Find Our Purpose in Life

Wazzup Pilipinas!

At a media thanksgiving, we were once asked to write on a piece of paper one word that clearly defines us ... but it should also start with the first letter of our name.

I wrote "restless" since my name starts with an "R"

My real friends would know why and will agree that it is very appropriate.

No rest for the wicked! I keep saying to myself that I will rest only when I'm six feet under, or ashes in a jar.

That's why I always feel like I have all the energy to boost everything about me - including my confidence.

You could see me so confident that others perceive my aggressive behavior as arrogance. I can't blame them because not too many would dare declare themselves as the Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas - even if it was originally intended as a joke.

However, having that title pushed me to exert extra effort towards a nationalistic goal so that I could leave this world a legacy worth remembering.

Our life is a continuous and never-ending story that only ends when we are finally laid to rest. While living, we do pause every now and then, but there should always be something bothering us which keeps us waking up very early to start our day.

What should bother us? When other people are not bothered by what's happening around us.

Sadly, when a considerable amount of time has passed and we still could never cure the problems we encounter, we give up and dismiss  them already as unsolvable and now common and natural occurences.

We often go with the mindset of the many no matter how mindlessly passive we become especially when it is now widely accepted as an everyday scene. We feel better if we go with the majority to avoid conflict even if it means suppresing our voices.

Not too many wishes to stand out as too weird or crazy in fear that others would ridicule us. Thus we avoid those who would seem to cause trouble for us, as we try to silently go with the flow, rarely against it.

In a nation that sees us as peculiar when we don't meet their standards or expectations, we are branded as nuisances to a systematically arranged existence they impose on the majority.

We should never follow the same path as we are all genuinely unique. We don't realize that we lose our real selves when we stray away from what we believe in.

Life becomes meaningless if we are living a life dictated by others.

Find ourselves again before it's too late! Find a reason to wake up early to give our existence a worthwhile purpose!

There are Bigger and More Significant Issues Out There

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Now that some bloggers have shown us that it's possible to get exposure from traditional media just by forming a group to campaign against a common but highly controversial cause, should we all band together as well for the other bigger and more significant issues, many of which also tackles foreign interventions?

Many of these #BloggersForFreedom also work or contribute for traditional media thus it is not surprising that their statement was carried, but also because the Rappler issue is a hot one at the moment.

Media people gobble up these kind of stories to attract readers because at the end of the day, media outfits still want to pamper their readers with the latest update, or gossip, and readership translates to earning a bigger profit.

Also, this news is just too good to miss, and an opportunity to counter an impending war against media outfits like Rappler.

But who are really the destabilizers in this story? Is it the government who strongly reacts against hateful news about them, or is it media who always never misses to highlight the  negatives and shortcomings of the government?

If we apply it in a bloggers community setting, everytime a blogger rants against fellow bloggers, the community suffers for people, unaware of all sides of the story, would think the blogging community is divided and chaotic. Thus any news about an erring blogger somehow affects the outlook of outsiders towards the community, and even fellow bloggers could get influenced, and some of the restless would join in on the bandwagon of hate.

Similarly, when media, or bloggers, keep on sharing news in a negative light without giving the original and real intention a chance, they ultimately cloud the vision of others towards the government where not everyone is as foul-mouthed and irrational as the President. These would eventually create nothing but a doubtful nation.

When people voted for their leaders, it is assumed they also gave their trust for them to act in accordance to what would serve the people better regardless if it is the most popular choice. They were authorized to manage the country for now, so it's hard to do their job if critics keep on pestering their every move even when it has not been implemented yet.

Needless to say, we've witnessed so many forms of corruption among givernment officials from top to bottom. But is it safe to also say that every administration had their own share of critics that were never satisfied of their actions. There would always be some group out there who would rally, oppose, and rant against the government no matter who sits as President.

Check out the link below for reference:

www.wazzuppilipinas.com/2018/01/bloggers-for-freedom-malacanang-now.html

Bloggers for Freedom? Malacanang Now Knows Who Are Against Them!

Wazzup Pilipinas!

We came across a very vague statement from a group of bloggers led by personalities known to be critics in the political arena. They present a statement with no background details about the issues to guide those unaware of what's happening in the Philippines, particularly the conflict between an online publication and the government.

The online publication says their freedom is beibg suppressed by the malicious tactics of the current administration and even pinpoints President Duterte as their main oppressor.

Meanwhile, both the government agency and Malacanang denies they are conspiring to bring the online publication down.

Do you agree to what these bloggers say? They say they "stand against moves to silence and scare journalists, bloggers and media practitioners just because the President and his ardent supporters dislike their news and views."

But is the President really behind the move of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to shut down Rappler because of an unlawful clause in their PDR with Omidyar Network that supposedly violates the constitution?

Does it mean the people behind SEC are to be questioned as well for following the dictate of Malacanang? Or whoever asked them to check on Rappler?

Is the administration really aiming to shut down one by one the media outfits that are too critical of him?

Well, now Malacanang knows who are against them....but crying out for "the rights to free expression and to free speech" as their defense.

However, could Rappler just remove the controversial "clause" in their PDR with Omidyar Network so the SEC could let them function again? Is it that easy, or too complicated to comprehend so I should just shut up and let them cry all over social media.

Until now we do not even know who are the real owners of Rappler aside from Maria Ressa. Their statements on their site are equally vague and lacks the information we need to justify their counter against the accusations thrown at them.

After all, not even media, or bloggers, should be above the law, regardless of how they push their defense as free press with not influence by their investors, would you agree that foreigners should have control over our media outfits?

The drama unfolds. Is it better than our teleseryes?

I know most of the bloggers that signed up on the list, but there are a larger number of bloggers out there that are not among them. Most of them are indeed critics of the administration if you'll read their newsfeeds.

Well, I guess they do have the right to express themselves. But they should also not prevent or contradict others who also openly express their opinions, whether pro-admin or not. They should not try to badmouth other bloggers that do not belong to their group, or whom they believe is against their envisioned reality of how bloggers should act, talk, write or behave, so that everyone could indeed have the freedom they are fighting for.

Sadly, some of these bloggers are the ones who rant against their fellow bloggers for ulterior motives that are only beneficial to themselves and their group. They would even make fun of other bloggers who do not meet their expectations, and conspire to destroy them.

Praying that they be enlightened.

#BloggersForFreedom #DefendPressFreedom

————————————————————————

Statement: Bloggers for Freedom

We concerned Filipino bloggers stand for the rights to free expression and to free speech. And our first responsibility is to protect these rights.

We thus stand with Rappler, its right to exist, the rights of its working journalists and contributors, and the rights of its community of readers.

We stand against moves to silence and scare journalists, bloggers and media practitioners just because the President and his ardent supporters dislike their news and views.

Now is a time for making choices amid battles between truth and lies, debate and dissonance, democracy and dictatorship.

We sign our names here to tell everyone we have made a choice. We are bloggers for freedom.

Noemi Lardizabal-Dado
Tonyo Cruz
Dale Bacar
Marcelle Fabie
Myk Mykapalaran Cruz
Rod Magaru
Ely Valendez
Alex Lapa
Tess Termulo
Zena Bernardo
Jover Laurio
James Romer V. Velina
Ramon Nocon
Flow Galindez
Helga Weber
Mc Richard Viana Paglicawan
Raymond Palatino
Loi Landicho
Saul de Jesus
Karlo Mongaya
Ricky Rivera
Mark Will Mayo Magallanes
Eyriche Cortez
Julius Mariveles
Yusuf Ledesma
RJ Barrete
Dino Manrique
Peachy Tan
Rhadem Camlian Morados
Julius Rocas
Jon Limjap
Markku Seguerra
Jam Ancheta
Estan Cabigas
Enrico Dee
Acee Vitangcol
Stefan Punongbayan
Jesus Falcis
Hancel Reyes
Czarina Maye Noche
JM Mariano
Reginald Agsalon
John Clifford Sibayan
Jane Uymatiao
Johnn Mendoza
Carlos Celdran
Christian Melanie
Jann Medina
Carlo Arvisu
Inday Espina Varona
Eugene Alvin Villar
Melo Villareal
Brian Ong
JM Tuazon
Fritz Tentativa
Fitz Villafuerte
Tina Antonio
Mykel Andrada
Reynaldo Pagsolingan Jr.
Renz Daniel de Vera

Published on January 19, 2018, Black Friday.