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By Anna Valmero THE Filipino online community slammed the approval of House Bill 1109 that set up a constituent assembly (ConAss) that might allow the administration to stay in power beyond 2010. The approval of HB 1109 on Tuesday midnight empowered Congress to convene itsel f into a Constituent aseembly, where members of the House and the Senate could vote jointly to amend the 1987 Constitution. Filipino quickly jumped on the issue, as they launched an online website called No to Con-Ass!. Others li nked to this site, as they included an online badge that said, "Have you no sha me?" Filipinos also launched an open letter to administration allies at t he House of Representatives that read:

The Constitution is a defining moment in history. It is the height of creating a politics of freedom, identity, and national strength, created an d ratified on the basis that oneâs country is not designed and built on whims, but that of foresight and the common good. It sets a precedent for justice and fairness, and is the building block of democracy in free nations. June 2, 2009 was a defining moment in history. It is the height of a politics of ignominy, imprudence, and insolence; the approval of a shameless and ambiguo usly-worded resolution that threatens the very existence of this countryâs demo cracy. One that sets a precedent for injustice, unfairness, and opens the door s for corrupting, unchecked power. You made a grip on the very throat of this countryâs democracy, and choked it. Shameless. That resolution will be tested in the Courts, and perhaps maybe eve n struck out of the record one day. Forgotten, perhaps, but it should stand - and it will stand - as a testament to shame.

Blogger Marocharim who wrote the statement noted that the letter was supposed to have been sent to Co ngress but he thought twice, saying that "maybe theyâll just throw it away.â Asked to compare going out in the streets or launching an online protest, Maroc harim says, "I see it as a new channel for resistance, like TV. I'm not saying that it will replace the old, kailangan pa ring mag-rally [we still need to att end a rally].â âI am not saying one blog entry will change the world. But from the Dumaguete ( National Summer) Writers Workshop I attended a couple of weeks ago, I realized how much we (writers) can do. Writing isn't about hits or self-promotion or for m and technique--it's about making changes both inside and out,â the blogger sa ys. He quips: âI happened to like my country enough, and to care for this nation en ough, to go in front of my computer and write something a small ripple but Iâm seeing a wave there somewhereâas plurkers link to the site.â Personally, he believes that the Constitution is better amended after the 2010 elections for the reason others cite tooâprudence. âWhen we take the time to sit down, discuss these house bill, get a move-on on the constitution, get everyone involved and educated, debate, disagree, agree-- that's how we do things in democracy; not that way, like they did June 2.â And this action is also reaching out to political figures: Manuel Luis Quezon I II took time to "plurk" a running account of what happened during the Wednesday House session and so d id Bayan Muna party list Representative Teddy Casino. More and more as Filipinos are indeed turning to social networking sites in hop es of swaying political debates.

By Carlo Ople* (Editor's note: re-posted from author's blog http://newmedia.com.ph) AS most of you probably know by now, the House of Representatives approved HR 1109, more commonly known as the Con Ass (Constituent A ssembly) resolution. I'm pretty sure that the Senate will take this up with the Supreme Court to determine if what the House did was in accordance to our constitution. Anyway, I wanted to focus more on what was happening on Face book while the hearing was going on. Several opposition congressmen were actual ly micro-blogging on Facebook! Imagine that, hahaha! I took some screen shots f or your viewing pleasure. Check out what some of our congressmen said in Facebo ok after the break. CONGRESSMAN TEDDY CASINO One of my personal favorite comments during the evening. A lot of people left c omments on this and it was nice to see that Congressman Casino was replying to some of them. Talk about real time interaction. Note my comment in the print sc reen. Heh. CONGRESSMAN RUFFY BIAZON Congressman Biazon was very active on Facebook during the proceedings. He was a ctually like a reporter the entire time. It's kinda sad that he wasn't given th e opportunity to speak during the plenary but at least he was able to voice out what was in his mind through Facebook. CONGRESSMAN ERIN TANADA I was able to hear Congressman Tanada deliver his objection speech. It was very articulate and hard-hitting. He wasn't able to update during the actual procee dings but he was able to make posts before and after. While it's not Plurk or Twitter, these Congressmen actually micro-blogged throu gh the status update feature of Facebook. I'm sure that it's only a matter of t ime before their staff teaches them how to actually microblog through their mob ile. Maybe we'll see more consistent updates then. Social Media is a very powerful communications tool, and I wouldn't be surprise d to see more politicians start using this channel not just for the 2010 campai gn, but also for governance. I talked about this in length during my interview with Cheche Lazaro (Media In Focus). So, interested to hear what your congressmen have to say online? Add them up on Facebook. :) Carlo Ople is the main author of New Media Philippines, a blog that aims to help Filipinos maximize and realize the potential of New Media. Apart from bei ng a blogger, Carlo also serves as a Marketing Manager for one of the leading o nline gaming companies in the Philippines. He is also a freelance digital marke ting consultant and has worked with various politicians and business owners exp and their reach and influence through the use of social media.

By Niña Terol (Editor's note: Originally posted on author's blog) 1. For writers and other creative souls, blogging is practice. Participants of my Freelance Writing for Dummies class know this: I cannot stress enough the im portance of blogging, especially for an aspiring freelance writer. Blogging off ers a free platform for writers and other creatives to test out their ideas, ho ne their writing style, explore various subject matters, and begin developing a relationship with an audience. Writing is very serious work, and anyone who wants to become a writerâwhether f ull-time or part-timeâmust treat it with utmost respect. It is a demanding art- craft that requires the readerâs full attention once the page is opened, so the writer must ensure that the written material is worth the ink, the space, and the readerâs time. Blogging, then, is like the rehearsal before the actual performance. It allows the writer to flex those critical writing muscles and get into character so tha t once âreal writingâ is needed, the audience wonât be disappointed. 2. For public personalities, it is an avenue to connect with their a udience using more than their on-cam persona. Ours is such a media-inundated cu lture that itâs sometimes difficult to tell which is real and which is reel. Ne ws is often biased, sensationalized, and âtelenovela-dâ; reality shows are some times âgamedâ and are often part of the celebrity-manufacturing machinery of ou r ratings-hungry networks; and there is hardly any time or space for public per sonalities to just let themselves be. While blogging by celebrities is one more way of extending their media reach and, therefore, of expanding their populari ty, it can also be a good venue for them to show the public what theyâre really made of. 3. For politicians and other public servants, blogging is one way to connect to their constituencies and have an alternative forum for feedback-gathering. My principal knows this, which is why he tries to update his blog, Facebook, and o ther social networks as often as he can. Blogging is a great way to test out id eas, solicit instant feedback, and continue a two-way dialogue with constituent s that is just made impossible by mainstream media. US President Barack Obama h arnessed the power of blogging and social media to the max; other politicians f rom around the world have learned from his example and are trying to follow sui t. A note for politicians though: donât use blogging and social media merely for g randstanding or to win an election. Use it, too, to improve on current projects , update your constituencies about your projects, ensure transparency in all yo ur operations, and provide a forum for the public to air their grievances. Like reading on a page, reading a blog requires the audienceâs full attention, so p lease make sure that your words are worth our time. 4. For organizations, blogging is an über-cheap alternative for reporting to s takeholders and constituencies, rallying support for a cause, expanding oneâs c onstituency base, or announcing events. If your organization doesnât have the b udget to maintain a website or produce newsletters or annual reports, put up a professional-looking blogsite that can store your updates, photos, advocacy mat erials, and event announcements. In this age of free blogging platforms (I like WordPress and Blogger), free widgets, and even practically-free documentation courtesy of camera phones and low-priced digital cameras, you now have no more excuses to not have your org information and updates online. Oh, and if you want to fund raise online too, blogging will NOT give you the pl atforms for online fund-collection, but it CAN give you avenues to begin a conv ersation with your constituency, build relationships, and âraise friends.â Then the money can start flowing in. 5. For artists, musicians, and other creatives (again), blogging is a free plat form to promote your work and nurture a fan base. For years before he finally p ut up his Multiply site, Iâd been bugging my fiancé Paul to have a venue for c onnecting to potential clients and audiences online. Now that he has a Multiply site and is also on Facebook, heâs enjoying the process of putting some though ts down, choosing photos and videos to upload, making contacts, and meeting âon line buddiesâ from different parts of the world. For creative souls in search of inspiration, blogging is also a great way to ca ll out to the Muse. So is reading othersâ blogs. Who knows what images, words, rhythms, and ideas can arise while reading someone elseâs words, commiserating with someoneâs pain, or sharing someone elseâs joy? 6. For companies, blogging is a great way to reach out to a certain segment of your target market. One brand-built blog that caught my attention is Doveâs Cam paign for Real Beauty, which featured real blogs by real women. It made real Do veâs brand proposition that beauty is not only the domain of models and celebri ties, but of everyday women living everyday (but not necessarily ordinary) live s. According to Technoratiâs State of the Blogosphere 2008: âBrands make up a majo r part of bloggersâ online conversations. More than four in five bloggers post product or brand reviews, and blog about brands they love or hate⦠Companies a re already reaching out to bloggers: one-third of bloggers have been approached to be brand advocates⦠Bloggers are most open to receiving marketing messages from other blogs. Even non-blog web content is more influential among this gro up than traditional media sources for brand information.â If you see that blogging would complement your overall brand strategy, then the re shouldnât be any reason not to try it. 7. For families, blogging is a great way to document and share precious family moments that can never be replicated. More than just sharing photos and videos on your social networks, itâs also great to capture the feelings and the conver sations that were all part of the experience. Whether itâs a momentous occasion such as a birth, a wedding, an anniversary, a graduation or a ânon-eventâ such as making pancakes with the kids, taking the pet out for a walk, having an âad ult-likeâ conversation with a toddler, or practically anything else under the s un, blogging is a way to make sure memories donât just fade away. Iâd also recommend good olâ scrap booking, but for busy parents who donât have the time or the patience to artfully lay out photos and other mementos, bloggin g is the way to go. (Blogs can also be set as private so the whole world wonât have to see whatâs meant only for your family and friends.) 8. For individuals, you actually donât need a reason to blog. Some people blog to share recipes, others to share lyrics and quotable quotes. Some use their bl ogs as online journals and share their thoughts and feelings with the world; ot hers use their blogs to comment on social events and be engaged spectators in a world thatâs constantly shifting. Some write lengthy prose that seem like maga zine articles; others write catchy one-liners. Some have an audience of million s; others have an audience of 10. But it doesnât (and shouldnât) matter. As lon g as youâve got something (non-violent and non-offensive) to say, then you shou ld be able to say it. What is personal is universal If you think about it, never before in the worldâs history have we been given a chance to document the worldâs collective consciousness. Now, thanks to blogs and other social media, the Web has become just thatâa repository of the state of peopleâs consciousness at any given time. What were people feeling when the United States elected its first African-Ameri can president? The blogosphere gives us a clear snapshot of that through people âs blog and micro-blog (e.g., Twitter) entries. How are people coping with job loss and financial instability? We can find out at any time, too. What went thr ough your head the moment your crush told you that, yes, he wanted to be with y ou too? If you blogged about it, then you can revisit that time, too. More than self-promotion or self- flagellation, blogs and blogging allow us to understand ourselves and our world better. Brands and politicians alike tune in to the blogosphere because, here, they are able to capture real, instantaneous thoughts and feelings that donât have the normal editing or censure processes of traditional media. Through micro-blogs like Twitter or Plurk, weâre able to capture âThe State of My NationâRight Here, Right Nowâ. The world is constantly changing, the Web is constantly changing, WE are consta ntly changing. But thanks to the introduction of blogging and other forms of so cial media engagement, one thing that will never change is our desire and our a bility to connect to other human beingsâeven if itâs just through flickers of w ords or images on a computer screen. __ Niña Terol is a self-proclaimed Communicator, Enabler, and Organization-Bu ilder, using the power of vision, words, and connections to inspire, empower, a nd motivate others around her. She is a political communicator by day, a freela nce writer and poet by night, and an advocate for reform in Philippine governan ce 24/7. To subscribe to Long Live Blogging, click here: http://longlivebloggin g.wordpress.com/subscribe/

JUST a day after a golf c lub mauling incident was reported, dozens of blogs are denouncing alleged perpetrators who happen to be high-ranking government officials. Masui, Lanao del Sur Mayor Nasser Pangandaman, Jr. and several of his golf comp anions and bodyguards figured in an altercation last December 26 with Delfin de la Paz and his 14-year old son Bino at the Valley Golf and Country Club in Ant ipolo City. It was later found out that Department of Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pang andaman Sr. was also present at the golf club but was said to have not been par t of the alleged mauling. The incident was later blogged by Bambee de la Pazand was reported by several news organizations. Bloggers also picked up the story and have since been calling for an investigation over the incident wh ile a few others called for both Pangandaman's resignations. Bambee de la Paz's blog was reposted on theFilipinoVoices.com and received dozens of comments. Comic book artis t Gerry Alanguilan also posted hisopinion on the matter, while Juned Sonido also had his take on the issue. Blogger Tonyo Cruz listed several messages from other bloggers in Global Voices. Filipina Mom Bloggerlisted down other blogs that are showing outrage for the alleged mauling. Manuel Quezon III wrote a scathing commentary where he relates the incident to the warlo rd culture in the provinces. Â

By Associated Press HANOI, Vietnam -- Vietnam has approved new regulations banning bloggers from di scussing subjects the government deems sensitive or inappropriate and requiring them to limit their writings to personal issues. The rules ban any posts that undermine national security, incite violence or cr ime, disclose state secrets, or include inaccurate information that could damag e the reputation of individuals and organizations, according to a copy of the r egulations obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press. The rules, which were approved Dec. 18, attempt to rein in Vietnam's booming bl ogosphere. It has become an alternative source of news for many in the communis t country, where the media is state-controlled. The new rules require Internet companies that provide blogging platforms to rep ort to the government every six months and provide information about bloggers o n request. The companies are also required to prevent and remove content the go vernment deems harmful. The regulations, written by the Ministry of Information and Communications, enc ourage bloggers to use "clean, healthy Vietnamese language." They clarify earli er Internet regulations that were introduced in August. Ministry official Luu Vu Hai would not say whether the new regulations will app ly to international companies like Google or Yahoo or would only restrict the o peration of Vietnamese firms. Currently, the vast majority of Vietnamese bloggers post their writings on Yaho o! 360.

By Alexander Villafania INQUIRER.net SAN JUAN City, Manila â They start late at night, with bags of junk food and pi zzas. They sit on floors covered with mattresses and small tables and put their footwear on the cold cement. Around them are paintings and sculptures from fin e arts students and their mentors. It's a scene typical of an art gala but peop le here are not talking just about art -- they're hoping to share in national c hange through their blogs. And at the last small and intimate gathering at the My Little Art Place in San Juan City, the group of amateur and professional bloggers talks about how blogg ing is changing information dissemination. The event is simply called Philippine Bloggers' Night. Essentially, the event i s a workshop on creating a blog and how individuals and other institutions are using it. Some bloggers gave insights about how they built their blogs and what they focus on. Others shared how media companies are adapting to the changes b rought about by the Internet. The realization is that media is not the gatekeep er of information anymore. The power to disseminate has also been given to the ordinary individual. Of course, being in an art place, the event also has some creative essence to i t. Percussionist Paul Zialcita showed some of his instruments, such as a daiko- like drum that is actually made out of a garbage can and a drum made out of a h alf-filled water gallon placed on top of the opening of a hand-made baby walker . There is also a performance by "spokenword" artist Miko Pepito and recording artist Nityalila. The event is organized by a group of bloggers calling themselves Flippyknows, whose name is a p lay of the word "Filipino." Just as their tagline says, "Because the Filipino K nows," the group focuses on encouraging Filipinos to develop their creativity a nd also on technology. For this particular night, the group also partnered with Team RP, who is advocating change in the so ciety for the sake of truth, accountability and reform. After a successful night, both groups are hoping to continue holding such event s to encourage people to get involved in social issues while enjoying creativit y at its simplest.

AT least two bloggers, a journalist, and one opposition politician were arreste d under Malaysia's Internal Security Act (ISA) on September 12 in wha t media and activists are afraid may be the start of a wider crackdown ahead of an anticipated opposition push to gain control of parliament next week, the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) said. SEAPA said in a statement that Malaysia's leading blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin , who is also a staunch government critic on his website "Malaysia Today," was the first to be arrested in this weekâs arrests. Journalist Tan Hoon Cheng who works Sin Chew Daily, a Chinese-language newspape r that had recently covered a controversial outburst from a ruling party member who called the ethnic Chinese community "squatters," was also reportedly arres ted, SEAPA said quoting reports from. Malaysiakini.com. Lawmaker Teresa Kok of the Chinese-based DAP and Deputy Chief Minister in Selan gor was also arrested under the ISA, SEAPA said. The draconian ISA law allows government to detain people without tri al. It is a preventive detention law currently enforced in Malaysia. SEAPA said that the Centr e for Independent Journalists (CIJ) has already issued an urgent appeal, as it reported that another blogger, Haris Ibrahim, was arrested. Ibrahim was rep ortedly credited with starting a "People's Parliament project," which monitors the Malaysian government. SEAPA said Malaysian media, oppositionists and activists are expressing fears t hat the Malaysian government may be planning more arrests. SEAPA said that CIJ sees the recent arrests as measures that âbear a disturbing resemblance to the period in the lead-up to the Operasi Lalang in 1987," where dozens of activists, artists, academics and politicians were detained. "Both incidents are similar in that it relates to ongoing political crisis with in (Malaysian ruling party) UMNO, but manifested as alleged racial tension by t he government," SEAPA quoting CIJ said. SEAPA fears that this weekâs arrests may be part of a wider campaign after last weekâs threat to suspend Malaysian newspapers the Sin Chew Daily, The Sun -- w hich is a free English-language daily, and Suara Keadilan which is published by the opposition. The group said that the CIJ and the Writers Alliance for Media Independence (WA MI) have sounded the alarm over a warning issued by government to the three new spapers over coverage of the same controversy for which journalist Tan was arre sted. "Political observers fear the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, which was humiliated in March elections and is now threatened by the opposition's plans, was planning a repeat of an infamous 1987 crackdown," SEAPA said quoting news website Malaysiakini.com.

Journalist Dana Batnag put out this question in a blog entry dated August 11. She writes:

Where are the bloggers of Mindanao, the citizen journalists who we have hoped would keep us updated on the ARMM elections? The ARMM elections are the first automated elections in the country. If all goes well, the government hopes to also automate the 2010 national elections. I was expecting blogs on th e elections â how the machines worked and how the people reacted to them, even pictures on the voting precincts and the voters. I was told there had been no p osts as of lunchtime, but maybe that was because the voting wasnât over yet at that time.

This question is indeed very relevant if we compare this to what is happening in the United States. In a recent CNET article, blogger s were among those actively participating in the delivery of news and informati on to constituents. The article says:

It is true that the Democratic National Convention Committee handed credentials to a record number of bloggers for the Denver convention this week , but more nevertheless appear to have gathered at the Big Tent. Adding to the lure of the unofficial venue is that the workspace's location on Wynkoop Street is around the corner from a multitude of restaurants and private parties, incl uding a massive Tuesday reception organized by Emily's List, a late-night jazz festival, and an AT&T-sponsored brewery bash.

With blogs allowing anyone who can write to publish their thoughts on the Inter net, Batnag was expecting bloggers to be blogging about the first automated ele ctions in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao. She says:

I was expecting blogs on the elections â how the machines worked an d how the people reacted to them, even pictures on the voting precincts and the voters. I was told there had been no posts as of lunchtime, but maybe that was because the voting wasnât over yet at that time.

She adds:

The ARMM elections would have been a good time for citizen journali sts to show what they can do and how much better a job of it they can do. A quick search on Google produced this blog called, "Philippine Elections Journ al," which announced as early as April 4 that it was looking for ARMM Election bloggers. It didn't get any reaction des pite the promise of "$100 payment for every 20 approved articles." This blog wa s set up by Filipino blogger Janette Toral. There were also some ARMM election postings but none about the ac tual election day. Batnag says: "Citizen journalists not only know the terrain, they usually know everyone because itâs their neighborhood theyâre blogging about. In the ARMM el ections, a citizen journalist would have the luxury of hanging around and waiti ng until all the votes had been canvassed." "Until the citizen journalists of Mindanao blog about the elections so that the ir voices â and thoughts â can be heard and discussed, these are just the ranti ngs of someone who believes in the power of the citizen," she adds.

By Alexander Villafania INQUIRER.net How do you create blog? What copyright rules should be followed? How can you ea rn from blogging? Blogger and editor of Digital Filipino Janette Toral hopes to answer these questions in her late st book "Blogging from Home," which she launched at the recent Internet and Mob ile Marketing Association of the Philippines Summit in Makati City. Toral, who has been blogging for the last five years, said that she has been th inking of coming out with a book on blogging since 2006 but realized she needed to understand the blogging community more in particular its dynamics. "I hope to share how [people] could make a presence in the blogosphere and perh aps earn a little, without having to be so gung ho," Toral said in an interview . Watch this video interview with Toral. The book is, however, only taking into consideration blogging trends in the Phi lippines because, as Toral stressed, she would not want to sound like a true ex pert in the subject of blogging. On the other hand, she said she will have to market the book in Australia and t he US, specifically targeted at Filipinos abroad. Toral said the blogging community in the Philippines has grown and among the mo st popular blogs were cause-oriented. These blogs contained information that we re not easily accessible in other forms or web portals. She also referred to th e recently conducted Top Ten Emerging Influential Blogs 2008, which she organized that recognized bloggers that mattered. As it is, a growing number of Filipino Internet users are reading bloggers to g et information they want. As such, bloggers are becoming publishers themselves. "Blogging is serious business in a sense that you have to have a lot of content , and depth. It also uses multimedia. Blogs have to have authentic and unique i nformation for people to stick," she said.

A CERTAIN Teo Marasigan in a blog entry titled Kapirasong Kritika, has sparked a dis cussion on why Filipino activists should not blog. Pointing out that activists have failed to use the Internet to expose and denounce the dominant "reactionar y" ideas in the Internet, Marasigan has suggested that activists-bloggers shoul d stop blogging. His post eventually elicited reactions from some progressive blogs, including < a href="http://mongpalatino.motime.com/post/684612/Blogismo" target="_blank">Mo ngster's Nest by Mong Palatino and Reds Care. Writing in Filipino, Marasigan argued that the Filipino Internet activists have somehow failed to also state the reactionary character of the Internet. "Kailangang mulat tayong tayo ang gumagamit sa Internet, o sa teknolohiya sa pa ngkalahatan. Dahil kung hindi, tayo ang magagamit nito. May progresibong gamit ang Internet; pero nangingibabaw ang konserbatibo, reaksiyunaryo, o tahasang de kadenteng gamit nito. Hindi ako sang-ayon na palaganapin ng mga progresibo ang pagba-blog. Maglako tayo ng progresibong mensahe, hindi ng midyum lamang na bag amat tila walang pulitika ay dominado sa aktuwal ng mga kalaban ng pulitika ng pagbabago," Marasigan wrote. Postcard Headlines provides this rough translation: "The Internet is us eful for progressives; but this usefulness is significantly outstripped by its conservative, reactionary, and decadent quality⦠Let us encourage a progressiv e message, not a medium that may look apolitical in the surface but is in reali ty dominated by the enemies of the politics of change. Or so, it says." Marasigan argued further that it was not a common practice among progressives t o expose the dominant characteristics of the Internet. He said the Internet is rotten and is overflowing with reactionary, conservativ e, and decadent ideas, desires, and pleasures. Marasigan observed that its widespread use of the Internet in the Philippines t oday is mainly for Internet gaming, pornography, and online dating networks. Th ese activities divert the attention, time, strength, and intelligence of many a way from the real situation and struggles of the people, he added. He also believes that the Internet is a realm of struggle but progressives are disadvantaged in it. "Yes, members of the petty bourgeoisie class are important to the politics of c hange because they easily grasp and employ progressive ideas. Yes, the thinking section of this class is in the blogosphere. But they are vacillating and the forces that lead them away from revolution are dominant in the Internet," Postc ard Headlines translates and quotes Marasigan's entry. Palatino disagreed. "As an activist, I have been promoting the use of blogs among my friends (inclu ding Teo) because I saw the potential of blogging to be an effective medium to broadcast our advocacies. The revolution will take place outside the internet c afe shops but there is a revolutionary task to perform in the cyberspace," Pala tino wrote. Palatino also stressed that blogging is a form of a political statement. "It affirms that everyone has the right to publish his/her opinion in the inter net. It empowers ordinary citizens to articulate what they feel is relevant to their lives. A person can start to blog about his cat or crush but sooner or la ter he/she will have to write some political if not subversive commentaries," h e added. Palatino also stressed that the young progressive bloggers have not abandoned t he "petty bourgeoisie to the venomous claws of the powerful imperialists." "We always persevere. We always struggle," he said. Reds Care, meanwhile, debunked Marasigan's idea, suggesting that the Internet a nd technology in general has allowed even leftist groups to send messages out t o a wider audience. "Isang malaking pagkakamali kung gayon na manawagan kung gayon na bitiwan ng m ga rebolusyonaryo at progresibo ang internet. (It is a mistake to ask the revol utionaries and activists to ignore the Internet)," Reds Care said. Palatino added, "Reading Teo's article reminds me of the debate whether blogger s should be recognized as journalists. For a long time, journalists have looked down on blogging as pseudo-journalism and a threat to their profession. After some time, many journalists have begun to appreciate the various uses of bloggi ng."