This is the first time that I will participate in Janette Toral’s Top Ten Emerging Influential Blogs Writing Project. I found it actually quite hard to select the full slate of 10 entries. I’m quite discriminating with the blogs I read so selecting 10 new good blogs is kinda hard. Well, below is the list in no particular order.

• The Not So Talented Delfin “DJ” Justiniano Ocampo Montano II. Some people might find this blog distateful and would not consider citing it among their 10 entries, but if we are going to be objective about it, Brian Gorrell’s blog is—without a doubt—the most influential Philippine-related blog there is. For better or for worse, this blog has influenced the local blogosphere and even mainstream media like no other blog has ever had. In fact, I have already seen several copycats, shawarma-style, trying to ride this gossip blog wave.

• Filipino Voices. It’s quite obvious that Filipino Voices is going to be one important group blog for discussing various issues, trivial or momentous, that affect our country today. I see this blog becoming a vital resource this coming 2010 elections. Filipino Voices have already successfully conducted The Philippine Issues Writing Project. (You should read my entry to that writing project.)

• Bloggers’ Kapihan. Before Filipino Voices, there is Bloggers’ Kapihan, a noteworthy endeavor that shows that Filipino youth are not the apathetic bunch you would think they are. These bloggers have already conducted a few outreach seminars teaching the value of blogging to other Filipino youth.

• Technograph. This is the best new local tech blog I’ve seen this past year. While the Technographist is a friend of mine, that’s not the sole reason why I’m listing this blog. The primary reason is that Technograph provides a coverage of Philippine-related technical issues that’s quite different from your usual tech blogs like Yugatech.

• The Philippine Diary Project. It’s funny, but I haven’t seen anybody nominate Manolo’s pet project among their 10 entries. I’ll admit that I generally don’t like History as a subject (that despite me getting the top grade in Araling Panlipunan: Kasaysayan ng Mundo (Social Studies: World History) back in my senior year in high school), but this interesting blog provides a look at the thoughts of some of the most influential people in our nation’s history. Marcos’ diary entries are quite enlightening, for example.

• Bloggers Da Who. I can’t prove it, but I think AJ found the inspiration for this blind-item gossipy blog from Brian Gorrell’s blog. But anyway, this blog focusing on the local blogosphere has surely entered the consciousness of many of the more visible and popular local bloggers.

• You Got Tech. Aileen got together a bunch of local bloggers, from Manila to Davao, and started this tech blog for non-techies. You can find here a lot of nice vidcasts showing product reviews, tech demos, and tutorials that non-techies would appreciate. (You should read my previous entry to know the people behind those eyes in the header. )

• Mar Roxas for President in 2010. I’m not necessarily voting for Mar Roxas when he runs in 2010 but I can see that Ben Chua’s blog will become a sort-of template for citizen-initiated online political endorsements come 2010.

• BlogBank. This entry is really a hack, so to speak, because I’m listing BlogBank itself and it just so happens that they have a corporate blog. BlogBank is, so far, the most successful public blog advertising network in the Philippines and is quite influential in shaping how corporate entities see blogs as a viable advertising medium. I don’t see Mad Crowd Media being this successful and the third major advertising network is still unannounced (though it has conducted several campaigns already).

• Fritzified. A new blog doesn’t have to be ground-breaking or political or showbiz to be influential. Sometimes, the blogger behind it just needs to be a good person for he, himself, to become a positive influence to the bloggers he meets and the readers he writes for. Well, Fritz Tentativa is certainly the nicest and friendliest new blogger I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting, so my last slot goes to him.

There you go! My list of the top ten emerging influential blogs for 2008 in my humble opinion. What do you think of my entries? Would you change your own lists because of my entry? Hehehe.