Things To Do On The Filipino Internet

As much as browsers, HTML, javascript and flash have changed the surface of the internet, the basic premise stays the same: open a website TO DO something. There are Filipino sites that help you DO several things --- here’s a list of them.

• Check out the latest news – As much as the future has been depicted to be paperless, we still churn out newspapers; but what if newspapers aren’t available at all? Like for relatives abroad who want to keep up with the latest news --- that’s what online news sites are for. No wonder two of the biggest Filipino news sites are from the papers themselves --- Inquirer.net and Philstar.com.

• Talk junk – Gossip is a Filipino pastime. Back in the day, when communication was scarce, newspapers and television were the only sources of information about the stars. Now we could IM the URL from sites like PEP and PinoyParazzi to the kumares.

• Find something to do in a mall – Going to the mall is no easy feat --- when there’s something specific that you’re looking for, like a restaurant, or movie schedule; a pre-planned trip to the mall nowadays is more … methodical. That’s what ClickTheCity is for --- providing a well-compiled directory of establishments, movie schedules among different malls and reviews and opinions, both by the site itself, and the big following that the site caters to.

• Be healthy – Every country has the right to be healthy. Every country too, deserves one-click information on doctors and establishments who will be able to take care of them, should an emergency arise. RxPinoy carries a philosophy of getting Filipinos informed about illness, while over40andfighting informs the youth, the generation who surf the internet, about what ails their parents. Both of these sites have directories of emergency numbers and physicians who might be right for the job.

• Play online games - Gaming, as an industry, has grown exponentially over the last decade, and Filipinos aren’t too far behind --- we have Level Up Games, e-games and Typhoon Games to look for when there’s a need for a digital gaming fix. Competing head-to-head to acquire the rights for the latest and greatest online games, these companies are also bringing Filipino youth forming community values.

• Organize a group of friends – Community, family and friendship are part of a Filipino’s intrinsic set of values. They look out for each other, and would do anything to help a fellow countryman, wherever he may be. This is when you need to balance communication, fun and organization. That’s where 24Ever steps in --- rather than focus on your own social network identity, you are showcasing to the world your important group of friends.

Did this cover all the cool things you could do on the Filipino internet? Do you think I missed some cool Filipino sites? Let me know by leaving a comment.