While most of us, especially the younger generation are virtually living in the overwhelming realm of the social network I can't help but ask: just how many of us are informed with news and current events? Just how many of us inform ourselves with such relevant information? And most importantly, while I often see a lot of Avengers Alliance and Diamond Dash application requests in my Facebook account from friends and a trending #SirChief1stHUGtoMaya and other endless rants on Twitter, I can't help but wonder: just how many of us use these social media networks to properly educate ourselves?
From Ako ang Simula and Boto Mo Ipatrol Mo, ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs launched their new campaign for clean and orderly elections this coming 2013 as Bayan Mo Ipatrol Mo: Tayo Na #BMPMTayoNa with media and bloggers. Hosted by Ms. Jing Castaneda, the campaign promotes a new application for IOS and Android phones that helps patrollers to easily report any campaign-and-election-incident to ABS-CBN and more importantly to help them secure their identities as patrollers. One can also be updated with the latest events about election and be informed about Halalan 101 through the application.
As a Linguistics student and a blogger, I truly learned a lot from the conference especially from blogger-journalist Inday Varona who discussed about citizen journalism. I also had the chance to ask their method of information dissemination about this campaign especially to the younger generation who, even though are very much exposed to the social network and are only one click away to relevant information seem to be not too aware about such current events. She said that there is no "shortcut" to this problem and ABS-CBN and the BMPMTayoNa team are currently improving and developing their campaign to be able to reach out to the youth.
I also learned about the experiences of other bloggers about the campaign period especially from my mentor Ms. Josephine Bonsol who for seven years has been assigned as BEI during barangay elections. I realized how much such teachers sacrifice their lives being hostaged and kidnapped because of the endless political "wars" that seem to be more evident in barangay elections. I also learned a lot from head of ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs Ging Reyes, blogger Flow Galindez of www.angsawariko.com and Richard Paglicawan of www.lionheartv.net.
As my mentor Josephine Bonsol always say: the change should always start with us, and we should start by being aware and by being informed with relevant facts. The campaign truly made me more aware about the election system in our country and made me realize that even though I am still young I also have the power to change the system. I may not be able to show it by marching on the streets, but I can definitely write and share these kinds of advocacy and campaigns through social media networks and pass on to every one of my 1 039 friends this message that may change our lives forever.
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