When the world came to a grinding halt, the pace slowly picked up with the help of Internet connection. Many plans may have been paused but life continued for many homebound yet connected Filipinos.
Here’s how:
It offers opportunities to earn extra income
During the pandemic, many turned to the Internet, especially to social media, to look for ways to make extra money or replace lost income.
Hannah, a mother of two from Muntinlupa, shares, “Nabawasan yung income ng asawa ko dahil sa pandemic. Siyempre, I wanted to help him. Nag-aral ako gumawa ng cookies at milk tea sa YouTube, and marami naman nasasarapan, tsaka mura. Currently, sa Facebook lang ako nagbebenta pero kumikita rin ng malaki-laki.”
(My husband had a pay cut because of the pandemic. To help him, I studied how to make cookies and milk tea on YouTube. Many like my products because they’re delicious and affordable. I’m only selling them on Facebook but I’m already earning big.)
It opens up to thousands of learning resources
In their quest to make better use of their extra time, many homebound Filipinos have picked up a lot of skills that greatly improves every day life, from brewing barista-style coffee to DIY home improvement and urban gardening.
“Sobrang hilig ko sa iced coffee at dahil sa Internet, natutunan ko paano gumawa ng favorite coffee drinks ko. Ang saya isipin na hindi ako gumagastos ng P120 above para sa isang baso ng masarap na kape,” enthuses another connected Filipino.
(I really like iced coffee. Thanks to the Internet, I learned how to make my favorite coffee drinks. It’s gratifying to think that I don’t have to spend P120 and up for one cup of good coffee.)
It helps in building healthy habits
Resources available on the web have helped many become aware of the importance of their health. John, 55, from Laguna, shares, “Ang focus ko ay to make sure na matatag ang katawan para malabanan yung virus habang hinihintay yung bakuna.”
(I’m focusing on strengthening my body’s immune defense against the virus while waiting to be vaccinated.)
It provides outlet for creative pursuits
Many have turned to doing creative work to let out steam and/or earn extra cash. Noel, a 22-year-old from Quezon City, has ventured into writing.
“It started out with binge-watching sa Viu, HBO Go, and Amazon Prime. Then I realized, parang kaya ko naman din magsulat ng ganito (I could write something like those). So far, I’ve finished two short stories, which I submitted to a production company na naghahanap ng (looking for) new materials to turn into shows.”
It enables ‘bayanihan’ to flourish
Mary, 32, from Mandaluyong, is reaping the rewards of helping organize community pantries. “One thing that has helped keep my mental health in check all this time is all the outreach programs I’ve been organizing. Masarap matulog na alam mong nakatulong ka (You sleep better at night knowing you helped others). Salamat sa (Thanks to the) Internet, I am able to reach out to people who can lend a helping hand.”
Hannah, John, Noel, Mary, and more Filipinos are able to connect to the world outside their homes thanks to their Internet connection. Internet provider, Globe At Home has recently launched a new unli fiber postpaid plan.
The Unli Fiber Up has upgraded speed of up to 25Mbps for P1,699 per month. It also comes with free COVID-19 and Dengue medical insurance worth up to P140,500; free access to 24/7 on-demand online doctor consultation via KonsultaMD, and; three-month subscription to Viu Premium, HBO Go, and Amazon Prime Video.
Non-Globe At Home and Bayan subscribers who will switch to this new plan can enjoy a 50 percent discount on the first six months of their subscription, plus the aforementioned freebies. Go to glbe.co/UnliFiberUp for more details.