I feel CHEATED

To Mr. Davey Aguinaldo,

It is now August 16, more than two weeks since the last requested extension that you asked for in paying me the amount of Php4,000 for services rendered.    Looking back at my email threads, you were supposed to pay me way back for work finished back in April 2011, but asked for extensions.

This is not the first time you have asked for extensions, and this is not the first time you have "vanished" and failed to answer more than three emails inquiring on the payment.  I've included below the last email thread that we had exchanged way back in June.  As can clearly be seen:

1) As of May 10, I already had concerns about you suddenly disappearing on me.  Back then I had sent you three emails asking for an update.  You replied SIX days later, asking for my patience, which I had very generously and kindly given to you.

2) Your last email, as seen below, gave me hope.  It made me believe I should trust you.  Even if you asked for such a huge extension.  June --> August.

3) Now, it is August, I have sent at least four emails (spread out over the last two weeks).  I have even sent you private messages via Facebook (your account can be found here) and I have even asked my friends who know you to send you a message if they have time.

4) I am finding it very hard to not think you are cheating me out of what you owe me.    In any business transaction, once communication goes out of the window, it is hard to get a good picture on what is going on.  And right now, all I know is you have not answered me for a very long and unacceptable period of time.   If you do contact me with a proper explanation AND with the confirmation of settling what you owe me, then I will write an update to this post, stating things ended well.  And I will delete this original post.  But until then, I feel this blog post is necessary to both express my concern over how business had been conducted and a warning to my fellow freelance writers.

While some people might say Php4000 is a small amount to make a fuss over, I am doing this because I do not want my other friends to find themselves in a similar predicament.  Back when I was writing for you, I shared to many of my friends and contacts your email address so they can consider contacting you for writing gigs as well.  Now, I am afraid if they too will not be paid for the work they send in.  I already know of one other friend who has not gotten paid.

I am absolutely disappointed in how this has turned out.  I am even considering contacting the website which you had me write articles for to inform them which articles were written by me and that you never paid me for them.  I have all email exchanges, word documents and notes regarding them which I can present as evidence.  I sincerely hope there is a good explanation to your sudden loss of contact.  And I hope you do properly settle the amount you owe me.

Until then, I leave this blog post up as evidence.  And as a warning to others who might hear of your name and consider working for you.


Thursday, June 23, 2011 5:22 AM

FROM:

• Davey Aguinaldo

Hi Tobie,

Still no updates. Sorry. Give me until August. If client does not pay, I will find a way to get you payment. 

Thanks,

Davey

On Wed, Jun 22, 2011 at 3:48 PM, Tobie Abad wrote:

Hi Davey,

Any updates?
Hear from you soon.

Tobie

---

From: Davey Aguinaldo <d.aguinaldo@gmail.com>
To: Tobie Abad
Sent: Monday, May 16, 2011 8:34:40 PM
Subject: Re: Pending payment for work rendered. Third email.

Hi Tobie,

Sorry for the late reply. Yes, I still owe you. unfortunately, HTDT still has not paid me and I am pretty down financially since I had to pay some of the other writers partial payments out of pocket.

Currently, I am dry. My online writing business has suffered because of this. As of today, I only have about 3 small clients.  I have sent a demand letter to HTDT through my brother who is a lawyer about 3 weeks ago... but they have not responded yet. 

Please give me more time... if HTDT does not pay, I will find a way to pay all of you guys.

I do have some writing jobs coming in... that pays slightly better than HTDT... around P115 to P125 per article. They pay on time and I have not had any problems with them so far. If you are interested, I can get some work for you for the meantime.

I really apologize for this. If I had someway to pay all of you, I would. Hoping for your patience.

Davey

On Tue, May 10, 2011 at 11:59 AM, Tobie Abad wrote:

Hi Davey,

This is my third email asking about the status of the delayed payment for work I have already rendered.

There has been no response to the earlier two messages.   Please reply back as soon as possible.

I am starting to get concerned.

Thank you.

Tobie