ONLINE BARTER: Modern Bayanihan Spirit

by Warren Sun

Remember during the olden times when money was not yet invented? Our earliest ancestors lived through bartering with neighboring islands and nearby nations.

This old custom was reborn at the emergence of the pandemic. During the start of the lockdown, millions of people lost their jobs. Eventually, people were stuck in their homes and had to find ways to survive without work. And in this digital age, it came about as online barter. Something that one person considers non-essential may be considered valuable by someone else. As the saying goes, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”

For people who are not familiar with online barter, transaction between barter communities happens on Facebook. You need to be aware of the guidelines in order to be a member. The birthplace of online barter started in Bacolod City in May this year. Few weeks after, the popularity spread so fast as hundreds of barter communities were established in different islands of the Philippines. To top that, Pinoy communities abroad adopted this online barter as well.

Hardly few people know that in Tawi-Tawi, located on the southernmost part of the Philippine islands, traditional barter still does exist between tribes and surrounding islands that come together every Saturday to exchange goods. But this event had been closed temporarily due to the pandemic. 26

In order to understand fully the inner purpose of barter, I actually joined a lot of barter communities in my hometown in Angeles City.

A famous chef in Iloilo City bartering her oven toaster with a bag of organic tomatoes.) I try to be very observant at first on how the process go about. I am taken aback because the possibilities of bartering of things can be really amusing, unimaginable and endless. Imagine, people bartering toys for canned goods, clothes for a tray of eggs, Xbox for a vintage Volkswagen car among others. Other people who cannot oer goods oer their professional services: a lady offering her party clown services in exchange of groceries; a guy offering his tattoo services for a sack of rice and so on.

A famous chef in Iloilo City bartering her oven toaster with a bag of organic tomatoes.

Online bartering has evolved in many ways. Other people found a bigger purpose with what they call three-way barter. For example, a lady received a sack of rice from a specific barter and she will eventually donate the sack of rice to a poor family. To see how practically effective barter can be during this pandemic, I started doing barter on the first week of July and I have been doing it for a month now. It can be a way for decluttering things in the house for some. But for others, it has been a vital means for them to survive and live by the moment. Since I have found a great interest with gardening, I finally decided to concentrate with collecting and bartering mostly snake plants. Surprisingly, there was a rise with plant appreciation amongst people since they learn to value nature and their surroundings.

I have tried doing online selling of plants but it never gave me a sense of contentment because the conversation mostly ends right after the cash payment. In bartering, there is more compassion with the transaction. You are actually reconnecting with your community, rekindling spirits with friends and building new connections from all walks of life. And it is through online barter where I met great people where we all share a common goal. Moreover, successful barters also lead to referrals.

I realized that this crisis had given the best out in every people to come up with an alternative career. Come to think of it, Pinoys are very creative and resourceful when it comes to running a small-scale business. No one can tell when this crisis will end so we should start channeling our alternative talents to move forward towards a new normal life.

Bartering my set of snake plants with liters of cooking oil and laundry needs