My Top 10 Emerging Influential Blogs in 2008

Here's what you've been waiting for!

I, Kevin Ray N. Chua, blogger of Mar Roxas for President in 2010 Blog, do hereby nominate the blogs listed below in random as the Top 10 Emerging Influential Blogs in 2008 for Ma'am Janette Toral's writing project of identifying new and emerging blogs that are making an impact to its readers in 2008:

Bariles Republic - You better read this blog of Avel Manansala! It's all about General Santos, the Tuna Capital of the Philippines and the place of PBB Teen Gerald Anderson, Congresswoman Darlene Antonino-Custodio and the People's Champ Manny Pacquiao.

The Talented Mr. DJ Montano - Let's not deny it! Brian Gorrell's blog is the word of mouth in the Pinoy Blogosphere this 2008. Although I have still no decision on where to side on this issue, I give his blog my nod.

Only in the Philippines - It's just a new blog of Carlo Ople also known as Wauks but the content of his blog is worth reading. It talks about Pinoy politics, trends and technology also. Indeed, it's only in the Philippines.

My Kapalaran - A blog of Michael Cruz talking about his fortune in everyday life. His humor and wit makes me hook on his blog. His blog is definitely emerging from the ground!

Ang Sa Wari Ko - When I stumbled upon this blog, I was curious of what Flowell Galindez is blogging all about. He's working in a popular television station and he has a lot of scoops in his blog about the latest entertainment buzzes. He's also into discussing the current issues that affects him and the country at large. I can't stop coming back to his blog.

IE - Student - Vernon Joseph Go is one of my schoolmates here in Cebu Institute of Technology. His blog is quite interesting not only because he's also a Technologian, but because of his environmental crusade. This environmentalist-industrial-engineering student also talks about things he is interested and his opinions on the current issues.

Filipino Voices - This collaborative blog of Pinoy bloggers who are into politics, news and social commentary is truly an emerging influential blog. I admit that I am one of them but I'm not a member of that blog. I wanted to join but I think it's better to focus on this blog first.

Puzzled Me - 16 year-old Redel Bautista loves watching anime, reading books, listening to music, using computer, playing online games before, writing, editing videos or photos, watching PBB, browsing with mozilla firefox, procrastinating, and multitasking. What I like most in his blog is the PBB updates! I'm also a PBB fan!

Danton Remoto 2010 - Let's support one of the "young turks" of Philippine politics, Danton Remoto for Senator in 2010! Well, I support his advocacy and it would be fascinating to have the first LGBT Senator of the Philippines. That's the Filipino Pride!

Mar Roxas for President in 2010 - I'm nominating this blog because you and I believe that together, we had made something great in the Pinoy blogosphere. Our movement is snowballing and this blog is a trailblazer! No one has ever made a blog like this before. I am also elated by the growing visitors and subscribers of this blog. By July 29, 2008, we will be marking our 1st year anniversary and all of us are celebrating for this success.

Friday, May 9, 2008 | posted in blog, brian gorrell, campaign, dj montano, janette toral, top 10 emerging influential blogs of 2008 | 8 comments [ More ]

The "brave" Mr. Anonymous will report me and Sen. Mar Roxas to COMELEC

After I made a post entitled Brian Gorrell vs. DJ Montano blogging and Mar Roxas for President blogging, a "brave" person who is hiding in anonymity told me that I and Sen. Mar Roxas will be reported to the COMELEC this Monday. That's April 14, 2008.

Hmp! This is quite funny! Mr. Anonymous will go to COMELEC and sue us? Then, why should he/she hide his/her name? I am not related with Senator Mar Roxas in any way and I am not being paid to blog about him. I only do it myself and I'm telling that here, in this blog, over and over again.

I am not also exploiting the Brian Gorrell issue to promote my blog. I was only blogging about my own perspective on the blog usage of Mr. Gorrell to expose the alleged wrongdoings of DJ Montano on him and my blogging activity about Mar Roxas for President in 2010. Blogging nowadays has a big impact on the Philippine society since the Hello Garci controversy. After all, this is MY BLOG and not of Senator Mar Roxas nor anyone related to him! Not even his fellow Liberal Party colleagues.

About my English grammar, forgive me for disappointing you especially those who are really fluent English speakers. They may find that I have a "poor English grammar". I realize that they really have high expectations on the blogger because this is not an ordinary blog and the blogger should be very fluent on English. If Bisaya was the lingua franca, I think I would have been comfortable. But I'll do my best!

Not all anonymous people are rude. Thanks a lot to the anonymous person who informed me that when you use the word "discuss" don't use "about." I had already edited my post. This is just a proof that I blog on my own and no one tells me what to do, no one pays me big bucks, no one proofreads my post expect me.

Sunday, April 13, 2008 | posted in blog, brian gorrell, dj montano, mar roxas, philippines | 2 comments [ More ]

Brian Gorrell vs. DJ Montano blogging and Mar Roxas for President blogging

Brian Gorrell just hit the spotlight when he exposed that DJ Montano allegedly swindeled him US$ 70,000! Until now, I can't still say if I would believe Brian or DJ even though I had already read Brian's blog and saw DJ's interview with Korina Sanchez in ANC's Korina Today.

Earlier, Ms. Sanchez discussed the dangers of blogging together with experts on different fields of law, blogging and etc. before DJ Montano's interview and I realized that on the other perspective, my blogging about Mar Roxas for President in 2010 might be a challenge for the Philippines' election laws as to Brian's blogging against DJ Montano a challenge to Philippines' and Australia's libel and information technology laws.

I once asked myself last year about the legality of what I am doing and if blogging about Mar Roxas for President in 2010 would turn out to be a future legal challenge on me. I am not a lawyer, but I had aspired to be one, and as I had reviewed the 2 Philippine election laws namely the Batas Pambansa Blg. 881 also known as the "Omnibus Election Code of the Philippines" and Republic Act No. 9006 also known as "The Fair Election Act", I'm safe!

In the "Omnibus Election Code of the Philippines", Article X, Sec. 79 (b) states that:

(b) The term "election campaign" or "partisan political activity" refers to an act designed to promote the election or defeat of a particular candidate or candidates to a public office which shall include:

(1) Forming organizations, associations, clubs, committees or other groups of persons for the purpose of soliciting votes and/or undertaking any campaign for or against a candidate;

(2) Holding political caucuses, conferences, meetings, rallies, parades, or other similar assemblies, for the purpose of soliciting votes and/or undertaking any campaign or propaganda for or against a candidate;

(3) Making speeches, announcements or commentaries, or holding interviews for or against the election of any candidate for public office;

(4) Publishing or distributing campaign literature or materials designed to support or oppose the election of any candidate; or

(5) Directly or indirectly soliciting votes, pledges or support for or against a candidate.

The foregoing enumerated acts if performed for the purpose of enhancing the chances of aspirants for nomination for candidacy to a public office by a political party, aggroupment, or coalition of parties shall not be considered as election campaign or partisan election activity.

Public expressions or opinions or discussions of probable issues in a forthcoming election or on attributes of or criticisms against probable candidates proposed to be nominated in a forthcoming political party convention shall not be construed as part of any election campaign or partisan political activity contemplated under this Article.

The "The Fair Election Act" didn't classified blogs nor websites to be as "any broadcast of election propaganda" on its parameters. As stated in Sec. 4.1, only "newspaper, newsletter, news weekly, gazette or magazine advertising, posters, pamphlets, comic books, circulars, handbills, bumper stickers, streamers, simple list of candidates or any published or printed political matter and any broadcast of election propaganda by television or radio for or against a candidate or group of candidates to any public office."

Furthermore, the conditions enumerated to be part of "election campaign" or "partisan political activity" in the "Omnibus Election Code" is allowed if it is "performed for the purpose of enhancing the chances of aspirants for nomination for candidacy to a public office by a political party, aggroupment, or coalition of parties", it's not considered as an election campaign. It's urging, or in other words "drafting", a person to run for a public position and that's what my blog has been doing.

I didn't violated the 2 elections laws and I'm confident that if ever someone tries to challenge me on the court with regards to my blogging activity, I have a strong argument to defend my case.

But I still need a good advice from a lawyer (or lawyers) and I'm tagging those online lawyers to freely give me guidance and advice on what would be the limits on my blogging. Also, I hope to have their reactions if I had violated election laws with regards to blogging about Mar Roxas for President in 2010.

My parting words, on Brian Gorrell's blogging vs. DJ Montano, good luck and don't just keep posting your thoughts on your blog. I encourage Brian and DJ to lay down your respective arguments on the court. But, as what I had said, it's still a challenge on Philippine and Australian libel and information technology laws to set the parameters to resolve this case.

And once again, as for now, I'm safe! :)

Saturday, April 12, 2008 | posted in australia, blog, brian gorrell, campaign, dj montano, korina sanchez, mar roxas, philippines | 5 comments [ More ]