If you’re looking for a one-stop site that brings together updates on this year’s national and local elections, Google’s Philippine elections resource page is your perfect online go-to. Launched on the first week of May, it’s a collaboration between Google Philippines and broadcast networks and online news portals, now getting hits from over 50 countries around the world, from as far as Uzbekistan, Rwanda, Finland, and the Netherlands.

The site contains election-related stories from various local news sources, providing information by political party or national issue, including broadcast coverage, precincts and candidates, and an incidents map organized into tabs. The incidents map plots election-related incidents on a Google Maps map tile of the Philippines embedded in the site, providing readers with a visual idea of crisis and violence levels in areas of interest.

If you ditched the TV (like me) to go all-out online for news, then add Google’s Philippine elections resource page to your bookmarked websites, and arm yourself with valuable information when claiming your right to suffrage this May 13. Oh and don’t forget to vote wisely!

In a live video webcast of Nokia’s global product announcement in New Delhi, India, Nokia introduced the new Nokia Asha 501 and the new Nokia Asha platform. Matching the handset’s striking color and stylish design is a user interface that’s purpose-built to be fast and responsive, making the smartphone experience accessible and affordable to more people. Learn more about Nokia’s first offering from a new family of Asha smartphones here. No information yet on local availability.

Want to make your Mother’s Day greeting extra special? Why not shoot a short but sweet video message (it’s quite easy to do now with a camera phone and videography apps) and join Beyond The Box’s contest for a chance at winning an iPod Touch (5th Gen) and a dinner date with your mom at Umami Hambaagu House. Full mechanics here.

Was not surprised that Facebook’s friend-tagging feature crossed over to instagram - that Photos of You option introduced in the 3.50 update, that lets you tag people (or any Instagram account) to your photos (like you do in Facebook), organized in a new section on your profile with adjustable settings, that will be visible to the rest of the Instagram’ing public by May 16.

I’d like to think that Instagram is not replicating Facebook’s features, but judging from mixed reactions by the community, this update might be the sign of either Instagram slowly becoming like or strategically merging with Facebook. That’s something I’d dislike happening.

Anyway, aside from the minor UI tweaks, what caught my eye after updating is that, Instagram has apparently given up its Billabong-like font (which I really like) for a new one. That familiar logo on top of the app’s home tab is now sporting a new typography. You can also see it at Instagram’s website.

UPDATE: Found out it’s Mackey Saturday who worked on the design of Instagram’s new logo, more details here.

Now let’s play around with this update to see if it’s almost like Facebook’ing. Excuse me while I check the photos tagged to me, not that I don’t want you to see me awkwardly funny.

Globe Tattoo, in partnership with Global Shapers Community Manila, recently launched its corporate social responsibility initiative, the Cat@lyst, that seeks to harness creativity, energy, and the power of social media through a youth challenge, working hand-in-hand to encourage the youth to make concrete and feasible solutions to the problems of their communities.

Filipino citizens, aged 18-30, can submit a proposal via a one-minute video entry from May 02 to 31 which meets the following criteria:

1. Innovation – demonstrates creativity and originality
2. Implementation Feasibility – proposal should be executable in the given timeline and proponents should demonstrate capability to mobilize stakeholders involved
3. Impact – provides a long-lasting solution to an existing social problem

Go to catalyst.com.ph to download application forms and to learn more about this advocacy. From the entries, 15 will be shortlisted, five winners will then be chosen in June and will be awarded a PHP 200,000.00 cash grant for program development, mentorship, and ICT support.

This collaboration project aims to empower the youth with technology-based solutions that will create change and make a difference in the society, kudos to Globe Tattoo!

We’ve been running a special phoneography project - #IGYourVote - a social campaign for IGersManila, which we started last April as a daily noontime habit, a collaboration advocacy with @KandidatoAnongPlanoMo, with which we ask fellow Filipino Instagram’ers to share in Instagram their visual stories that raise issues we think this year’s electoral candidates must address.

Photos picked for this special project will get the chance to be featured in a campaign ad, which will be revealed soon. And starting this Sunday 05-May-2013, we’re doing #IGYourVote as a #9pmhabit, until the election day. So share your visual stories on hunger, disasters, the environment, among other issues.

It’s the only award-giving body that recognizes Filipino online ingenuity - aimed at discovering creatively passionate individuals who use social media to speak out and make a difference - already on its 3rd year, Tatt Awards 2013 is here! Launched at URBN Bar and Kitchen at the Fort Strip, 13 for 2013 seems to be the theme this year, as it honors 13 different categories, including Instagram Phenom of the Year, with which we hope IGersManila, the open community for Filipino Instagram’ers around the world, gets a nomination.

Nominations will be accepted until May 10, so if you have a Facebook, Twitter and/or Google account, all you have to do is log on to www.TattAwards2013.com where you can fill out the nomination form and get more detailed mechanics. You can nominate as many as you want, in any of the 13 categories, and even create a new category, which might be included in the official list, but only if it gets the most relevant and unique nominations.

So go ahead and vote out loud and keep the good vibes rolling!