Today is the 112th Independence Day of the Philippines, and I’m on my way to Hong Kong to represent the country in the Asia-Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum (APrIGF). Together with Juned Sonido (who was also in Hong Kong with me for Blo…

Hayaan na ‘yan si tabs. Mabuti na nga’t nagkaroon tayo ng comic relief, ‘ika nga.

Tagalog na tagalog! Istatchu? heheheh

@Tabs tabs tabs!

inggit ka lang! wahahahhahaha

Phil’s freedom day? Who the heck is Phil? And is freedom day like coming out of the closet day?

By the way, can you tell us your nationality? Kind of hard to make disparaging remarks about you and your ilk.

Thanks to Google for the doodle.

It is also a big deal in marketing and business perspective. They’re doing a business and they’re in a competition, for them to create a Philippine Google Search and to even have a presence in our country, only shows that they see and recognize the market here and the value of the Philippine cyberspace. If we’re nothing, if it isn’t a big deal at all, they wouldn’t be here and they wouldn’t bother with that doodle. Since they did that, more people will/may use Google instead of Yahoo and MSN.

Finally, one of the reason our Independence Day was moved to June 12 from July 4, even though the past Philippine government was very much aware of the issues it will create, is because we will not be noticed by anyone outside our country. If our Independence Day stayed as July 4, we will be in the shadows of the US, and as Filipinos we are too much into “symbolism”, so “in the shadows of the US” is not a good thing for our Nation.

Now it’s June 12, suddenly people outside of our country are aware of that “little” country in the Orient who are celebrating their Independence Day from Spain or as a symbolism, “from Colonialism”. That “little” country that produced one of the bravest and fiercest army (and revolutionaries) in the world. That “little” country with the best Banana, Mango, Pineapple, etc. in the world. That “little” country with the world’s largest Pineapple and the world’s smallest fish. That “little” country where the idea of “ASEAN” actually originated (which came from the old “MAPHILINDO” which was also an idea by that “little” country).

That “little” country was the first in Nationalist Revolutions in Asia. You don’t want to ignore that “little” country, you keep that “little” country by your side, especially now that as “Nation” they are widespread.