While Filipino netizens are pressing government, Congress included, for action so we could finally have #betterinternet, some Members of Congress want to do something else: Launch a crackdown on vaguely-defined “cybercrimes”.
Lawmakers have not given up on their dangerous project and on Feb. 2, the House ICT Committee holds a meeting to tackle seven “cybercrime” prevention bills that are pending in the current Congress.
How is the Philippines ranking in social networking on a global scale?
Well, we Filipinos are way up in terms of number of users and how we use Facebook.
What better way to illustrate this than through an infographic,
Congratulations to Iloilo Bloggers Inc. for spearheading the first-ever Visayas Blogging Summit in this beautiful city in the middle of the country.
Filipinos who joined the 14th International Anti-Corruption Conference issued the following statement which mainly challenges President Noynoy Aquino to work towards the enactment of a Freedom of Information Law for the Philippines:
Suhol, lagay, padulas, pampadulas, tongpats, SOP, kotong, regalo, Christmas gift, pamasko, birthday gift, delihensya, pangyosi, love offering, pang-almusal (for breakfast), pang-tanghalian (for lunch), pang-merienda (for snacks), pang-hapunan (for dinner), para sa birthday ni hepe (for the chief’s birthday), Ninoy (short for P500 which features the face of former Sen. Ninoy Aquino), pakimkim, kickback, porsyento (percent), and more.
On November 10-13, a number of world leaders, economists and activists, and advocates of good governance would gather in Bangkok, Thailand for the 14th International Anti-Corruption Conference. The conference convenors have seen it fit to invite eight social media and journalism folks from around the world
Maverick Philippine handset maker Cherry Mobile tonight unveiled the country’s first Android-powered tablet and two other Android phones.
The Superion, priced at P19,990, is powered by Android OS 2.2 (Froyo) and sports the following: Qualcomm MSM 7227 600MHz processor, 512MB ROM/512MB RAM, 7-inch capacitive touchscreen, 16GB expandable to 32MB, 3G/HSDPA, GPS/AGPS, WIFI, Bluetooth, standard mini-USB, 3.5 standard audio jack, G-sensor, ambient light sensor and two cameras (3MP main camera with autofocus and a VGA camera in front).
The grand #sentisabado TweetUp will be held starting 7pm at Gweilos Bar in Makati City. Sign up here for the event.
If you’re unfamiliar with Gweilos, check out this map.
More #sentisabado TweetUps and the hosts:
Today, World Teachers Day, allow me to devote this space to something written by someone from among the hundreds of thousands of Filipino teachers.
This someone was my first and certainly my best teacher. She’s my mother who’s now teaching at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. She shares her views on being a teacher in this essay she posted today on her Facebook page.
As we announce the theme for Sept. 25, we are also announcing that we will make October 9 a #SentiSabadoDay in the Philippines and worldwide.
More and more Filipinos are joining Twitter but we have yet to put a distinctive Filipino mark on it, as distinct perhaps as the personalization many Filipinos once did on Friendster and what we do to our phones with themes, icons and ringtones.
Alexander Martin Remollino, activist writer and poet, passed away Friday night (Sept. 3) at the Philippine General Hospital after a courageous fight against pneumonia and a lung infection.
[UPDATED 10:30 AM, Aug. 26) As member of the majority caucus of the House of Representatives, progressive partylist representatives of Bayan Muna, Anakpawis, Gabriela, Kabataan and ACT Teachers managed to land a chairmanship, six vice chairpersonships and membership in a number of other committees.
The Philippines reels after the violent end to the August 23 hostage crisis at Quirino Grandstand which killed several hostages and injured others. The hours-long saga was broadcast live on television and radio and kept the country, the world and perhaps even the hostage-taker informed of what was happening and not happening. Live media coverage has been dubbed as a negative factor in the crisis.
About media’s role in such situations, the country’s leading journalists’ organization issued this statement today:
Local handset maker Cherry Mobile recently made history by releasing to the market the country’s first triple-SIM cellphone, the Trident.
This handset is aimed at those who juggle three handsets to make the most out of the offerings of the country’s three mobile carriers. So instead of buying and maintaining three handsets, Cherry Mobile makes this attractive proposition to chuck them all in favor of the Trident.
Here is a text of President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino’s first State of the Nation Address which he delivered on July 26, 2010 before a joint session of Congress at the Batasan Pambansa Complex in Quezon City:
Speaker Feliciano Belmonte; Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile; Vice President Jejomar Binay; Chief Justice Renato Corona; Former Presidents Fidel Valdez Ramos and Joseph Ejercito Estrada; members of the House of Representatives and the Senate; distinguished members of the diplomatic corps; my fellow workers in government;
The United States Embassy in Manila today announced a new consular fee schedule which will be effective starting July 13, 2010.
The new fee schedule includes substantial increases in certain visa application fees and consular services to US and non-US citizens.
The embassy said the new fee schedule is based on an order from the US Department of State.
Here is the full text of the inaugural speech of President Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Cojuangco Aquino III delivered after his oath-taking at high noon today, June 30, 2010 at Quirino Grandstand in Manila:
To mark the inaugural of President Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Cojuangco Aquino and Vice President Jejomar “Jojo” Cabauatan Binay, here are complete links on the ceremonies, the personalities, the citizen journalism and mainstream media coverage and other pertinent you may need:
I really wanted a phone upgrade this year: I wanted a touch phone and one that’s powered by Google’s Android platform. Here’s the story of how I got it in less than an hour, as well as my first impressions of my phone of choice.
More and more Filipinos are going online and forming their social networks and here are the numbers that show this reality.
Members of the thriving Cebu blogging community are set to go offline for a day in May.