While Paypal in the Philippines is a great development, it has yet to make a splash, I think.

Here are 7 people who should immediately board the online payment facility train.

1. The Native Crafts makers. Americans, Australians, Europeans and the Japanese like our products very much. Christmas lanterns from Pampanga could be hanging in Sweden, Norway or Perth. Furnitures and abaca handicrafts are a big hit abroad. More smaller players can join the fray and reach a larger market share.
Note: make sure that what you will selling is of high quality and reasonably-priced. This is not a quick-rich scheme, you know.

So, click the link below and get your Paypal account now and let the dollars flow in.

2. Musicians. I’ve been wondering for a long time why very few Filipino musicians make it big. We do not lack the talent. I think what we lack are connections and PR. But with the web, we can make it happen. Why not sell you music directly on the net? How about composers become like our graphics artists and do freelance, outsourced work?
3. School Administrators. I know of lots of schools need funding. My alma mater has built a digital library and could use some funds. (NOTE: I AM NOT AN OFFICIAL FUND RAISER FOR THE PROJECT.) If you know me personally, trust me and would want to send in some dollars to the Don Miguel Solaroli digital Library, send it to my personal paypal account and I’ll give it to the school. Minus the fees of course. No charge from me. (For those who may think that it has been named after a rich European don, it was not. It is named after a dear an Italian Salesian Priest who spent most of his life in the Philippines with poor boys.)

4. NGO Leaders. Are there orphanages doing this already? If you are one, open an account and put up a link now.
If you feel generous this Christmas, why not send money to your favorite charity group. If you don’t know where to send money, ask me. Just tell me what your advocacy is. And please make it legit and positive.

5. Artists/Painters. Am not an are expert but strolling along the 4th floor of SM Megamall and viewing the occasional exhibits and galleries displays the inherent artistry and passion of the Filipino. I remember Ral Arrogante and his junk art. The winners of Metrobank and Petron Art contests. Art students who already show their wares. How about Joey Velasco and his moving pieces? Those from Angono? Or maybe your little kid’s sketches? Ok, I was just joking (unless of course, you have a gifted child). Paint the internet with our colors!

6. Bloggers, of course! The ones whose work we enjoy reading. Just because we care about them and appreciate their prose or poetry or their crazy ideas and rant and raves like they were our own.

7. Me. Though I consider myself a blogger and would love to receive money because you like what I write, my gut feel says I can cook up more ideas on how to use Paypal. There should be something I can offer that should be valuable to somebody out there. Like, if you are a Filipino living abroad and you would want to give a gift to somebody here in the Philippines, send me an email and maybe we can work something out.

With that said, I’d really like to see how receiving (and cashing) payments from Paypal goes. How about donating a dollar or 17 or 93 to me if you think this site has potential by clicking on the donate button in the middle column? Just because you feel like it.

And tell me 70 more people who should use Paypal, too.