A toy collector’s search online for a house contractor turned into a controversy over the wording of his post.
Yexel Sebastian, also a social media personality with nearly 5 million Facebook followers, earlier shared he wants to collaborate with a contractor in exchange for an “X-deal,” or a transaction between two parties to swap goods or services without the involvement of cash.
“Hello, good pm. Ask ko lang baka po meron kayo kilala contractor or pwede po makagawa nun nasa picture flooring and roof,” he said.
“Baka po pwede tayo collab and exdeal. Gawan po naming video and promote. Location po, Bulacan,” he added.
Sebastian referred to the simulation of a house he included in his now-deleted post.
The blogger immediately drew heavy backlash afterward. Social media users slammed him for offering to collaborate for a cashless agreement rather than offering proper compensation.
He then opted to delete the post and issued another statement to clarify his supposed intentions for the word “ex-deal” or “x-deal.” He also attached a screenshot of his earlier deleted post.
“Ako po ay humihingi ng tulong kapalit ay serbisyo ko. Ang exdeal po sa Google no money involved. Pero sa iba po yan ay discount or any anything in exchange na parehas magbebenefit both sides…mapaguusapan. Hindi po pagsasamantala o lalamangan,” Sebastian said.
“Ang iba ngayon lang narinig yan pero naki-hate nalang at minasama,” he added.
Sebastian claimed his first social media post was misinterpreted, thus he deleted it.
He also said he values the work of contractors, engineers and architects.
“Maraming salamat pasintabi po sa mga naka isip na mababa ang tingin natin sa inyong propesyon. Hindi po ganon ang intensyon at layunin,” he said.
In the comments section, he explained that the work will not be conducted for free.
“Ang post na ito ay hindi para sa mga mang gagawa mason karpintero at magpapawa tayo ng libre lang o hihingi ng discount sa kanila. Sa companies po tayo makikipag-deal kung saan pwede kami mag-benefit sa magkabilang panig,” he said.
The deal with ‘X-deals’
While many of his followers backed him up, Sebastian still drew more criticisms after he failed to mention his willingness to pay up properly.
“Yexel, alam mo nakakahiya ka. May pambili ka ng toy collections pero wala kang pambayad sa contractor?” one user said.
Another Facebook user also spelled out the need to pay people when commissioning them in any project.
“Hindi po barya barya lang ginagastos sa isang construction project. May materials, labor, equipment at marami kinoconsider sa costs. Hindi po mapapakain ng promotion niyo ang mga workers na magtratrabaho sa site,” the user wrote.
Others also added the bad timing of him offering mere promotions under difficult times.
“You have good intentions and perhaps you can measure the benefit that they will gain, but the timing is not good. People need something close to their stomach not something they can gain in the future,” one user said.
There’s no dictionary definition for the term “ex-deal.”
Based on a blog, it is an internet term that refers to a transaction between two parties that involves a work collaboration or exposure rather than cash.
These transactions can be a form of a scam or not depending on the parties involved.
The creative industry has since looked down on offerings of a “shoutout” or exposure in exchange for commissioned artworks.
In 2019, urban planner Hans Alcanzare exposed an alleged influencer who offered a mere “shoutout” in exchange for an artwork or portrait sketch of herself.
READ: Artist speaks up against influencer: ‘Shoutout doesn’t pay bills or fill an empty stomach’
