said, while my focus have shifted, a lot still needs to change about my resilience to setbacks. It takes me quite some time to get back on my feet after not performing as I want in a contract.

So much so that I was really starting to doubt my skills and what I can do and provide.

Buti nalang, I've become a member of the Freelance Movement Tribe. While I'm not as active as most members, them on my Facebook feed has helped me during trying times. A random post here and there reminds me to keep on keeping on.

Side note: try to balance out your feed with posts that you want to set your focus on by following people and pages that serve the thoughts you'd like your mind to be filled with.

Anyway, another day today struggling with what seems to be a month-long battle with productivity--because my mind keeps telling me I'm not doing my best or "kulang pa" and "you'll never get this right"

Then this popped up on my feed.


I hope you watch the whole vid and get inspired as much I did. Enjoy crying! <3 Get moving after!

More recent updates on my Facebook page: www.facebook.com/roxyminoza

Globe and Disney have teamed up to launch Timeplease.ph, a website where you can do volunteer work.

Their mission

Their major collaboration is to promote volunteerism among Filipinos.

This nationwide volunteering program encourages and empowers Filipinos including companies, organizations, employees, families, and friends to provide volunteer activities or participate in existing volunteer programs.

It supports Globe's commitment to nine UN Sustainable Development Goals and appeals to the Filipino strong culture of volunteerism rooted in the bayanihan spirit to collectively contribute to social development.

"We look at Time Please to extend Globe Telecom's purpose-led culture to our customres. With the help of technology, we wish to make volunteering more accessible to many Filipinos, thereby, making it easier for our partners and customers to contribute to nation building" - Ernest Cu, President and CEO of Globe Telecom

"Disney VoluntEARS are committed to supporting and inspiring communities by dedicating our time and skills to help kids and families in need. Time Please is a unique platform that allows kids and familites to spend meaningful time together for social good," shared Veronica Cabalinan, country manager of the Walt Disney Company, Philippines. "We believe it is our collective responsibility to be at the service of the community where we live."

The Technology

It's a volunteer matching portal developed with Globe Future Maker iVolunteer Philippines and the volunteer portal of Gawad Kalinga. It strives to match individuals or groups of volunteers with various volunteering opportunities around the country.

Who can join?

If you have an existing volunteer program (doesn't matter if you're an individual, a group, an organization, or a company) you can even enlist your activities in the Timeplease.ph and get your hours registered.

Quick Facts

Globally, the Philippines ranked 7th for the highest number of people volunteering their time with 25 million Filipinos volunteering in 2016 (Charities Aid Foundation [CAF] World Giving Indes 2017).

Volunteer activities are mobilized by various sectors such as NGO's, government agencies, companies usually through their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

What makes Timeplease.ph different?

Timeplease.ph provides a robust menu of volunteering activities and unites the volunteering ecosystem by connecting the volunteers to volunteer organizations using a simple, convenient, and easy to understand web platform. Through any device with online access individuals from all regions in the Philippines can now sign up for free and form groups to join volunteer activities enrolled in Time Please.

How to win a trip to Hong Kong Disneyland

Time Please will run from May 25 to August 19, 2018 and is open to individuals willling and capable to do volunteer work. Each group should have a minimum of two (2) and a maximum of four (4) individuals to be able to join.

The group should also nominate a Team Leader who is at least 18 years of age with an active GLobe or TM number to register the group.

The group with the most number of volunteer hour credits at the end of the program will win an all-expense paid trip for 4 to Hong Kong Disneyland.

Globe customers, partners, and other organizations are invited to register and volunteer at www.timeplease.ph and at the volunteer portal of Gawad Kalinga.

Cyberstalking. When do you know if you've crossed the line from curious to stalking?

Looking over profiles.

Yep. Keep telling yourself that.

I admit to doing it, friends admit to doing it, and there's a good chance you've done it at some point too.

We do it to check if a person's account is legit, this is especially true if you have online transactions with a person which is very prevalent in the Philippines.

What happens if it's the other way around?

What if it's your profile they're looking at?

You're lucky if it's just your friends, some people you've met at an event, coworkers, maybe your future employers, and a couple of harmless haters or fans who are going through your profile. But since we can't control other people's intentions, there's an off chance you might be getting the wrong attention and pointing them to your vulnerabilities (like how alone you are at the moment or what your daily routine is) without you meaning to.

In the digital age, it's so easy to run through someone's profile to check what they're up to, what they do and if you can connect for business. Or dating.

So when is it a healthy curiosity and when is it considered "cyberstalking"?

According to this article from BBC...

"you've gone to far in your online activities if you know your actions are upsetting another person: 'Once you are causing fear and distress through your communication and you know the communication is unwanted then you are engaged in harassment which is against the law.'

It also states that..

"Even if you're not actually contacting a person, looking for details of their lives obsessively, can be harmful, according to Dr Short.'If you're making no contact with them and they are unaware of it, it's still quite predatory behaviour' she says."

Yikes! If you've been doing this, stop. It's time to make friends with the outside world and keep your sanity.

For the rest of you who can't possibly know whose attention you've attracted, how can you protect yourself from these people who do not have your best intentions at heart?

The very first thing I would recommend is:

Do an audit of your social media profile and your app-titude.

1. Do you know what is visible to your public audience?
2. Do you know how to make your posts private?
3. Do you know all the friends you have in your account?
4. Are you aware that there's such a thing as putting your friends in groups and you can limit some friends from seeing your post?
5. Are you bummed enough about privacy to actually start segregating your friends and limiting your posts' visibility from hereon?

If you answered yes to most of these questions and you're willing to put the hours to get your Facebook and other social media profiles to become more stalker-proof then you can stop reading now. If you answered no to most and especially to number 5, here's why you should be more diligent...

Let me show you the five disturbing ways cyberstalkers can get to you:

1. Making your daily routine public, like where you work, or where you go to school is a certified way to get stalked. It's cool to get connected sharing the same school but them knowing that detail including the people you hang out with, might just give them enough information to track you down.
2. Friends list. Keep them private and qualify friend requests. See, we sometimes add people based on mutual friends. Before I add mutual friends, I make sure I know the people they know or we belong in the same industry. One of their friends is someone I trust. And if they're in the same industry, they actually post about the industry. Also, they can stalk you through your friends list. They can find out who you hang out with. They can click your friend's profile to find out where you are or what you're up to.
3. Skip the real-time and public posts of family and friends and checking in to places. I once had someone who wanted to date me appear at a cafe after posting that I was there. Random but creepy.
   
   It can't be helped tho, I know. Restaurants and vacation places offer prizes for posting about them and using their hashtags. As a blogger, we kind of have to comply with doing those during events and posting in real time as well. I guess that's the only time it's safe to do that: when you're at an event where you'll know you'll be surrounded by a lot of people. Not when you're hanging out by your lonesome.
4. Which leads us to five, don't post about being alone. Ever. Whether you're at home or in a public place.
5. I'm very wary of fake profiles. One way to know if they're real is if their photos are good-looking yet pixelated. And the account is recently made.

I know some people want nothing more than their privacy and have all their profile including display photo private.

I'm not one of those people.

I make money and business through Facebook and my social media accounts. I need an online presence somehow.

If you're like me and you need social media for business or your career, just craft a public persona that's controlled.

Curb your profile according to how you want to be seen.

How to do that?

Keep your personal details out of the public eye. Think of any detail a person can use to steal your identity...

-your mom's maiden name

-your parent's name
-your birthday
-your complete name
-your complete home address
-your nickname
-the cities you've lived in

Put this in one place and BOOM! you just provided a random person a way to use your personal data for whatever purpose they would deem it best.

You can do this instead: Put a public profile that summarizes what you do so you can have people of the same interest (or in the same business) get in touch with you. Add your website, if you have that.

What safety precautions have you done to keep yourself safe from cyberstalkers? Would you follow the steps I laid out? Let me know in the comments below!

#MakeItSafePH is a campaign by Globe that provides tips and information regarding the online security of business and consumers from numerous Internet threats. This post is powered by Globe.

Love On The Run is a fun run that's happening on the 10th of June 2018 here in Davao City. What makes it super special is the obstacle course that you can do alongside a random partner or a partner of your choice while being tied up together.

My Holiday Story

I was 30 minutes away from the city and was just a few minutes from the airport some time during the holidays.

I tried using an app to get me home ASAP but couldn't get one.

I saw a lot of taxis gathered on the airport on the map. None of them picked up my call.

While I am grateful for taxi-hailing apps to have finally served the market for cab riders, at that time, I only wish there were more taxis to hail - and that they weren't so picky.

Wish there were more taxis to hail!

Thankfully, Hirna is "here na!" And I have high hopes for it.

It's currently available on Android and will be on iOS this January.

The best taxi-hailing app is here na in Davao! It brings together most taxis on one platform. Powered by Globe, owned by Avis. Learn more about Hirna and how you can download on katkatrocks.com! #davaotaxiapp

A post shared by Roxe🇵🇭 (@roxyminoza) on Jan 3, 2018 at 6:59am PST

Here's what Hirna is about: 

Hirna brings as many taxis in one taxi-hailing platform. Download one app, and you'll have access to most taxis in the city.


Thanks to PR Works, this blogger got invited to the launch of the Hirna taxi-hailing app.


Mayor Sara Duterte graced the launch of  the new taxi hailing app that brings together most taxis in Metro Davao under one service and wows Dabawenyo taxi passengers on December 19,
2017 at the Davao City Hall.

With a name that plays with the phrase “here now” to symbolize speed and convenience, Hirna is an
LTFRB accredited taxi hailing app that connects the most number of taxis in Davao City.

According to Avis Philippines President & CEO, Francisco Mauricio, Hirna is a must-have app for those who regularly ride cabs in the country's biggest city in terms of land area. Avis Philippines is the developer of the Hirna taxi hailing app.

As Many Taxis Under One Platform - for faster, more efficient service

It was borne out of the recognition that the public transport system, specially taxis, need to elevate
to become more efficient, convenient, comfortable, fast and secure. And this can only be done by
placing as many taxis as possible operating under one powerful hailing platform. This means taxis
using Hirna will be acting as One Team united by the common goal of giving the best taxi service to
the riding public.

No Turn-Downs, No Booking Fees

“With Hirna, we deliver premium passenger service with no turn-downs, booking fees, or price
surges,” added Mr. Mauricio.

24/7 Hotline for those without the app

On top of these, Hirna also has the advantage of having a 24/7 booking hotline so those without the
app can still avail of the Hirna service.

A Partnership of Trusted Brands 

All of this was made possible because of the close collaboration between Avis Global and Avis
Philippines for the infrastructure backbone, Globe Telecom as a network partner, and the Metro
Davao Taxi Association encouraging local taxi operators to be part of the service.

Homegrown - understands what the Davaoeno needs

“Being a homegrown service that embodies and champions unique Dabawenyo values guarantees
strong support from local partners and patronage by the local passengers,” said Atty. Rogelio Largo,
President of the Metro Davao Taxi Association.

Going National

After Davao, the Hirna team is eyeing nationwide expansion for the taxi hailing app in the coming
months, saying its roots in disciplined, secure, and completely crime-free Davao should be a model for all the other key cities in the country.

Your Safety in Mind

Complete driver details with rating are visible via the app plus the LTFRB hotline and 24/7 Hirna
customer service hotline to ensure safe and secure travels.

Helps Lessen Traffic

By maximizing taxi usage as opposed to adding new ride hailing vehicles, the Hirna team hopes the
app will help lessen traffic congestion and air pollution on the road.

Hirna also has the LTFRB hotline numbers featured in the app. And more amazing new functionalities will be added every few weeks.

“Developed with Davao and by Davao, Hirna matches peace of mind with comfort and convenience
for every Dabawenyo and very soon all Filipinos,” said Atty. Largo.
LTFRB Chairman Martin Delgra, who is also a Dabawenyo, is one of the special guests during the
launch.

Soon enough the rest of the country, will be enjoying Hirna’s service and get a taxi when they need it
without the booking fee, surge pricing, or turn-downs from abusive taxi drivers. Hirna transforms all
taxis to what they should be, and it’s finally here.