Liberal Workshop Produces 16 New Filipino Blogs

Dr. Ronald Meinardus facilitates the Podcasting and Blogging workshop.

The Sixteen highly motivated blogging novices from all parts of the Philippines assembled at the premises of the liberal Foundation in Makati City on March 9-10, 2006 for a workshop entitled “Express Yourself!” After the two days of hands-on training, they added 16 new liberal Filipino blogs – and half a dozen new podcasts – to the universal blogosphere.

Prominent Filipino bloggers Manolo Quezon III and Abe Olandres familiarized the group with the basics of blogging. “All bloggers compete in the free market of ideas,” said Manolo Quezon III, who many consider as the patriarch of Philippine blogging. In order to be ready for this competition, Friedrich Naumann Foundation Resident Representative Dr. Ronald Meinardus, who started his professional career as a radio journalist and also writes a blog, shared some advice on basic editorial guidelines for creating high-impact blog content and the strategic importance of finding and communicating a message.

Day two was reserved for podcasting. Under the guidance of Angelo Racoma, an experienced producer of online audio content, the participants created a series of liberal podcasts in a make-shift recording studio set up in the Foundation’s office.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Meinardus emphasized the significance of blogging and podcasting as political communications tools: “These are the most liberal of all communications tools; they give everyone with a computer and an Internet connection the means to speak up,” he said.

As the Foundation received many more applications for the activity than could be accommodated, it is planning a re-run in June 2006. Please send us an email should you be interested.

You may view the workshop program and a list with links to all new 16 Filipino blogs set up during the workshop.