How Social Media is creating the Filipino Community

What is social media? In common speak, social media is where people gather together and express themselves using the Internet platform. 


In the Philippines, there is now an estimated 33 million Internet users, of which 26 million goes online to chat, update and tweet using Facebook. In my estimation, I think 33 million is not the exact figure. For one, I consider those who have cellphones and are using these contraptions to communicate with their friends through Facebook and Twitter as part of the growing community of users.


In the social media sphere, there are three kinds of people who engage themselves in this: one, everyone of us is a user. All who engage in social media are users of the platform. We are all creators of content. 


However, there are some creators who develop platforms so that users like us would experience more interactivity than what we are used to. These are the applicators. They are users but transcend their status higher than others because they have the technical know-how.


Lastly, there are those who dominate the sphere by being creators and applicators. They are a unique kind. They understand the language of the sphere and create platforms themselves for their creations. I call them "dominators".


As technology becomes more user-friendly and simole, more and more users are becoming both creators and applicators. What is unique in the social media sphere is the fact that you can become an applicator without inventing an application--by merely using the present platform and create a model or a more defined one you become an applicator without realising it.


Wordpress users know what I am talking about here, same as Blogger platform users. By transforming a mere layout into a personalised one, users become creators of appplications.


Now, what is entirely delicious at this point is the slow but sure creation of a distinct community in the netsphere---the Filipino's.


Yes, some may say, this Pinoy community is partially racist because it always trumpte the Pinoy success each and every time. But, that, my friend, is normal. In every developing community, the obvious assertion or affirmation of distinctiveness is really racial by nature. 


As we all become engaged by technology, we consciously or unconsciously are becoming part and are engaging in the creation of a community which we call our own. Every single voice out there expressed in tweets and updates on FB is part of a growing consciousness that slowly emanates whenever the situation calls for it. 


What is profoundly delicious is the observation by many, that this community is expressing itself in globalist form. We are distinctly Pinoy without using the vernacular. We are differentiating ourselves from the rest of the world without overly doing it. 


What is more---we are dominating the conversation by being Pinoy. And the world is loving it.

Why Facebook made Mikey Arroyo "Nero"-tic

After telling the whole world that his wife fattened his bank accounts, Pampanga representative Mikey Arroyo is now embroiled in another controversy, this time, not about his penchant for million dollar homes in the States, but his Nero-tic ways.

Yep. At the height of Typhoon Ondoy, a very vigilant online Filipino, who happens to be my friend over at Facebook, posted a photo of Mikey Arroyo buying liquor. Nothing wrong with that, and actually the people don't really care if Mikey dies of liver failure. That's his life. And surely, some of those who hate his guts are probably thinking that it's great for him to drink that fiery stuff, not once in a while, but all the time.

Mikey denies ever braving the huge floods and heavy rains just to buy wine in Rustan's supermarket across La Vista in Katipunan Avenue. Mikey says he was in Malacanang last Saturday, coordinating with staffers and others for relief efforts. Mikey says the attacks against him over at Facebook are "vicious" and "uncalled for".

The photo was taken on a SUNDAY, but Mikey insists that he was in Malacanang last SATURDAY. Is Mikey feigning Alzheimer's?

Or Mikey just wants to correct the impression that he did a "Nero" last Sunday? Such weakness in the virtue department, if you ask me.

That's why, like Dr. Vicki Belo of the sex tape fame, Mikey wants to regulate Facebook, the world's most popular social networking site. Think about it---the son of the 44th Most Powerful Woman in the world, and a Congressman of a small country of 90 poor people--wants to make History by proposing to regulate Facebook.

Wow. If Mikey Arroyo becomes successful in this, he would surely be the most powerful Congressman in the whole world. I ask---how will you do it, His Excellency, Mr. Mikey Arroyo?

Will Mikey proposed laws punishing those who will post pictures of him dancing and prancing and drinking? Will Mikey ask Facebook to regulate those who will write nasty stuff about him and his family? And will Mikey propose a law criminalizing Facebook participation?

Wow. One for Guinness, the book, not that drink which the Irish loves.

Me thinks Mikey was so high the time he told Gil Cabacungan of Inquirer about regulating Facebook. And me even thinks that Mikey thinks he now lives in a dictatorship. Or, he knows something we don't?

Or probably Mikey thinks that he's being made a donkey by some people. A Nero on a donkey?

Bakit kailangang may kayakap pag umuulan? At bakit masarap ang goto pag me bagyo

Habang nag fe Facebook ako, may isang friend na nagyayang matulog. Na curious ako. Tulog? Kaya nga ako nagfe Facebook para iwasang matulog. At pano kung matulog, hindi nako makakapag Facebook.

Parang kasabihan yan na masarap may kayakap pag umuulan. Ang maganda sa kasabihang ito, hindi identified kung sino o ano ang kayakap mo. Pwedeng unan, lalo na dun sa walang asawa o kabit o dyowa. O pwde ding kayakap mo ang laptop mo, hindi ka na nga lang makakapag Facebook.

Sabi nga ng Facebook friend ko nung nagtatanong ako bakit masarap ang goto pag me bagyo, mainit kasi ang goto. Bakit? Hindi ba araw-araw tayong kumakain ng mainit na ulam at kanin, lalo na marami sa atin ang me paborito ng tinola? Anong pinagkaiba nun at bakit maraming Pinoy ang kumakain ng goto pagka me bagyo?

Tingin ko, nakagawian na ang pagkain ng goto dahil, sa kasaysayan, lahat siguro tayo, napunta sa evacuation center. Hindi ba, dun, goto lang ang kinakain? Baka tumatak sa genes natin o sa kaisipan natin na pag me bagyo, goto ang dapat kainin?

Silly me, kahawig din yan ng kasabihang masarap me kayakap pag umuulan. Hindi ba sa evacuation center, tabi-tabi ang mga nasalanta at magkakayap? Baka yan ang pinagmulan ng kasabihang masarap me kayakap pag me bagyo. Wag lang sigurong kayakap ang kamukha ni Max Alvarado.

At special effort kung kakain ka ng goto. Kailangan mong bumili ng malagkit, pati yung budbod na ang tawag ay ewan, nakalimutan ko. Special effort din ang maghanap ng makakayakap pag me bagyo, lalo na dun sa walang appeal at laging basted.

Ayokong sabihin yan kay Ginang Arroyo--na masarap may kayakap pag me bagyo o okey na kumain ng goto pag umuulan. Tiyak hindi niya magugustuhan.

Sa Disyembre, maghahanap ng kayakap si Ginang Arroyo dahil lahat ng gabinete niya, tatakbo. At malamang, ayokong marinig niya ang salitang goto dahil sanay siya sa French soup. Pagka binanggit ko sa kanya ang goto, maaalala niyang yun ang mga pagkain ng mga preso. Baka, ma paranoid yun at magdeklara ng kung ano ano.

Korina Sanchez demands for head of ABS-CBN rep. RG Cruz over Facebook

A true Dona Victorina. That is how I describe Korina Sanchez. And to think that I was one of a few who defends her from tragic remarks against her by some of Mar Roxas' relatives and other media colleagues.

Korina Sanchez, erstwhile fiance of Senator Mar Roxas, is again on the warpath. After Mar lost the Liberal Party nomination, Korina went on a rampage. She first engaged Inquirer columnist Conrad de Quiros, accusing him of disparaging Mar thru his daily column. Then, she trained her guns against Senator Kiko Pangilinan, practically accusing the senator of kawalang utang na loob.

I thought that that was the last of Korina’s outburst. However, today, I chanced upon Atty. Marichu Lambino’s blog, with a glaring scoop on Korina Sanchez’ letter to the ABS-CBN management, asking for RG Cruz’s head.

RG Cruz, one of the most active traditional journalist in the web and a colleague here at FilipinoVoices, is being accused by Korina of writing negative remarks against her in his Facebook account. Read the letter over at Lambino’s blog and you’ll sense how bitter and acerbic Korina is.

She virtually described RG Cruz as a relative unknown, a guy with dubious fashion taste and with a cloak and dagger personality. To my mind, Korina is entitled to comment on RG Cruz’s fashion sense. That’s her right.

But, to ask for that poor guy’s head over some personal remarks over Facebook reflects the true nature of Korina as a domineering mayordoma in that household called Kapamilya channel.

RG Cruz is entitled to his own opinions and views. For Korina to stifle his right to free expression shows you how stupid Korina is. Let me rephrase this—it shows how fake Korina is.

She demands that government respects every right of each and every citizen, when deep down inside her lurks a dictator ready to pounce on hapless journalists like RG Cruz and Conrad de Quiros. It’s downright okey if Korina just wrote a letter to RG Cruz asking him why he thinks about her that way. But, for her to use her “enormous powers and influence” and breath down on this guy just because of what he believes in, that’s too much.

I really thank God that He allowed Noynoy to snatch the Liberal Party nomination away from Mar. Kung hindi, baka naging accessory pa tayo in bringing to the palace, another Imelda Marcos.

Oh...I just forgot....Mar wants to run as vice president. For heaven's sake, Korina still has the chance of being the dona of Malakanyang!

If Korina will not reform, I'll campaign against her boyfriend, Mar. I am sorry but Korina does not deserve to set foot in Malacanang.

Mar, me pagkakataon ka pa, hindi ka pa naman kasal sa kanya eh. Patagalin ninyo pa ng five more years.