The Manila Blog Times

Bloggers File Complaint-in-Intervention in Arroyo Impeachment Case

E. Eder — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 15:16:15 +0000

A page on the complaint-in-intervention filed by bloggers in the Arroyo impeachment case.

Political bloggers led by Manuel Quezon III on Wednesday asked the House of Representatives to include the scrapped Bangsamoro Juridical Entity (BJE) agreement in the impeachment complaint against President Arroyo.

Joining Quezon as signatories to the complaint-in-intervention were bloggers Marck Ronald Rimorin, Edwin Lacierda, Jeremy I. Gatdula, Arbet W. Bernardo, Maria A. Jose, and Richard M. Rivera.

Concerned citizens Pitch Mangondato, Lt. Gen. Fortunato Abat, Jose T. Arce Jr., and Atty Ed Bacungan also signed the complaint.

The group said they believe Arroyo must be impeached for her role in the BJE memorandum on agreement (MOA) with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

In pursuing the MOA — which the Supreme Court later declared as unconstitutional — Arroyo “did a grave injustice to the citizenry,” the group said.

“It was, in sum, a policy of such deceit and recklessness, as to demonstrate her consecration, not to the service of the nation, but to a policy calculated for personal advantage, to the detriment of the nation at large,” they stated in the complaint.

They also said that the intervention is meant to strengthen the impeachment complaint filed last October 13 by a group of citizens led by Jose De Venecia III.

“We have signed it. We stand by it. We submitted it, today, to the Secretary-General of the House of Representatives so that it may fortify the impeachment case against the President of the Philippines,” Quezon wrote on his blog.

The group also launched an anti-Arroyo blog called Oust the Imp.

Also on Monday, former House Speaker Jose De Venecia III formally endorsed the October 13 complaint.

However, Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo said they will not endorse the complaint-in-intervention filed by the bloggers because the House committee would likely consider it as a separate complaint, as it had done in the past.

Digital Filipino Web Awards 2008 Winners Announced

E. Eder — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 05:05:53 +0000

E-commerce research site DigitalFilipino.com has announced the winners of its Web Awards 2008 in a recognition ceremony held on November 5, Wednesday at the Taste Asia in Mall of Asia, Pasay City.

Dine Racoma’s The D Spot bagged the award in the personal blog category, while Dexter Panganiban’s Tech at Hand won in the professional blog category.

The Belo Medical Group Blog was selected as this year’s best corporate blog.

Dine Racoma (center) receives her plaque for best blog in the personal category.

Below are the complete list of winners:

Apparel / Fashion Category – Tesoro’s Philippine Handicrafts and Barongs
Art Category – Hiraya
Association / Organization Category – Information Technology Association of the Philippines
Auction / Shopping Portal Category – KabayanCentral
Automotive Category – AutoIndustriya
Beauty Category – Godiva
Blog – Corporate Category – The Belo Medical Group Blog
Blog – Personal Category – The D Spot
Blog – Professional Category – Tech at Hand
Books Category – OMF Literature
Community Category – TipidPC
Computer / Consumer Electronics Category – Villman Computers Philippines
Consumer Banking / Bills Payment Category – Philippine National Bank
Corporate / Professional Category – Syntactics
Events / Conferences Category – WordCamp Philippines
Financial Services Category – Absolute Traders
Food Category – Filipino Recipes
Games Category – RF Online Philippines
Gifts Category – Express Regalo
Guides / Review Category – ClickTheCity.com
Home Furnishings / Improvement Category – Philippine Interior Design & Feng Shui Tips
Jobs / Employment Category – MyNimo
Magazine Category – Candymag.com
Music / Movie/ Film Category – TitikPilipino
Newspaper Category – Inquirer.net
Pharmaceuticals Category – GlaxoSmithKline Philippines
Podcast Category – The Daily PCIJ
Politics Category – Filipino Voices
Real Estate Category – BF Homes Properties
School / University Category – De La Salle University – Manila
Services Category – Load.com.ph
Social Networking Category – GreatPinoy!
Tourism Category – Cebu CeBoom CeBlog
Travel Category – Philippine Airlines

Janette Toral, founder of DigitalFilipino.com, thanked the sponsors of the awards: Bitstop Network Services, CashSense, RegaloService.com, LocalPhilippines, and ChipIn donors.

She also thanked Ms Aileen Apolo for referring them to Taste Asia and DigDesignz for providing this year’s awards logo.

Members of the Digital Filipino Club helped in the award’s judging process.

Last month, more than 100 bloggers attended the Digital FIlipino Club’s Bloggers Manila Networking Event. Sponsored by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, the event was held at the Casino Filipino in Paranaque.

(Photo courtesy of Carl Valenzona of Web Magazine blog)

Links from the Digital Filipino Web Awards blog:

Video

Photo

Blog Post and Write-ups

A Very Clear Halloween

Lad Madrigal — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 21:03:45 +0000

This is already a late post but we can’t get enough of it so we’ll post it anyway.

Last October 31, Clear Anti-Dandruff Shampoo in cooperation with SM Hypermarket, gave bloggers the Halloween party they’ve all been waiting for. Held at Taste Asia in Mall of Asia, the Clear Black Night Halloween Dance Party was definitely the shiznit event of the season.

There were also others who do not blog but still joined the party. The event was a total congregation of beauties as we got twitterpated with the lovely ladies of Clear.

A bunch of lovely ladies

Bloggers posing for the camera during the Clear Black Night

Famous bloggers, including Ms Google Earth Philippines Aileen Apolo, were also present in the event that was organized by Unilever and SM Hypermarket. And speaking of the earth beauties, the 2008 Miss Earth candidates owned the night when some of them arrived. They were welcomed by super tycoon Herbert Sy of SM.

Mr. Herbert Sy with the candidates of Miss Earth 2008

Known event organizers Janette Toral and Azrael Coladilla were among the early birds of the night. The event can also be considered as the melting pot of all bloggers event as it was graced not only by Filipinos but by imported party goers as well.

Chris and Azrael: “OK!”

The writer with Glen Roberts, Miss Google Earth Aileen Apolo and Manu Ofiaza

The Clear Black Night was filled with flashes as cameras coming from different angles captured the happenings. And of course, a party would not be complete without drinks and foods, and the event sponsors served it all free.

We never had the chance to finish the whole event as we too have some appointments in the morning. But with our few hours of stay, we say this was definitely one of the clearest, the best and the grandest Halloween parties we ever had.

More photos:

Links to other bloggers’ entries about the party (from Aileen’s blog):

Think of Me and Laugh

Bloggers Kapihan Leads Blog Action Day on Poverty in the Philippines

E. Eder — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 15:49:15 +0000

Cyberspace group Bloggers Kapihan has called on Filipino bloggers all over the world to join the Blog Action Day 2008 on Oct. 15 by taking on the issue of poverty through text, photos, music and podcasts, video and microblogging.

The event website is at Blog Action Day 2008 where Bloggers Kapihan posted instructions and resources for interested bloggers.

Bloggers Kapihan created the Blog Action Day 2008 Philippines website as a contribution to the global initiative to discuss poverty in the blogosphere on October 15.

“On Oct. 15, we urge bloggers to unite and discuss poverty. It may be an essay, a story on how they may once be poor or their fears about falling to the ranks of the unemployed. It may also come in the form of a video or a podcast,” said Bloggers Kapihan crew member and journalist Anthony Ian Cruz, who publishes the blog http://tonyocruz.com, this year’s best news and media blog in the Philippine Blog Awards.

Cruz said that the Blog Action Day 2008 is open to all bloggers, regardless of age, gender and creed. “We urge bloggers to take time out to change the discussion and focus on Oct. 15 on poverty. Its a good chance to tackle poverty – its root causes, the solutions, and why we should put our heads together to have a poverty-free Philippines in the future.

University of the Philippines Manila debater Benjamin Espina, another Bloggers Kapihan crew member, said that “we bloggers represent the technological intelgentsia of this generation and events like the Blog Action Day empower us to amplify our pro-active stands and novel ideas across a wider readership.”

Espina, whose http://atheista.net won as best personal blog in the Philippine Blog Awards, added that “these types of activities help us capture the spotlight so let’s make the most out of it by writing about causes that all people should care about, like poverty”.

Another Bloggers Kapihan crew member, Philippine Science High School instructor Martin Perez, won the award for best single blog post in the personal category.

In its call to action, Bloggers Kapihan said that “poverty is a reality that we cannot deny. We see it everyday. Many live with and in it 24/7. The imperative now is to change this situation. The Blog Action Day 2008 is an opportunity to get poverty out from under the rug where the government has consigned it. We hope that through this renewed focus on poverty, it will be a new start to better understand and not hide it, to offer real solutions not fake ones, to salve the poor people’s wounds and not give them doleouts.”

According to Cruz, the group expects “a good number” of Filipino bloggers to answer the call for poverty-related posts. “We hope to infect the so-called intelgentsia, the thinking class who are all over the web, with a concern for the plight of the numerous poor and be interested in helping solve it. The event would then hopefully spur national reflection and action on poverty.”

The Philippines is now known in the world for its vibrant and dynamic blogosphere, with even journalists and Catholic bishops, government officials and opposition leaders taking on the habit. In one of the polls on social networking, Filipinos lead all Asians in blogging and in setting up social networking sites.

Non-bloggers may also join by posting comments at the website, said Cruz.

Bloggers Kapihan launched its first Blog Action Day event in the weekend of Jan. 19-20, with the theme “remembering People Power 2.”

Philippine Blog Awards Recognizes Top Filipino Bloggers

E. Eder — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 16:07:29 +0000

By TONYO CRUZ

Applause, cheers and the never-ending flicker of camera lights welcomed the country’s top bloggers at the 2nd Philippine Blog Awards held September 21 at glitzy rites held at 1Esplanade near SM Mall of Asia.

Some bloggers came in formal attire, while others came in smart casual wear, but no one seemed to mind. Everyone was up on their toes on who were chosen by the judges, mostly bloggers too, as the best across 36 categories.

Philippine Blog Awards winners pose for the camera.

A number of attendees twittered and plurked and liveblogged, while those who were not present watched the proceedings through webcasts.

Pinoys lead world in social networking and blogging

Thee awards immediately after the Philippine Daily Inquirer published a report noting the Philippines’ leading role in mass participation in blogging and social networking, outpacing most countries.

According to a study, the Philippines was No. 1 in social networking and No. 2 in blogging.

Most outstanding blogs

In quick-paced fashion, the following were awarded as the country’s best blogs for 2008 Gibbs Cadiz (arts and culture); Pinoy Web Startup (business); Creature Lover (commentary); The Professional Heckler, No Special Effects (food); The D Spot (family and living); Pinoy Guy Guide (fashion and lifestyle); Comicology The Study of Awesome (hobby and recreation); tonyocruz.com (news and media); Atheista (personal); lostphotograph (photoblog); The Bull Runner (sports); PinoyBlogero.com (technology) Ironwulf.net: En Route (travel); and CokskiBlue Pinoy Vlogs Videos and Vodcasts (video blogs and podcasts).

The Philippine Blog Awards expanded its categories this year and likewise recognized the best single posts across all categories.

Best single posts

Trophies were handed out to writers behind the following posts: EJ: Ang Pinagdaanang Buhay nina Evelio Javier at Edgar Jopson – A Review of a Rocking Relevant Musical (arts and culture); Ang Tibay Naman (business); The Problem of R.A. 9439 (commentary); Manila’s Movie Theaters (entertainment); Marketman Learns How to Make Tinapa from Scratch!!! (food and beverage); Me and Tia Inez (family and living); Camo Comes Out Of Hiding (fashion and lifestyle); Limatik (Blood Leeches): An overview (hobby and recreation); Confessions of a “New Media” Heretic (or, the jester in exile throws yet another gauntlet before the MSM “priest caste”) (news and media); Out of school, part 1: Forks (personal); Urban Cave (photoblog); garmin vs nike a test of accuracy (sports); The Making of Lakbayan (Part1&2) (technology); How I broke a ritual taboo in Batad (travel)

Special Awards

Winner of special awards were: OctTwelve (best blog design); Daily Top Ten (best plugin/extension); Una Wordpress Theme (best custom theme); Juan Mandaraog (best network blogger); and Samjuan (best OFW blog).

Batang Yagit emerged as the “bloggers choice”, outpacing dozens of competitors from across the country and garnering the highest number of endorsements from bloggers themselves.

Sponsored awards

Strong industry support for bloggers was obvious with booths and banners of sponsors all over the venue.

Event sponsors also handed out awards: Level UP! Gaming Blog of The Year for Just Perfect: Perfect World; Nokia Kaleidoscope of Connections Award went to “Kaleidoscope Trip”, “Messages With an Impact” and “Connecting People With a Push of the Button” (all Nokia award winners posted here); San Miguel Oktoberfest Best Blog Post went to San Miguel Oktoberfest 2008! (1 of 2); Geiser Maclang Special Award for Mom Exchange | Celebrating Motherhood; Blog Bank’s “Blogger, Not the Blog Award” to Arpee Lazaro; and Flippish’s Most Flip Vlog/Blog Award to PinoyPowerNet.

Keynote, closing speeches

In his keynote speech at the start of the ceremonies, Sen. Mar Roxas congratulated Filipino bloggers for their growing use of blogging as “a democratic, free and libertarian tool”, noting that the awarding ceremonies came exactly 36 years after the Philippines was placed under martial rule.

Roxas also expressed admiration for bloggers’ sense of personal responsibility and discipline, and their readiness to communicate with the world.

Speaking on behalf of organizers at the end of the awards rites, Jayvee Fernandez referred to the three head fakes of blogging, taking off from the story of the Randy Pausch of “The Last Lecture” fame.

Nomination, judging

Hundreds of blogs and blog posts were nominated this year, and it was left to several judges to find the best among the bumber crop of nominees.

Serving as judges for this year’s awards were: Aileen Apollo, Migs Paraz, Adel Gabot, Christian “Juan Ekis” Valles, Manuel L. Quezon III, Benj Arriola, Gang Badoy, Erwin Romulo, August Dela Cruz, BryanBoy, Ernesto G. Sonido Jr., Erwin Oliva, Ernie U. Sarmiento, Max Limpag, JJ Disini, Derek Punsalan, Brad Geiser, Analyn Jusay, Luis Buenaventura and Janette Toral. (TonyoCruz.com)

(Photo courtesy of Shari Cruz)

Buhay Coke Video Blog Contest Winners Announced

E. Eder — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 01:40:18 +0000

Winners in Coca-Cola’s Buhay Coke Video Blog Contest were announced Friday night during the Buhay Coke Party at the Taste Asia in SM Mall of Asia.

MS Aileen Apolo, who helped organized the contest and the party, listed the winners on her blog:

1st Place - Azrael Coladilla
Won a LCD TV

2nd Place - Gerry Alanguilan (the Komikero)
Won an iPhone

3rd Place - Coy Caballes

Won a Digital Camera

4th Place – Angelo Abrazaldo
Won an iPod Nano

Other entries are at the Buhay Coke Vlog Contest announcement video on YouTube. Blog posts about the Coke Party may be read on the following blogs: An Apple a Day, The Komikero’s Vlog about the Party, Azrael’s Merry Post, Jeric’s Post, The Diary of Joni & Anya, Halo-halo.ph

Blogger Starts Esperon-Resign Petition

E. Eder — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 18:07:32 +0000

Blogger Kevin Ray Chua last week started an online petition calling for Gen. Hermogenes Esperon’s resignation as peace process adviser.

The petition requests Mr. Esperon to quit “for incompetence and unprofessionalism in threatening North Cotabato Vice Governor Manny Piñol that their province would be left unprotected once they get a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) on the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Philippine Government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).”

As of this writing, the petition has 73 signatories.

Malacanang has earlier rejected calls for the resignation of the peace adviser, who is a former chief-of-staff of the armed forces.

UP Students’ Food Blog Tops 2008’s Emerging Influential List

E. Eder — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 17:26:26 +0000

MANILA FOODISTAS, a food blog by eight University of the Philippines students, was named last night as 2008’s top emerging influential blog.

Other winners in the Top 10 Emerging Influential Blogs in 2008 project are Filipino Voices, a group blog on news and politics; Visit Sagada, a travel blog; Missing Carlo, a sister’s tribute to her brother who has autism; Mar Roxas 2010, a campaign site for Liberal Party Sen. Mar Roxas;

You Got Tech, a technology blog for non-techies; The Talented DJ Montano, an Australian’s controversial blog about his ex-lover; food blog Davao Delicious, which tied with Music Picks by a Music Lover Blogger in the eight place; Bariles Republic, a guide to General Santos City and personal blog Fritzified; and Bloggers Da Who, a blind item blog about bloggers.

This year's most influential bloggers with project organizer Janette Toral.

“I’m happy coz people recognized and appreciate our initiatives for the non-techies,” said Aileen Apolo, lead blogger of You Got Tech and one of last year’s top emerging influential bloggers. “After all there are more non-techie people than techies,” she added.

Top 10 Emerging Influential Blogs in 2008 is a writing project organized by Janette Toral of Digital Filipino. The project aims to identify “new and emerging blogs that are making an impact to its readers in 2008,” Ms Toral wrote on the project’s official site.

The winners, who were chosen by bloggers who participated in the project, were announced last night during an eyeball at the The Legend Villas in Mandaluyong City.

Manila Blog Times got the list of winners from the blogs of AJ Matela, owner of Bloggers Da Who, and Jehzeel Laurente of Jehzlau Concepts.

Slycesoft Games Development and Legend Hotels International Corporation sponsored the eyeball. (Photo from This year’s most influential bloggers with project organizer Janette Toral.

(Photo courtesy of Jay Frank de Jesus and Aileen Apolo)

Senator Mar Roxas Meets Bloggers

E. Eder — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 11:25:17 +0000

Liberal Party Senator Manuel “Mar” Roxas II on Friday, August 1, met with prominent Filipino bloggers during the launch of his blog at Annabel’s restaurant in Quezon City.

Carlo Ople, Sen. Roxas’s new media consultant, wrote that among those who attended the launch were Susan “Toots” Ople, Noemi Dado, Lester Cavestany, Jester [Pierre Galla], Arbet Bernardo, Marck Rimorin, Juned Sunido, Sonnie Santos, Abe Olandres, Paolo Florenda, Ding Gagelonia, Gail Villanueva, Marc Villanueva, Ellen Tordesillas, Manolo Quezon, and Ricky Carandang. A number of them are bloggers from FilipinoVoices.com,

Sen. Mar Roxas with Filipino bloggers. (Noemi Lardizabal-Dado)

Cebu-based blogger Kevin Ray Chua of Mar Roxas for President in 2010 blog was not in the meeting.

Mr. Ople said the bloggers represented ” a good mix of bloggers from various niches” and that “there were a lot of topics covered – from taxes, policies, and even the Batman ‘Dark Knight’ movie.”

Sen. Roxas also launched his Virtual Rally, an online protest site, during the event. The current e-protest on Virtual Rally is against the value-added tax (VAT) on oil products.

On his blog’s first entry, Sen. Roxas said he “look[s] forward to exchanging views and swapping stories with you [blog visitors] through this precious digital space.” He also said he would also invite guest bloggers. He also commented on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s state of the nation address and the controversial expanded VAT.

Last June, priest-turned-governor Ed Panlilio of Pampanga also invited bloggers to the launch of his blog.

Desperately Seeking Gerry’s Grill

E. Eder — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 10:10:11 +0000

Cebu-based blogger McBilly Sy went to Manila last week to join other models in the Bench Blackout fashion show, and he grabbed the opportunity to meet with other bloggers.

After consulting with other bloggers, he set a date for a mini-eye ball: July 27, 2008, 7pm, at Gerry’s Grill Megastrip in SM Megamall.

But that Sunday night, I was already so sweaty from walking around looking for Gerry’s Grill when I met the EB organizer. Since we couldn’t find Gerry’s, we thought we should instead hold the EB at Dencio’s Bar and Grill at MegaStrip.

Pinoy SEO prince Marhgil Macuha and fiancée Shella Mojana — they’re tying the knot on August 8 — also got too tired and hungry looking for Gerry’s Grill that they already went to Pizza Hut. They were about to order food before they received McBilly’s text saying the mini-EB’s venue had been changed.

We also notified Allen Michael Gurrea and Fjordan Allego of the changed venue, and they followed us at Dencio’s. Our dinner — Bulalo, Sisig, and Kare-Kare — was eventually served.

We were almost done with the food when Ambo and his non-blogging friend Ronald arrived. McBilly wrote about Ronald: “We discovered how fun a bloggers EB is when you invite a non blogger. He was the butt of all the jokes! Haha. But Ronald was really cool about it. It was really a lot of fun! Haha.”

Marhgil was already conducting “free blogging consultation” when Jose Gabriel Diaz arrived. The latter got our attention with his online shopping and real estate tips.

The group had so much fun that at past midnight, a waiter had to tell us to please leave the restaurant as they were already closing.

Photos courtesy of McBilly. See more photos on his site.