Blogging and the 2010 Elections

I wrote an article last week about my observations on how blogging played a role in the 2007 elections. Included in it are some thoughts on how blogging can be further strengthened in the 2010 elections.

Thanks for the feedback to:

• Bloggers and the Election (Dexter)
  

Let's vote on Monday and reverse low turn-out trend

I encourage all readers of this blog to vote this coming Monday and encourage your friends, family, peers, and the people you meet to exercise their right and privilege to choose the future leaders of this country. Let us all participate in the electoral process and reverse the low turn-out trend!

Please feel free to disseminate these voter education videos by Senator MAR Roxas.

Long version



Short version

Make a difference in the coming Philippine elections by joining VforCE

VforCE, or 1 Million Volunteers for Clean Elections, is a nationwide movement of volunteer individuals and organizations, committed to providing voter education and volunteer training to protect the integrity of the elections, to fighting fraud and violence, and to working for long-term political and social reform.



My daughter and I are asked to help out in the data encoding during elections. We will be attending the briefing this Saturday at St. Peter Church - Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City and will post more developments on that soon.

Richard "Goma" Gomez for Senator?

I got a question yesterday from a friend about what I think on Richard Gomez running as Senator. He, related to Richard Gomez, is very supportive of the idea. I told him that he has many pluses such as: (not necessarily in this order)

1. He is competitive. He is known to perform well and even won awards in a variety of sports competition. I guess it is a sign that if he is really interested in something, he will work hard to ensure that he'll be the best in it. He is competing with himself, not with others. Character and determination-wise, if he becomes a Senator, perhaps he will do his best as well. Although I still have to see him share himself more to the masa. (perhaps unpublicized)

2. He is popular. With his very competitive background, he may also change the perception about actors winning as a Senator if he performs well too (assuming he doesn't get sued).

3. He is respectable. Despite being in a comedy show, which I get to glimpse on from time to time, I haven't seen him took advantage or abuse the extra comedians (especially the dwarf-height guest in their Christmas episode with Anjo Yllana) and lady guests.

4. He has guts to share his opinion and take a stand on issues, whether you agree with him or not.

5. He has a nice wife and civic-minded. I like Lucy Torres Gomez.

6. He deserves a chance. If I'm not mistaken, he was part of a party-list that won but got disqualified. His presidential consultant/adviser stint in the past did not gave him enough resources to put his planned actions to place.

Of course, being a politician running in 2007 elections requires answering tough questions:

1. Will you support any impeachment bid against President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo related to accused cheating in the 2004 elections? (it is still not a dead issue as no opportunity was given to have any evidence presented at all)

2. In principle, do you want to change the Philippine Constitution?

3. Even not passing any new laws, what existing laws are you determined to monitor and see that they are properly implemented?

Any advise for Richard Gomez? (perhaps not run na lang)