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.

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 PIUS Core Team and Working Group members have joined  PIUS  because  of  its powerful  advocacy. Despite  the  limited  time, the  extreme  lack of  resources,  and  the absence  of  an  office,  PIUS  is  slowly taking  shape.

Just  like  any  infant organization, we  are suffering  from the  usual  birth pains,  including  adjustments  in terms  of  expectations from each  other.  In the absence  of   an office, we communicate  much  using the power  of  the Internet  and hold  meetings in houses  and offices of  some members as we could  not  afford meeting in restaurants.

Our  website  has  been  developed  by  volunteer web designers, while  some  projects  are  being  organized  by  core  members  and  partner  organizations, which are  contributing  their  share,  all  in the spirit  of  volunteerism for  a cause.  

One  of  our  volunteer  web designers  does  not  even  have  an  Internet  at home,  although  he  brings along  his  virtual  office  all  in  his  backpack,  which  contains  both  his  laptop  and  a  mobile  landline. He  just  frequents  areas  with  free  Wi-Fi  zones, where  he  does  his work.

Another  volunteer  web designer  resides  as  far  as  Baliuag, Bulacan,  but  has  done  so  much contribution  to the website  and in organizing  his package  of  events  at SM  Baliuag, all  in support  of the  PIUS  advocacy  and the Sept. 22  OneWebDay celebration.  

What is  also  so  admirable  is the  volunteerism expressed  by  the  20 computer technicians, who  have committed their services  to  offer  FREE  computer  repair on Sept. 22.  Some do  not  even  have their own computers,  but  are  willing to  support  the PIUS  cause  and  the OneWebDay  celebration.

We  are  calling  on  everyone  to  join PIUS  on the spirit  of volunteerism, all for  a  cause. It is  through volunteerism that  we  have  moved, slowly  at the start though,  but  now  accelerating  as  more  join  and contribute to the  exploding synergy.