(This content was originally published in the Inspiring Females section of FemaleNetwork.com on April 12, 2000, written by May Agaran. Original URL is offline but you can browse the original page via the Internet Archive: https://web.archive.org/web/20010422073812/http://www.femalenetwork.com/if/12_inday.html
Designing Inday
May Agaran
April 12, 2000 | A few months after her triple whammy at the 1999 Webby Awards, Cheryl Oliva Fuerte still basks in the glow of victory. And why not? Not only was she one of the youngest individual winners (she’s 21) but she also romped away with three awards—Donna Cruz for Best in Film/Celebrities, and two People’s Choice Awards for Indayworks and Noni Juice. Not bad for someone who stumbled into web design for vanity.
FemaleNetwork.com: So how did you get into web design?
Cheryl: I wanted to learn how to put my pictures on the Web! Ever since I viewed my first webpage, I made a promise to design one for myself. That was in 1997, the same year I got my email address.
I first joined the Philippine Web Awards in 1998 and my entry was the Donna Cruz site. I really had no idea that the Webbys were that prestigious. So I was really surprised when I learned that DonnaCruz.com won a People’s Choice Award. I had no speech prepared so when I got on stage, I blurted out, “I really didn’t expect this! I swear!” It was so showbiz!
FN: How long have you been designing webpages?
C: I’ve been designing since 1996. One of my very first webpages was, of course, my own. It was entitled “The Wonderful World of Cheryl” and the next one was “Cheryl Without Makeup” because all my pictures on the page showed me without makeup. The third one was Indayworks.
Of course, I also made the Donna Cruz website. I’m not ashamed to admit that I like Donna a lot—I watch her concerts, mall tours, movie premieres, etc. In fact, when I was making my speech at the Webbys, I said “Mareng Donna, may anak ka na. Ako rin!” and I waved my trophy. She was ecstatic when I told her that we won a Webby for the second time.
FN: What do you like and hate most about web designing?
C: The good thing about web design is that you have a worldwide audience. You’re not limited to just television, radio, or print. The way I look at it, if I can wow people from other parts of the world, even if I’m not a celebrity or a famous figure here, it’s okay. Second, with webpages, I can create my own designs. I’m not really an artist and I don’t draw. But I find immense satisfaction in thinking of something unique for my designs.
Oh, and of course the schedule. I work at home and I just communicate with my boss through chat and email. It’s cool actually, working at home because that frees me from long commutes. But the difficulty with this is that I have to have a lot of discipline. Like I want to go out and watch a movie or I want to sleep late, it’s not possible especially with deadlines.
FN: Why did you choose the name Inday?
C: That’s not really my nickname. It was the name I told my niece when she was bugging me. I told her to call me Tita Inday. Since then, the name stuck and I decided to use it for my homepage and my email address. Besides being so very Pinoy, it’s also unique.
FN: Is there anyone else in your family that’s artistic?
C: Well, my father is an engineer and he does drafting and designing. My mom, on the other hand, is a science teacher. Walang ka-art art, as she puts it. My younger twin brothers are in college. They shifted from Electrical and Communications Engineering (ECE) and Computer Engineering to Computer Science. I’m sure my winning inspired them. (Smiles)
FN: Any advice for those who wish to be Webby winners like you?
C: It’s simple actually. Just do your absolute best in anything that you do—whether it’s your job or just a hobby. Don’t do it just for the sake of doing it. Have the passion for it. Your work will reflect how much you love what you do, and it becomes an extension of yourself.
FN: You’ve already done so much at your age. What else are you out to accomplish?
C: Hmmm…more Webbys? Actually, I want to start my own business. Right now, I’m working for a San Francisco-based company as a web designer and it’s been really good. Plus more independent offers are coming my way. I have a cousin who’s into marketing so we might team up and put up our own company. I’m also thinking of studying again. I’m planning to take up astronomy, or physics, or maybe cosmology. I don’t know where but most likely in the US. I want to do so many things with my life!
FemaleNetwork.com | April 12, 2000
About the writer
May Agaran is the editorial assistant of FemaleNetwork.com.
(This content was originally published in the Inspiring Females section of FemaleNetwork.com on April 12, 2000, written by May Agaran. Original URL is offline but you can browse the original page via the Internet Archive: https://web.archive.org/web/20010422073812/http://www.femalenetwork.com/if/12_inday.html