2009 Person of the Year

It's been two days since I revealed my blog's 2009 Place of the Year and still I haven't decided who to name 2009 Person of the Year. Well, let me just decide while writing. Read along if you please. Hope I'll arrive at a final decision.

How will I start? This is hard. I might crack.

The personalities that deserve to be recognized as this year's most influential and noteworthy are numerous. What makes it hard to choose one among them is the magnitude of their unique--or shall I say incomparable--power to influence, and involvement in their fields. Anyway, to be able to choose let me name a few of those that I think have been catalysts of things that happened this year.

TIME Magazine named the Federal Reserve chief Ben Bernanke as Person of the Year for his major contribution of saving not just the United States' ailing economy but the world's as well. It's known to everyone how the world economy struggled for survival this year, and the head of an institution that has immense influence on the world's economic policies deserves a credit why we are still surviving the challenge of the global economic meltdown.

This year, we made farewell to well-known people. These people are not just popular but powerful as well. One even fueled change through the world's first peaceful, bloodless revolution in 1986. The Philippines' First Woman President--Corazon C. Aquino--passed away last August. Her death marked the rebirth of nationalism and unity among Filipinos.

Another was a music legend. Late June, the King of Pop Michael Jackson passed away--his death dominated the radio and television for days, if not weeks. Millions of his fans not just in the United States but worldwide mourned for his loss.

We cannot discount Manny Pacquiao as one of the most significant names this year. He made history after defeating Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto to belt his seventh division world title, the only to do so in boxing history. His talent has been more than enough to ease traffic jams and post a zero crime rate in the Philippines during his fights. Not to mention the unifying factor in him in the eyes of his fellowmen.

Aung San Suu Kyi, still fighting for her freedom and Myanmar's has also been on the center of the international arena. Until now, Suu Kyi is still on house arrest. Several nations have plead to release her but the Junta seems not to listen. Suu Kyi is only one of the few continuing to fight for human rights and democracy.

Most say that 2009 has been the year of twitter and facebook. Mark Zuckerberg of facebook have the power to change the settings of such social-networking site which may affect how its millions of account-owners post their status messages, manage relationships, upload photos, and exchange information. The developers of twitter have influenced well the speed of information exchange and has helped those who does not want to write book-thick blogs. They catalyzed the birth of microblogging.

One more, Efren Penaflorida--CNN's Hero of the Year. He set an example of a simple heroic act. He and his Dynamic Teen Company touches lives of street children by bringing education for free to them. A simple gift of knowledge--delivered in its simplest way someone determined to make a change can--will surely be able to change lives.

These are just a few of the names.

I have decided, finally.

This year has been a tough one. The economic crisis, political turmoils, the wrath of climate change, violence, the cyberspace, welcome-backs, farewells, policies, and survival characterized 2009.

What am I aiming at?

Answer. 2009 Person of the Year.

Did you lose a job? Were you struggling to find one? Did you miss a planned vacation and chose to stay home due to limited finances? To state it straightforwardly, did you simply had money problems due to the bad economic condition? Have you noticed of felt that some or you are in great need than before? Was life harder now?

Were you moved when one of your favorite Hollywood stars passed away? Were you moved when someone--not a relative or friend-- important not just to you but to others as well left this world? Were you worrying that their ideals might die as well?

Did you see how the floods in Turkey, India, El Salvador, and the Philippines were devastating? Did you notice how the weather changed? Have you ever been caught in a stronger-than-used-to storm? Were you a victim of climate change?

Did you have interest on the Copenhagen Conference? Do you think everyone should start saving nature now? Did you start doing you part in the most simple way to save Mother Earth? Did you join Earth Hour? Do you acknowledge animal rights? Have you turned vegetarian?

Do you spend time for harvesting your crops in farmville? Are you hooked to facebook? Do tweet more than often? Did you use twitter to pass valuable information to help others or spread knowledge about important events?

Did you do a little act of heroism this year?

If you say yes to some of these questions, the 2009 Person of the Year is YOU!!!

2009 Person of the Year:

You

World

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See also: 2008 Person of the Year

Next update: 2009 Event of the Year

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Photo Credit: istock.com