Blogging is big in the Philippines, and it's going to become even more popular in 2007.

Want proof? Not only are more Filipinos blogging, recently they've been taking over the reins of a number of international blog sites, including the Blog Herald.

As INQUIRER.net tech reporter Erwin Oliva wrote, Filipino professional bloggers Abe Olandres and J. Angelo Racoma are now at the helm of The Blog Herald. The Blog Herald, founded by Duncan Riley in 2003, was the first blog to focus exclusively on news on the blogosphere.

Meanwhile, Kiven has joined Creative Weblogging as the resident blogger for PCGamers blog.

Most recently, Jayvee Fernandez has taken over the post of Technology Channel Editor for b5media Inc.

I personally believe that 2007 will be an even more fruitful year for the online media both in the mainstream and blogging scene. As I've said in my column piece for the Infotech section of INQUIRER.net, I don't subscribe to the simplistic view of a zero-sum battle between journalists and bloggers that only one side can win. Both can learn from each other.

As a journalist, however, I believe the press must strive to be better than bloggers. Technology has made it possible for everyone to compete on equal footing; now it's up to us to be the best we can be, and prove that we're more worthy of our readers' trust.

As journalists, we must also avoid the trap of falling in love too much with technology and forgetting that it's a tool to achieve what's truly important, which is to tell stories for our readers.

The brave new world that we're creating has room for both mainstream media and New New Media. This doesn't mean, however, that the two will have identical roles. Expect more debates on these issues in the years to come, but always remember that what's great about this is we can now hear the different sides speak--if we choose to keep an open mind and listen to what they have to say.

Happy New Year, everyone!