Thursday, January 28, 2010

The Best Website: VP Edition


We have extensively covered the official websites of the presidential candidates. It's now the turn of their running mates who will be the 2nd most powerful person in the country. There are only eight VP candidates so this will be relatively shorter compared to others.

Before proceeding, we would like to say thank those people who voted in the last poll. To those who didn't…there's always a next time.

Now on with the reviews:

Edu Manzano
Website: http://www.edumanzano.ph/

Information: 2 - there should be more than this. I can't seem to find more than just basic information about his track record although they are impressive. There are only 4 blogs and they should be updated at least twice or thrice to reach out to more people.

Interaction: 2 - not much to be seen here. The only impressive feature in the site is the link to Facebook which is faithfully updated.

Aesthetics: 3 - the Wordpress theme is actually good but it has not lived up to its full potential.

This could have been better if more information were gathered about the candidate. He's an actor so there should be a lot of videos and photos out there.

Bayani Fernando
Website: http://bayanifernando.com.ph/

Information: 4 - his official website simply had the high score because there are a lot of things you can learn from this site. I have to admit this is actually the first time I learned that he's an Engineer. The photos, videos and personal bio is actually well presented.

Interaction: 5 - his site has a very active forum which really helps because you can practically say anything (short of bashing). There is also a poll and various social network.

Aesthetics: 4 - it may not the best website but it's very easy to navigate. The tabs (like Edu's) makes it easier to find what you need to learn.

His website can be called "just enough" which means it's not overloaded with information. The forum is actually the best feature in the site.

Loren Legarda
Website: http://www.lorenlegarda.com.ph/

Information: 5 - one of the most detailed official website of a national candidate. Her site has many features only some candidates can dream of. The streaming headlines, videos (especially her stint on Big Brother), links, bills passed and speeches are all found in the website.

Interaction: 5 - shoutbox, blog that links to ning.com, twitter widget and bookmarking tools should be more than enough to overwhelm the user. You can practically spend an hour in the site clicking on the links trying to see what's in store in the next page.

Aesthetics: 5 - going for green is a great call.

Call me biased but compare her site to any official website. Only Perlas', Gibo's, Noynoy's and Manny's can rival hers in terms of content and she crushed them all with the interaction and presentation. Kudos to anyone who created this site.

Jejomar Binay
Website: http://www.jejomarbinay.com.ph/

Information: 3 - it could be the browser but, from my end, the window is very small. The information provided is not that extensive as the links will lead you to relatively short paragraphs.

Interaction: 3 - it could be the "Makati thing" but a Flash (or maybe JavaScript) based page is not that enticing. Internet in many places is slow so accessing his site could be a bit challenging because they have to wait until the full page loads.

Aesthetics: 4 - the redeeming factor for Mayor Binay's official website is the look. It's very good looking and it's not too dazzling. It's good enough for everyone to enjoy.

Mayor Binay's website is good but more information is needed. The Flash page is ok but it could have been used for additional presentation of information.

Mar Roxas
Website: http://www.marroxas.com/

Information: 5 - you really have to appreciate Mar Roxas' official website because of its candidness. I really think it's him on twitter and his blogs are just amazing. The Politics and Web 2.0 piece explains his stand on what's good online. He has also extensively discussed his plans for the country.

Interaction: 5 - this is my first time visiting his website and I visited Loren's site before his. This actually rival Loren's site when it comes to interaction. There are also forums, links to his social networking sites and testimonials.

Aesthetics: 5 - another winner because it's so simple that it works. You can't find a lot on the homepage but it will lead you to a lot of information to what he believes and what he'll do for the country.

Candidates, please heed my call. If you want a good looking website, browse Loren's and Mar's official website.

Jun Chipeco
Website: http://junchipeco.livejournal.com/
(Note: the party website http://angkapatiran.org only lists the candidate, here's his personal website)

Information: 2 - I have to give him credit for blogging as early as September. But we're looking for more information about Jun and it can be found in another website.

Interaction: 2 - the website is a blog and they are not that updated.

Aesthetics: 2 - A very simple site that shows every blog post in one page.

More work should be done in his site or at least more blog posts so that we'll know what he really wants for the country.

Jun Yasay
Website: http://www.junyasay.com/

Information: 4 - this website is perfect for those who are not aware who this guy is. His background is detailed and his vision for the country is also provided. The Q and A portion regarding various topics is very informative.

Interaction: 3 - there's not much to enjoy except the articles regarding his belief and past.

Aesthetics: 4 - Mr. Yasay's website looks great. You don't have to scroll a lot just to find an interesting link.

A good and informative website. More interaction could be added aside from the Donation page :)

Jay Sonza
Website: None

For some reason, a guy that knows the power of media ignores the internet to spread his message.

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