And a Blessed Christmas to you all
By Raïssa Robles
I would like to greet everyone a Blessed Christmas and to thank you all from my heart.
Since I put up this present site a little over a year ago, the 332 stories I have published here have been viewed a total of 3,035,101 times.
This would not at all have been possible without you all, visiting and discussing daily, and forming a community that aspires to create a better nation to hand over to our children and grandchildren. In the course of the year, we have referred to this round-the-clock gathering from all parts of the world as our “CPM” — Cyber Plaza Miranda.
Before I go on, I would also like to thank my hubby Alan who edits the content, making sure that sensitive stories are complete before I upload them, writing the heads and suggesting story structuring. He has guided my efforts in more ways than one. On top of cooking me gourmet meals everyday. Yes, he does :) Yum.
I also want to make a confession, especially to those who frequently post very incisive and well-researched comments on my site. I did not want to divulge this earlier because I didn’t want anyone to feel conscious, including myself.
But now it’s time to tell you all. That your comments are often read by senior government officials and politicians of all stripes. I know because some of them have personally told me so. For instance, I happened to bump into presidential adviser on political affairs Ronald Llamas during ex-President Joseph Estrada’s pre-birthday party. Llamas told me he read all the comments on this blog.
The funniest comment I’ve received came at the height of the impeachment trial of former Chief Justice (CJ) Renato Corona from Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales. I met her for the first time during the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement between the Ombudsman and the Commission on Audit. She told me, with a very deadpan face – “Love ka ni CJ.”
I did know how to reply to THAT ONE.
Looking back, I now realize that the first joint project of that MOA between the Ombudsman and the COA was the meticulous analysis of CJ Corona’s movement of money in and out of his various bank accounts as captured by reported transactions to the Anti-Money Laundering Council.
This year was a very heady, exhausting roller coaster ride for me, punctuated by a foot sprain and a visit to a hospital emergency ward. But I would not have it any other way.
This is the year I came to know all you guys – perfect strangers before these – and now my eager and jolly boon companions on this dream of a better country.
What can I say?
I am blessed.
A reporter’s life had always been a lonely, even monastic one. That is, until the Internet, blogs and social networking sites were invented. Suddenly, a reporter like me has become part of an interactive community like our CPM.
Next year, I expect our CPM community to grow by leaps and bounds. I can’t do this alone.
We’re in this together.
Before I close, I would like to thank as many of you for not only coming together but sharing your thoughts, your dreams and your criticisms on this site.
There are also some who gave me vital information that contributed to the disclosure of new facts during the CJ Corona trial. I especially want to thank someone who doesn’t want to be known by name, because he said he wants to contribute more information in future investigative reports.
I would also like to remember one of us – Elena Lemi – who left us all too soon. She passed away on May 15, 2012. Here is how I came to know about it.
Based on the statistics provided by Akismet (which filters away spam and virus-filled comments), the most number of comments came from:
Leona – 2,660 comments
Johnny Lin – 2,622 comments
Mel – 1,735 comments
Baycas – 1,684 comments
Victin Luz – 926 comments
Many, many more contributed to the oftentimes lively discussions (and if I did not mention your name, please remind me).
I just managed to cull the names from the latest 132 pages of comments — there are actually 3,079 pages of comments.
I am sure there are thousands more visitors out there who are just lurking, hesitant to post any remarks. I encourage them to join one of the most vibrant and fun online political communities in this country.
I thank you all.
Among the names I managed to extract from the first 132 pages of the 3,079 pages of comments are those of:
Alizarin Viridia
Rene-Ipil
Guy With A Blog
vander anievas
duquemarino
springwoodman
chit navarro
Joe America
pinay710
Mafe
andrew lim
Cha
Rochie
DaveofBacolod
kontrapilo
Parekoy
parengtony
Rolly
jcc
Tomas Gomez III
tristanism
idde
pelang
Martial Bonifacio
elvis53J
jjorge bernas
isellnuts
Sarah
docbebot
Sarah
peregrino natividad
Ancient Mariner
TOL
David
Jan
emong
Ella Tovara
netty
Vibora
FREE BIRD
filipino_mom
Xander Carreon
macspeed
john c. jacinto
AngLagay
curveball
bengo
rOSARIO
Baltazar
curveball
jundel
rOSARIO
Arsenio Reyes
Coco
davide
Baltazar
manuelbuencamino
X
ric
Lorena
Pedro
Aremem
bfdtranscriber
Miguel
josephf
anton
arbee
Eric
martial_law_babyBey Dumlao
blue4cor –
joseph
runen
ed celis
romy
priscila sereno -reyes
praetorius
rejtatel
PriscillaLu1234
upright bike
Jherskie
Targrod
Aurora Pascua
santiago katumbal
Muhammad Eisa de Jesus
Rigo
rallie florencio
yeheywater
fed_up
Jett Rink
janine
gayyem
allan
Jrivera999
w1lly954
AUGUST C FERNANDO
REY NATHANIEL IFURUNG
Yen678
Helena
viewko
Annie von Nebenan
vivian
zamera
Polpot
mera
et
Political Jaywalker
J – 12
JJ
Karl
moonie
Rasec3
Santa Monican Pinay
Rossi
Jaime Miniano
jeproks2002
francis
JosephIvo
jptconsult
Manuel C. Diaz
nene
Rasec3
jjvillamor
nene
Monty
katataspulong
Gene Simmowns
ManongNoy
Roger Federer
raffy
agot
kobe
edgardo m. oreta
Joe Sevilla
scrEaMing mANgo
danny
Mmc88mmc
Joe Sevilla
Antonio Yang III
pangs
YlocanaBelle
line of flight
Jorge Capule
rallie f. Cruz
flash
Rafael Lagahit
sid arabia
shiloh
pordoy
Juan deLECHE!
DaBees
kevinj
Edwin
kontrapilo
julio cesaro
Magda
vincent
Jak n d’box
Baltazar
chris sulit
fcb328
Island Hopes
PABLO
JM Marquez
JBDB
Gellybeans
clearpasig
AlbertG
one love
vanGogh
mabyrik
Michelle
Kalahari
bangsamoro brother
jose_ynigo
jiji
Fervent wish
DJMM
Pogo
Astocanewri
OnesimusUnbound
trekkers
zephyr
Anonime
I’ll wait
Alem
boy valero
yakyak
David Garcia
William Dorado
Rex Guzman
Conrado Morales
Pearl Liu
Danilo Silvestre
Juancho Ong
Rafael Perez
In the spirit of Christmas, I would like to share with you two photos I took. The first one (above) is a painting of the Nativity I took inside the Cathedral in Siena.
The second one (below) is a photo I took of my favorite Cathedral – the one in Assisi, where my favorite Saint is buried.
Here is an excerpt from the movie “Brother Sun, Sister Moon” shot on location there.
And below that is a song from the same movie which expresses how I feel about this blog and our ever-growing Cyber Plaza Community. We have to build democracy stone by stone.
Mafe says
Dear Raissa, Alan and all CPM’ers:
Belated Merry Christmas and Blessed New Year! Let’s claim 2013! We will prevail, step by step, little by little. Our dreams will come true. :)
john c. jacinto says
Happy New Year sa inyong lahat!! Ituloy ang laban!!
arbee says
Happy New Year everyone!
Joemator says
Thanks for this blog. Happy New Year and God bless
raissa says
Thank you, Joemator.
Do join us in the the discussions.
pinay710 says
MANIGONG BAGONG TAON!! mam raissa at sir alan at sa inyong pamilya. at sa lahaaaaaaaaaaaat ng CPMers .
MA
MAINUSWAGON NGA BAG-ON GA TUIG -sir tomas gomez 111 at sa mga taga tuba kingdom.
PROSPERO ANO NUEVO sir johnny lin at sir baycas at sa mga spanglish
nagasat a baro a tawen kada kayo apo – fed_up, springwoodman at sa mga taga saluyot kingdom
susMANIGONG BAGONG TAON – mam leona
humihingi ako ng PAUMANHIN sa mga nasaktan ko ng damdamin itong nakaraang mga buwan sa mga komento kong medyo masakit. (hindi kasali dito ang c….tinik at kopyador, wala akong dapat ihingi ng paumanhin sa kanila)
sa bagong taon 2013 HILING at PANGARAP ko sana magpatuloy ang pamumuno ni Pangulong Noynoy. PANGARAP ko din sana WALANG magkakamaganak na mamahala sa ating pamahalaan. yung mga gurang na politiko manahimik na sana.
BAGONG TAON, BAGONG PAG-ASA NG BAYAN KONG SINILANGAN!!
MARAMING SALAMAT RAISSA SA PAGGISING MO SA NATUTULOG KONG KAISIPAN.
Victin Luz says
Happy New Year to ALL of YOU my fellow CPMER’s most especially to Ma’am Raissa and Allan for allowing me to be a PART of the cpmer’s FAMILY ” kahit po balubaluktot ang grammar ko ay naiintindihan nyo parin ako lalo ang kaibigan kong si @ Mcspeed ”
MANIGONG BAGONG TAON sa ATING LAHAT CPMER’S .