Late DILG chief Jesse Robredo is WikiPinoy of the Year

The late Interior and Local Government secretary Jesse Robredo has been voted WikiPinoy of Year in 2012 by readers of local free online encyclopedia WikiPilipinas.org. In a statement Thursday, WikiPilipinas.org described a WikiPinoy as someone who is “not content just sitting behind an office desk.” “ A WikiPinoy is proactive—just like Sec. Robredo,” it said. WikiPilipinas.org said about 86 percent of its readers voted for Robredo, who died in a plane crash off Masbate last August, during its month-long poll on its website. “He [Robredo] left us with his own brand of leadership—Tsinelas Leadership, focusing on simplicity and humility as embodied by Robredo with his signature plain white shirt and slippers. Robredo was known to undertake on-ground public service in his slippers—in contrast to the formal ensemble of more traditional politicos,” WikiPilipinas.org said. Ranking second and third as WikiPinoy of the Year were free reading advocate Hernando Guanlao and the Proud to be LGBT Campaign Network, respectively. Other candidates were Agaw Trip Komiks, Fil-Am American Idol finalist Jessica Sanchez, Sen. Miriam-Defensor Santiago, boxer Brian Viloria, the late comedian Dolphy, “May Tamang Balita” host Ramon Bautista, award-winning director Brillante Mendoza, actor Richard Yap, and child Peace Prize awardee Kesz Valdez. In 2011, YouTube sensation Mikey Bustos was voted WikiPinoy of the Year, while Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism executive director and GMA News TV's "Investigative Documentary" host Malou Mangahas earned the same recognition in 2010. WikiPilipinas.org is the biggest collaborative writing project in the Philippines with over 60,000 articles in English and 6,000 articles in Filipino. In addition to encyclopedic entries on history, culture, sports, government, media, entertainment and other knowledge areas, the site also features stories like Top 10 Malls in the Philippines, Top Beaches, Top Online Shops, Ultimate Hunks and the likes. — Rouchelle Dinglasan/KBK, GMA News