Telum Media catches up with Flowell Galindez, a Dubai-based Filipino blogger, who shares his thoughts on entertainment blogging.

You were writing entertainment content full-time at ABS-CBN for more than a decade. How did the “front row” proximity to celebrities and press content help you as a blogger? How would you describ­e the perks of being an “insider”?
It was a win-win situation for both sides. I am very thankful to Dreamscape who was the first unit who ventured into the idea of a “blogger set visit”, which we had for the TV show, Betty La Fea. At the time, it was new for both cast and production to see bloggers on the set and in press conferences. The late ABS-CBN Corporate Communications head, Bong Osorio, entertained the idea and so did Kane Choa who remains very supportive up till now. A perk was that I got fresh content before it was released. Of course, I knew my limitations on what not to post on my personal accounts [ahead of ABS-CBN press releases]. I gained a few celebrity friends through this and some send messages from time to time.

For those unacquainted, what does your blog cover?
FlowGalindez.com is a lifestyle entertainment blog. Aside from local and international content, I write tech content covering the consumer’s point of view. I partner with telco companies, beverage brands, and I’m also proud to continue partnering with the UN World Food Programme on content. With the current situation, I’ve joined several virtual conferences and these are uploaded on my YouTube channel.

Your blog is supplemented by a YouTube channel featuring video interviews with Filipino celebrities and entertainment personalities. What other plans do you have in the pipeline for content creation and distribution?
Hopefully this February I can launch my podcast, Counter Flow. Similar to my blog and vlog, it will talk about Philippine entertainment as well as my lifelong passion for understanding storylines and concepts. Hopefully, I have that energy!

Tell us a favourite story you've written or an interview you've done.
For entertainment, I am a Glee fan. I had a quick chat with Heather Morris who played Brittany S. Pierce. I had 20 minutes and half of that time, I was mesmerised by her. When Maymay Entrata became the first Filipina to walk in an Arabic fashion show, I was there and captured everything from the catwalk to concert. For non-entertainment, the Department of Social Welfare and Development flew me to Tacloban to see the wrath of Typhoon Yolanda. Seeing the situation was difficult but the greater challenge was how to narrate exactly what I was seeing. The UN World Food Programme flew me to North Cotabato and nearby conflict-affected areas to witness the situation in Mindanao. Without sugarcoating anything, I posted on my social media what I saw. I was the organisation’s only blogger partner at the time.

Telum Media works with numerous PRs across APAC. Given your years of experience as a blogger, how can PRs and bloggers work together more efficiently?
Never close your doors to people. Bloggers encounter ups and downs. They may have delays and I know PRs have deadlines. Try to meet in the middle. Lastly, explore. There are new content creators as well as those who might be afraid to reach out to PRs.

For someone who has had access to scoops before others, what would your dream interview look like? What interviews have remained elusive?
So far my answered prayers include Charo Santos-Concio, Maria Ressa, Regine Velasquez, and Ricky Lee. But I really want to interview Vice President Leni Robredo, Olivia Lamasan, Angel Locsin, Catriona Gray, and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris. I admire strong and determined women. For me, having a conversation about their hopes and dreams would be worth sharing.

Finally, how is writing and managing a blog different from ten years ago to today?
Regardless of time, writing is always a challenge especially if inspiration is not there. Finding your niche remains to be very important. No matter what year or how many diverse platforms exist, the challenge is finding balance. Knowing what should be posted or not. The other challenge is finding the right balance between offering good content or content purely for the number of views. Sometimes, they don’t go together.