What’s TXTPower All About?

Posted by on Sep 14, 2007 in Random Blabber | 2 comments

While browsing the news today, I stumbled upon Inquirer’s latest news (which, BTW, had a curious SEMCON 2007 Banner) about people using technology to hold leaders accountable.

SEMCONInq

INQUIRER.net
Last updated 03:50pm (Mla time) 09/13/2007

MANILA, Philippines — A group of local activists said they will use all means, including today’s technology, to hold leaders of this nation accountable to people.

“TXTPower will use websites and other technologies to guard government officials. There is really nothing specific or formal that is being planned. But what we’re saying is that with today’s technology, it will difficult for officials to hide. There are now pieces of evidences available, such as those of the ‘Hello Garci.’ Government cannot stop the spread of information,” said TXTPower president Anthony Ian Cruz, in a telephone interview.

I searched for more info and found the TXTPower website – which was a familiar looking WordPress theme. If you look at the archives of the site, apparently the group has been around since August 2001.

Anthony Ian Cruz, or Tonyo, is one of TXTPower’s cofounders. Professionally, he works as House Deputy Minority Leader Satur Ocampo’s press officer. He is also a cofounder of Indymedia QC Pilipinas.

The other founders of the website are also there. I found it quite intriguing now how technology is used in new socially-relevant ways. Clearly, Mr. Cruz is an activist who knows how to use the power of the mobile technology.

The concept of making leaders accountable using technology is very promising. In my opinion, graft and corruption is prevalent simply because those who do it can get away with it. Communication and information dissemination is the key to cleaning up people’s act. Leaders that should be held under scrutiny. Filipino culture is traditionally “warlord” based. People bow to those who have the money and the power. With technology, there is now a very REAL way of empowering the ordinary citizen.

At the moment, the tech and activist crowds seem to have an advantage. They seem to very tech-savvy. The Government leaders, on the other hand, are not really known to be tech-literate. I wonder whether the advantage can be maintained.

We’ll see where this goes.

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2 comments

  1. tonyo
    15 Sep ’07

    Hi. Thanks for taking interest in TXTPower.

    A little correction first: I have recently resigned from Ka Satur’s office fairly recently, and I have “worked” on freelance writing since late August.

    TXTPower was formed on August 27, 2001 as a response to the then issue of free text reduction by Smart and Globe. We succeeded in delaying it, thanks to widespread support from subscribers and the media. We thought it was just a short but quick campaign but TXTPower has been here for six years now.

    You may check out my blog entries on TXTPower and how it uses tech for “socially-relevant” purposes through the following links:

    http://tonyo.blogspot.com/2007/09/philippines-txtpower-turns-7.html (which has a wrong title — it should only have 6, not 7!)

    http://tonyo.blogspot.com/2005/12/txtpower-brings-gospel-of-mobile.html

    http://tonyo.blogspot.com/2006/06/txtpower-nears-5th-birthday.html

    The role of texting in People Power (Edsa Dos) put the Philippines at the top of the list among nations with a fairly sophisticated use of mobile technology for activism. TXTPower is proud to draw inspiration from it, especially when we popularized and hosted the Hello Garci ringtones in 2005.

    Thanks and keep in touch!

  2. jozzua
    18 Sep ’07

    Hi Tonyo. Well, keep up the online activism and good luck!