IN THE dawn of the Digital Age, social media sites like Facebook and YouTube have given people the ability to express themselves in a new way and have leveled up ways to keep track of their daily logs through blogging and vlogging (video blogging).
People can sit down or walk in front of their cameras, record and talk about anything, from what is trending nowadays; politics, pop culture, and even reactions to certain things like movies or television shows. They just upload the video to YouTube or Facebook, waiting for the likes, reactions or comments that will pop out.
While some might be blogging or vlogging for personal or business-related reasons, this particular guy is different as his objective is not into business but into promoting the very city he was born and grew up in.
Jelf Aquino, known to his friends and followers as Doodzkie, is a 28-year-old resident of NHA Kausawagan, this city, who started creating videos of places, mostly tourist spots, in Northern Mindanao, particularly in Cagayan de Oro City.
“My number one [objective] in my vlog is to help boost tourism in Mindanao,” Jelf said, adding that tourist spots and restaurants are commonly the subject of his videos as he noticed that people in the northern part of the country is scared or wary of visiting Mindanao.
“Gusto ko talaga ma-promote yung Cagayan. I love my city talaga (I really want to promote Cagayan de Oro. I really love my city). And the island of Mindanao, which is usually people think Mindanao is magulo (chaotic),” he said.
Jelf also hoped that his videos will bring influence to others, to see that Mindanao is a beautiful place to visit.
“Yung mga places na hindi pa nare-reach ng mga tao, hindi pa nakakaalam na meron nito, yun yung usually vina-vlog ko so that they will know na meron pa lang nag e-exist nyan dito sa Mindanao (Those places that people haven't been able to reach, didn't know that they exist in Mindanao, those are what I vlog),” he said.
Doodzkie started vlogging as a hobby back in August 2017 via creating a Facebook page called “Katawa CDO.” He said it was not even a “proper” vlogging as he just made vine videos (short, looping videos).
And for three months, Jelf was able to accumulate 28,000 followers.
Unfortunately, he was reported for copyright violation and his account was disabled.
“Nawala na yung una kong account it’s because wala pa akong alam nun (My first account was disabled because I have no idea that I violated something). It’s a lesson for me na hindi ka kukuha ng video na hindi mo pagmamay-ari. Talagang ika-copyright ka ng Facebook, talagang ire-report ka (that I should not use videos that I do not own. You will definitely be reported by Facebook),” Doodzkie said.
He was unable to get his account to activate again. This discouraged Jelf and he was about to give up and stop vlogging when his fellow bloggers in Cagayan de Oro gave him the courage to continue.
“Some bloggers in Cagayan de Oro, kasi parang nakilala ko na rin sila, na-friend ko na rin. So they told me 'wag kang tumigil. Kaya mo yan, gawa ka ulit ng page. Lesson mo din yan na wag ka nang mag copyright,' ganyan, may mga tips sila,” Jelf said.
In December 2017, he decided to take on vlogging seriously and create videos of tourist spots in the city. He made another Facebook Page called Katawa CDO Doodzkie.
His first two videos were on Seven Seas and the Garden of Malasag Eco Tourism Village in Malasag Hill, Cugman, Cagayan de Oro.
And in three months, he was able to amass 30,000 followers. At present, Katawa CDO Doodzkie has 121,015 likes and 141,855 followers.
“Nakaka-overwhelm kasi marmaing sumuporta, nakaka overwhelm kasi yung comments na 'sir, salamat sa pag promote sa lugar namin,' ganyan,” Jelf said.
“Usually maraming OFW followers ko. Kasi sa vlog ko, nagbibisaya ako, which is the marketing is here lang naman. Hopefully soon maglalagay na ako ng subtitle kasi may madaming mga tagalog na followers na gustong maintindihan. kasi gusto nilang makita yung other side sa Cagayan de Oro, Misamis Oriental, Bukidnon, na may mga tourist spots palang ganyan,” he added.
Unlike other bloggers/vloggers, Doodzkie is not using DSLR cameras but rather his iPhone 5s phone in shooting his videos.
It was just recently that he was able to purchase a helmet camera and a drone.
“Aanhin mo yung magandang gamit pag yung content mo walang kabuluhan,” he said.
Despite the available equipment he has, he was able to create informative videos which usually earn more than 16,000 views each.
He was also able to get sponsorship and later on a partnership with Airlink Travel Services, a travel agency in Cagayan de Oro, which helps him by paying for his travel expenses.
Like all things in social media, Doodzkie also has bashers but he said he doesn't mind the negative comments or reactions he receives.
“Usually kasi sa social media, there are always bashers. At careful ako sa mga vina-vlog ko. Careful lang, hindi naman tayo perfect pero there are times talagang careful ka kasi tao ngayon hinahanapan ka talaga ng kait kunting gusot lang, ang laki ng issue,” Jelf said.
Likewise, he met some of his followers or fans whenever he gets out of the house going to malls and such. And Jelf always express his gratitude to them for being supportive of his craft whenever he got the chance to talk to them.
Jelf also shared some advises for those who are interested to create their own vlogs or start vlogging.
“Do it in a simple way, do it from your heart. It all start from hobby man gyud na. Not hobby yung parang gusto lang siguro. Love it, what you do, and make it simple. The shorter the video, the brief, which is better kasi pagmataas masyado, boring,” Doodzkie said.
“In blogging do it simple pero informative sya and stay humble,” he added.
It all started as a hobby and now vlogging became something big for Doodzkie, an outlet where he can showcase the beauty of the city he loves.