My 2009 top 10 emerging influential blogs (UPDATED)

(Updated as I inadvertently overlooked one of my nominees’ date of first post. With all due respect to my last nominee I did have a hard time finding his archive page when I first contemplated in posting my top 10 but his blog deserves the accolade just the same. )

When I was first introduced to blogging back in 2006, I could say that I’ve learned along the way. It was through fellow bloggers that I’ve learned more about blogging and the blogosphere.

Yes, there are blogs that really stood out, while there are also others which seem to be driven to exist because of the money that comes with it. Collectively, bloggers have shown how they could be a driving force in the long run, individually, they could also be a driving force. No matter how small, that small voice is heard, somewhere along the way.

Now, I acknowledge those ’small’ voices but emerging influential blogs. These are my top 10.

• The Beancounter: This blog started as a ‘personal journal.’ Lately though it has taken a twist towards something that this blogger loves to do–cooking food. He has always put his personal touch in every recipe and always lets you feel that you are in his kitchen and in every road trip to various restaurants/kitchens in the Brisbane area. This blogger is certainly a masterchef who cooks from the heart but also blogs from the heart.
• Flamindevil: Flamin in wit and honesty. A sneak peek at how expats/OFWs spend their weeks, their feelings, frustration. It’s like reading a novel sans the rigid plots.
• New Media Philippines: For public relations professionals wanting to know more on how to use new media, this is the place to go.
• Adaphobic: No doubt one of the best bloggers to date and good photo hobbyist, too!
• Dare To Speak Out: This could well be your ‘informal Inquirer’ online. While there might be some bias, it definitely has fearless views.
• Father Blogger Dot Com: The Dad who can blog. He surely has zoomed past new (and even old) blogs that he was asked to write a few articles at bloggingtips.com.
• The Struggling Blogger: It might be ironic but this blogger is surely prolific.
• WritingToExhale: I discovered this blog through this writing project. You can tell that this blogger really lives to write and yes, most probably writes to live.
• PixelMinded: The photos say it all.
• Koleidoscope: Forgive my shameless plugging but I think (though I might be proven wrong ) I do have some growing followers in my phlog.
• Rakito’s Mill: As with the other blogs that I’ve considered in this list, Rakito is a no non-sense blogger who will tell you everything from his heart as evident in some of his post be it just a short quote or a personal review of life, movies or anything under the sun.

I sometimes wonder why these blogs came out this ‘late’ but I realised that it gives bloggers at least 10 reasons to join this writing initiative and always look out for the year’s emerging influential blogs. Thanks heaps to all nominees.

This writing project is supported by Absolute Traders, My Brute Cheats, Business Summaries, Fitness Advantage Club, Events and Corporate Video, Events at Work, Dominguez Marketing Communications, Red Mobile, Budget hotel in Makati, Lucio C. Tan Group of Companies, and Blog4Reviews.com.

Lessons learned

As news of an impending health reform is discussed all over Australia, the Philippines is abuzz with the supposedly last State of the Nation Address of President Gloria Arroyo.

This might be a comparison between an apple and an orange but if we look closely to a possible link, one might note the difference in the prevailing attitudes in the politics in both countries. Sure there are cynics  in Australian politics or public but the general action of most Aussie politicians show that they are united in trying to figure out what is best for the country. From saving the economy from the effects of recession to leading the global talk on climate change–be it the government or the opposition. There are downsides but one can’t help but notice the good sides in Australian politics.

Zoom into Philippine politics, save for a few, a number of congressmen are out to bend almost anything to protect, not the people, but themselves. There are would-be presidents who are mum on issues surrounding their pasts and would-be presidents who are trying to be someone they are not. In the August Hall, there might be some discussions on proposed legislation but, most of the time, the proposed legislation would likely be for the benefit of the few or the elite. Result–on the opposition side? Well, instead of focusing on proposing sound legislation, they are on the ‘attack mode’ to quell any action by the government to continue to plunder and corrupt. There are good sides but one can’t help but notice the bad sides of Philippine politics.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer was blunt in noting that if, indeed, this will be President Arroyo’s last term, the legacy that she will leave is a “legacy of corruption.” There were hints that if the charter change (first thought to be decided on through referendum but was later said to be decided on through a constitutional assembly), which the opposition allege was meant to extend Arroyo’s and her cohort’s term, fails then she might run for congress. Sure there is nothing wrong about Arroyo running for another electoral post but if we believe the assessment of Dr. Benjamin Diokno of UP School of Economics (where Arroyo received her PhD), then I think the Philippines has had enough of her. Will she step down? Her speech has some hint that she might not. This might be a good or bad news, remember when she declared in a previous SONA that she will not run for president but decided to run anyway?

There are a number of uncertainties in the Philippines as there are many uncertainties bugging most of the expats here and around the world. For instance the OAV system, one cannot blame that some of us will never participate, some by choice and/or some by the inadequacy of the OAV system. But for the few who will participate, futile as it may be, but it will be an exercise of our rights and stand that we will never be silenced.

One thing that the Philippine government has succeeded to do is to isolate its people. It has isolated its citizenry to fend for itself, be it in health care, housing or even the basic daily needs. If there are those who will doubt that most Filipinos are lazy and should be working on something for their country instead, they are mistaken. We’ve done our part and we are continually doing so, however, some life principles such as give and it will be given just never becomes a reality.

Call me a pessimist but I do hope that there’s a miracle round the bend.

Pinoy Cancer Survivor receives Bravery Award

A Filipino cancer survivor recently received a bravery award from one of Western Australia’s major football clubs.

Mel Olivarez, 17, who was diagnosed with acute leukemia in January, was nominated by the Fremantle Hospital and Health Service to receive the MBF Bravery Awards. The Award recognises “not only bravery, but [also admires] the amazing strength and determination of these special young people [in coping with their treatments],” according to a news article posted on the Fremantle Football Club website.

(Source: Fremantle Hospital Service and Health Service Bulletin Number 12)

Mel is one of 11 winners of this year’s Bravery Awards. The recipients’ age ranged from two to 17 years. They received toys, vouchers, movie tickets, medallions and a special framed certificate signed by Fremantle Football Club Coach Mark Harvey. The Award is an initiative by the Fremantle Football Club, South Metropolitan Area Health Service and leading health insurer MBF.

Mel was described as a positive person and has shown “bravery during his treatments,” according to the statement from the Fremantle Hospital read during the awarding ceremony last May. The statement also said that staff described Mel “as enthusiastic and high-spirited all of which has helped him to manage his illness.”

Mel has had to endure intensive Chemotheraphy which also meant long stays in the hospital. Despite undergoing treatment, Mel continued with his studies and insisted to do home chores whenever he goes home. He was also undeterred despite the news during his chemo session that a famous Pinoy was also suffering a condition almost similar to his.

Mel is the first of three siblings. His father is a migrant worker for a local electric company while his mother works in a fastfood restaurant. His family had to hold their permanent residency application because of his condition.

Last week, however, Mel’s family received the good news that a confirmatory test yielded negative of cancer traces. Mel’s hair has grown back and he’s now on track to pursuing his studies at TAFE while his family slowly gets back to normalcy.

I talked to Mel recently and he told me that “natutuwa po ako na nakatanggap po ako ng Bravery Award at masaya na magaling na ako (I’m just glad that I’ve received the Bravery Award and that I’m healed).”

OAV reg sched outside embassies

Finally, a schedule of mobile registrations for the OAV. There is a strong possibility that only a few “very interested” Filipinos would have the chance to know about the schedule of the OAV registration as there is no active effort from Philippine Embassies in some parts of the world to reach out to Pinoys. The DFA has announced the schedule of mobile registration schedule outside the Philippine Embassies in your host country.

For those here in Australia, the DFA said that “for Filipinos in Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Darwin, the Philippine embassy in Canberra will be there from July to August; and in Hobart, Tasmania from August 3 to 7.” Now as to when in July to August will they come to your capital, might be up to you to figure out.

Sorry folks, everything is hard even away from home.

OAV Initiative Updates (UPDATED)

I was about to update some of you about the OAV initiative here in Perth when Noelle inquired on how we were doing here. Well here it goes.

At this stage, I was able to coordinate with the consul general here in Perth. While they were helpful in some way, I’m not sure if the OAV registration is something of a priority based on what the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs has been stating. I think it is common for our embassies anywhere to claim that there has been an intensive campaign to reach more Filipinos to register for the OAV when there’s hardly any campaign at all, save for a few maybe (or is it just a PR stunt?).

Photo by Jonathan Torgovnik/Getty Images

As Noelle complained, even the consul general in Melbourne is at lost as to how the OAV will be set up. Well, I hope that by the time we’ll be able to reach our 200 mark target here in Perth, the Philippine Embassy in Canberra will know what to do. And we will be able to participate and will not be a mere spectator to the history-making election next year.

Despite the expected automation of the election system next year, there are some Pinoys here that have begged not to register out of frustration in the electoral system some of them expressing doubt whether the vote they will cast here will definitely be counted for their candidate.

The future might still be uncertain despite the possible improvement in the electoral system in the Philippines, but for some of us away from home, we could not just sit down and watch our countrymen just slug it out themselves, we want in and yes while there might just be a few that will be voting away from home. We will be part of election history next year, we will be counted.

UPDATE: GMAnews.tv has a good primer re the OAV registrations. It’s interesting to note that the PDF file containing the comprehensive research re the OAV was from an ABS-CBNnews.com researcher. There are calls to extend the 31 August deadline of OAV registration to a later date–let’s hope that this call will be granted. GMAnews.tv is calling for Pinoys abroad/expats to air their stories re OAV registrations. So, I think this is a good opportunity for us to tell our side of the story and let them know that much of the hyped public awareness on the OAV is dud. Email your stories at pinoyabroad@gmanews.tv