Google transforming Phl politicians into netizens

MANILA, Philippines - For lawmakers to have a better reach to constituents within and outside the Philippines, Internet search company Google on Wednesday started teaching legislators on how to effectively use online tools.

Together with Sen. Pia Cayetano, Google held a seminar among legislators emphasizing the advantage of using online tools in reaching 33 million Filipinos connected to the internet, and the 11 million documented overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

“We want to help our public servants learn how to reach the Filipino people through the Internet by understanding the digital landscape in the Philippines and the online behavior of Filipinos. Filipinos are very technologically-savvy. They are constantly online. And the better way to engage with Pinoys about issues that concern them is to meet them where they are - online, whether on their laptops or mobile phones,” said Narciso Reyes, Country Manager for Google Philippines.

Google shared studies showing mobile penetration in the Philippines is now at 111 percent and around two-thirds of mobile users possess Internet-enabled devices.

In a 2011 study by Decision Fuel and InMobi, Filipinos were found to have spent 54 percent of their time online on their laptops and mobile phones. They spent 27 percent of their time watching television, 13 percent listening to the radio, and six percent reading newspapers.

“As a public servant, I want to make sure that I am accessible to the people, and at the same time get feedback from them, especially those who spend a lot of time on social networks,” Cayetano said, who maintains a website, blog, Facebook page, YouTube channel, and a Twitter account.

“I believe that creating a presence on the Internet will not only help us get closer to our constituencies and interact with them, it will also help them become educated about our programs,” the Senator added.

The seminar focused on how Google Search, Google+ Hangouts, and YouTube can be used to engage better with the people and allow them to interact with government officials, and actively participate in nation building.

"We hope Philippine legislators will be able to use the Internet to strengthen communication and engagement with their constituents. We also want to help Filipinos make informed decisions about issues that affect them, especially this election season,” said Deborah Nga, Country Lead for Public Policy and Government Affairs in the Philippines for Google Southeast Asia.

During the seminar, Google showed how other countries like the United States, Japan, Korea and Indonesia have successfully launched campaign strategies using Search, YouTube, and Google+ for electorate education in their recent elections.