Panlilio promotes good governance in blog
By Erwin Oliva
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 19:09:00 06/09/2008
MANILA, Philippines – Priest-turned-governor Ed Panlilio launched his blog this weekend to promote good governance.
With help from the Bloggers' Kapihan, a group of Filipino bloggers, and his own people in Pampanga, Panlilio initiated his virtual conversation with constituents and the youth.
In a speech he later posted in his blog, Panlilio said, "Technology has collapsed our world more intimately than what Marshall MacLuhan has envisioned the global village to be. We now live in a global neighborhood. In fact, even walls and fences have been brought down by the explosion of information in real time. Today, age, gender, race and creed are no barrier in the exchange of ideas, giving new meaning to the term, 'freedom of expression."
He said his blog aims to also reach out to the elders.
At this writing, Panlilio was unavailable for further comment.
"The amonged.org blogsite allows for that imagination to come through and be expressed in a new form. It also allows for a healthy dialogue with the elders [that] I confess to belong," he wrote.
Panlilio is currently the governor of Pampanga who ran against strong political resistance. The Philippine Daily Inquirer, this website's parent company, named him Filipino of the Year for 2007.
Mong Palatino, member of the Bloggers' Kapihan and witness to the launch of Panlilio's blog, said the governor was very interested to learn more about blogging.
"He saw potential of the blog to promote good governance. He suggested that Isabela Governor Grace Padaca should blog too," Palatino said.
Posting his first entry during the launch, Panlilio wrote, "When I take a closer look at the year that passed, the metaphor that comes to mind is that of a ship. This ship is buffeted by strong winds and big waves. However, this ship is definitely on course. Our advocacy for good governance and responsible citizenship is being implemented slowly but surely. To me good governance is leadership by example. Hence, I invest practically every minute of my waking hours to public service. (Of course, I start my day by centering myself, especially my heart, on God.)."
|
