Last night, I was at the awards night for the Philippine Blog Awards 2009. I was there both as my official capacity to represent Level Up (we’re sponsors) and as a blogger myself. And yeah, this blog was disqualified to be nominated since we’re a sponsor. Sigh.

Congrats to all the winners and to Juned and company for organizing and pulling off a great one. I was especially touched by Gang Badoy’s (of RockEd Radio) speech on bloggers and blogging.

I echo Gang’s stand that bloggers indeed influenced and helped a lot of those in need during the Ondoy floods. We used our blogs, our Twitters, Facebook shouts, Plurks, YM and even cellphones to immediately INFORM everyone on who needs help, which areas were flooded and basically direct all information to those who needed it. Basically, the mediums of Web 2.0 became the lifeblood and the means for which rescue and assistance came about.

Heck, even government agencies and media turned to the bloggers and responsible netizens for information. That’s how influential (and useful… not just to share funny vids or pron) the Internet has become. The web has fulfilled its own vision.

Users shifted from becoming spectators to early adopters to actually using the tool to its full potential to change and affect lives.

There’s no need for any mutation AI for something spectacular as a “SkyNet” for a computer program (or system) to do something only science fiction dreamed about.

We have witnessed that change. We have used the tools to its utmost potential.

We’re doing a nice job at it… and we’re living in the best of times. Imagine that disaster without modern communication.

I’m sure countless lives would have been lost.