BIBLIOGRAPHY TULAY, ATHALIAH G. APRIL 2011. A...
BIBLIOGRAPHY
TULAY, ATHALIAH G. APRIL 2011. A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com, Benguet State
University, La Trinidad, Benguet.
Adviser: Chamberlane P. Altatis, BSc
ABSTRACT
The study was conducted to determine how Sagada-Igorot.com started, what is the profile
of the blogger, the contents of the blog and its purpose and the perceptions of the respondents in
terms of Weinberg’s characteristics of blogging through profiling.
The perceptions of the respondents with regards to Weinberg’s characteristics of
blogging were analyzed using purposive sampling and frequency counts.
Results revealed that Sagada-Igorot.com adhered to Weinberg’s characteristics of
blogging. Also, the blog and other Igorot blogs were created because of the different
misconceptions and discrimination on Igorot people, culture and society.
It is recommended that more Igorot blogs should be generated to educate Filipinos who
have little knowledge on Igorot culture. Additionally, promotion and information-sharing on the
part of the readers should be done to minimize and eradicate the issue.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Bibliography……………………………………………………………………
i
Abstract ...........………………………………………………………………...
i
Table of Contents ………………………………………………………………
ii
INTRODUCTION ……………………………………………………………..
1
Rationale
………………………………………………………………. 1
Statement of the Problem ……………………………………………...
2
Objectives of the Study ………………………………………………..
2
Importance of the Study ……………………………………………….
3
Scope and Limitation of the Study …………………………………….
3
REVIEW OF LITERATURE ………………………………………………….
4
Blogging as a Media …………………………………………………...
4
Profile
……………………………………………………………….… 5
Characteristics of Blogging …………………………………………....
5
The
Igorots
…………………………………………………………….. 7
Culture
………………………………………………………………… 8
Definition of Terms ……………………………………………………
9
METHODOLOGY …………………………………………………………….
10
Locale and Time of the Study ………………………………………….
10
Respondents of the Study ……………………………………………...
10
11
Data Collection ………………………………………………………...
11
Data to be Gathered ……………………………………………………
12
Data Analysis ………………………………………………………….
13
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ……………………………………………….
13
History of Sagada-Igorot.com …………………………………………..
14
Profile of the Blogger …………………………………………………...
15
Contents of the Blog ……………………………………………………
Socio-demographic Profile
24
of the Respondents ……………………………………………………..
Perceptions of the Followers
25
about the Blog …………………………………………………………..
SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND
32
RECOMMENDATIONS ………………………………………………………
32
Summary ……………………………………………………………….
33
Conclusions …………………………………………………………….
33
Recommendations ……………………………………………………...
34
LITERATURE CITED ………………………………………………………...
APPENDIX ……………………………………………………………………
35
A. The Sagada-Igorot.com ……………………………………………
35
B. Guide Questions ……...……………………………………………
36
C. Survey Questionnaire ……………………………………………...
37
INTRODUCTION
Rationale
Twenty-first century is a time for upgraded information, communication
technologies, especially the internet. It can emulate hard copies and disseminate proven
or theorized study or information at any rate. With all the advent ways of communication,
blogging is one of it.
Blogging according to Diaz (2008) is a contraction of the term “we blog”. It is
considered as a generation “Y” item or the internet generation term that started during the
mid 1990s. Wisegeek (2010) also defines blog as type of a website that has regular
entries featuring commentaries, description of events and news both personal and
general.
Blogging as a current popular means of communication has also great impacts,
especially on social issues. Although most blogs today talks about television celebrities
which focuses on their scandals and rumors, some blogs also lead to significance
discussions on societal and cultural issues. In the Cordillera, blogging has already one of
the medium for increasing Igorot culture and awareness, and Sagada-Igorot.com is one of
the many Igorot blogs.
Sagda-Igorot.com is a blog administered by an Igorot blogger named Kamulo
wherein it depicts and discusses the Igorot community and Sagada. It further shares the
different stories of the Igorot people as they traverse the different places in the world.
As a result, a research regarding on the profile of the blog Sagada-Igorot.com was
conducted to further strengthen the blogging methods of the blogger and also the future
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bloggers. The study also aimed to find out whether Sagada-Igorot.com can easily be
suited for other purposes especially in educating fellow Filipinos with regards to Igorot
culture.
Statement of the Problem
The study generally aimed to determine the profile of Sagada-Igorot.com
It specifically answered the following questions:
1. What is the history of Sagada-Igorot.com blog?
2. What is the profile of the blogger?
3. What are the contents of the blog?
4. What are the socio-demographic profiles of the blog followers?
5. What are the perceptions of the respondents of the blog followers in terms of
Weinberg’s characteristics of blogging?
Objectives of the Study
The study determined the profile of the blog Sagada-Igorot.com, it specifically:
1. Determined the history of the Sagada-Igorot.com;
2. identified the profile of the blogger;
3. classified the contents of the blog;
4. determined the socio-demographic profile of the blog followers; and
5. identified the perceptions of the respondents about the blog in terms of
Weinberg’s characteristics of blogging.
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Importance of the Study
The study purposely determined the profile of Sagada-Igorot.com and the
perceptions of the followers about the characteristics of the blog in terms of Weinberg’s
characteristics of blogging. Further, it also determined the challenges faced by the
blogger in coming up with the blog; and the blog’s objectives.
Researchers of the same field and other related fields may also use the result of
the study as a point of reference.
Scope and Limitations of the Study
The study focused on the profile of Sagada-Igorot.com and the perceptions of the
followers’ perceptions about the blog site in terms of Weinberg’s characteristics of
blogging. The study did not cover other Igorot blogs.
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Blogging as a Media
Blogging, either personal or corporate is defined as a type of website, usually
written by an individual with day-to-day entries of comments from participating
members, descriptions of events, and various other materials such as graphics or video.
Entries are usually displayed in reverse-chronological order. The word ‘Blog’ can also be
used as a verb, which bears the meaning to maintain or add content to a blog (Maira et
al., 2008).
A blogger can write anything that interest him or the things that he thinks is worth
sharing for. This is why community blogging can be used for identity or culture
education and assertion (Kamulo, 2009).
The Igorots formed blogs where they can post all of their experiences, reactions,
counter-reactions and opposition to any misconceptions regarding them. They created a
community when they come together as Igorots who are asserting their identity through
blogging. Also, Maira et al., (2008) added that, several of the Igorots do not personally
know each other but they relate easily because they share a common ideology and that is
the need to assert their identity – a need which every one of them responded to.
Blogging plays a very important role in the formation of such community because
it served as a tool in the formation and dissemination of ideology and culture (Downes,
2005). Unlike in the other mass media like television, radio and print, the Igorots can
only have a little chance of being heard, through the internet, it is greater than the other
mass media.
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Profile
According to dictionary30.com, a profile is a degree of exposure to public notice.
It is also the process of examining the available data in a given topic, and collecting
information about that topic (Loshin, 2003). Through profiling, existing topic can easily
be used for other purposes and it can also improve the validity of the topic.
Characteristics of Blogging
According to Weinberg (2010), there are at least ten characteristics of a successful
blog(gers), which may give blogs fame, fortune and loyal followings. These are:
Consistency. A blog must be consistent at providing quality content on regular
basis by posting more than once or at least once a day, wherein readers expect frequent
updates.
Eloquence. The blogger must write well, and have something insightful to say.
They also must have contents that exude intelligence and occasional wit. They treat
writing like an art and their art is viral.
Uniqueness. The blog must not do what everyone else does. It must have a
memorable design, trying its best to build a character and being a vault of resources
among other things.
Specific. A blog must have a specific focus, it is a chock full of great content on
the subject matters that the readers care most about.
Personal.
A characteristic of a blog wherein the blogger may not have to make his
blog completely personal but it is about getting to know who the person is behind the
screen. He may give stories which could relate to his topic and his mission in blogging.
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Analytical.
A blog must take a good look at data and analyze it clearly, and with
regular status updates of everything in the social media marketing and PR universe.
Detail. The blogger must show his passion into the blog post, offering deep
insight instead of just regurgitating news.
Though-Provoking. A blog that make you think once you finish reading the article
to improve are the ones that fit this label. A reader can’t help but read the posts and get a
few weeks takeaways on what to do next. The blog pushes the envelope but make the
reader think long and hard about what’s going to happen next.
Passion.
In everything that the blogger does, it is evident that he love what he
does and will work tirelessly to provide the ultimate experience to their readers, audience,
and their community.
Instructional. Usually these are the blogs that hold your hand to get things done,
best example of it are the recipe and cooking blogs.
Networked. In order for people to find you, you need to be able to market your
blog to them by visiting or commenting on other blogger’s post consistently. Go to local
or national face-to-face events to meet other bloggers, it’s a way to let people know you
actually exist in real world.
Paragraph Length. When writing articles, make sure that the paragraph lengths
should not have 30-40 lines wherein the visual appearance of a huge wall text will be so
overwhelming and intimidating that readers will be discouraged to read the post in its
entirety.
Blog readability. An easy-to-read blog post helps people scan through it so that
they can decide whether it’s interesting to them or not. Consider the following tips: keep
paragraphs short, have one idea per paragraph, use bulleted lists, use headings to break up
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your post into logical sections, use bold and emphasis to highlight key terms and
concepts, and keep your writing clear, avoid ambiguous language.
The Igorots
The Igorot are one of the first inhabitants of the Philippine islands. The word
Igorot means mountain people in tagalong. The word Igorot itself is consistently spelled
“Ygolot” in Spanish records of the period. It is believed that they arrived from the
northern islands of China and Tonkin (northern Vietnam) more than 10,000 years ago.
Currently, they are popularly known to be living in Northern Luzon. They used to occupy
an area known as Mountain Province, but recently the province was divided into four:
Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Apayao and Mt. Province. There are six Igorot tribes: Ibaloi,
Kankana-ey, Ifugao, Kalinga, Apayao (Isnegs) and the Bontocs. The province of Benguet
is inhabited by the Ibaloi and Kankana-eys; the province of Ifugao is inhabited by Ifugao;
the Mountain Province is inhabited by the Bontocs; and the Province of Kalinga-Apayao
is inhabited by the Kalinga (De Los Reyes et al., 2007).
The word Igorot itself had by this time become a more specific ethnic
designation; although it still showed up occasionally in the broader sense of
“mountaineer”, it was generally restricted to the native peoples of Benguet, Ifugao,
Mountain Province, Kalinga-Apayao and Kayapa of municipality of Nueva Vizcaya (de
Castro, 2007).
According to Scott and Conklin (1982), during the Spanish period, Igorots are
described physically as muscular, well-proportioned, bid-bodied, athletic, fleet as deer,
and so strong even women and children could can carry heavy loads up the steepest trails.
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By all accounts, they were better built and lighter-skinned than their lowland brethren.
Furthermore, as stated by Father Herosa (a respected priest during the Spanish time),
Igorots were “superior in everything to the Filipinos of the conquered provinces, who
excel them only in having been raised in the faith, civility and good breeding”. Their
lighter complexion and graceful bodies shows that they are of Chinese descent or
admixture.
Today, the images of the male Igorot as “cowboys” become pervasive aura among
educated highlanders. It served to enhance conceptions that were compatible with the
growing idea of highlanders’ sharing vaguely defined but deeply felt basic nature and
way of life (Sagalla, Lambert, 2005) as cited by Finn (2005). On the one hand, the
cowboy idea served as a powerful image suggesting to every highlander their exceptional
adaptability and strength to overcome adverse circumstances. On the other hand, the
image also brought to mind a pioneering spirit of endure. Ultimately, it embraced the
notion of highlanders as brave and heroic figures. Indeed, among highlander men of this
generation, to refer to a fellow highlander as “cowboy” is a cherished compliment (Finn,
2005).
Culture
Culture is traditionally the oldest human character, its significant traces separating
Homo from australopithecines, and Man from the Animals, though new discoveries are
blurring these edges in our day (Perez, 1988).
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As cited by Harris et al., (2002), Tylor (1871) wrote that "culture or civilization,
taken in its wide ethnographic sense, is that complex whole which includes knowledge,
belief, art, morals, law, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as
a member of society" while a 2002 document from the United Nations agency UNESCO
states that culture is the "set of distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional
features of society or a social group and that it encompasses, in addition to art and
literature, lifestyles, ways of living together, value systems, traditions and beliefs".
Definition of Terms
1. Igorot – any individual who belongs to any of these tribes: Kankana-ey, Ibaloi,
Bontoc, Ifugao, Kalinga, Apayao and Kalanguya.
2. Non-Igorot citizens or lowlanders – any individual that does not belong to the
above mentioned Igorot tribes.
3. Igorot blog – a blog that has the following criteria: blog administrator must be
an Igorot, of any of the mentioned tribal affiliation; the blog must tackle about Igorot
culture; and the administrator must know the (an) Igorot culture which is an experienced
blogger.
4. Readability – refers to the visual length of an article in a blog post.
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
METHODOLOGY
Locale and Time of the Study
The study was conducted in a virtual community (Figure 1) wherein the
respondents and the researcher exchanged ideas through emails.
With migration and because of the fast augmentation of innovations, the blogger
and the followers found a new way of communicating with each other and coping up with
the society, as a result, the use of internet, wherein blogging – Sagada-Igorot.com is
incorporated.
Hence, virtual setting is the locale of the study because the followers and the
bloggers hail from different places of the Philippines and the world. Through this site,
some followers found their commonality and education with regards to Igorot society.
The study will be conducted from December 2010 to January 2011.
Respondents of the Study
The study chose the Igorot blog Sagada-Igorot.com as a key source which
corresponds to the criteria. The criteria to be considered were: must be an Igorot blogger,
of any tribal affiliations; blogger must have a blog that tackles about the Igorot culture;
blogger must know the (an) Igorot culture and an experienced writer.
A secondary set of respondents was determined: there were 22 students and 32
professionals who are followers of the blog regardless of tribal affiliation aging from 18-
42. Each of the followers of the blog was sent a message asking for his/her consent to be
a respondent of the study, however, only 53 among the followers replied resulting to the
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said number of respondents.
Furthermore, the researcher purposively chose the followers of the blog for they
already know the strategies of the blogger when posting issues, and for that they were
more credible in evaluating the blog and the blogger. The following criteria in choosing
the followers were considered: the follower must read the blog frequently; and, they must
have a name on the followers’ section.
Data Collection
The blogger of Sagada-Igorot.com was consulted through email interview while
the 53 respondents were sent a survey questionnaire. Moreover, when there were ideas
that were not properly explained, the researcher further emails the respondents of the
study for clearer and better results.
Aside from interview, literature reviews and information retrieval were also
applied to come up with the needed information on the profile of Sagada-Igorot.com and
on the perceptions of the followers about the blog site in terms of Weinberg’s
characteristics of blogging.
Data Gathered
The data gathered focused on the profile of the blog Sagada-Igorot.com and the
followers’ perceptions with to the characteristics of blogging according to Weinberg; and
the objectives of the blogger in coming up with Sagada-Igorot.com.
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Data Analysis
The data gathered were consolidated, tabulated and analyzed through descriptive
analysis using the frequency counts, averages and percentages. Narrative reports were
also used to discuss the data gathered.
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
History of Sagada-Igorot.com
In coming up with an effective and successful Sagada-Igorot.com, the blog
underwent different renovations.
Sagada-Igorot.com used to exist as “Kamulo and Kosta’s Home: Breathtaking
Sagada, Philippines and the Igorot People”, wherein, two pages of the blog was first
published in Geocities in 1997. On 1998, Kamulo added the sections Sagada and Igorots
on “Kamulo and Kosta’s Home”, moreover, on 2002 he updated the links information
and navigation and re-formatted the blog appearance. On 2007, he already created the
Sagada-Igorot.com domain and renamed the site to Sagada Igorot Online. While on the
same year, he added the Philippine section, online store, and included the Blog of the
Sagada Igorot (B.O.T.S.I.), and on 2009 Kamulo moved all pages to the Sagada-Igorot
blog hosted in Blogger for easier maintenance. For two straight weeks, Sagada-
Igorot.com won the Filipino Blog of the Week and is now Hall of Famer. It is also one of
the highest ranked among search engine results of queries on “Sagada” and “Igorot”.
The blog was created for the blogger to share his thoughts and experiences on the
different issues with regards to Igorot facts, people and community and the Sagada. The
blog also is a venue where the Igorots and non-Igorots can exchange ideas about the
events in the region, and to recognize the achievements of the Igorots in the different
field. As of December 2010, the blog has at least 80 followers coming from the different
parts of the Philippines and the world.
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Profile of the Blogger
Kamulo, though it is just his nickname is the man behind
Sagada-Igorot.com, although his wife – Kosta randomly
share articles in the blog. He is a proud Igorot blogger from
Sagada, Mt. Province, Philippines and an IT consultant
based in Illinois, Chicago with his family. The blogger
finished secondary in Philippine Science High School and
tertiary in UP Diliman where he got exposed on how limited
others think of the Igorot people. There are also misconceptions on the look, culture and
intellectual capabilities of the Igorots. With his experiences in the premiere institutions
that he attended, the blogger then created Sagada-Igorot.com where he can assert his
identity and educate fellow Filipinos who are not that acquainted with the hardworking
Igorots and with a cultural heritage that is different from most other Filipinos.
Moreover, through blogging the information-sharing about the Igorot people may
ensue faster. Additionally, blogging may act as a language or a medium to guide
thoughts, perceptions and our sense of obtaining knowledge (Maira et al.,2008). It is a
tool for knowledge acquisition and at the same time, a more advanced way of educating
fellow Filipinos about the issue.
Additionally, the blogger was also asked about the different problems he
encountered while blogging and the solutions he applied to solve them. Since Mr.
Kamulo started blogging on 1997 and an IT consultant in Illinois, he does not have much
problems with the blogging world because he made sure that all of the prospect problems
will be handled subtlety.
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Contents of the Blog
The URL address of the blog during the study is http://sagada-
Igorot.blogspot.com and was copyrighted in 2009, the blog is divided in two sections.
First is the Sagada section that mainly talks about Sagada, Mt. Province, which has the
following contents: Sagada folk stories, Sagada in the news, Sagada issues, Sagada
locals, Sagada memories, Sagada song, and the Sagada websites or blogs. Second is the
Igorot people section wherein it has nine contents that discuss the experiences of the
Igorot people in different topics.
Igorot Discrimination. A part of the Igorot People section that discusses the
discriminatory notions and stereotypes experienced by the Igorot people now.
Figure 2. Examples of articles about discrimination posted on the blog
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Igorot Dances. This part describes the cultural dances of Igorots and how they
perform it which are shown through videos and photos. The different Igorot dances
mentioned are: Kayaw, Lumagen, Manerwap, Man-manok, Palakis, Ragragsakan,
Sakpaya, Salip, and Takik.
Figure 3. Examples of articles, photos and videos of Igorot dance posted on the blog
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Igorot Ethnic Groups. Another part of the Igorot people section that has talks
about the history of the different Igorot tribes. The Igorots are grouped into six ethno-
linguistic groups, the Bontoc, Ibaloi, Ifugao, Isneg (or Apayao), Kalinga, and the
Kankana-ey.
Figure 4. Articles regarding on the origin of different Igorot tribes.
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Igorot Events. This part describes the significant events and dates of celebrations
of the Igorot tribes in the Cordillera and how they manifest it. The different events
includes Panagbenga Festival in Baguio City, Lang-ay in Bontoc, Sas-aliwa in Natonin
etc.
Figure 5. Examples of articles with photos and videos of events in the Cordillera
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Igorot Identity. Another part of the section which discusses the issues with
regards to Igorot discrimination and how a Cordilleran raises his head amidst all the
different misconceptions.
Figure 6. An article of the blogger edifying his child that they are Igorots
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Igorot
recipe. It is the part of that is focused on the various recipes of Igorots (i.e.,
pinikpikan, etag etc) and the procedures on how to do it.
Figure 7. A post (left) that instructs how to cook Etag or innasin
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Igorot Land News. One of the contents of the Igorot section that usually updates
the people regarding on what is happening in the Cordillera people, their achievements
etc, especially those who are out of the country.
Figure 8. Some of the articles on the happenings of the places in the Cordillera region
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Igorots in the News. Another part the section that highlights people from
Cordillera who made a name on local, national and international scenes.
Figure 9. Examples of posts regarding about the death of the Igorot actor Marky Cielo
and others
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Igorots Worldwide. One of the contents of the Igorot section which talks about the
experiences and stories of the Igorot people outside the Philippines. The articles include
Hector Begeo, BIBAK groups’ different gatherings etc.
Figure 10. Some articles about the achievements of Igorots abroad
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Socio-demographic Profile of the Respondents
Table 1 shows the characteristics of the respondents who are followers of the blog
Sagada-Igorot.com. It describes the age, sex, occupation and tribal affiliations of the
readers of the blog.
Age and sex. Among the 53 respondents, majority belonged to the age bracket 18-
22 (56.6%) which also indicates that they are more indulged in surfing the internet,
followed by 23-27 (26.42%). Six (11.32%) of the respondents belonged to age bracket
28-32, then the age bracket 38-42 (3.78) and the least was 33-37 (1.89%). Out of the 53
respondents 33 of them were female while 20 were male.
Occupation. Most of the 53 followers were professional with a number of 32
while the rest were non-professionals or students.
Tribal affiliations. In terms of tribal affiliation, followers from the Cordillera
which has Ibaloi, Kankana-ey and Bontoc bloods have the most number which is 54.72%,
followed by the non-Igorot citizens or the lowlanders (Tagalog, Bisaya, Iloco,
Pangasinense and Bicolano) having 32.1% which also indicates that more and more non-
Cordilleran are getting acquainted with the Igorot people, culture and society, and the
least were the followers who are half-Cordilleran and half-lowlanders (13.21%).
Perceptions of the followers about the blog
The characteristics of Sagada-Igorot.com blog that promotes or depicts Igorot
culture were determined in terms of the following criteria by Weinberg: consistency,
purposeful, eloquence or articulateness, uniqueness, articles justify the title, thought-
provoking, timeliness, relevance of images, good blog lay-out, catchy titles, organized
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Table 1. Socio-demographic profile of the respondents
CHARACTERISTICS
FREQUENCY
PERCENTAGE
N=53
(%)
Age
18 – 22
30
56.6
23 – 27
14
26.42
28 – 32
6
11.32
33 – 37
1
1.89
38 – 42
2
3.78
TOTAL 53
100
Sex
Male
20
37.74
Female
33
62.26
TOTAL 53
100
Occupation
Professional
32
60.38
Non-professional (students)
21
39.62
TOTAL 53
100
Tribal Affiliation
Cordilleran
29
54.72
Half Cordilleran-
half lowlander
17
32.1
Lowlander
7
13.21
TOTAL 53
100
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contents and easiness of the blog to find. The evaluation is presented in Table 2.
Consistency. Majority (83.02%) of the readers agreed that the contents of the
articles in the blog were consistent because: most of the topics pertained to Igorot culture;
the blogger was knowledgeable in his subject; blogger presented significant ideas which
have sufficient ideas; the blog also had logical and direct articles that persuaded a person
who has an Igorot blood to be a proud one; it also nurtured some aspects and issues that
some of the readers do not know; the topics were highlighted locally, nationally and
internationally; and the blogger writes well.
However, 7.54% (4) of the respondents said that the blog discusses different
topics in every blog post wherein some readers might get confused; some topics
presented were generally accepted truth; and the blog simply did not meet one of the
respondent’s expectations. Other respondents do not have any answers at all.
Articles express the purpose of the Blog. All of the respondents agreed that the
articles express the purpose of the blog, because the articles goes with the theme and tells
about the experiences of the Igorots.
Eloquence. Almost 93% (49) of the readers said that the blogger is articulate or
has a clear message, while 5.66% claimed otherwise. Furthermore, one of the respondents
added that the articles do not have much introduction which makes the posts direct and
not going around the bush.
Uniqueness. Majority (86.79%) of the respondents agreed that the blog was
unique which discusses and shows different ideas; the articles were also clear-cut and
subjective in nature; the blogger is passionate in his writings and a proud Igorot; and of
course the blog simply depicts Igorot culture.
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Articles justify the Title. Majority (86.79%) of the readers said that the articles
justified the title which was detailed. The respondents also said that the articles explained
the title, the persons involved with the issue and why such issue is happening. The
blogger also provides examples of experiences, photos and videos to make his articles
more analytical.
Thought-provoking. Most (81.13%) of the readers approved that the blog
provoked their thoughts and offers deep insights on a given topic. Further, the readers
especially the non-Igorot citizens said that they find themselves agreeing and learning of
the different subjects in the blog which results to realizations and strong assertion of
Igorot identity.
Timeliness. Majority (79.24%) of the readers claimed that the blog was timely
because the articles were appropriate and applicable for all time, especially the topics
regarding on Igorot discrimination and Igorot identity; the articles were also informative
and can be a basis of any related studies; it also talks about the current events which were
helpful to those who were in a foreign country; and, the blog was just another approach
of incorporating wise and willful taming to such issues.
Blog Lay-out. Majority (88.68%) of the readers agreed that the lay-out of the blog
was pleasing to the eye and correlates with the theme. Moreover, 50 (94.34%) of the
readers said that the images used were good and relevant to the discussed topics.
However, 9.43% among the respondents claimed that the blog would even be more
effective if the blog has ethnic colors or a background of Igorot artworks.
Catchy titles. The blog articles also have catchy titles as agreed by 79.25% of the
respondents because the blogger adds some twists on the titles and sometimes uses Igorot
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
29
terms to make it catchy. Also, the articles have organized contents which were approved
by 90.57% of the readers because the blogger knows what to put first and what to write
last.
Easiness of blog to find. Majority (83.02%) of the respondents said that the blog is
easy to locate since the blog followers already know the site. However, 15.0% of the
respondents claimed that at first, locating the blog is not that easy because there are lots
of Igorots site.
Consistency and eloquence (and uniqueness) are the strongest attributes of
Sagada-Igorot.com according to the definitions of Weinberg of the said terms. This was
also seconded by Urban (2009) who said that the articles posted must have class and
vault of resources among other things. Furthermore, the blogger should have the
intelligence and wit to write his blog articles.
Characteristics of the Blog Articles. The respondents’ evaluation on the paragraph
length and idea presentation of the blog articles are shown in Table 3 which also connects
to the characteristics of a good blog that Weinberg presented.
Paragraph length. Majority (88.68%) of the readers agreed that the articles’
length were just enough because it did not bore them, while 7.55% said that the articles
were too short and 1.89% of the respondents said that the articles were too long.
Idea presentation. Most (83.02%) of the readers claimed that the ideas in the
articles were clearly presented, as opposed to the 13.21% of the respondents who claimed
that it was barely presented. This indicates that there were less or almost no confusing
words used in the articles.
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
30
Table 2. Respondents’ perceptions about the blog in terms of Weinberg’s characteristics
of blogging
CRITERIA
YES
NO
NO ANSWER
NO. PERCENTAGE NO. PERCENTAGE NO. PERCENTAGE
(N=53)
(N=53)
(N=53)
Consistency 44
83.02 4
7.55
5
9.43
Expresses
the purpose 53
100
-
-
-
-
of the blog
Eloquence 49
92.45 3
5.66
1
1.89
Uniqueness 46
86.79 3
5.66
4
7.55
Articles
justify the 46
86.79 4
7.55
3
5.66
title
Thought-
provoking 43
81.13 6
11.32
4
7.55
Timeliness
42
79.24 4
7.55
7
13.21
Relevance
of images
50
94.34 1
1.89
2
3.77
Good blog
lay-out
47
88.68 5
9.43
1
1.89
Catchy
titles
42
79.25 8
15.09
3
5.66
Organized
contents
48
90.57 4
7.55
1
1.89
Easiness
of the blog
44
83.02 8
15.09
1
1.89
to find
*Multiple Responses
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
31
Table 3. Respondents’ evaluation on the paragraph length and idea presentation of the
blog articles
CHARACTERISTICS
FREQUENCY
PERCENTAGE
N=53
(%)
Paragraph Length
Too short
4
7.55
Too long
1
1.89
Just enough
47
88.68
No answer
1
1.89
TOTAL 53
100
Idea Presentation
Clearly
44
83.02
Hardly
7
13.21
No answer
2
3.77
TOTAL 53
100
Features. Table 4 shows the perceptions of the followers on the blog’s readability.
Most (67.92%) of the readers agreed that the blog have headings to break the posted
articles into logical sections which lessen the possibility of the readers to be confused.
Also, 73.58% of the respondents said that the articles have bolds or emphasis to highlight
key terms and concepts for easier remembering of the ideas.
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
32
Table 4. Perceptions of the followers on the blog’s readability
FEATURES
FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE
N=53
With heading to
break up the post
36
67.92
into logical sections
With bold or emphasis
to highlight key
39
73.58
terms and concepts
Confusing words
7
13.21
*Multiple Responses
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Summary
The study was conducted in a virtual community where the respondents and the
researcher exchanged ideas through emails. It focused on the history of Sagda-
Igorot.com, the profile of the blog administrator in coming up with Sagada-Igorot.com,
the contents of the blog and the respondents’ perceptions about the blog site in terms of
Weinberg’s characteristics of blogging.
The blog administrator was consulted through email interview while the 53
followers of the blog were also consulted and given questionnaire via email. The study
was conducted from December 2010 to January 2011.
The data gathered were consolidated, tabulated and analyzed though descriptive
analysis using frequency counts, averages and percentages.
Findings showed that readers belonged to the age bracket 18-22, where majority
of them are females.
Most of the followers are Cordilleran and lowlanders where as few are half
blooded Cordilleran and lowlander.
With all the misconceptions and some derogatory statements on Igorot people,
culture and society, Sagada-Igorot.com was created to educate people who are not that
knowledgeable of the Igorot culture.
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
34
Conclusions
The following conclusions were derived from the study:
1. Because of the different misconceptions on Igorot people and culture, Sagada-
Igorot.com was created;
2. Igorot discrimination, dances, ethnic groups, events, identity, recipe, Igorotland
news, Igorots on the news and Igorots worldwide are the contents of Sagada-Igorot.com
that depicts culture; and
3. Sagada-Igorot.com is a successful and effective blog for educating fellow
Filipinos who are not that knowledgeable with the Igorot society.
Recommendations
Based on the conclusions, the following recommendations were formulated:
1. More blogs that portray the Igorot people and culture should be created to
educate individuals who are not that acquainted with Igorots;
2. Promotion and sharing of information on the part of the readers should be
done to encourage more people to read the different blogs and be aware about Igorots;
3. The blogger must also consider widening the scope and putting more in-
depth, uncommon views and recent happenings about the Igorot society; and
4. The blogger must consider the suggestions of the blog followers.
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
LITERATURE CITED
De CASTRO, S. 2007. Igorot of the Philippines. Retrieved February 20, 2010,
from
http://www.angelfire.com/alt/shelly5853
De LOS REYES, A. and ANGELO, J. 2007. Ethnographies of Major Tribes:
Igorot, a People who daily touch the Earth and the Sky. Baguio City,
Philippines: Cordillera School Group. Pp 5 - 15 , 18 , 21 , 25 - 30 ,
78 , 80 , 100 - 102 , 159- 165
DIAZ, A. 2008. Definition of a Blog. Retrieved February 8, 2010,
from
http://www.wisegeek.com
DOWNES, S. 2005. Community Blogging. Retrieved November 19 , 2010,
from
http://www.scribd.com
FINN, G. 2005. The Making of Igorot: ramut ti panggkaykaysa dagiti taga Cordillera.
Quezon City, Philippines : Ateneo de Manila University Press . Pp 6-18,
174, 207-210
HARRIS , M. and JOHNSON , O . 2002 . Cultural Anthropology. United States of
America: Pearson Education, Inc. Pp 10-15
KAMULO. 2009. Sagada – Igorot . com. Retrieved November 2 , 2010, from
http//:www.Sagada-Igorot.com
LOSHIN, J. 2003. Definition of Profile. Retrieved March 12, 2011, from
http//:www.dictionary30.com
MAIRA, GENEVA, JULA and DONNA . 2008 . Community Blogging as a Media.
Retrieved February 19, 2010, from http//:tv.halukay.com
PEREZ , A . 1988 . Igorots : Geographic and Ethnographic Study of some
Districts of Northern Luzon. Baguio City: Baguio City Cordillera Studies
Center. Pp 8-14, 45-52, 198-205
SCOTT , W, H . and CONKLIN, H . 1982 . Discovery of the Igorots. Quezon City,
Philippines: New Day Publishers . Pp 1 , 5 , 7 , 9 , 41 , 51 , 169 , 171 ,
173 - 199 , 325 – 340
URBAN, J. 2009. 10 Important Traits of a Great Blog Design. Retrieved November 4,
2010,
from
http://sixrevisions.com/web_design / 10 - important-traits-of-a-great-
blog-design/
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
36
WISEGEEK. 2010. Definition of Blog. Retrieved February 8 , 2010, from
http://www.wisegeek.com
WEINBERG , T . 2010. 11 Characteristics of Highly Influential Blog(ger)s. Retrieved
November 4 , 2010, from http:// techipedia . com /2010 / influential-bloggers-
traits
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
APPENDIC ES
APPENDIX A
Figure 11. The Sagada-Igorot.com blog
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
APPENDIX B
Guide Questions
Benguet State University
College of Agriculture
Department of Development Communication
Questionnaire for the Key Informant
1. How did you come up with community blogging as a medium for depicting
Igorot culture?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________ .
2. Why do you think is there a need to use blogging in depicting Igorot culture
and identity building?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
___________________________________ .
3. What are the challenges you encountered for using blogging as a medium?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________ .
4. How effective do you think is community blogging as a medium for depicting
Igorot culture and at the same time in identity-building?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________.
5. What are your objectives of adopting community blogging as a medium for
depicting Igorot culture?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
___________________________________ .
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
APPENDIX C
Survey Questionnaire
Benguet State University
College of Agriculture
Department of Development Communication
Questionnaire for the Secondary respondents
I. Socio-demographic Profile
Name:
Age:
Occupation:
Address:
Tribal
Affiliation:
II. Questions
A. Content Proper
1. Are you aware that there are blogs that depict the Igorot culture?
____
yes
____
no
2. From where/ whom did you learn the information?
____ referred by friends
____ through surfing the internet
____ from Prints
____ others, please specify
3. After reading the blog, which elements of identity building were included?
Check all that apply.
____ (A) Values
_____ others, please specify: ___________
____ (B) Customs
____
(C)
Ideas
4. Were you educated about the identity of the Igorot from the blog? Please rate.
____ (A) fully educated
____ (B) partially
____ (C) not sure
____ (D) no
5. Do you think blogging is effective as an educational medium for Igorot
culture and at the same time for Identity-building?
______________________________________________________________ .
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
40
6. Please list your recommendations to develop the (content proper) blog
further.
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
______________________________________.
B. Characteristics of a Blog(ger)
Content
1. Is the blogger consistent on providing quality topic and content? If Yes, how?
If No, why?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________ .
2. Do the articles express the purpose of the blog?
_____ Yes
_____ No
3. Does the blogger express himself in an articulate manner? Do the articles have
something insightful to say?
_____ Yes
_____ No
4. Can you find uniqueness in the blog? Does the blogger has his own style in
writing? If Yes, why? If No, why?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
__________________ .
5. Do the content of the articles justify the title?
_____ Yes
_____ No
6. Does the blogger offer deep insight in each topic? Do the article spice up your
reading or makes you think after finishing an article? If Yes, how? If No,
why?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________ .
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
41
7. Are the articles timely? If Yes, why? If No, why?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
____________________ .
Appearance
1. Are the images used relevant enough to portray the topic and at the same
time to connect with the readers?
_____ Yes
_____ No
2. Is the design of the blog (lay-out) pleasing to the eye?
_____ Yes
_____ No
3. Do the articles Have: (Please check that apply)
3.a. Paragraph Length
____ too short
____ too long
____ just enough
3.b. Idea Presentation
____ clearly presented
____
barely
presented
____ no connection at all
3.c. ____ heading to break up the post into logical sections
3.d. ____ bold or emphasis to highlight key terms and concepts
3.e. ____ confusing words
4. Do the articles have good or catchy titles?
_____ Yes
_____ No
5. Do the articles have organized contents?
_____ Yes
_____ No
6. Is the blog easy to find?
_____ Yes
_____ No
7. Please list your recommendations to develop the (appearance) blog
further.
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________ .
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
TULAY, ATHALIAH G. APRIL 2011. A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com, Benguet State
University, La Trinidad, Benguet.
Adviser: Chamberlane P. Altatis, BSc
ABSTRACT
The study was conducted to determine how Sagada-Igorot.com started, what is the profile
of the blogger, the contents of the blog and its purpose and the perceptions of the respondents in
terms of Weinberg’s characteristics of blogging through profiling.
The perceptions of the respondents with regards to Weinberg’s characteristics of
blogging were analyzed using purposive sampling and frequency counts.
Results revealed that Sagada-Igorot.com adhered to Weinberg’s characteristics of
blogging. Also, the blog and other Igorot blogs were created because of the different
misconceptions and discrimination on Igorot people, culture and society.
It is recommended that more Igorot blogs should be generated to educate Filipinos who
have little knowledge on Igorot culture. Additionally, promotion and information-sharing on the
part of the readers should be done to minimize and eradicate the issue.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Bibliography……………………………………………………………………
i
Abstract ...........………………………………………………………………...
i
Table of Contents ………………………………………………………………
ii
INTRODUCTION ……………………………………………………………..
1
Rationale
………………………………………………………………. 1
Statement of the Problem ……………………………………………...
2
Objectives of the Study ………………………………………………..
2
Importance of the Study ……………………………………………….
3
Scope and Limitation of the Study …………………………………….
3
REVIEW OF LITERATURE ………………………………………………….
4
Blogging as a Media …………………………………………………...
4
Profile
……………………………………………………………….… 5
Characteristics of Blogging …………………………………………....
5
The
Igorots
…………………………………………………………….. 7
Culture
………………………………………………………………… 8
Definition of Terms ……………………………………………………
9
METHODOLOGY …………………………………………………………….
10
Locale and Time of the Study ………………………………………….
10
Respondents of the Study ……………………………………………...
10
11
Data Collection ………………………………………………………...
11
Data to be Gathered ……………………………………………………
12
Data Analysis ………………………………………………………….
13
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ……………………………………………….
13
History of Sagada-Igorot.com …………………………………………..
14
Profile of the Blogger …………………………………………………...
15
Contents of the Blog ……………………………………………………
Socio-demographic Profile
24
of the Respondents ……………………………………………………..
Perceptions of the Followers
25
about the Blog …………………………………………………………..
SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND
32
RECOMMENDATIONS ………………………………………………………
32
Summary ……………………………………………………………….
33
Conclusions …………………………………………………………….
33
Recommendations ……………………………………………………...
34
LITERATURE CITED ………………………………………………………...
APPENDIX ……………………………………………………………………
35
A. The Sagada-Igorot.com ……………………………………………
35
B. Guide Questions ……...……………………………………………
36
C. Survey Questionnaire ……………………………………………...
37
INTRODUCTION
Rationale
Twenty-first century is a time for upgraded information, communication
technologies, especially the internet. It can emulate hard copies and disseminate proven
or theorized study or information at any rate. With all the advent ways of communication,
blogging is one of it.
Blogging according to Diaz (2008) is a contraction of the term “we blog”. It is
considered as a generation “Y” item or the internet generation term that started during the
mid 1990s. Wisegeek (2010) also defines blog as type of a website that has regular
entries featuring commentaries, description of events and news both personal and
general.
Blogging as a current popular means of communication has also great impacts,
especially on social issues. Although most blogs today talks about television celebrities
which focuses on their scandals and rumors, some blogs also lead to significance
discussions on societal and cultural issues. In the Cordillera, blogging has already one of
the medium for increasing Igorot culture and awareness, and Sagada-Igorot.com is one of
the many Igorot blogs.
Sagda-Igorot.com is a blog administered by an Igorot blogger named Kamulo
wherein it depicts and discusses the Igorot community and Sagada. It further shares the
different stories of the Igorot people as they traverse the different places in the world.
As a result, a research regarding on the profile of the blog Sagada-Igorot.com was
conducted to further strengthen the blogging methods of the blogger and also the future
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
2
bloggers. The study also aimed to find out whether Sagada-Igorot.com can easily be
suited for other purposes especially in educating fellow Filipinos with regards to Igorot
culture.
Statement of the Problem
The study generally aimed to determine the profile of Sagada-Igorot.com
It specifically answered the following questions:
1. What is the history of Sagada-Igorot.com blog?
2. What is the profile of the blogger?
3. What are the contents of the blog?
4. What are the socio-demographic profiles of the blog followers?
5. What are the perceptions of the respondents of the blog followers in terms of
Weinberg’s characteristics of blogging?
Objectives of the Study
The study determined the profile of the blog Sagada-Igorot.com, it specifically:
1. Determined the history of the Sagada-Igorot.com;
2. identified the profile of the blogger;
3. classified the contents of the blog;
4. determined the socio-demographic profile of the blog followers; and
5. identified the perceptions of the respondents about the blog in terms of
Weinberg’s characteristics of blogging.
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
3
Importance of the Study
The study purposely determined the profile of Sagada-Igorot.com and the
perceptions of the followers about the characteristics of the blog in terms of Weinberg’s
characteristics of blogging. Further, it also determined the challenges faced by the
blogger in coming up with the blog; and the blog’s objectives.
Researchers of the same field and other related fields may also use the result of
the study as a point of reference.
Scope and Limitations of the Study
The study focused on the profile of Sagada-Igorot.com and the perceptions of the
followers’ perceptions about the blog site in terms of Weinberg’s characteristics of
blogging. The study did not cover other Igorot blogs.
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Blogging as a Media
Blogging, either personal or corporate is defined as a type of website, usually
written by an individual with day-to-day entries of comments from participating
members, descriptions of events, and various other materials such as graphics or video.
Entries are usually displayed in reverse-chronological order. The word ‘Blog’ can also be
used as a verb, which bears the meaning to maintain or add content to a blog (Maira et
al., 2008).
A blogger can write anything that interest him or the things that he thinks is worth
sharing for. This is why community blogging can be used for identity or culture
education and assertion (Kamulo, 2009).
The Igorots formed blogs where they can post all of their experiences, reactions,
counter-reactions and opposition to any misconceptions regarding them. They created a
community when they come together as Igorots who are asserting their identity through
blogging. Also, Maira et al., (2008) added that, several of the Igorots do not personally
know each other but they relate easily because they share a common ideology and that is
the need to assert their identity – a need which every one of them responded to.
Blogging plays a very important role in the formation of such community because
it served as a tool in the formation and dissemination of ideology and culture (Downes,
2005). Unlike in the other mass media like television, radio and print, the Igorots can
only have a little chance of being heard, through the internet, it is greater than the other
mass media.
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
5
Profile
According to dictionary30.com, a profile is a degree of exposure to public notice.
It is also the process of examining the available data in a given topic, and collecting
information about that topic (Loshin, 2003). Through profiling, existing topic can easily
be used for other purposes and it can also improve the validity of the topic.
Characteristics of Blogging
According to Weinberg (2010), there are at least ten characteristics of a successful
blog(gers), which may give blogs fame, fortune and loyal followings. These are:
Consistency. A blog must be consistent at providing quality content on regular
basis by posting more than once or at least once a day, wherein readers expect frequent
updates.
Eloquence. The blogger must write well, and have something insightful to say.
They also must have contents that exude intelligence and occasional wit. They treat
writing like an art and their art is viral.
Uniqueness. The blog must not do what everyone else does. It must have a
memorable design, trying its best to build a character and being a vault of resources
among other things.
Specific. A blog must have a specific focus, it is a chock full of great content on
the subject matters that the readers care most about.
Personal.
A characteristic of a blog wherein the blogger may not have to make his
blog completely personal but it is about getting to know who the person is behind the
screen. He may give stories which could relate to his topic and his mission in blogging.
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
6
Analytical.
A blog must take a good look at data and analyze it clearly, and with
regular status updates of everything in the social media marketing and PR universe.
Detail. The blogger must show his passion into the blog post, offering deep
insight instead of just regurgitating news.
Though-Provoking. A blog that make you think once you finish reading the article
to improve are the ones that fit this label. A reader can’t help but read the posts and get a
few weeks takeaways on what to do next. The blog pushes the envelope but make the
reader think long and hard about what’s going to happen next.
Passion.
In everything that the blogger does, it is evident that he love what he
does and will work tirelessly to provide the ultimate experience to their readers, audience,
and their community.
Instructional. Usually these are the blogs that hold your hand to get things done,
best example of it are the recipe and cooking blogs.
Networked. In order for people to find you, you need to be able to market your
blog to them by visiting or commenting on other blogger’s post consistently. Go to local
or national face-to-face events to meet other bloggers, it’s a way to let people know you
actually exist in real world.
Paragraph Length. When writing articles, make sure that the paragraph lengths
should not have 30-40 lines wherein the visual appearance of a huge wall text will be so
overwhelming and intimidating that readers will be discouraged to read the post in its
entirety.
Blog readability. An easy-to-read blog post helps people scan through it so that
they can decide whether it’s interesting to them or not. Consider the following tips: keep
paragraphs short, have one idea per paragraph, use bulleted lists, use headings to break up
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
7
your post into logical sections, use bold and emphasis to highlight key terms and
concepts, and keep your writing clear, avoid ambiguous language.
The Igorots
The Igorot are one of the first inhabitants of the Philippine islands. The word
Igorot means mountain people in tagalong. The word Igorot itself is consistently spelled
“Ygolot” in Spanish records of the period. It is believed that they arrived from the
northern islands of China and Tonkin (northern Vietnam) more than 10,000 years ago.
Currently, they are popularly known to be living in Northern Luzon. They used to occupy
an area known as Mountain Province, but recently the province was divided into four:
Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Apayao and Mt. Province. There are six Igorot tribes: Ibaloi,
Kankana-ey, Ifugao, Kalinga, Apayao (Isnegs) and the Bontocs. The province of Benguet
is inhabited by the Ibaloi and Kankana-eys; the province of Ifugao is inhabited by Ifugao;
the Mountain Province is inhabited by the Bontocs; and the Province of Kalinga-Apayao
is inhabited by the Kalinga (De Los Reyes et al., 2007).
The word Igorot itself had by this time become a more specific ethnic
designation; although it still showed up occasionally in the broader sense of
“mountaineer”, it was generally restricted to the native peoples of Benguet, Ifugao,
Mountain Province, Kalinga-Apayao and Kayapa of municipality of Nueva Vizcaya (de
Castro, 2007).
According to Scott and Conklin (1982), during the Spanish period, Igorots are
described physically as muscular, well-proportioned, bid-bodied, athletic, fleet as deer,
and so strong even women and children could can carry heavy loads up the steepest trails.
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
8
By all accounts, they were better built and lighter-skinned than their lowland brethren.
Furthermore, as stated by Father Herosa (a respected priest during the Spanish time),
Igorots were “superior in everything to the Filipinos of the conquered provinces, who
excel them only in having been raised in the faith, civility and good breeding”. Their
lighter complexion and graceful bodies shows that they are of Chinese descent or
admixture.
Today, the images of the male Igorot as “cowboys” become pervasive aura among
educated highlanders. It served to enhance conceptions that were compatible with the
growing idea of highlanders’ sharing vaguely defined but deeply felt basic nature and
way of life (Sagalla, Lambert, 2005) as cited by Finn (2005). On the one hand, the
cowboy idea served as a powerful image suggesting to every highlander their exceptional
adaptability and strength to overcome adverse circumstances. On the other hand, the
image also brought to mind a pioneering spirit of endure. Ultimately, it embraced the
notion of highlanders as brave and heroic figures. Indeed, among highlander men of this
generation, to refer to a fellow highlander as “cowboy” is a cherished compliment (Finn,
2005).
Culture
Culture is traditionally the oldest human character, its significant traces separating
Homo from australopithecines, and Man from the Animals, though new discoveries are
blurring these edges in our day (Perez, 1988).
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
9
As cited by Harris et al., (2002), Tylor (1871) wrote that "culture or civilization,
taken in its wide ethnographic sense, is that complex whole which includes knowledge,
belief, art, morals, law, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as
a member of society" while a 2002 document from the United Nations agency UNESCO
states that culture is the "set of distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional
features of society or a social group and that it encompasses, in addition to art and
literature, lifestyles, ways of living together, value systems, traditions and beliefs".
Definition of Terms
1. Igorot – any individual who belongs to any of these tribes: Kankana-ey, Ibaloi,
Bontoc, Ifugao, Kalinga, Apayao and Kalanguya.
2. Non-Igorot citizens or lowlanders – any individual that does not belong to the
above mentioned Igorot tribes.
3. Igorot blog – a blog that has the following criteria: blog administrator must be
an Igorot, of any of the mentioned tribal affiliation; the blog must tackle about Igorot
culture; and the administrator must know the (an) Igorot culture which is an experienced
blogger.
4. Readability – refers to the visual length of an article in a blog post.
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
METHODOLOGY
Locale and Time of the Study
The study was conducted in a virtual community (Figure 1) wherein the
respondents and the researcher exchanged ideas through emails.
With migration and because of the fast augmentation of innovations, the blogger
and the followers found a new way of communicating with each other and coping up with
the society, as a result, the use of internet, wherein blogging – Sagada-Igorot.com is
incorporated.
Hence, virtual setting is the locale of the study because the followers and the
bloggers hail from different places of the Philippines and the world. Through this site,
some followers found their commonality and education with regards to Igorot society.
The study will be conducted from December 2010 to January 2011.
Respondents of the Study
The study chose the Igorot blog Sagada-Igorot.com as a key source which
corresponds to the criteria. The criteria to be considered were: must be an Igorot blogger,
of any tribal affiliations; blogger must have a blog that tackles about the Igorot culture;
blogger must know the (an) Igorot culture and an experienced writer.
A secondary set of respondents was determined: there were 22 students and 32
professionals who are followers of the blog regardless of tribal affiliation aging from 18-
42. Each of the followers of the blog was sent a message asking for his/her consent to be
a respondent of the study, however, only 53 among the followers replied resulting to the
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
12
said number of respondents.
Furthermore, the researcher purposively chose the followers of the blog for they
already know the strategies of the blogger when posting issues, and for that they were
more credible in evaluating the blog and the blogger. The following criteria in choosing
the followers were considered: the follower must read the blog frequently; and, they must
have a name on the followers’ section.
Data Collection
The blogger of Sagada-Igorot.com was consulted through email interview while
the 53 respondents were sent a survey questionnaire. Moreover, when there were ideas
that were not properly explained, the researcher further emails the respondents of the
study for clearer and better results.
Aside from interview, literature reviews and information retrieval were also
applied to come up with the needed information on the profile of Sagada-Igorot.com and
on the perceptions of the followers about the blog site in terms of Weinberg’s
characteristics of blogging.
Data Gathered
The data gathered focused on the profile of the blog Sagada-Igorot.com and the
followers’ perceptions with to the characteristics of blogging according to Weinberg; and
the objectives of the blogger in coming up with Sagada-Igorot.com.
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
13
Data Analysis
The data gathered were consolidated, tabulated and analyzed through descriptive
analysis using the frequency counts, averages and percentages. Narrative reports were
also used to discuss the data gathered.
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
History of Sagada-Igorot.com
In coming up with an effective and successful Sagada-Igorot.com, the blog
underwent different renovations.
Sagada-Igorot.com used to exist as “Kamulo and Kosta’s Home: Breathtaking
Sagada, Philippines and the Igorot People”, wherein, two pages of the blog was first
published in Geocities in 1997. On 1998, Kamulo added the sections Sagada and Igorots
on “Kamulo and Kosta’s Home”, moreover, on 2002 he updated the links information
and navigation and re-formatted the blog appearance. On 2007, he already created the
Sagada-Igorot.com domain and renamed the site to Sagada Igorot Online. While on the
same year, he added the Philippine section, online store, and included the Blog of the
Sagada Igorot (B.O.T.S.I.), and on 2009 Kamulo moved all pages to the Sagada-Igorot
blog hosted in Blogger for easier maintenance. For two straight weeks, Sagada-
Igorot.com won the Filipino Blog of the Week and is now Hall of Famer. It is also one of
the highest ranked among search engine results of queries on “Sagada” and “Igorot”.
The blog was created for the blogger to share his thoughts and experiences on the
different issues with regards to Igorot facts, people and community and the Sagada. The
blog also is a venue where the Igorots and non-Igorots can exchange ideas about the
events in the region, and to recognize the achievements of the Igorots in the different
field. As of December 2010, the blog has at least 80 followers coming from the different
parts of the Philippines and the world.
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
15
Profile of the Blogger
Kamulo, though it is just his nickname is the man behind
Sagada-Igorot.com, although his wife – Kosta randomly
share articles in the blog. He is a proud Igorot blogger from
Sagada, Mt. Province, Philippines and an IT consultant
based in Illinois, Chicago with his family. The blogger
finished secondary in Philippine Science High School and
tertiary in UP Diliman where he got exposed on how limited
others think of the Igorot people. There are also misconceptions on the look, culture and
intellectual capabilities of the Igorots. With his experiences in the premiere institutions
that he attended, the blogger then created Sagada-Igorot.com where he can assert his
identity and educate fellow Filipinos who are not that acquainted with the hardworking
Igorots and with a cultural heritage that is different from most other Filipinos.
Moreover, through blogging the information-sharing about the Igorot people may
ensue faster. Additionally, blogging may act as a language or a medium to guide
thoughts, perceptions and our sense of obtaining knowledge (Maira et al.,2008). It is a
tool for knowledge acquisition and at the same time, a more advanced way of educating
fellow Filipinos about the issue.
Additionally, the blogger was also asked about the different problems he
encountered while blogging and the solutions he applied to solve them. Since Mr.
Kamulo started blogging on 1997 and an IT consultant in Illinois, he does not have much
problems with the blogging world because he made sure that all of the prospect problems
will be handled subtlety.
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
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Contents of the Blog
The URL address of the blog during the study is http://sagada-
Igorot.blogspot.com and was copyrighted in 2009, the blog is divided in two sections.
First is the Sagada section that mainly talks about Sagada, Mt. Province, which has the
following contents: Sagada folk stories, Sagada in the news, Sagada issues, Sagada
locals, Sagada memories, Sagada song, and the Sagada websites or blogs. Second is the
Igorot people section wherein it has nine contents that discuss the experiences of the
Igorot people in different topics.
Igorot Discrimination. A part of the Igorot People section that discusses the
discriminatory notions and stereotypes experienced by the Igorot people now.
Figure 2. Examples of articles about discrimination posted on the blog
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
17
Igorot Dances. This part describes the cultural dances of Igorots and how they
perform it which are shown through videos and photos. The different Igorot dances
mentioned are: Kayaw, Lumagen, Manerwap, Man-manok, Palakis, Ragragsakan,
Sakpaya, Salip, and Takik.
Figure 3. Examples of articles, photos and videos of Igorot dance posted on the blog
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
18
Igorot Ethnic Groups. Another part of the Igorot people section that has talks
about the history of the different Igorot tribes. The Igorots are grouped into six ethno-
linguistic groups, the Bontoc, Ibaloi, Ifugao, Isneg (or Apayao), Kalinga, and the
Kankana-ey.
Figure 4. Articles regarding on the origin of different Igorot tribes.
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
19
Igorot Events. This part describes the significant events and dates of celebrations
of the Igorot tribes in the Cordillera and how they manifest it. The different events
includes Panagbenga Festival in Baguio City, Lang-ay in Bontoc, Sas-aliwa in Natonin
etc.
Figure 5. Examples of articles with photos and videos of events in the Cordillera
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
20
Igorot Identity. Another part of the section which discusses the issues with
regards to Igorot discrimination and how a Cordilleran raises his head amidst all the
different misconceptions.
Figure 6. An article of the blogger edifying his child that they are Igorots
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
21
Igorot
recipe. It is the part of that is focused on the various recipes of Igorots (i.e.,
pinikpikan, etag etc) and the procedures on how to do it.
Figure 7. A post (left) that instructs how to cook Etag or innasin
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
22
Igorot Land News. One of the contents of the Igorot section that usually updates
the people regarding on what is happening in the Cordillera people, their achievements
etc, especially those who are out of the country.
Figure 8. Some of the articles on the happenings of the places in the Cordillera region
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
23
Igorots in the News. Another part the section that highlights people from
Cordillera who made a name on local, national and international scenes.
Figure 9. Examples of posts regarding about the death of the Igorot actor Marky Cielo
and others
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
24
Igorots Worldwide. One of the contents of the Igorot section which talks about the
experiences and stories of the Igorot people outside the Philippines. The articles include
Hector Begeo, BIBAK groups’ different gatherings etc.
Figure 10. Some articles about the achievements of Igorots abroad
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
25
Socio-demographic Profile of the Respondents
Table 1 shows the characteristics of the respondents who are followers of the blog
Sagada-Igorot.com. It describes the age, sex, occupation and tribal affiliations of the
readers of the blog.
Age and sex. Among the 53 respondents, majority belonged to the age bracket 18-
22 (56.6%) which also indicates that they are more indulged in surfing the internet,
followed by 23-27 (26.42%). Six (11.32%) of the respondents belonged to age bracket
28-32, then the age bracket 38-42 (3.78) and the least was 33-37 (1.89%). Out of the 53
respondents 33 of them were female while 20 were male.
Occupation. Most of the 53 followers were professional with a number of 32
while the rest were non-professionals or students.
Tribal affiliations. In terms of tribal affiliation, followers from the Cordillera
which has Ibaloi, Kankana-ey and Bontoc bloods have the most number which is 54.72%,
followed by the non-Igorot citizens or the lowlanders (Tagalog, Bisaya, Iloco,
Pangasinense and Bicolano) having 32.1% which also indicates that more and more non-
Cordilleran are getting acquainted with the Igorot people, culture and society, and the
least were the followers who are half-Cordilleran and half-lowlanders (13.21%).
Perceptions of the followers about the blog
The characteristics of Sagada-Igorot.com blog that promotes or depicts Igorot
culture were determined in terms of the following criteria by Weinberg: consistency,
purposeful, eloquence or articulateness, uniqueness, articles justify the title, thought-
provoking, timeliness, relevance of images, good blog lay-out, catchy titles, organized
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
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Table 1. Socio-demographic profile of the respondents
CHARACTERISTICS
FREQUENCY
PERCENTAGE
N=53
(%)
Age
18 – 22
30
56.6
23 – 27
14
26.42
28 – 32
6
11.32
33 – 37
1
1.89
38 – 42
2
3.78
TOTAL 53
100
Sex
Male
20
37.74
Female
33
62.26
TOTAL 53
100
Occupation
Professional
32
60.38
Non-professional (students)
21
39.62
TOTAL 53
100
Tribal Affiliation
Cordilleran
29
54.72
Half Cordilleran-
half lowlander
17
32.1
Lowlander
7
13.21
TOTAL 53
100
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
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contents and easiness of the blog to find. The evaluation is presented in Table 2.
Consistency. Majority (83.02%) of the readers agreed that the contents of the
articles in the blog were consistent because: most of the topics pertained to Igorot culture;
the blogger was knowledgeable in his subject; blogger presented significant ideas which
have sufficient ideas; the blog also had logical and direct articles that persuaded a person
who has an Igorot blood to be a proud one; it also nurtured some aspects and issues that
some of the readers do not know; the topics were highlighted locally, nationally and
internationally; and the blogger writes well.
However, 7.54% (4) of the respondents said that the blog discusses different
topics in every blog post wherein some readers might get confused; some topics
presented were generally accepted truth; and the blog simply did not meet one of the
respondent’s expectations. Other respondents do not have any answers at all.
Articles express the purpose of the Blog. All of the respondents agreed that the
articles express the purpose of the blog, because the articles goes with the theme and tells
about the experiences of the Igorots.
Eloquence. Almost 93% (49) of the readers said that the blogger is articulate or
has a clear message, while 5.66% claimed otherwise. Furthermore, one of the respondents
added that the articles do not have much introduction which makes the posts direct and
not going around the bush.
Uniqueness. Majority (86.79%) of the respondents agreed that the blog was
unique which discusses and shows different ideas; the articles were also clear-cut and
subjective in nature; the blogger is passionate in his writings and a proud Igorot; and of
course the blog simply depicts Igorot culture.
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Articles justify the Title. Majority (86.79%) of the readers said that the articles
justified the title which was detailed. The respondents also said that the articles explained
the title, the persons involved with the issue and why such issue is happening. The
blogger also provides examples of experiences, photos and videos to make his articles
more analytical.
Thought-provoking. Most (81.13%) of the readers approved that the blog
provoked their thoughts and offers deep insights on a given topic. Further, the readers
especially the non-Igorot citizens said that they find themselves agreeing and learning of
the different subjects in the blog which results to realizations and strong assertion of
Igorot identity.
Timeliness. Majority (79.24%) of the readers claimed that the blog was timely
because the articles were appropriate and applicable for all time, especially the topics
regarding on Igorot discrimination and Igorot identity; the articles were also informative
and can be a basis of any related studies; it also talks about the current events which were
helpful to those who were in a foreign country; and, the blog was just another approach
of incorporating wise and willful taming to such issues.
Blog Lay-out. Majority (88.68%) of the readers agreed that the lay-out of the blog
was pleasing to the eye and correlates with the theme. Moreover, 50 (94.34%) of the
readers said that the images used were good and relevant to the discussed topics.
However, 9.43% among the respondents claimed that the blog would even be more
effective if the blog has ethnic colors or a background of Igorot artworks.
Catchy titles. The blog articles also have catchy titles as agreed by 79.25% of the
respondents because the blogger adds some twists on the titles and sometimes uses Igorot
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
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terms to make it catchy. Also, the articles have organized contents which were approved
by 90.57% of the readers because the blogger knows what to put first and what to write
last.
Easiness of blog to find. Majority (83.02%) of the respondents said that the blog is
easy to locate since the blog followers already know the site. However, 15.0% of the
respondents claimed that at first, locating the blog is not that easy because there are lots
of Igorots site.
Consistency and eloquence (and uniqueness) are the strongest attributes of
Sagada-Igorot.com according to the definitions of Weinberg of the said terms. This was
also seconded by Urban (2009) who said that the articles posted must have class and
vault of resources among other things. Furthermore, the blogger should have the
intelligence and wit to write his blog articles.
Characteristics of the Blog Articles. The respondents’ evaluation on the paragraph
length and idea presentation of the blog articles are shown in Table 3 which also connects
to the characteristics of a good blog that Weinberg presented.
Paragraph length. Majority (88.68%) of the readers agreed that the articles’
length were just enough because it did not bore them, while 7.55% said that the articles
were too short and 1.89% of the respondents said that the articles were too long.
Idea presentation. Most (83.02%) of the readers claimed that the ideas in the
articles were clearly presented, as opposed to the 13.21% of the respondents who claimed
that it was barely presented. This indicates that there were less or almost no confusing
words used in the articles.
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
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Table 2. Respondents’ perceptions about the blog in terms of Weinberg’s characteristics
of blogging
CRITERIA
YES
NO
NO ANSWER
NO. PERCENTAGE NO. PERCENTAGE NO. PERCENTAGE
(N=53)
(N=53)
(N=53)
Consistency 44
83.02 4
7.55
5
9.43
Expresses
the purpose 53
100
-
-
-
-
of the blog
Eloquence 49
92.45 3
5.66
1
1.89
Uniqueness 46
86.79 3
5.66
4
7.55
Articles
justify the 46
86.79 4
7.55
3
5.66
title
Thought-
provoking 43
81.13 6
11.32
4
7.55
Timeliness
42
79.24 4
7.55
7
13.21
Relevance
of images
50
94.34 1
1.89
2
3.77
Good blog
lay-out
47
88.68 5
9.43
1
1.89
Catchy
titles
42
79.25 8
15.09
3
5.66
Organized
contents
48
90.57 4
7.55
1
1.89
Easiness
of the blog
44
83.02 8
15.09
1
1.89
to find
*Multiple Responses
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
31
Table 3. Respondents’ evaluation on the paragraph length and idea presentation of the
blog articles
CHARACTERISTICS
FREQUENCY
PERCENTAGE
N=53
(%)
Paragraph Length
Too short
4
7.55
Too long
1
1.89
Just enough
47
88.68
No answer
1
1.89
TOTAL 53
100
Idea Presentation
Clearly
44
83.02
Hardly
7
13.21
No answer
2
3.77
TOTAL 53
100
Features. Table 4 shows the perceptions of the followers on the blog’s readability.
Most (67.92%) of the readers agreed that the blog have headings to break the posted
articles into logical sections which lessen the possibility of the readers to be confused.
Also, 73.58% of the respondents said that the articles have bolds or emphasis to highlight
key terms and concepts for easier remembering of the ideas.
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Table 4. Perceptions of the followers on the blog’s readability
FEATURES
FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE
N=53
With heading to
break up the post
36
67.92
into logical sections
With bold or emphasis
to highlight key
39
73.58
terms and concepts
Confusing words
7
13.21
*Multiple Responses
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Summary
The study was conducted in a virtual community where the respondents and the
researcher exchanged ideas through emails. It focused on the history of Sagda-
Igorot.com, the profile of the blog administrator in coming up with Sagada-Igorot.com,
the contents of the blog and the respondents’ perceptions about the blog site in terms of
Weinberg’s characteristics of blogging.
The blog administrator was consulted through email interview while the 53
followers of the blog were also consulted and given questionnaire via email. The study
was conducted from December 2010 to January 2011.
The data gathered were consolidated, tabulated and analyzed though descriptive
analysis using frequency counts, averages and percentages.
Findings showed that readers belonged to the age bracket 18-22, where majority
of them are females.
Most of the followers are Cordilleran and lowlanders where as few are half
blooded Cordilleran and lowlander.
With all the misconceptions and some derogatory statements on Igorot people,
culture and society, Sagada-Igorot.com was created to educate people who are not that
knowledgeable of the Igorot culture.
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Conclusions
The following conclusions were derived from the study:
1. Because of the different misconceptions on Igorot people and culture, Sagada-
Igorot.com was created;
2. Igorot discrimination, dances, ethnic groups, events, identity, recipe, Igorotland
news, Igorots on the news and Igorots worldwide are the contents of Sagada-Igorot.com
that depicts culture; and
3. Sagada-Igorot.com is a successful and effective blog for educating fellow
Filipinos who are not that knowledgeable with the Igorot society.
Recommendations
Based on the conclusions, the following recommendations were formulated:
1. More blogs that portray the Igorot people and culture should be created to
educate individuals who are not that acquainted with Igorots;
2. Promotion and sharing of information on the part of the readers should be
done to encourage more people to read the different blogs and be aware about Igorots;
3. The blogger must also consider widening the scope and putting more in-
depth, uncommon views and recent happenings about the Igorot society; and
4. The blogger must consider the suggestions of the blog followers.
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
LITERATURE CITED
De CASTRO, S. 2007. Igorot of the Philippines. Retrieved February 20, 2010,
from
http://www.angelfire.com/alt/shelly5853
De LOS REYES, A. and ANGELO, J. 2007. Ethnographies of Major Tribes:
Igorot, a People who daily touch the Earth and the Sky. Baguio City,
Philippines: Cordillera School Group. Pp 5 - 15 , 18 , 21 , 25 - 30 ,
78 , 80 , 100 - 102 , 159- 165
DIAZ, A. 2008. Definition of a Blog. Retrieved February 8, 2010,
from
http://www.wisegeek.com
DOWNES, S. 2005. Community Blogging. Retrieved November 19 , 2010,
from
http://www.scribd.com
FINN, G. 2005. The Making of Igorot: ramut ti panggkaykaysa dagiti taga Cordillera.
Quezon City, Philippines : Ateneo de Manila University Press . Pp 6-18,
174, 207-210
HARRIS , M. and JOHNSON , O . 2002 . Cultural Anthropology. United States of
America: Pearson Education, Inc. Pp 10-15
KAMULO. 2009. Sagada – Igorot . com. Retrieved November 2 , 2010, from
http//:www.Sagada-Igorot.com
LOSHIN, J. 2003. Definition of Profile. Retrieved March 12, 2011, from
http//:www.dictionary30.com
MAIRA, GENEVA, JULA and DONNA . 2008 . Community Blogging as a Media.
Retrieved February 19, 2010, from http//:tv.halukay.com
PEREZ , A . 1988 . Igorots : Geographic and Ethnographic Study of some
Districts of Northern Luzon. Baguio City: Baguio City Cordillera Studies
Center. Pp 8-14, 45-52, 198-205
SCOTT , W, H . and CONKLIN, H . 1982 . Discovery of the Igorots. Quezon City,
Philippines: New Day Publishers . Pp 1 , 5 , 7 , 9 , 41 , 51 , 169 , 171 ,
173 - 199 , 325 – 340
URBAN, J. 2009. 10 Important Traits of a Great Blog Design. Retrieved November 4,
2010,
from
http://sixrevisions.com/web_design / 10 - important-traits-of-a-great-
blog-design/
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36
WISEGEEK. 2010. Definition of Blog. Retrieved February 8 , 2010, from
http://www.wisegeek.com
WEINBERG , T . 2010. 11 Characteristics of Highly Influential Blog(ger)s. Retrieved
November 4 , 2010, from http:// techipedia . com /2010 / influential-bloggers-
traits
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
APPENDIC ES
APPENDIX A
Figure 11. The Sagada-Igorot.com blog
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
APPENDIX B
Guide Questions
Benguet State University
College of Agriculture
Department of Development Communication
Questionnaire for the Key Informant
1. How did you come up with community blogging as a medium for depicting
Igorot culture?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________ .
2. Why do you think is there a need to use blogging in depicting Igorot culture
and identity building?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
___________________________________ .
3. What are the challenges you encountered for using blogging as a medium?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________ .
4. How effective do you think is community blogging as a medium for depicting
Igorot culture and at the same time in identity-building?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________.
5. What are your objectives of adopting community blogging as a medium for
depicting Igorot culture?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
___________________________________ .
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
APPENDIX C
Survey Questionnaire
Benguet State University
College of Agriculture
Department of Development Communication
Questionnaire for the Secondary respondents
I. Socio-demographic Profile
Name:
Age:
Occupation:
Address:
Tribal
Affiliation:
II. Questions
A. Content Proper
1. Are you aware that there are blogs that depict the Igorot culture?
____
yes
____
no
2. From where/ whom did you learn the information?
____ referred by friends
____ through surfing the internet
____ from Prints
____ others, please specify
3. After reading the blog, which elements of identity building were included?
Check all that apply.
____ (A) Values
_____ others, please specify: ___________
____ (B) Customs
____
(C)
Ideas
4. Were you educated about the identity of the Igorot from the blog? Please rate.
____ (A) fully educated
____ (B) partially
____ (C) not sure
____ (D) no
5. Do you think blogging is effective as an educational medium for Igorot
culture and at the same time for Identity-building?
______________________________________________________________ .
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40
6. Please list your recommendations to develop the (content proper) blog
further.
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
______________________________________.
B. Characteristics of a Blog(ger)
Content
1. Is the blogger consistent on providing quality topic and content? If Yes, how?
If No, why?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________ .
2. Do the articles express the purpose of the blog?
_____ Yes
_____ No
3. Does the blogger express himself in an articulate manner? Do the articles have
something insightful to say?
_____ Yes
_____ No
4. Can you find uniqueness in the blog? Does the blogger has his own style in
writing? If Yes, why? If No, why?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
__________________ .
5. Do the content of the articles justify the title?
_____ Yes
_____ No
6. Does the blogger offer deep insight in each topic? Do the article spice up your
reading or makes you think after finishing an article? If Yes, how? If No,
why?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________ .
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
41
7. Are the articles timely? If Yes, why? If No, why?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
____________________ .
Appearance
1. Are the images used relevant enough to portray the topic and at the same
time to connect with the readers?
_____ Yes
_____ No
2. Is the design of the blog (lay-out) pleasing to the eye?
_____ Yes
_____ No
3. Do the articles Have: (Please check that apply)
3.a. Paragraph Length
____ too short
____ too long
____ just enough
3.b. Idea Presentation
____ clearly presented
____
barely
presented
____ no connection at all
3.c. ____ heading to break up the post into logical sections
3.d. ____ bold or emphasis to highlight key terms and concepts
3.e. ____ confusing words
4. Do the articles have good or catchy titles?
_____ Yes
_____ No
5. Do the articles have organized contents?
_____ Yes
_____ No
6. Is the blog easy to find?
_____ Yes
_____ No
7. Please list your recommendations to develop the (appearance) blog
further.
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________ .
A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com / Athaliah G. Tulay 2011
Document Outline
- A Profile of Sagada-Igorot.com
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
- ABSTRACT
- TABLE OF CONTENTS
- INTRODUCTION
- REVIEW OF LITERATURE
- METHODOLOGY
- RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
- SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
- LITERATURE CITED
- APPENDICES