Political blogging

Manila Times Monday, April 17, 2006

IT POLITICS By Janette Toral

I believe that one of the biggest challenges that the government and businesses face today are information technology driven tools that can transfer information faster than any traditional broadcast medium, uncensored and unedited.  These tools include text messaging and blogs. Online blogs, I believe, bring the biggest challenge to the government as it empowers any person or Filipino anywhere in the world to share their opinions on issues and give readers the discretion whether they want to believe it or not. It is through blogs that I get to really appreciate the kind of work the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (www.pcij.org/blog) is into. I also took the initiative to subscribe to their iReport, and even encouraged friends to do the same as a support to investigative journalism. Without PCIJ, none of us would have been so aware about the contents of the Garci tape.  Through blogs, I got to know Manuel L. Quezon III (www.quezon.ph/blog) better. Although I have read a few of his columns, his blogs gave me greater insight, and was amazed with the engaging interaction he has with his readers. The same with Jove Francisco (http://jovefrancisco.blogspot.com), Ricky Carandang (www.rickycarandang.com), Ellen Tordesillas (www.ellentordesillas.com) and RG Cruz (www.rgcruz.com), whose blogs gave us opportunity to get to know them better. I think the Gloriagate scandal even brought the blogging community closer together. Although there were disagreements in opinion, the transparency that took place in these discussions made us listen as we read one another’s opinion on the matter. Perhaps blogs may have a great influence on the middle class too—who mostly has Internet access—as to why they did not head to the streets immediately during the height of rallies challenging the administration. There are many questions asked and answered.  There are variety of insights to read. A diversity of information, overloading at times, makes the Filipino think clearly, rather than act impulsively—that to resolve our country’s problems, there is more to understand than just going to the streets to protest. That is why instead of issuing temporary restraining orders to websites like the PCIJ, government should take advantage of the transparency brought by blogs. The opposition should do the same. Whether the government likes it or not, blogs are here to stay. It is a powerful optional platform for the masses, to share their minds on issues facing them today. It symbolizes democracy and freedom of expression. Of course, it is only a platform. How far one will go in changing our society’s mindset will depend on the person writing and using it. For your comments, e-mail Janette@digitalfilipino.com or  listen to her podcast at http://digitalfilipino.podomatic.com