(A disclaimer before I begin this rant: the folks writing for Filipino Voices are among the many writers and bloggers I’ve long been reading and have the utmost respect for. I’m not saying that I agree with them all the time, of course.)

(That said, I’m going to have to take the podium with a bit of diatribe against these respected colleagues… I hope that this rant, powered by a plate of thinly sliced crispy pork ears deep-fried in chili-garlic oil, some cucumber slices, and a couple of not-quite-cold bottles of Red Horse is accepted in the same spirit of boisterous camaraderie as it is offered. Think of me as your kabarkada who just wasn’t in a good mood.)

(Here we go. Editor Not Chief Nick, feel free to *bleep* my profanity as appropriate.)

***

Hey, Filipino Voices fellas, I got something to say to you.

SHUT THE FUCK UP ABOUT THE FUCKING AMERICANS ALREADY.

Seriously. So fucking what about the US intramural match-up between Obama vs. McCain and the related sideshows? Granted that the Modern Roman Empire has her fingers deep into the Pinoy pan de sal dough, it doesn’t mean that we have to spend far too much time analyzing the events that will end up in yet another American becoming the president of the United States. Democrat or Republican, the Pinoy’s land of milk and honey will still look after American interests first… the Philippines is no more than a speck in their grand scheme of things. Let’s face it — we are nowhere near close to the center of their universe.

When Ding broke open the story on Ces Drilon kidnapping, I did not mind so much, even if it appeared to be that FV was becoming a news aggregator (not that mainstream media said much in the beginning; Ding deserves an award — I’d offer him to be knighted a Commander of the Order of the Dancing Banana, but I don’t own Plurk), even if others were disappointed with FV after MSM went public on the story. I was — and still am — glad that there was discussion on the MV Princess of the Stars. I was — and still am — glad to see that there was valuable discussion on the failed GRP-MILF MOA-AD.

I was rather pleased that Filipino Voices was serving as an alternative source of information and analysis over issues. It did warm my heart that there was this collective who spoke of matters centered on the Three Stars and the Sun.

However, the past days have been focused on the US elections that I have begun to wonder if Filipino Voices is becoming an extension of the International Herald Tribune. Far too much of FV’s cyberspace is focused on matters that do not have a direct relationship with the local and global Filipino.

Christ on a fucking surfboard, friends, there are so many things going on in locally with the populace and globally with the OFW community that deserve attention, despite their absence or near-ignorance in mainstream media!

For instance, where are the FV posts on who is Tara Santelices and why is her life worth speaking of? Is not the crime committed on her with dastardly impunity worth discussion?

Why has there been no mention about Edcel Lagman’s reproductive health bill and the Church’s opposition? Isn’t our country’s population management planning something worth a debate about?

Where are the techie and tech-savvy-legal posts on Loren Legarda’s being miffed over someone owning a website with her name on it? Isn’t the discussion on Philippine law and cyberspace worth exploring?

How about the possibility of a Bayani Fernando-Vilma Santos administration Prex/VP slate? Or, when do you think that this match will collapse?

How about writing about the Overseas Filipino Worker? Quite recently, Pinoy seamen have become victims of piracy on the high seas — shouldn’t we keep an eye out for them?

What about eyewitness accounts over the immigrant Muslims selling DVDs getting into fistfights with the local Kafagway populace over at Upper Session Road?

How about the coup that is rumored to happen within the next twelve months?

What about the boots in Mindanao mud, don’t they deserve to be written about?

Or, if all else fails, why not let’s discuss who doesn’t believe that Jen and ENC Nick are an online couple?

Tanginanamankasi mga kapatid, eh. There’s far too much that we can talk about leaving the issues of the local and global Pinoy and the Philippines behind. There’s far too much that we as the bloggers of Filipino Voices can share.

Why we’re part of this collective is because of a common belief that we can somehow start the shaping of things to come. Let’s not turn Filipino Voices into a misnomer.

***

But let’s sober up a little.

Ever since Filipino Voices was formed, I’ve been a strong believer in the potential of this collective to become an alternative sounding board that may even inspire others to create the their own. I’ve been a believer in the dream that one day FV just might be part of a positive sea change in Philippine society. Hell, folks know I’d spit on Benign0’s shoes (him being one of my personal Jude Crosses), but I hope he knows that I’m glad that he’s on board FV — he keeps us on our toes (when we bother to exercise our minds, that is; it’s simple, really) or that I’m disappointed with those such as Rom and Cocoy having been not had much space to get their say out.

Let’s get our minds back on the goal of the collective: this blog is the natural progression of the Filipino blogosphere towards focusing on the state of affairs of the Philippines, its social concerns, with the hope to contribute to progress by providing relevant views and opinions represented in articles on the current issues of the day.

Let’s talk about this in detail, if we can get together for beer after the September 21 awards night. Let’s be each other’s check and balance; let’s discuss, debate and dissent. I promise not to get as inebriated as I am now.

Then again, a discussion involving great minds makes good beer taste even better.

***

(I’m done for now, ENC Nick. Feel free to censure me. Heh heh. I’m sure you can tell that all I want is FV to get back on track an add to the Filipino presence in cyberspace, that the word Filipino and all that’s related to that become memes worth their inclusion in the brilliant discussions our colleagues have provided to us.)

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