WIKIPILIPINAS

In my visit to the 29th Manila International Book Fair the past Sunday, I came across a booth that is promoting a new web site aptly named, WikiPilipinas (www.wikiphilippines.org). As one might guessed, this web site follows the concept and format of the popular Wikipedia. Whether or not, WikiPilipinas is an offshoot of Wikipedia or has some form of relationship with the latter or it is an independent non – affiliated web site, I never know. Anyway, what is important to discover here is that we now have a dedicated information center cum online encyclopedia about the Philippines. And it’s about time. I mean I’ve visited Wikipedia almost every day but I came across only with a few articles regarding the Philippines, it’s culture, it’s society, and it’s personality. Now we have a website dedicated only to the Philippines exclusively! Immediately after I came home from the book fair, I proceeded to visit the WikiPilinas website and my first impression about it after reading some of its article is that it is quite staid, neutral, and overtly generalized lacking depth at times when compared to the other articles in Wikipedia, which are more in depth and presents a totally different perspective and view from what is the generally accepted “truth”. Another thing I’ve notice about WikiPilipinas is that of all the articles I’ve read in it, it is 99% similar to the same articles posted in Wikipedia. This either suggests some affiliation with the latter or simply somebody just cut – paste and copy the whole enchilada from Wikipedia to WikiPilipinas. However, WikiPilipinas do have some notable differences with Wikipedia and this pertains to the category of Philippine restaurants guide and hotel guide although, again the article is rather staid and neutral; nothing helpful. Anyway, after visiting the website, I had to admit that I can’t contain my excitement. Finally, we have an online encyclopedia for ourselves. It made me feel proud being a Filipino – Chinese. In addition to that, I suddenly felt this urge to contribute to the “cause” – of enhancing the image of the Philippines and the Filipinos through WikiPilipinas. However, I am stumped by a single thought; what would I write about? I mean writing an article for WikiPilipinas is akin to writing a blog with one notable exception. In blog writing, the articles are highly opinionated – my opinions about world around me. In Wikis, the articles are not opinions but facts (if one were to stay true to the concept of an encyclopedia). This is the fault of the original Wikipedia, a lot (not all) of the articles I came across sounded like an opinion, which are at times inaccurate and often debatable. The spirit of Wikipedia is that let the “best qualified person” (which in a conventional encyclopedia refers to the best among the experts) writes the subject matter that they know best and let the whole wide world decide on the “accuracy” of such written article. But the point here is that not all people are well versed with the subject matter and with opinions disguised as facts, many are misled. So how do we root out “heresy” from the facts in this situation? How can we “decide” as a collective on the “accuracy” of the written articles if we are not well versed with the subject matter in the first place? (In some Wikipedia articles, some authors would create a section in the article that contains the “controversial” aspect of the subject matter and hence allow a more balanced point of view). So in short, what I need in order to write an article for WikiPilipinas are (1) it should be factual and not fictitious and it should have a credible basis, (2) it should be accurate and if it is debatable, (3) it should offer a balance view point. Well, given that criteria, the only article that I can think of writing is actually my own autobiography but writing an autobiography in Wikis would be the height of narcissism and vanity. Anyway, I am still figuring out on what to write on WikiPilipinas. A book summary perhaps? But it should be Filipino books which I admit I have read a little. Or a Filipino all time favorite dish recipe? But I don’t know how to cook except for the simplest of dishes which I even wonder if it has any semblance of a genuine Filipino cuisine. Hmmmm, tough decision! Anyway, I enjoin any Filipinos be it Pinoys or Chinoys reading this article to actually take up the “cause” and write something for WikiPilipinas, it is after all about us.