After months of planning and setting up, I am extremely pleased to announce that we have finally launched Vista Pinas, my second blog where I give you a virtual tour of Filipino sights as can be seen from satellite imagery found in Google Maps and Google Earth. It’s like Google Sightseeing done Pinoy-style!

If you’ve been reading my blog for a very long time, you might recognize that Vista Pinas is actually just a re-branded Tanawing Pinoy, which I have been writing since February of last year. The re-branding is because Tanawing Pinoy is now part of the Bayanihan Blog Network, the pioneer Filipino blog network. (See the introductory post about Vista Pinas on BBN.) This will be my first ever foray into writing as a sideline and dare I say, pro-blogging? This exciting new venture would not be possible without the help and support of Rico, Sasha, and Abe. Thanks guys!

I’ve always been fascinated with maps and I’ve been quite excited ever since Google launched Google Maps over two years ago and most especially after they added satellite imagery a short time after. Modesty aside, I am probably the only authority outside of Google to know how Google is applying geospatial technology in the Philippine context. For one, I’ve been religiously documenting the which parts of the Philippines already have high-resolution satellite photos in Google Maps and Google Earth (see the coverage for May 2006, October 2006, and February 2007). I’ve also created the first serious Filipino Google Maps mash-up.

It’s no surprise then that I put up Tanawing Pinoy. However, I let the blog become dormant for the latter half of last year (well, I did create it as an experiment in niche blogging). Then at this year’s Blog Parteeh, Rico approached me and pitched the idea of helping the Bayanihan Blog Network celebrate all things Filipino. I voiced my assent and we later met last March to hash out the details. There, the plan to resuscitate Tanawing Pinoy came up and Vista Pinas is the result.

Head on over to Vista Pinas and support it! Subscribe to the feed, comment on the entries, and share other Filipino sights that you’ve seen in Google Maps or Google Earth. You’ve never seen the Philippines like this before.