I would like to extend, my personal congratulations to the Philippine Internet Users’ Society (PIUS) and their partners in leading the first ever celebration of OneWebDay in the Philippines.

The internet and new media have been harbingers of freedom of information and the press. The Internet is the equalizer of the mainstream media, bringing access to individuals even in remote locations and allowing the timid and shy and even the most marginalized sectors to share their voices to the world.

Although statistically the Philippine's internet access lags behind our neighbouring countries, Filipino internet users have been among the most vocal and socially active and participative in making use of the new media. Therefore, I fully encourage various efforts like that of PIUS and other organizations and individuals that are working in order to improve internet access to reach more Filipinos.

The Philippine Internet Users’ Society (PIUS) leadership and management does not take a partisanship position with regards to electoral politics, because doing so will typecast PIUS and limit its expansion reach.

PIUS does not have a unified stand or preference for any presidential candidate, or any politician in general, but it respects the individual private choices of its officers, members and its alliance partners.

PIUS is still a young newly-formed organization, but it has the potentials of becoming strong, huge and widespread as it is organized, not as a monolithic exclusive organization of peers of homogenous likes and activities, but as a movement that is powered and anchored on the following strengths:

OneWebDay on Sept. 22, 2009 is indeed history in the making for the Philippines and for all the 24 million Filipino internet users, whose interests PIUS represents.

It’s your ‘TYPE’ that’s it.

We therefore call on every Internet user to join us in celebrating the OneWebDay by contributing your share in teaching others how to use a computer and access the Internet.

Be part of history in the making because we are celebrating OneWebDay for the first time in the Philippines. Although there are lofty reasons why we celebrate it, but we are celebrating on the same date as other countries mainly because of what is called QWERTY logic, which means you have no choice but to follow an emerging international convention.

QWERTY represents the first six letters from the left of the top row of letters on a typewriter. It was designed and patented by Christopher Sholes in 1874 and sold to E. Remington & Sons in the same year, when it first appeared in typewriters. Legend has it that QWERTY was designed as you could type the word “Typewriter” with your fingers not ever leaving the top row of letters.

The Philippine  Internet Users  Society Inc. (PIUS)  supports  the initiative  of  I-CAFÉ  Pilipinas, a newly-formed  organization,  on its  recent campaign called  “Huwag Kang  Sasagot,”  an advocacy  against  cyber criminals.

PIUS  Chief Executive  Officer  Michael M.  Alunan  welcomed  the advocacy  campaign  of  I-CAFÉ  led  by  its  National  Advocacy  Officer  Gener Luis Morada,  claiming  that  this  will  forewarn  the 24  million  Filipino  Internet  users  of the  threats  of  cyber-crime  operators  now  invading cunningly   the  homes  of internet users, even   into the privacy  of  their  computer  files.

“The  No. 1  cryber  crime  is  being  committed  through  spam mail, one of  which  is  the  popular  “Nigerian Spam Main” which entices people to let  go  of  their hard earned money with the promise of generous returns. Many  have already  fallen for this trap,”  says  Morada  who  represents  the interests  of  the  widely dispersed 8,000  internet  cafe owners and shop operators nationwide which I-CAFÉ aims to organize.

More than the advocacy being pushed by the Philippine Internet Users Society (PIUS) , which is “Empowering Everyone Thru Computer and Internet Access,” is another advocacy of reviving an old traditional cultural trait of the Filipino, which is now fast vanishing because of the onslaught of free market competition.

Law of the jungle. In the liberal free market competition, there is a tendency for individuals to be reduced to the level of the beast in the dog-eat-dog, survival of the fittest, law of the economic jungle system, where everyone competes against each other for jobs, resources and opportunities.

The harsh competition in this so-called law of the jungle has triggered the rise of a perverted culture of ultra individualism and existentialism that is slowly eroding basic institutions and even the moral fabric that has kept family and society together. Even the humanist tradition of being concern for others, for the common good and for the general welfare, is now also slowly vanishing.

Let’s ‘FIX’ the ‘PIUS’ misimpression

After setting up recently the Philippine Internet Users Society with its acronym PIUS, some friends     queried us if this group has got something to do with VATICAN in Rome, probably referring to Pope PIUS.

But we do have people in our midst, whom we call in the local language as “BATIKAN,” which simply means good and expert in their particular craft. If we are not yet at that level, we do aim that everyone becomes a “BATIKAN.”

The  Philippine Internet Users Society (PIUS) enjoins  all  internet  users  and all computer-based businesses and establishments to support the Sept 22 ”OneWebDay,”  the  global  celebration  of  the  internet.

First in the Philippines. The OneWebDay Jam on Sept. 22  will be the  first ever celebration in the Philippines,  but  the  4th year  to be  celebrated  globally in several other countries led by the  U.S., where the New York-based OneWebDay non-profit  organization  is based. This year, about 50 countries are expected to join the  global  OneWebDay celebration.