Asia Insight

Spreading Kindness: Online Barter in the Philippines (9x29)

Air date: Nov 13, 2020

Online bartering has become a massive trend in the Philippines. Many people have lost work because of the novel coronavirus pandemic, and exchanging goods is a way to procure basic necessities. The movement has begun with Bacolod-based lawyer Jocelle Batapa Sigue, who started an online barter community with just 10 members back in May 2020. She sets rules, such as no cash transactions, and in-person exchanges only, as a way to promote a system of mutual assistance. Today over a million people across the Philippines are bartering online. Explore how Filipinos are using this new system to make it through the pandemic.