Pinoy Blog Machine (Beta)

It was in November when we launched our website. Since then, we've been exerting a lot of efforts in marketing our website in the internet. Our target is to top the Google SERP since most users in the Philippines use Google for search.

But to our dismay, we learned that our website was spammed by some user named SAM. Based on my analysis, the PRC was spammed so that the SERP results will be manipulated to our disadvantage.

The following are the tools I use in monitoring my site traffic (also for monitoring possible spam sources):

• Technorati
  
  Our technorati page received several pings from the spammer's website. Several links point to our website. It was very suspicious since the source websites contains gibberish titles.
  
  
• SEOTrail
  
  This is a new SEO tool which I learned from my friend. SEOTrail.com monitors websites which connect to your website. From this tool, we learned that our website was spammed. But aside from the track backs of site links, this tool also organizes the back-links according to the type of source where the ping came from. It also monitors the volume of links our site received.
  
  
• Google Analytics
  
  Of course, the analytics works well in monitoring website traffic source. Aside from the traffic volume that is monitored, analytics offer a wide range of information gathering tools which is very helpful in monitoring your site traffic.
  

Here’s good news for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) has reduced the OWWA contribution US Dollar-Peso exchange rate from US$1.00 : PhP 51.00 to US$1.00 : PhP 42.00. This has taken effect last 17 December 2007 when the Board of Trustees enacted OWWA Resolution No. 38. As a result, the OWWA contribution rate has been reduced to One Thousand and Fifty Pesos (PhP 1,050.00).

OWWA Resolution No. 38 will also be applied retroactively to benefit OFWs who paid the OWWA membership contribution at the old exchange rate for the period of 01 January – 18 December 2007. OWWA contributors during the said period will be issued credit memoranda, which shall entitle the bearer OWWA member to an extended OWWA membership for a period of three (3) months beyond the two (2) years / twenty-four (24) months maximum entitlement to OWWA programs and services. These members will be notified in writing of their entitlement to the said credit memorandum.

And to make sure that the collection of OWWA membership contributions would reflect accurately the changing dollar-peso exchange rate, the aforementioned resolution also provided that the said exchange rate would be based on the average dollar-peso exchange rate of the preceding month as determined by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

Source: OWWA

Please take note that this rate is only for December 2007. OWWA contribution rate for January 2008 is PhP 1043.58 as US Dollar-Peso exchange rate for this month is US$1.00 = P41.743. To keep you updated, we suggest you visit the OWWA website to check on the monthly changes in the US Dollar-Peso exchange rate.

I mentioned before in one of my blog posts (Working dilemma) on how uneasy I feel about graduating, specially on finding a good career to take. It seems that this dilemma is inevitable. I am slowly drawn towards finding good business leads and working opportunities.

Last Friday, a representatives from a company named Advanced World Systems went to our school to give a qualifying exam for their company. Based on what I have learned during their brief orientation, their company is a Japanese owned company with different branches all over the world. They have three branches in the Philippines alone, two in Metro Manila (Alabang and Makati) and one in Cebu. AWS specializes on software technologies, embedded systems and a few in hardware systems.

I was fortunate that I passed the qualifying exam. I also had the interview in the afternoon, right after they released the results of the exams. Based on the interview, it seems that this company suits my expertise and interests. There's nothing better than working in a company I like. Right now, I'm hoping that they will call me in two weeks time. The only thing which keeps me from this is my board exam. They asked me if I'd have to choose over their company and my licensure exam, which of these two would I choose. I chose the latter.

Anyway, whatever will be the outcome of that interview, I'm still hoping that I'd see my self in the future according to what I have planned for my life. I'm still on the process of preparing my self for the unexpected. I only have a month left for this chapter of my life.