![171130_Sndbox-Spotlight-themanualbot-01.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmXGKkbEYDaTFEnrLQXLkVgstDQNp6PVNRK67PPadVBYRP/171130_Sndbox-Spotlight-themanualbot-01.png)

*Spotlights are interviews! @sndbox reaches out to creative individuals and communities of all experience levels. Our goal is to raise awareness towards new users and help connect them with experienced Steemians. (50% of the SBD earned from this post will go directly to @themanualbot’s account to support his content.)*

![171130_Sndbox-Spotlight-themanualbot-02.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmVcXnzKkQdxcNiBPEPBSpLkq5UJZrsCcNPE2G9ZEjJ6Cj/171130_Sndbox-Spotlight-themanualbot-02.png)

## @sndbox : Hi @themanualbot, thanks for joining us, tell us about yourself!
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@themanualbot : Let me clarify my name first, themanualbot, because a lot of users thought that I am a bot. Well, for all of you who still don't know if am a bot or not, I am not! bot means "best of time". Okay?

So, I am a student-Steemian taking Electronics Engineering at UCLM, where we made our first promotion for Steemit, together with @jassennessaj. Aside from being a @sndbox fellow, I am working with @utopian-io as a moderator, though I am not a dev, I help in approving contributions (such learning and experience is needed). I am also one of the Bayanihan curators, chosen Filipino Steemians to build the community of the Philippines in Steemit. And lastly, I am a curie curator, and still learning to curate well and to improve my curation skills.

***"I am not a pacifist, I too make riots within my circle but I am maintaining the balance of good and evil in this saturated world."***

![bot-thumbnail.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmbDsHH2GWGNLuKkRiHaa4Njgk2W5efYd5jBpUCXD4z9kg/bot-thumbnail.jpg)

## @sndbox : When did you join Steemit and why?
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@themanualbot : I joined Steemit last August 2016. I was just trying to make an account for “Steam” but luckily mistyped it into “Steem”... then read the phrase "Get paid to blog" and the rest is history.

I got into cryptocurrency in early 2015 - trading, investing, etc. At first, the reason why I joined Steemit was for financial freedom and maximizing financial security and those are still in part my reasons. But as time goes on I’ve received more recognitions and trust from influential Steemit users, my goals are changing. It's all for good!

## @sndbox : Hah, [Steam](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_(software)) vs. Steem, I'd bet that happens a lot! How has your experience on this platform been so far?
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@themanualbot : It's been a roller coaster experience! I started at the middle close to bottom and I feel like I'm going to the top, prolly at 3% in progress :D

Steemit has affected me in so many ways, from being a socially inclined person to excessive one, from being a money driven to value oriented, from my short terms to long term goals and etc! 

Sndbox' empowerment has so far the best integrator in Steemit. With their support, I was able to grow my account and build the community for Cebuano/Bisaya Steemians. With , I am getting close to my ambition to become the first Filipino whale. As close as kissing my elbow (try it for yourself!).

https://steemitimages.com/0x0/https://steemitimages.com/DQmPQZUhnZChssM8kuJaSMnwTykBieNFrcjjJHAaWYGTmND/steemph-cebu.jpg

## @sndbox : What is the most exciting project you are working on?
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@themanualbot : I'm working on different time consuming projects and a butt-hurting thesis. But the most important project that I / we are working on or planning to have to, is the Cebu Steemit Hub. It's the physical sndcastle of the @steemph.cebu. It really needs a good planning and strong decisions. We're not in a hurry for that big project because as young as we are, we have so much work to do outside and inside Steemit.

> @steemph.cebu is a community account aimed to support native Steemian writers by discovering quality posts from Filipinos located primarily in Cebu and its neighboring towns. Along with @steemph.iligan and @steemph.davao, @steemph.cebu is a branch of @steemph to help provide a better community for Filipinos. This is also aimed to be a force multiplier which helps @bayanihan and @steemph in discovering and endorsing quality posts from Filipino writers situated in Cebu and its neighboring cities (Bohol, Negros, Leyte, etc.). In this way, it helps Filipino posts have an assurance to be covered all over the country.

https://steemitimages.com/0x0/https://steemitimages.com/DQmV9ZGbU8ZcdXNaXNBpSyjDb8bXj8BJXhDwub4WhaFk9oM/171012_Sndcastle-Spotlight-05.png

## @sndbox: In the next 6 months, where do you see your work going?
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@themanualbot : Hopefully, we could gather enough money for our Steemit Hub during the next 6 months of being a sndbox fellow and @steemph.cebu as a sndcastle. For my own growth, I'm hoping to be a dolphin in early 2018 so that I can maximize my curation towards Filipino authors with use SP to empower multiple projects I'm working on. 

***"Don't put Steemit above yourself and likewise, yourself above Steemit. Always hold Steemit beside you and allow Steemit to do the same to you - fairness in regards to your stake and others."***

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**A big thanks to @themanualbot for sharing his story!** *Be sure to check out his page and keep an eye on his work as a moderator within @utopian-io and @steemph.cebu! (50% of the SBD earned from this post will go directly to @themanualbot account to support his content.)*

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