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Over at Filipino Voices, my recent article is about the new photos that have surfaced which portrays President Gloria Arroyo golfing with her “buddies” at ZTE, apparently the same trip to China in which the NBN deal was finalized. The President didn’t reveal this to the people, but then again, as more things seem to come out of the closet, the more denials we get.

The picture was sent to Philippine Daily Inquirer,

NO APPARITION. A person appears to be talking to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during a round of golf at the Shenzhen Golf Club in China. Behind her at golf cart No. 25 are ZTE officials. The Philippine Daily Inquirer received the photo from its source with the figure blackened out.

Also, special mention goes to Schumey, who is participating in the blogger’s unite, Human Rights blog day.

While our government boasts of a vibrant democracy, hidden in the shadows is its human rights abuses. As bloggers around the world unite for human rights we in the Philippines would like the world to know about what is happening in our country. Abductions, enforced disappearances and summary executions are a dime a dozen here. Journalists, youths and even judges are not spared. The violations run in the thousands since Gloria and her henchmen took over the reins of power.

On another note, Myanmar’s Military Junta is still as brazen, murderous, and selfish as it has always been. Making the rest of the world plead just so that the people of Burma can finally get some much needed help due to the devastation caused by Cyclone Nargis.

China had its own natural disaster this week with a massive earthquake hitting it, however, unlike Myanmar, they decided that it would be better to be public about the situation, allow actual and factual reporting on location, and has made the catastrophe its major concern. Of course, this decision, is political, as is almost everything, but seeing the many faults of The Chinese Government, this action is a welcomed one in my point of view. Read the rest of this entry »

This essay was reportedly written by a Korean (English) student who was more grieved for our country than we are.
Please read with a grain of salt, ponder on his/her words, and maybe, just maybe we can collectively repent and decide to start working to uplift our country.

As you know, we have plenty of Koreans currently studying in the Philippines to take advantage of our cheaper tuition fees and learn English at the same time.

This is an essay written by a Korean student i want to share with you. (Never mind the grammar; it’s the CONTENT that counts) Maybe it is time to think about this in the midst of all the confusion at present. Read the rest of this entry »

Oh my freaakin’ Lord!! Charice Pempengco, child wonder, singing for Oprah Winfrey herself. Bringing her A-game, and that powerful voice. I saw it, and I couldn’t believe the voice. I must admit, that was the first time I heard her sing. Everyone’s been raving about her, the whole international community has been talking about her. The two top day talk shows, Ellen Degeneres and Oprah have had her as a guest, these are two stamps of approval.

Now, there’s really no excuse for this girl to make it big. The only question is now, is her agent smart and savvy enough to market this talent? Before she makes that leap though, in all honesty, she needs some speech lessons, in order to get rid of her accent, especially if she wants to make it on the international arena. Well, enough about my views on Charice Pempengco, watch the full video of her, including the introduction of her, on the Oprah Winfrey show.

Yes, that’s right, I beat hottie Jessica Alba at a staring contest. I forgot to record it though. Nevertheless, I could look at her all day, staring, and I would still win. Who blinks when Jessica Alba is around anyway, right? Watch the following video as Jessica Alba stares at you, even when she’s at home, wearing pajamas, she’s still sexy. Read the rest of this entry »

It is one of the virtues of Filipino society, and yet it is forgiveness that often trumps accountability. And thus the forgiving Filipino loses this virtue and has become a slave to it. A tragedy, maybe.

To forgive, divine. Is this what the religious Filipino society has done all throughout the ages, so that we must be held at a high moral light? But what is moral about having criminals pay no restitution, giving freedom to those who do not deserve it, and giving an enemy of the state a high position in government?

What can we say of morality, when we let God-forsaken criminals stay in office for the sake of forgiveness. Let them stay so that they can continue desecrating, plundering, and criminalizing the highest office in the land? What good is forgiveness when all it does is keep our countrymen among the poorest in the world? Read the rest of this entry »

If Gloria can’t have her way, she may have to do a Putinesque style of move come 2010, and this will mean backing Noli De Castro with all her machinery (maybe trickery) so that her reign in power will be uninterrupted. Whether she remains President or not, she clings on to power either way.

Now, the only way to finally get Gloria off our back, put her on trial for crimes against The Filipino People, is to not support Noli De Castro for President. (No to Erap too)

I know this is premature, and I just wanted to put this out there. That however many scenarios we may be thinking of, Gloria’s advisers, including her own masterful brain has probably already thought of it. And unless, we want to be caught by surprise for the antics of our dear president, putting this one on the table isn’t such a bad idea at all.

We’re all thinking of it, it’s been discussed, but I just wanted to make sure we’re all clear on this. Noli De Castro is not a move forward, it is not bringing this country in a new direction, it is not a move towards accountability — A Noli Presidency will be a continuation of The Arroyo Regime.

Talk about a Russian influence. Vodka anyone?

A project as historic as FilipinoVoices.com is something that any blogger can be proud of. But it has its times of uncertainty. As you know, we have started a new phase in the Philippine political punditry, that of a collaborative site. To bring bright minds together, in the blogging world, as well as other sectors, including media, so that issues could be discussed and analyzed.

Many of individuals have asked me what exactly is the aim of Filipino Voices, and I guess, after some thought, I am still not sure. But one certainty I have is that it should be a site where we can spur on debate, where dissent is appreciated because it is non conforming. Out of the box thinking should be the norm, and whatever our agreements or disagreements, the ultimate goal is to try to bring objectivity, a sense of trying to figure out what the problems are, and hopefully come up with some solutions.

To bring the democracy of thought, and utilize it to tackle some of the biggest issues of the day. Read the rest of this entry »

David Letterman did his usual Top 10 this week, and one of his Top 10 just happened to be about Barack Obama. Here’s Barack Obama trying to score some pogi points and show his lighter side, although I’ve always thought he was light to begin with, why else would so many young individuals support and follow him. He’s not a stiff, and I guess this short stint at Letterman is another reason why.

Is Barack Obama guilty by association? That his pastor Jeremiah Wright has made such astounding statements in front of media as of late has only pushed Obama to a point where he probably didn’t want to go. To denounce his former pastor, and to declare that same pastor out of bounds for the tragic comments that he made.

The comments ranged from saying that the government caused the AIDS epidemic against the black community, equating the military to Al Qaeda, and that The Government has had a hand in its own destruction, especially in the case of 9/11.

I don’t think there is a guilt by association, and any politician that says otherwise is a hypocrite. Most politicians in Washington has made relations to some of the most dirty handed individuals that walk the free earth. And yet, can they really lambaste Barack Obama because his pastor is a raving lunatic or has said some controversial statements?

But where Obama has a fault, if it is a fault, is that he has made himself out to be the new kid in town, the savior of Washington, the man who will finally clean the place up, and if this man is going to do the job, shouldn’t he be different from other politicians? And that’s where he will be hurt, and why he is hurting when it comes to this scandal.

After all, he knew the man for most of his adult life. How could he not have known the ideas of this man, the propaganda spewed from this pastor’s mouth? Don’t get me wrong, Jeremiah Wright, I listened to his full speech in front of media the other week, this guy makes some of the most interesting, and yet logical arguments for his own ideas. I believe, that he believes in what he says. I cannot say that I agree with most of what he says, but that is where the tragedy lies. That a man can be a pastor for so long, that along the way, he begins to think that all of his arguments and ideas are right, and everyone else is wrong.

Maybe this is where Barack Obama’s alleged elitist attitude comes from. The thinking of why can’t other people think like I do, and if they did, wouldn’t this nation be a better place.

So, it’s guilty by association, not necessarily true for most politicians, but for Barack Obama, it may just be the only thing that can get in the way of his Presidential aspirations. I cannot agree with this guilt, because each man is his own man, and the decision to make such tragic statements comes from the mouth of Jeremiah Wright and not Barack Obama. But I am not the voting public, and the voting public can easily be swayed by such videos of this pastor making such statements, and in politics perception is key, image is key, and the presidential image of Barack Obama has not doubt been tarnished by Jeremiah Wright. Guilty or not of the same ideas as Wright, Barack Obama will have to pay for such statements. I’m just not sure if that price is the democratic nomination, and ultimately the presidency.

Sometimes you have to let the bad in with the good, this is my thoughts regarding The Brian Gorrell controversial blog. In fact, I think he made the blog rounds during the launching of his blog, and I just ignored it. Honestly, I haven’t been following his blog, and I went to it only once to do some research as to the authenticity of his claims.

But when I say, to let the bad in with the good, I mean that the coverage that Brian Gorrell is garnering is nothing short of amazing, and because of this publicity, the blogging world in The Philippines is getting some much needed publicity itself. But the publicity isn’t all that good. So, is any type of scandal, good publicity? I’m not so sure.

As I said in a previous article, blogging is important because it can provide a different set of analysis, something that can always be missed by mainstream media.

As bloggers, we really don’t have the choice which stories get out into mainstream media, and which stories will ultimately catch on fire. This has been the case with The Malu Fernandez controversy, and this also seems to be the case with Brian Gorrell.

But one thing seems to be a constant, and that constant definitely involves some sort of attack. Bloggers went on the offensive with regards to Malu Fernandez, and now Brian Gorrell goes on the offensive with regards to DJ Montano. It’s a shame that the only way to gain headlines is through a controversy, but then again, are we really surprised when celebrities themselves have to make up such scandals and controversy in order to bring some publicity to their movies?

Maybe it’s the same tactic with blogs these days?

And here’s a video from QTV, asking if blogs should be censored? What do you think?

I didn’t join Janet Toral’s The Top 10 Emerging Influential Blogs writing project last year, but I actually was nominated quite a few time, around 7 times if I recall correctly. I didn’t mention it on the blog here, I should have. Anyway, here’s a chance to redeem myself as I have had the pleasure of finding some great new blogs as of late. I will focus my list on political and social issues blogs, because this is what I usually read.

It’s going to be a partial list for now, since I still have to go through all of the blogs I have come across. But the first is a no-brainer…

1. Filipino Voices, if this blog isn’t influential then that word simply doesn’t exist. It’s probably one of the newest blog in town, but already because of some of the most interesting, thought provoking, and simply damn good articles that have been written, I just can’t help but say that this will definitely become one of the most widely read political blogs in The Philippines.

2. Mon Casiple, what else can I say, this guy has the goods to back up his writing, he’s a professional, but let’s thank ourselves that he’s blogging. His analysis on the issues gives us a view on the mind of real political pundit.

3. New Philippine Revolution written by Patricio Mangubat, can I say enough about this guy… Why do you think I invited him to be a blogger for Filipino Voices? The articles written by Patricio are insightful to say the least, and are always timely. He’s new, but he’s a veteran through and through.

(list to be continued)…

Just a few last words regarding Filipino Voices. The reason why I have chosen this blog is that it is a work of love, really. It sounds all mushy, corny, and too touchy-feely, but this is why I started blogging in the first place. Don’t mention the fact that I really don’t have the time to blog because of my busy schedule, but I do it because of the love of my country.

Filipino Voices is already strong in its opinion. I believe that because there are so many talented writers and contributors for this blog, that being influential will not be a problem. But the most exciting thing about Filipino Voices is the discussions and interaction among the writers. It’s not a closed community, it’s not an agreeing community, but I have to admit, the diversity in opinions is key to understanding the issues. And anything that can make you think out of the box, especially regarding Philippine issues, will already be helpful in formulating your own thesis and views on these very issues. Now, isn’t that influential?

And so was the phrase that launched a million youtube views. God Damn America. The video of Reverend Jeremiah Wright, Barack Obama’s former pastor at Trinity Church, as he went through a sermon. Can Barack Obama pass this scandal with his approval rating still high? Will this hurdle be the start of a decline in his popularity? And why does this issue matter so much?

It’s astounding that almost 150 years after the signing of the emancipation proclamation which basically was the abolition of slavery, and almost 50 years after the civil rights movement began, that it is race once again that is a defining issue that threatens, if not already, to drive a wedge in the democratic party, and America as a whole.

It is the remarks of reverend Wright that may have put this baby on overdrive, but it was certainly the attempt of former President Bill Clinton early in the game that had this primary headed towards the race card.

But is God Damning America, for having still within it a semblance of racism, the frightened electorate who will never vote for a black man. Not because he has a pastor going on a media blitz trying to clear his own name, but because maybe America is not ready for a black president. Mayor, yes. Governor, of course. Even Senator. But a black man as The President? Read the rest of this entry »

I will formally change the subtitle of this blog. It is a one word change, but I believe it is consistent with what is happening. Tingog.com was to be The Voice of The Filipino, but I have decided to make this blog more of a personal blog, as I have chosen to pursue the heavy hitting articles over at FilipinoVoices.com.

Thus it is now The Voice of a Filipino — Me, Nick.

I hope the support for Filipino Voices is even greater as the support I garnered with this blog. I am an engineer, based in The United States, but because of the deep passion I have for my motherland, I have chosen to continue fighting for what I believe, and to push for a true reform towards progress in The Philippines. Both blogs, Tingog.com and FilipinoVoices.com reflect this overriding theme.

So, the shift may not be noticeable, but because a personal blog is personal, I will allow readers into the depth of my thoughts, open myself up to the blogosphere a little more, in the hopes that the barrier of trust may be broken.

No man is an island, and by extension, no blogger is an island.

This is Nick, the writer of Tingog.com, writing about politics, government, social concerns, and everything else in between that interests me. I hope you continue reading, I always love the company.

The power of the blog, in my point of view, is that it is not only a good source of personal information, and timely information, but it can be a good source of analysis. Granted, the fact that many bloggers are not journalists, does not mean they are devoid of having a brain, a mind, and intellect to come up with original ideas thoughts and opinions on issues.

So when Korina Today featured their story, Beware of The Blog, because of the Brian Gorrell story, I already knew we were in for a uninformed look of “the blog”, and a biased look of “the blog” as gleaned through the recent scandal surrounding the Brian Gorrell blog.

As has been said, people fear what they do not know, or cannot understand. And who cannot relate more to a blogger than someone who does not blog? Or at least someone who does not read blogs?

To convey that only a “respectable” blogger can be a good source of information smells of the elitist attitude of old media to cling on to their tangible newspapers. The death of the music industry was because they could not foresee the ipod, mp3, file sharing, and all that good stuff.. The death of old media will be because of the same nearsightedness.

Why do you think respectable newspapers such as The Philippine Daily Inquirer, The New York Times, and The Washington Post have all gone out of their way to create their own blog sections? Out of vanity, or out of necessity?

Beware of the blogs? Or beware of the dying old media? Read the rest of this entry »

This hasn’t been an easy past two weeks for the person at the center of Cebu’s most recent video scandal. In which a video of a medical operation, an extraction of a foreign object (body spray can) from the rectum of a patient, was circulated all over the internet. A video which shows almost the entire staff of the operating room laughing their hearts out.

It may have been funny at the moment, but these people who are responsible for such an unethical display of medical practices are probably no longer laughing. Read the rest of this entry »

First, it was to let us think that Global Warming did not exist, to refute it altogether. It was the policy of denial and attack. Then George Bush, backed away from Kiyoto, and told us he would find a better way. And now, his plan is to do nothing. If ever there should be an award for the best president to sabotage the progress of the world, then it is Mr. Bush and his love for the oil companies. Read the rest of this entry »