Congratulations to the winners of the Wika 2007 Blog Writing Contest. You may now view the final results at PinoyBlogoSphere.com.

The winners are the following:

Grand Prize
Tungo sa pagbabanyuhay by Ding Fuellos

Second Prize
Naykupu! by Ynon

Third Prize
Ang Obra by Feddie Marc S. Perez

Participants’ Choice Award
Pista ng Wikang Filipino/The Spectacle of the Filipino Language by Marocharim

Update (September 4, 4:08 pm):
Misteryosa Award
‘THE’ Filipino Language: WHAT THE HECK DOES THIS MEAN??? by Frances Paola G. Doplon
A Language We All Need to Learn by Ayel

Update (September 10, 10:32 am):
Consolation Prizes
Ang paradigm shift at ang mga erehe ng KWF by Willy Prilles, Jr.
Wika at Musika by Garry Victor Urbi

I agreed to serve as one of the judges, and I obviously had a hard time rating the 57 entries. Even if the winners were determined by online polling and judges’ scores which account for 50 percent each, I can safely say (without disclosing the scores I gave to the entries) that the first, second and third-prize winners, not to mention the Misteryosa awardees, Participants’ Choice awardees and one of the consolation prize winners, were in my top 20.

While there is cogent reason for some bloggers to initially worry that the competition may be reduced to a popularity contest through online polling, that hasn’t been the case. I think that’s the reason for getting judges like me. In the spirit of transparency, I should tell you that I did not look at the poll results while rating the 57 entries so that I can avoid being influenced, if at all, by the sentiments of the blogging community.

Given that online polling has a dangerous tendency to increase the scores of the undeserving but popular (which fortunately did not happen in this contest), my suggestion to the organizers is to include a Judges’ Choice Award in the future, in the same way that there is a Participants’ Choice Award. Wouldn’t that make the contest better next year, assuming that it will still be held?

Again, congratulations to the winners and those who participated in this contest. You have every reason to be proud of what you’ve written.

Nawa’y pagyamanin at paunlarin natin ang wikang Filipino sa pamamagitan ng makabuluhang pagsusulat sa bagong midya. (May we all nurture and develop the Filipino language through relevant writing in the new media.)