There are three things Joseph Victor Gomez Ejercito Estrada or JV Ejercito could never leave home without — his Blackberry Bold 2, iPhone 5 and iPad mini.
A self-confessed techie, the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) Senatorial Candidate, 3-Term Mayor and Representative of the Lone District of San Juan says the three gadgets not only keep him connected and readily accessible to his constituents, but also keep him updated with the latest news and events happening in the world.
And yes, the lawmaker is as much active online as he is in the halls of congress.
“It’s been my habit to check replies and posts as soon as I wake up, during my free time, when I’m traveling, and just before I go to sleep,” JV Ejercito admits.
And despite his hectic schedule which includes provincial trips and business meetings, JV Ejercito revealed that he personally handles all his social media accounts, with support from his staff.
He belongs to a new breed of politicians who believe that maintaining a strong online presence is just as important as meeting his supporters in person
“Many people doubt if I really do the posting on Facebook and Twitter. I do it myself because I like being hands-on. Also, after a day’s hard work, it’s therapeutic to share what you’ve done to the online community,” said JV Ejercito.
As a youth advocate, he said being an active netizen enables him to be up to date with the latest trends and other developments concerning young people.
“Youth development is one of my advocacies as a public servant. So being able to interact with students on a daily basis through Twitter and Facebook allows me to identify their needs and help them,” the 43-year-old solon said.
This personal touch is probably why he has been able to engage a good number of his followers and friends over the past few months with a KLOUT score of 73 and a consistent top position in social media rankings.
The KLOUT score is an indicator of his influence and not just his popularity online. Beyond the number of friends and followers on various social networks, which continue to post striking growth, the KLOUT score manifests the level of influence that he has attained since becoming a “netizen” in 2010.
The young politician is considered one of the most active netizen-politicans in the Philippines today. He loves to connect with his 24,254 followers on Twitter. The young lawmaker does the same with his Facebook account, where he posts his daily activities to update 5,159 friends on his personal account, and 101k followers on his Facebook Fan Page.
“I think Twitter and Facebook are currently the fastest and most convenient ways to get in touch with the youth and Filipinos all in other parts of the world. Best of all, they are free,” he said.
On the role of social media in his campaign for the 2013 elections, Ejercito Estrada said he intends to share his legislative agenda to 30 million active Facebook users and 9.5 million active Twitter users in the Philippines.
“Since I filed my certificate of candidacy, I have received a lot of input from the online community — encouraging words, offers of support, and even questions on my advocacies and my competency — all of which contribute to honing our campaign to be responsive to the needs and expectations of our electorate,” added JV.
And while some netizens use social networking sites as a venue to rant against politicians, JV Ejercito asserts that the government must not be given the power to regulate the online activity of Filipinos, pointing out provisions in the Cybercrime Law, which practically permits the state to suppress freedom of speech and persecute its political foes.
