Important Roles of ICT in the Million People March

The Million People March or the so-called “Pork Barrel Scam” was the first ever on-going series of protest in the Philippines held at the Luneta Park on the 26th day of August 2013, about the total abolition of the Pork Barrel or the Priority Development Assistance Fund scam which triggered the anger of the people through social medias such as Facebook and Twitter. Many Filipinos expressed their anger through creating blogs, pages, advertisements and even memes to show that they agree to the idea of stopping the Pork Barrel Fund.

For an instance, a Facebook event was entitled: “MILLION PEOPLE MARCH TO LUNETA AUGUST 26: SA ARAW NG MGA BAYANI, PROTESTA NG MGA BAYANI!!!” was created by Arnold Pedrigal and Bernardo Bernardo using the power of the social media to invite the people to join the protest for the pork barrel fund mess to be stopped. Their Facebook status says ” what we need is a  MILLION PEOPLE MARCH by struggling Filipino taxpayers- a day of protest by the silent majority that would demand all politicians and government officials to stop pocketing our taxes borne out from our hard works by means of this pork barrel scams and other creative criminal acts.”

Another is a group of people called hacktivist or the PrivateX repaired at least 30 government websites early on August 26,2013, hours before the main protests. These includes the websites of the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Embassy in Rome.

ICT has almost become the platform of change because the protest is mostly organized through social media channels. Through this millennial tool, Filipinos, once again showed their love for their country and for the people who works hard for their living that pays their taxes veraciously yet some government officials or NGO’s won’t do the same thing and pockets the money of their countrymen. As time goes by, social medial will always be a part of our great history because no matter what the situation is, Filipinos will surely fight for what is right, cry for what is just and tussle for what is best for our country by the means of everything.

 

 

SOURCE/S:

https://www.google.com.ph/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=million%20people%20march

https://globalvoices.org/2013/08/27/million-people-march-against-corruption-in-the-philippines/