Inside Philippine politics & beyond

raissarobles.com and Cyber Plaza Miranda win Bloggys 2015 Awards as Best Society & Politics blog

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Thank you very, very much, guys.

We all did it.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer, one of the sponsors of the Bloggys Awards, wrote in part:

“Meanwhile, investigative journalist Raissa Robles, who won the award for best blog in the society and politics category for raissarobles.com, said blogs can be agents of change in the “crossroads” that is the 2016 elections, as she sought the support of her fellow bloggers for a special project. “We have to choose wisely and we have to choose well. Freedom is very much alive in this country,” Robles said in a short speech after accepting her award.”

You can read the rest of the Inquirer post here.

Together, we will have a lot of work ahead of us in 2016. I promise you that. And that goes, too, for all my friends in Facebook and Twitter.

I will be adding video and tsismis to this post later this afternoon as soon as the videos upload on Youtube.

Thank you, Kristoffer.

Kristoffer is a finalist for his http://indiohistorian.tumblr.com/ in the category Society and Politics.

 

Another finalist is Mark Pere Madrona for his blog http://www.filipinoscribe.com/ in the News and Events category. Mark is a journ graduate currently taking a masters course in history.

I was thoroughly enchanted by the host of the evening, whose name I unfortunately did not catch (curiously, no program for the evening was distributed). I hope someone tweets or messages me his name. I know that his family manages Urbano Wines.

Listen to him talk a mile-a-minute in Filipino:

He told me later, when I asked him, that he took up Filipino as a language course at the university.

Probably the most inspiring blogger for me is Prof. Abe Rotor. Don’t be fooled by his cane. His mind is as numble as yours and mine. And do check out his wonderful blog at http://avrotor.blogspot.com/

Here is his acceptance speech:

My seatmates for the evening were two yuppies from Pampanga, the Manarang brothers. If you judge them only by their looks, you would say they are happy-go-lucky. But actually, they run tycoon.ph – a sleek-looking blog that you would think came out of some Makati high-rise office.

And you would be wrong.

Their company is in the heart of Pampanga.

I’m so  glad that they operate outside Manila and they won a nationwide contest.

BDO chief market strategist Jonathan Ravelas is quite correct in predicting that the Philippines is about to enter its “sweet spot” – where businesses will thrive outside Manila.

We have not reached our vast potential as a nation.

Here is  Roel Manarang accepting the award in behalf of typhoon.ph. Before the awards, he told me confidently he was sure they would bag it. He was right :)

I am not sure I met professionalheckler. I did shake hands with all of my co-finalists, except for one who didn’t extend his hand to me.

No, Joeam wasn’t there. Someone else came in barong for him. Said he was Wilfredo Villanueva. Because the ceremonies were still going on, I did not have a chance to talk to him.

In closing, let me share a bit of chismis.

When I got to the SMX Convention Center, there were actually two events going on – the Bloggys Awards on the right side and the Kennedy School of Government Alumni gathering occupying most of the venue. I smiled to myself when I saw how the other event seemed to have no crowd (perhaps there were already all inside). While the Bloggys event was crammed with young men and women wearing various get-ups – from long gowns to shorts to polo and jeans. You could easily tell the fashion bloggers from all the rest. They wore the highest imaginable heels and the trendiest clothes.

I noticed that the Kennedy alumni gathering was equipped with wi-fi, while the Bloggys Awards was not. Perhaps next year, a wi-fi provider could be added to the list of sponsors so that everyone can post on the Net while the awards are going on.

In any case, what entered my mind was this – the Philippines has long been governed by the best and the brightest of men. Men who studied in the best and most expensive foreign schools. Why hasn’t the country progressed despite all this foreign learning?

I would hazard this guess – it is not the learning that is the most important for a country to progress. It is the heart and the passion for the good of all Filipinos, and not just for the family. This is the missing ingredient in many of our so-called public servants whose goal is building a political dynasty instead of a country.

I see in bloggers the future of this nation. The act of blogging is essentially a lonely one. But one filled with the hope of communicating to everyone. Bloggers can divide us or draw us together as a nation. Bloggers are the troubadours of the Internet age.

Comments

  2. I congratulated Raissa for a well-deserved accolade on her earlier blog topic but I like to do it again here. Congratulations Raissa and Alan.

  4. Only Pres. Noynoy III among other presidents, has faced CHINA to follow the LAW –

    “Aquino said Beijing’s island reclamation was “in total disregard of international law” and its assertiveness had “come to a point wherein we are now no longer allowed to enter areas within our Exclusive Economic Zone”.

    Manila insists the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which the Philippines and China have both ratified, should be used to settle the bitter row.

    “The great equalizer is the rule of law. Under the rule of law, right prevails over might,” he told his fellow leaders.”

    Should others follow the GUNS of China or the LAW? I applaud and support PNoy!

    Fight On!

    • Brave words but china is seen to continue its illegal reclamation for military purposes knowing that the PHL is a weakling.

      The best we can do at the moment is develop and offer Western Palawan’s naval ports to our allies such as Japan and US

      • That’s one big reason why we need Edca. Edca’s purpose is to strengthen the national security. National security is for the interest of the vast of majority of Filipinos. Small number of people who oppose it do not represent the huge portion of the population. The SC should rule in favor of Edca. It is aimed at enhancing the very limited reach of the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty agreement with USA. No doubt it’s part of the MDT, not a new defense agreement. It’s merely a makeover of the limited reach of MDT. There is no need for Edca to get votes from the Senate to get it moving ASAP. It’s the answer for the huge national security needs.

        • @vander
          It’s easy to size up how strong is the support of Filipinos to the presence of US Military:
          1.There are no massive protests that ever took place against the presence of US Military airbase. Same goes for Edca when President Aquino signed Edca with Pres Obama.
          2. Filipinos embrace the Westernized way of life a lot to the extent that they may think of themselves a left out if they won’t.
          The removal of US Military Bases was never good for the country economically and politically. I believe it prevented the wealth of the nation to be spread equally to the entire population. Only few became rich. This was evident because in the 1990’s millions of Filipinos were left with no choice but to seek employment overseas and be away from their close families. With that massive exodus of Pinos to seek employment abroad, it goes to show how essential are the US Military Bases for Philippines economically & politically.
          Furthermore, we are in predicament with our sovereignty over the area of oceans inside our EEZ and it’s not a joke to the national security. Way back then, if US Bases were not removed I think the US Military Ships that take the SCS route could have maintained security to our maritime zones and borderlines and kept it peaceful as once was.

        • “The removal of US Military Bases was never good for the country economically and politically.”
          i agree.
          we will not beat the japanese when it comes to patriotism.
          but yhey keep the us forces within japan.
          i was one of those who were confused as to why our good senators did it.
          now, what remedy can they offer to ward off china in its aggression?

  5. . . . back to Duterte waiting for final ruling on Poe DQ. . .

    . . . the odds at the Senate’s voting 5 vs. 4 won’t get changed. . . if it gets changed it might be 6 vs. 3 with Nancy joining the senators! . . . not prefering Du30 to run if HE RUNS now WITHOUT waiting for the next voting on the motion for reconsideration at the Senate.

    RUN NOW! – Mayor Duterte, so the untruthful POLL SURVEYS will tell whether YOU CAN DISLODGE the popularity will of the bobotantes on poeLLamanzares or not.

    Exciting! More exciting if the Mayor now FILES by December his CoC for President at the COMELEC.

    RO-RO pa rin ako.

    :-)

    • Let us assume a scenario: GPL is DQ at the SC before the May 2016 pres’l elections, a final order after even an MR on the ruling,

      and Du30 already is running having filed his CoC at Comelec sometime December 2015,

      . . . the FIGHT for presidency will be MAR ROXAS RO-RO VS. DUTERTE! Will Peter Cayetano be Du30’s VP candidate? . . . most probably!

      Leni Robredo will still overshoot her votes vs. Peter C. Sen. BB’s BBL proposal will be rejected (?) by the MILF and ‘others all over the country by those against the BBL’ . . . so? Sen. BB will lose also the VP chair to LENI ROBREDO.

      Sen. Honasan who?

      :-)

    • Anong political party si Mayor Du30? . . . to run as ‘substitute’? Is there any problem or problems on it?

      If there is one or ‘one-half’. . . will VP BInay camp file a DQ case against the Mayor?

      “Section 77 of the Omnibus Election Code provides that “if after the last day for the filing of Certificates of Candidacy (COC), an official candidate of a registered or accredited political party dies, withdraws, or is disqualified for any cause, only a person belonging to the same political party may file a certificate of candidacy to replace the candidate.”

      Last day is Dec. 10, 2015.

      • Last day is October 16, 2015. Last day for substitution is Dec. 10. But how can Duterte substitute for Diño who filed his COC for mayor and not for president?

        • Is it true the forms for CoCs at Comelec are NOT legible anymore as to its print? No INK!

          Labo na . . . basahin. Kaya pala mag kakagulo muna sa Comelec.

          he he

    • Du30 will surely run – and he would not only be a game changer but an aggressive leader with determined resolve to cure the cancers of society, similar to the early struggle of Singapore.

      Illegal drugs, crimes, smuggling, abuses in sensitive agencies of the govt, inefficient managers, rampart corruption within the inner circle of the Palace, promoting peace with the NPAs and development of Muslim provinces, among others, would be his landmark programs.

      The current leading presidentiables are rich in rhetorics but lack the political will to change the status quo that hampers our growth and keep majority of inhabitants in the bondage of poverty.

      GO GO DUTERTE GO

      • @Kalahari. You can’t be serious? You are proposing that Duterte a self confessed multiple killer, main supporter and financial backer of the NPA should run for the Presidency. That would be a sure fire way to make the Philippines a laughing stock around the world and would likewise destroy all the respect that is currently being accorded the Philippines because of the efforts of Pnoy during his term which culminated in the recent APEC meeting.

        The video below in which DoDirty confesses to having killed should be sufficient for COMELEC to refuse to accept his COC.

        You do realize that the nonsense about Davao being the fifth safest city was a piece of nonsense and probably fixed?

        We do not need another Marcos, albeit one who claims to be incorruptible.

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_FyB8vhevY

        • I respect your opinion @Ancient Mariner but I disagree about Du30 being main supporter/financial backer of the NPA. Way back in 1986 after Edsa 1. Davao City was the hotbed of insurgency and being transformed into an urban experiment by the NPA. The emergence of anti-communist/vigilante group “Alsa Masa,” with the support of the city/national governments, effectively cleansed the City of leftist elements.

          Today, I’ve commented earlier that you can walk alone or in group in the wee hours of the night and you won’t be molested – just try it – and it’s proof that Davao City is a safe place to live aside from cleanliness, orderly traffic, discipline among drivers and authorities alike.

        • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eb5-crpDUlA

          @Kalahari, please view the above video. It supports my claim that Duterte provides funds to the NPA.

          By the way. In Angeles City, Pampanga it is possible to walk the streets at night without being molested. Ask the hundreds of expats who do so, often pissed out of their brains and always hunting talent.

          I think Mushupork makes a good point below.

        • Duterte’s approach is typical NPA… dialogue with the people who are cooperative – and summarily execute those that are not.

          Plus mushupork’s point – Duterte is a Supreme Bandit from the Wild South, who established an order by bandit methods.

          Since large parts of the Filipino people have not mentally made the jump to democracy and freedom, order is more important for them

          They are a step beyond those who only care about their own benefit, the typical Binay supporters, Poe supporters also at a bit higher level.

          Democracy, rule of law and equal opportunities are barely existent in many parts of the country, which is why many cannot grasp their meaning.

        • Which is why, more than ever, basic and universal education is badly needed. Without it, most of the uneducated will be at the mercy of warlords dressed in barongs and polo shirts. Or Maoists who insist on armed struggle instead of the social democratic method of taking the fight through the ballot box.

        • Maria Ressa did not ask Duterte why he killed three people. Assuming that Duterte personally shot them with live bullets or hacked them with a bolo which resulted to their death. There are 13 circumstances that justify or exempt one from criminal liability.

        • Until further information is available we can only follow the context of the interview. Killing not once but three times. Supporting and/or arranging the killing of hundreds more and stating the people will be killed during his term as President makes Duterte too much of a Marcos look alike for me.
          I think I prefer the slower progess we will get with RoRo.

      • Everything’s fun and games until he goes full Super Dictator Mode and starts censoring blogs and blocking facebook.

        Being judge, jury and executioner, it’ll be so easy for him to label people critical of his admin as “drug pushers” and it won’t be long after that before they go POOF. Problem solved.

        How he intends to implement dark justice across the entire country is also a bit iffy. Unlike Davao City, He can’t be everywhere in the Philippines all the time.

        But one has to admit that the Philippines under Dictator Duts will be more just. Everybody will have to abide by the laws of the land – well except the NPA (revolutionary taxes galore!) and Quiboloy followers (mmmm…tainted durian candies) and the INC (in his mind, INC’s EDSA tantrum is DeLima’s fault) and big time smugglers (small timers get thrown off his helicopter, big timers get invited for dinner and drinks) and basically anyone or any organization who gets on his good side.

        • Speculative and a product of a resourceful imagination – except that it’s not going to happen. In Serge Osmena’s words “I find Duterte a very attractive candidate. Why? Because he has shown political will…” “I’ve also met with Mayor Duterte, and it’s my judgment that he’s going to be a very formidable candidate if he decides to run. Malakas siya…” “Duterte may be a ‘Mayweather,’ is a male-Miriam”… he said. http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/706693/senator-osmena-duterte-may-be-a-mayweather-is-a-male-miriam

        • “except that’s not going to happen”

          Huh? What’s not going to happen?

          Can you provide anything that will support your conclusion that Duts will not resort to extrajudicial banditry when he becomes dictator? Because the article you linked only talks about his viability as a candidate. There’s no mention about his “other” affairs.

          I agree though that he’s comparable to Mirriam. The way they have contradicted their values, and political beliefs borders on psychosis.

        • It’s not going to happen until it happens, but for the meantime, one should not act like a modern Nostradamus.

        • So you’re going to vote for Duts – the Viagra popping, NPA loving killer whose platform explicitly revolves around him being a dictator. He said it himself – he’s going to be dictator and he’s going to kill.

          People are going to vote for him specifically because they expect him to do a John Wick (although a lot less suave and with a lot more swearing) on perceived “bad men” of society. They want him to kill. Grown ass men and women actually want a morally reprehensible sociopath to spank them into the path of righteousness. Good luck with that.

          So the “not going to happen until it happens” argument is absolutely irrelevant. Voting for Duts and expecting no bloodshed is totally bonkers. Either that or your head is so far up his behind that you can already see what he’s going to have for brunch tomorrow.

      • Dino ‘withdrew’ as he knew later on he’ll be DQ!

        Du30 knows he’ll also be DQ so he’ll AGAIN withdraw (not money) his running for P.

        Du40 is creating so much CONFUSION. . . fusion 1 – not interested; fusion 2 not interested; fusion 3 again, tigas ng mga ulo nyo, not interested; fusion 4 am old already, not interested; fusion 5 I have said already, not interested; fusion 6 I ‘tol you already, not interested; fusion 7 no kas dice, not interested;

        fusion 8, I just want to tell all of them, not interested ako; fusion 9, ANO BA KAYO?, I’m really not interested; fusion 10, good luck to the candidates, still am not interested; fusion 11, fuck all of you, ito my fucking finger, I’m NOT interested!; fusion 12, sabi ko na!, not interested!; fusion 13, that post is not for me, not interested; fusion 14, this is my last, I AM NOT INTERESTED! period.

        fusion 15, what? PoeLlamanzares got a decision she is qualified as SENATOR? I don’t wanna an American president! NOW, I believe my die is castrated TO RUN! I will RUN!

        Du30 is a scientist, hilig sa ‘fusion. Con’fusion. People now forgot IS DU30 not a candidate or he is?

        . . . watch for the next ‘FUSION in the next following days and weeks, and months up to after NEW YEAR 2016 – du’pyosun.

        ha ha ha

      • Having seen too many post-Marcos leaders who have fallen short of their promises, some of them who have presented themselves as modern-day Moses, and hence most of the “people” are tired of the ills of crime, corruption, cigarettes and Kris, I am very concerned about this surge of adulation, an online cult of personality, really, forming around your “hero”.

        Do we need to repeat this horrible voters’ mistake of naivete again?

  6. Congratulations Raissa and Alan. What you both do out of love for country is truly commendable not to mention inspiring and a good kind of contagious judging from the continuing stream of CPMers that converge on this blog and other social media platforms that feature your work and other musings.

    Long may you keep writing both!

  8. Sasaglit lang upang makapagbigay ng…

    Maligayang bati, @raissa at @Alan!

    Pauna na ring babati ng…

    Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon!

    • My wholehearted congratulations to Raissa’s well-deserved award, and to your brave army of intelligent/funny/argumentative commenters.

      “Freedom and order are not incompatible…Truth is strength… Free discussion is the very life of truth.” Thomas Huxley

    • @baycas,

      Di kumpleto ang CPM pag wala ka.

      Kumbaga ang formula ng success natin eh kulang pag wala ka. We need your research expertise as well as your endless useful links!

      If you are in the US, Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family- and don’t get yourself trampled by Black Friday Crazies!

      :)

  10. Congratulations Raissa and Alan for a well-deserved award! The content and quality of the blog articles speak for itself but public recognition of it is great too!

  11. Mabuting balita sa mga naghahanap ng katotohanan at naghahangad ng tunay na pagbabago sa bansa! Salamat at Congratulations, Raissa!

    • I’m glad that you joined this incredible blog!

      The demographic domain and range of this blog is tall and wide, and the amplitude is so high that the frequencies are gynormous that we reach the AM and FM range and we have some headway towards the pure Digital Crowd like the Sirius or really Serious Crowd!

      I also noticed the verbosity and wit of my fella Bicolanos in this blog as well as in other blogs! We are prolific but deep as well as the sense of humor and rumor are abound! Of course we are coming fromdifferent regions but I just need to give my appreciation that we are in the forefront in this fight for our true freedom!

      Uragon is the new black!

      Let us put the first black VP in Malacanyang. Go Robredo!

      Of course, if Poe wins then we have the first White President but with a possible disastrous aftermath!

      If Duterte wins, then I will actively jon our comrades in arms!

      If Marcos wins, there will be explosions and a first batch of Catholic Freedom Fighters with Branded pyrotecnics vests!

      If Roxas wins, then we are partailly gilded golden until he passed the FOI and Anti-dynasty into laws, otherwise he will be just another dick that needs to be gilded!

      Parekoy

  14. The Bloggy’s is just a featheron a cap! An affirmation that we have something going on big here.

    What matter most are what are being protected by that cap so as not to overheat that mushy flesh that house the priceless neurons!

    That is why to cool it down a bit, I sometimes write hot refreshing stories, like the one fitting for the occasion. Christmas is coming and hope that our readers in CPM will be warmedby my incoming Kris-must-story! If we have Kris-kringle during the incoming nativity, I will be sharing an appropriate Kris-must-story called:

    Kriz-Tingle: An anatomy of dirty pleasure!

    Abangan!

    ;)

    Parekoy

  15. Congratulation Ms. Raissa and all CPMers. My christmas wish? CHED will require all college students to read and share comments to Raissa Robles blog to participate in nation building. We cant afford to lose the ground we gained during the last six years. There are a lot to learn from her blog though, for me it is brain exercise ?, second is knowing who is the good, bad and ugly in philippine politics, last is it improves my english vocabulary. Mabuhay si Ms. Raissa at lahat ng CPMers ???