Pinoy Expats Blog Awards 2009

The 2009 Pinoy Expats/OFW Blog Awards has been a very successful event and a remarkable evening for OFW bloggers and all Filipino bloggers in general. The awarding night was graced by different personalities and dazzled by amazing performances from incredible Filipino talents. It was a night full of splendor and extravaganza as awards for the Top 10 Blogs, Best Blogs by Region and Special Awards and Citations were given. Raffle prizes and souvenirs were also given away to the attendees.

I have been so touched by the production number performed by the Philippine Stagers Foundation. The goosebumps were even made more penetrating through the advocacies of Juana Change and the inspiring speeches of former DSWD secretary Dinky Soliman and Susan Ople of Blas F. Ople Policy Center. Rising Pinoy bands plus a dance troupe and a choir were also there to entertain the audience. I really felt like a real hero even before I received the award. :)

The night has almost ended when "Wits and Spirits" was called for a major award. I did not expect that my unfussy blog would land to the top 3 among the 37 blogs of Pinoy Expats/OFWs. Surprisingly, "Wits and Spirits" was also cited as the Best Blog for Asia and the Pacific. I was almost speechless that night but nevertheless, thankfulness was still running through my head moving down to my mouth causing it to utter some words of thanks and dedication. It was a surprise especially that the history of this blog was just a matter of homesickness and hunger for an outlet of expression. My close friends in Bangkok knew exactly how "Wits and Spirits" was coined after a spur-of-the-moment island escapade in Eastern Thailand. Not to mention, this blog has literally evolved until it got its own niche before 2008 ended.

Before I would sound dramatic, I have to notice that I have been mustering too much for this post. Too much because what I only wanted to say is thank you or "Khawb Khoon Khrap" in Thai. To those who have voted and raised this blog to the top 11 by popularity vote, thank you very much. To those who have inspired me to write, a blog entry is not enough to thank you guys. Thank you very much for trusting in my talents and abilities especially when nobody thought I had it. This award is just a simple beginning -- a simple step towards the realization of my little advocacy and mission of inspiring the youths to follow their dreams. I hope that this blog would continue to breath and endure like hope in the midst of dark and misty clouds.

I would also like to congratulate the other winners and of course to those who have participated. Everyone is a winner!