University of
Southeastern Philippines
Bo. Obrero Campus,
Davao City
TRAVEL REPORT
September 16-20, 2013
Seminar
Overview
A whole new experience, a whole new world;
thus this affects us as an individual… a lot, those experiences that were able
to experience serves as a beacon for us to be able to open our eyes to the real
world scenarios which will soon help us choose our career in the mere future.
According to Wikipedia, “a seminar is, generally, a form of academic
instruction, either at an academic institute or offered by a commercial or
professional organization. It has a function of bringing together small group
for recurring meetings, focusing each time on some particular subject, in which
everyone present is requested to actively participate.”; In this manner. I can
truly say that we are able to accomplish the definition of seminar based on
what have experienced. I can say that the seminars that we joined in helped us
a lot, especially on getting to know a specific subject and able to go to the
depths of those subjects.
The seminar in different companies enabled
us to understand more about them and how their company works as a group, it
gives us a broader perspective of the real world and it helps us get prepared
for it in the future. They gave us different lectures that further enhance our
thinking and gave us additional knowledge. Aside from that, they gave us a tip
on what we should do to have an edge of applying and get accepted in a certain
company.
Aside from imparting their knowledge upon
us, the companies did show us around their companies. They have explained the
function of each of the machines that does the processes around their company,
it helps us fit knowledge in us and fill the ignorance in ourselves.
In general, in my own belief all I can say
is that they are encouraging us to join their workplace. To become one of their
recruits and some of the companies are really good in persuading. They are
helping us to become a good employee in the future and that each of us has a
unique role and ample of capability that will help their company in achieving
their vision, goal and mission. This will help our country achieve better and
more stable economy. Being part of their company will ensure us a better
future.
From the arrival to the airport, until the
time we took off to manila, all I can say it that it was a very fun experience,
the first time I entered the airport in Davao, I was pretty much excited. Even
if we are still at the terminal, everyone else too is too excited, we took as
much pictures as possible to fully utilize and enjoy our fieldtrip, it was a
good experience and as I have remembered, if something is ending then another
chapter unfolds, in this manner I can say that every ending is a beginning of a
new one. I express that thought because while we are in manila, there are
certain things than runs in my mind, like to where and when I will be working,
or should I stay here in the local province or venture to the capital of the
Philippines, things are getting pretty exciting here. All I can say is that, it
was really an unforgettable experience, and I look forward to again, step my
feet off to the manila grounds again.
Day
1
Today I went on a seminar to Social Security System (SSS) which is
held at Senator Gil Puyat Ave, Makati City.
First and foremost, we were welcomed by their humble human
resource staff team, which introduced us on what the Social Security System
(SSS) is about, its function, its significance on each person’s life and its
role to the society.
I learned the various benefits of the SSS pensioners and I
also got to know the organizational structure of IT Personnel behind the
success of SSS. Each of the members of the personnel of the IT department plays
a very significant role in the tasks that was assigned to them and each are
focused on their specific mastery. This will make their work more organized and
more efficient in doing their jobs.
I have also learned what the SSS is all about and what its significance is for
us as a citizen of the Philippines, the earlier we start earning the better our
future will be soon. I discovered and realized that the SSS is not only a
burden to its members but it is helping the entire member of the organization
to ensure a better future for them and for their families, also to their
beneficiaries.
I have also learned how the SSS started and the purpose why
it is established in the first place. It has a vision that will be benefited by
the future generations and achieve a financially stabled country, I learned
that they are in the track of alleviating poverty in our company, if possible
to eradicate it completely.
The company has a feature of Compulsory Coverage and Share
Contributions which will help each individual who’s self-employed to be able to
avail the benefits of working on a company.
Another thing that I have learned in the seminar is that the
people involved in the Social Security System (SSS) is not limited only to the
employees, it also include the following: Employers,
Self-Employed/Professionals; which are
also referred as the informal, and Voluntary who are Separated, Non-Working Spouses, OFW’s.
Each of the category has its own minimum contribution
depending on what category a certain person belongs to.
The SSS includes Two Programs: Social Security which covers the following: Sickness, Maternity, Disability, Retirement, Death and Funeral. And
Employee’s Compensation which is
referred as to Work-related
accident/death which is equal to Double compensation.
The last speaker is Mr. Paul D. Rillas, Junior Specialist of
the Social Security System (SSS), ITGSD – Compliance Section. He discussed the
Mission of their department which is: “to Provide quality systems when and
where needed.” Mr. Rillas discussed the steps they did as a team to pursue
their mission and he also tackled the importance of each member of their team
in visualizing their vision into a reality.
What I liked the most about the seminar is
that they welcomed us whole-heartedly and they have been very passionate in
teaching us, they show the good side of SSS which is very attractive to the
eyes of the youth and also they are so honest on answering the questions that
was ask to them by our colleagues. I like the way they encourage us to do
better in our studies for us to become one of them someday.
I like the tour accommodation they gave to
us, especially our tour to their gallery which exhibits various parts of the
history like our Philippine heroes. They are really thoughtful and grateful
about the token we gave them.
What I didn’t like is that we were not
able to complete the tour around the SSS because of the rain, we have to travel
to the other side of the building in order to complete the tour, but due to the
rain we were not able to make a tour about their other facilities.
But overall it was a good experience.
Day
2
Today I went on a seminar to Y4iT XI which was held at the Mall of
Asia (MOA) SMX Convention Center, Pasay City.
I have learned a lot of things during the entire seminar; I
love this seminar because it focuses more on the technical side of being an IT
practitioner. The start of the event was formally opened by the Vice –
President for Externals of Philippine Society of IT Educators (PSITE). Mr. John
Peter Abraham Ruero, his opening speech helps us learn about the Y4iT and its
history. He is then followed a talk by Mr. Paul Rivera from the Y-Combinator
and Entrepreneurship who is the founder and CEO of Kalibrr. He help us
understand that life is not easy, and it takes will for us to achieve what we
have dreamed of, he share a lot of his knowledge and principles. What I like
the most about his lecture is when he made us imagine something and make us ask
ourselves “Where I am not supposed to be? But you are there.” This made me
rethink my entire life as and I was really motivated by what he said. The next
speaker was Rhea Althea Guntalilib who shares her thoughts about IT for the Blind: The Key to a brighter
future, she lost her sight when she was 18 years old and still was able to
manage to finish her studies and graduated as magna cum laude, she really
amazed me and I was really inspired by her, I learned a lot of things about her
especially on how to persevere even if unwanted cases of scenarios happened in
our lives, we should always willing to accept things and even if it’s unlike
before, we still can have a brighter future. Her being handicapped didn’t
hinder her to achieve her dreams, she is now working as a system analyst for
smart despite her severe condition and I really admire her for that.
She is for me the highlight of the event, being able to
appear to the public with pride and confidence even the fact that she wasn’t
able to see the crown in front of her. She inspires a lot of people, including
me. There are so much more things that are learned from her life.
Another speaker was Winthrop Yu who happened to be the
President of Internet Society – Philippine Chapter which discusses the topic: Who runs the Internet. Because of his
lecture, I was able to understand that internet is so broad and that internet
is not managed by an individual but as an organization, there are many people
involved in managing the internet. No one person, company, organization or
government runs the internet. That is what I’ve learned from him; there are
many basis of the internet from operations and services, policies and
standards, open debates, and the multistake - holders. It involves the
International Organization for Standards (ISO), Internet Society (ISOC), 5
Regional Internet Registry (RIRs), World Wide Web Consortium (W3C),
International Network Operators’ Groups, Governments and Inter-Governmental
Organizations, Internet Research Task Force (IRTF), Internet Governance Forum
(IGF), Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), Internet Corporation for
Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), Internet Architecture Board (IAB) all in
which has its own specific functions.
In the afternoon we took our lunch and then we came back to
the conference. The afternoon session was started by a Keynote Speech of Mr.
Monchito Ibrahim the Deputy Executive Director for Policies, ICT Office from
the Department of Science and Technology. He gave a brief but concise speech
which allows us to value ourselves as IT practitioners.
The next speaker Christy Book-Tsang discussed The New Era of Open Source, she is a
Master Affiliate of Asia Pacific, of Linux Professional Institute. She opens
states that an Open Source era has begun and there are lots of
opportunities.
Two professors from the University of the Philippines Cebu
National High School namely: Aurelio Vilbar the Principal and Kim Bondoc a
Faculty Member where the next speakers, they have taught us that android
applications can be a great tool for learning and it is more effective than the
traditional way of teaching, they encourage us to create our own applications
that will be benefitted by the younger generations for a better future to live
in. they showed us different applications and explained the concept of a good
application. They also shared the advantages and disadvantages of using android
applications in teaching.
Gian Scottie Javelona and Chino Philip Adrian Atilano were
the last speakers, Gian started first and discussed The Sooner You Start, The Faster You Learn. He young as 20, is
already a CEO of his own company, the OrangeApps Inc. He is a simple boy but
looks can be deceiving. He can manage and has his own team and also his own
office, he really inspires me to become a technopreneur, we just have to grab
the opportunity while it was there, there is no other greater time to start
than now, there are no right times, we should create our own right time, that
is what I’ve learned from him. I just can’t believe that a 20 year old can
achieve too much, it all just started as a dream, he discussed that the
difference between a dream and a goal is that a dream is just a dream while a
goal is a dream with an action, we must exert effort for us to achieve what we
want. He encourages us that we should fix our mistakes while we are young to be
able to straighten our paths to success.
Next was Chino Philip Adrian Atilano, he is the Co-Founder
and CEO of TimeFree Innovations Inc., with his topic Starting things right. He said that to be able to become
successful, it should be started right, there is a BIG difference when we start
things right, and when we do things we want it our way.
What I like the most is when Kevin
Leversee (the Co-Founder and CEO of startupDragons) started his interactive
talk, I like the way he imparted his knowledge unto us and made us able to understand
the internet of things. I like the things he discussed, especially on his
beliefs that technology and innovation cannot be stopped, it’s alive. His
discussion about the prism, etc. I like all of it. Before he started sharing
his lecture, he gave a moment of silence for our brothers in Zamboanga City for
30 seconds.
What I didn’t like about the Y4iT is that
they are not organized when it comes to the time, they still follow the
Filipino time which delayed the entire speakers and causing overtime, I pitied
the last speaker who is Sheryl Hermoso with her topic: IPv6. Before the lunch
time because many left during her lecture and we can’t blame the participants
it is because the event started late and the time she started her lecture was
not parallel to the said schedule, the time during her lecture is already past
12. Going 1 P.M. that many participants left the venue for them to eat their
lunch, we just bear with it.
Day
3
Today I went on a seminar to Philippine Long Distance Telecommunications
(PLDT) at Boni Avenue, Mandaluyong City.
We were first welcomed by Ms. Annie
Ferrer, BSBA – Management; who facilitated us in the entire tour, along with
her colleague Mr. Gino Francisco. I learned so many things this day, and the
first company we visit is the Philippine Long Distance Telecommunications
(PLDT) formerly known as Philippine Long Distance Telephone, the company
shifted from being a telephone company to a multi-tasking company. I learned
the history of PLDT, where and why it started, and the origin of the company,
its downfall and its rise from glory to glory and to what the company is right
now. We made a tour in the company Innovation Laboratory and Telecommunication
Education Center of PLDT (INNOLAB), we first have a briefing and a short lecture/introduction
to their room, and then we proceed to the aisle where the history of PLDT was
being displayed, the numbers of workers, net income and etc. of the company,
then we proceeded to the other rooms which showcase their new products that is
still under the testing process. I was inspired to have a new idea as a
technopreneur as we move around from their building, I learned that anything we
can think of can be made possible. Finally, we finished our tour with a lecture
from one of their engineers; it is all about networking and the travel of data
from one place to another.
In the aisle where the history of PLDT was
being displayed, this is what we have learned: at the year November 28, 1928 the PLDT which is formerly known as Philippine
Long Distance Telephone Company was established; 1939 – 1948 Destroyed telephone Lines. 10,848 Lines, 315 Employees;
1949 – 1958 Hope. Installation of
underground telephone cable. 60,066 Total Lines, 1,304 Employees; 1959 – 1968 Age of Change, PLDT is a Filipino Controlled
Corporation, 184,787 Total Lines, 3,028 Employees; 1989 – 1998 Age of Gatekeeper, 1,596,856 Total Lines, 14,073
Employees with no Competitors, First single chip microprocessor, Zero Backlog; 1999 – 2008 Age of
Transformation/Convergence, 1,782,356 Total Lines, 29,904 Employees with Voice,
Video and Data Triple Play, business is applied Abroad; 2009 – Present Age of New Era, The PLDT becomes the leading and
largest telecommunications company in the Philippines.
What I like about this tour is their new
products that is still under the testing phase where an user can turn on and
off his electronic devices through the use of a computer, a web-based
application which allows the user to manipulate and connected device to the PC
to switch it from on to off, the application will be a subscription type, and Mr.
Gino who guided us from our tour told us that he can’t tell for now the
possible price of the subscription. Another device they are currently working
on is the GPS system which tracks the user whenever they are, as long as the
device is on, but it will cost much. I like our tour inside their lab because
they have so many high-tech devices which are cloud based and it really is
music to my ears.
I like everything in the PLDT INNOLAB,
except the fact that they released us too late and they serve no snacks which
made my tummy growl too loud but the trip was awesome.
Today I went on a seminar to IBM Innovations Center at 1800 Eastwood
City Cyberpark, Quezon City; UP Ayala Technohub, Quezon City.
I learned a very important thing this day,
especially for the analytics, business analytics to be more specific. There are
four types of Analytics but we only discussed 3 types of analytics: Descriptive Analytics which is used to
gain sight from the historical data with reporting, scorecards, clustering and
etc., Predictive Analytics which is a
predictive modeling using statistical and machine learning techniques and
finally Prescriptive Analytics which
recommend decision making using optimization, simulation and etc.. I also
learned a lot about the networking, regarding their server and it is open for
all, but will be depending on the availability of the device.
The IBM Innovations Center is a small
place but is very big in significance, the small cubicle office includes the
Server Room which allows students and people to use Freely the Desks, and so on
with the office, they also have Conference Room which allows the staffs to
conduct their meetings, their server is so powerful even if it only
accommodates small area of deployment.
Data Center nowadays are expensive that is
why the IBM Innovations Center allows people to use their technology without
asking anything in return, the Big Data Technology includes Large amount of
data, Volume, Variety and Velocity, that gives importance to Analytics.
I like that the server is free to use for
incubation and other stuffs, I like the lectures that he taught us, regarding
the analytics. I also like the mini-tour we made inside their office, and also
their promotion of Watson, an AI that defeats the best human player with the
reality game show, Jeopardy. IBM really amaze me, it is made out of very
complex algorithm that really stuns me a lot, and Watson won the competition
even if he is just offline and the basis for his actions or the data being
deployed in him is the entire Wikipedia. I also remember few years ago, there
is this so called robot, Deep Blue who managed to defeat the greatest chess
master of all time, Gary Kasparov. It was also a product of IBM.
I like IBM but the thing I didn’t like is
the fact that their office is too small, but it was a small but terrible
office.
Day
4
We went to a seminar in Toshiba
at Canlubang, Laguna.
The best day EVER! Enchanted Kingdom! But before that, I
learned so many things this Day, especially on the process of creating hard
disk drives. Aside from that, I learned how the company started back there in
japan, and also how it started here in the Philippines, I have learned what
their contribution to the Philippine economy are and them being the 3rd
largest producer of hard drive disks in the entire Asia.
The Toshiba Philippines was established late 1995, whose
originally owned by Hisashige Tanaka, President, Director and CEO, that was
founded last 1875 in Japan. In the Philippines it was spearheaded by one of the
TIP Leaders Mr. Minoru Iriko, who gave us the opening remarks. I have learned
too that Toshiba has four business domains which includes the following:
Digital Products, Electronic Devices and Components, Intra-structure Systems
and lastly the Home Appliances, which greatly helped the world in innovations.
Toshiba do really standout to their motto which is Leader Innovation.
We also learned the Demographics of the employees of Toshiba,
the TIP – LTI Organization Structure is composed of 1 Filipino Board Member,
which includes 5 Filipino Vice Presidents, and 14 Senior Managers, the ratio of
Male to female is 90% which is in favor to female, it is because female are
more stable when it comes to handling sensitive devices, the Age of the
employees are the following: Operators 28 years old, Staff 29 years old,
Engineers 27 years old, Supervisors 37 years old, Managers 41 years old; giving
a total average of 29 years old.
I like the tour, they showed us the hard
disk drives were created, I really like the tour we made in their company,
their company is very organized and the people out there are very happy and I
love greeting all of them, I also like the fact that the one who entertained us
are from Mindanao, especially from our very own Alma Mater, University of
Southeastern Philippines, they are former students of our own university from
the department of College of Technology. They inspired us to work hard and look
forward to work with them in the future. We really get along very well and I
really understand better because they can speak vernacular which allows a
better communication for both parties. The workers there are so disciplined and
active and the fact that the one who welcomed us is very pretty. HAHAHA!
I didn’t like it when I used to greet some
of the employees but I get no response.
Day
5
Today I went on a seminar to Metropolitan
Manila Development Authority (MMDA) at EDSA Corner Orense St. Guadalupe, Makati
City.
I learned that MMDA is not just about traffic but they also
reduce the risks of other hazards that can are made by the typhoons and earthquakes.
They maintain and organize the city to reduce the risks of damages. MMDA holds
the Motto of “Marangal Matapat Disiplinado Ako.” Which meant that the MMDA is
an active and uncompromised organization which values integrity and human
morale. MMDA is primarily committed to monitor the following: Traffic, which is very common and
rampant in Manila, especially in crowded areas; Flood Control; does operation
on controlling the flood in manila, does the planning phase of controlling the
flood, to alleviate the casualties caused by the flood and mitigate the damage
it will cause on high risk/ hazardous area that are prone to flood.
During our visit to MMDA we undergo a small lecture about
earthquakes, the damages it caused and will be causing. There are certain parts
of manila which are very much prone to earthquakes, the MMDA are doing some
actions to reduce the possible damages of the earthquake by education the
people near the hazard zone, educating them on what are the things to do to
survive an earthquake.
What I like the most in their seminar is
the house of where they will let students/visitors experience an intensity 5
earthquake. I also like their CCTV cameras that are being displayed that are
capable of zooming up to 1km of area; it has the ability to optical zoom up to
x24, these are very useful and essential for traffic navigation and good source
for investigation. They also use project Nationwide Operational Assessments of
Hazards (NOAH) which navigates the weather of the Philippines and be able to
announce the public of the possible damage that will be caused by the typhoon.
What I didn’t like is when they showed us
one video of an accident that is really brutal, It really grinds my ears. And I
was not able to look at it straight forward, but that is like, it is essential
for us to be careful and to remind us to drive defensively.
APPENDIX
The things that I recommend for the
improvement of the advance seminar program of USEP is that, the seminar should
be more focused and concise on the certain subject that it is taking up, yes
it’s good that we were able to touch the tip of the iceberg, but sometimes were
just a glimpse of it. I understand that we don’t have much time in our seminar
because we are only staying day for a few days, that is why I strongly believed
that the length of the days that the fieldtrip should take place should be
increased for us to really indulge ourselves in those seminars. In my own
observation, the seminar is really good, it plays a vital role for us as an
individual; it’s like refining a Gold, the more we expose ourselves to the
blazing fire, the more we become pure and solid, the problem is that, the fire
isn’t that sufficient for us to completely achieve the form that we are bound
to become. The seminar is a very effective tool, its more than good but for me,
I just felt short.
I recommend that for the benefit of the
advancement of seminar program in USEP is that it should be more open for the
participants and questions should be relevant to the presented subjects.
My advice to those who will take their
advance seminar program in the near future is that they should actively
participate in every activities of the seminar to really expose themselves to
what the seminar really is all about for them to fully enjoy the seminar; they
should stay more focused and serious.T