I am a Senior UP Political Science student conducting a research on the topic at hand. Having read your post, it has come to my attention that you MAY have read or even have a copy of the book Cyberactivism: Online Activism in Theory and Practice.

The book is not available in the country and can only be purchased via online shopping. No full e-books are available as well.

If you have already read the book that I mentioned I would like to request for your personal synopsis if you would allow.
(or even borrow the book if possible. hehe)

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

@Darn: Hey bro! How are you? We should have dinner soon with Mich and the others. Anyway, I agree with you that physically being in rallies has a deeper meaning. However, complimenting causes or movements with an online component can bring you a level higher because your reach expands exponentially. With the internet you break a lot of barriers that stop Filipinos from going to the street.

@Binog: Yup. At off-peak, P2.

@anonymouspinoy: Thanks for the insights bro. Agree with you 100%. Rebuilding this country starts with oneself. If you can’t provide for your family, how do you expect to serve the nation?

With this regard, online or offline rallies have its own advantages and disadvantages as well. So both points by the author and the commenter are right in their “own” way. Neither is wrong. It just depends on the person. Sure there are “general acceptable rules/beliefs” but that doesn’t mean that it’s the absolute truth as what is right for someone may not be right to another one.

Anyway… Personally, I don’t really support “rallies” on the streets aside from the fact that for me it’s already an overuse strategy to improve one’s personal status by “trying” to change the people in the government, the rallyists, vendors and its leaders doesn’t respect Mother Earth as well by throwing garbages on the street carelessly which clogs the drainages and they result to a major inconvenience to other people who go to work to cover the needs of their loved ones because the traffic is very overwhelming.

But this doesn’t mean I don’t support what they rallyists are doing. Of course I do. I just have other priorities and I consider them noble for prioritizing in changing the government (hopefully for the better) for all of our future. On that regard, they may be considered as “heroes”. But I hope that this is not the only thing they do to improve their lives as simply shouting your disgust is not enough as that may not work as you cannot really control them. Yes you can try but that is not a guarantee. The simplest analogy for this is the rain… No matter how disgusted you are because you have to go somewhere and rain spoiled your commitment, you can shout your lungs out to the heavens but it may or may not stop (it’s unlikely to stop because of you shouting). BUT you have total and 100% control over yourself – you can bring a raincoat, umbrella or even wear boots if you really want to go out.

Conclusion: Protesting against someone or something you feel is not right is A-OKAY but that should be supplemented by doing something for yourself. No money? Find a job, create a biz, have a sideline… Sabi nga, “Kapag gusto may paraan, kapag ayaw sandamakmak ang dahilan”.