21st AdCon in Subic Bay: Our Web and your Mobile

(21st Philippine advertising Congress, Subic Bay)
Obviously, our interest lies in the 'digital' discussions of the Advertising Congress. Subic Bay, after all, relies heavily on the web to make its presence felt. Its marketing moolah is in short supply, like everyone else. But unlike everybody else, its super limited resources ain't used effectively. But that is for another blog.

<---We missed JOHN NAISBITT's talk on climate change. Sad, but unavoidable. I am sure that you will find enough materials about climate change in the web to make you stop looking for more. The predictions are grim and we hope humanity (that includes us, remember) to find a solution.

'Taking social networking to the next level. Who will take the lead?' was the topic about the net.

Great! Filipinos lapped up the features of every social networking site offered. At the height of Typhoon Ondoy, one silly Facebooker told her friends to keep the updates clear of the usual traffic. Why? Because according to her, Facebook was being used to cocordinate information about the calamity. Sheez, I wanted my friends to know that I just cooked too many roast beef. They all spoiled, damn!

The first speaker was CLAUDIO PINKUS, Executive Chairman of Multiply.com. He naturally harped on the advantages of using multiply.com. Here is what interested me about his talk. I thought that most of us want digitized photos, Right? We he has a different take. His company plans to take these memories to the next level --- in high resolution PRINTS! Talk about talking taking the SNS to the next level.

If you are a multiply user, you missed a lot. If you use Facebook, Friendster and other social netwroking sites, you spent your time well doing sometime else.

Ian Stewart, Head, Friendster Asia has a better take on his assignment.Read this: ---> 40% of all net users are in Asia (660 million), only 16.5% of Asia is online!

Social networking, sites, he said, are maturing. Clearly, fragmentation and segmentation are slowly creeping its way into these site. (Heaven's forbid that Facebook becomes a site for teenagers, easing me out of my favorite but still unproductive niche. Yikes!)

No worries, though, Stewart predicts that Facebook is clearly for adults. Teens are more likely to flock to Freindster, while X my son, will click away at Moshi monsters.

Reuben Maislos of Pudding Media, on the other hand, described how marketers AND telcos (Smart, Globe and Sun) might beam the advertisers messages...

The images above is from Mr. Maislos presentation.

It is not as if the model used above is THE WAY, or THE ONLY WAY.

We better brace ourselves from this invasion because it is coming. As sure as night will give way to daytime, they are coming to your cellphone.

BOOO!

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Posted in: 21st advertising congress,digital marketing,Events,marketing,Subic Bay

First taste of the 21st Philippine Advertisting Congress.

I've been to the 17th Philippine Advertising Congress in Cebu and the 20th here in Subic Bay. What the heck can the marketers think of that would surprise the perennial delegate?


Remember this?

Off to the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center I went this afternoon. To register, of course. I was surprised to see that it has almost the same layout as the 20th. Smart got most of the booths outside while Coke parked its cheeky red truck a few meters away.

Willis, a local bar, was prepping up their booth. Most of the waitresses were already showing off some skin. And I don't blame them, it was hot and dry.

Bursting with delegates, the registration area was a joy to watch. Ladies with streaming but fake orange hair. Curvaceous women in high heels. And, uh, let's get back to the Advertising Congress.

When I got to the press center, the mainstream media boys and girls were slouched in what appears to be the same couch I sat on two years ago. I could be wrong you know, but it was not something worth asking about.

Are you getting the drift of the surprise? Good then, let's move on.


20th PAC ads (Subic Bay)




Strutting around the venue area with my brothers, I see familiar faces showing off their pearly whites like they were real pearls.

'So, if they were here two years ago, why so much joy? You would think that they'd want to pass up the 21st PAC because they've been to Subic Bay, and not much has really changed,' I thought, as I shoot rapid courteous grins their way.

We kind of floated around a bit, and decided to look for a photo exhibit, when we chanced upon a Canon booth. My brothers, both photo enthusiasts, naturally got sucked into a technical chat with the Canon reps about, well, the latest photographic contraptions.

'We've got a photo exhibit, but the photos will be flashed here (pointing to a 42-inch LCD TV). But we also have a photo contest on any subject matter about the 21st PAC,' the jolly Canon rep blurted, pointing to their backdrop announcing the contest.

The contest theme was "Ano sa tingin mo?"

My jaw dropped. I forgot all about the 21st PAc theme --- PERSPECTIVE.

I don't know if 'the old being new again' effect is something that these marketers tried to create but it did make me look at the familiar faces i saw again, the same venue, subic bay, the crazy couch, quite differently.

Every morning when we wake up, we see the same thing and say it is the same thing all over again. Well, it ain't.

It is, after all, a new day.

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Posted in: 21st advertising congress,digital marketing,Events,marketing

Politics is tourism

We noticed a marked increase in visitors inside the Freeport. Mainly because of there is so much interest in the Hanjin Condo. The Philippine Senate, led by Senator Pia Cayetano, sent a team to investigate the issue. Well, at least they are working.

Here's a tip for the budget conscious, including the low paid, overworked Senate staffers. Binalot, a local budget food outlet, opened its branch near the Magsaysay gate. Its unique serving of viands on rice, packed in the traditional banana leaves wrappings, is reportedly very tasty.

So the more adventurous traveler must find the Binalot resto. We haven't "Reviewed" the place, so for now, all we can say is that it is different.

We are sure Ms. Cayetano, her VIP friends, the local officials and businessmen fueling the fire, will find their way to the more upscale places to eat. After all, it on us tax payers. Right?

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Posted in: Events,People,Subic Bay

GRADUATION is a beginning...

Close to 500.

This was the best estimate that government agencies could provide when asked how many graduates were produced by the four (4) higher education institutions (HEIs) inside the Freeport this year.

I know for a fact that of the 500, five graduates of Comteq Computer and Business College were hired by IDESS Interactive, a Norwegian software development firm inside the Freeport, three months before they received their diploma.

(No wonder Comteq was selected as the only educational institution that was selected by the Philippine Daily Inquirer for its mentoring program. Click this link and then this link for the articles.)

How much salary were they offered? Well, if you were a software firm desperate for great artists (and can’t find a single qualified person from the present labor pool), how much would you pay?

And get this, all five will be allowed to continue their studies!

For IDESS Interactive, it pays to pay well. For the students, choosing the right college offering the right programs, paid huge dividends well before graduation.

How big a deal is it for graduates to be recruited off the college campus? Ask an employed friend how long it took them to land a job. Let's experiment and agree that the first one you ask is the average for the Freeeport. So, how long did it took you friend to find a job?

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) started a nationwide tracer study for degree holders nationwide. The study also aims to find out how long the graduates looked for a job. But it ain't complete yet.

So I did a crude research. Just to get an idea. I talked to nine (9) employees I knew and here it is the result. Three (3) people said they found a job 1.5 years after gradaution. Four (4) said it took them more than two (2) years, while the other two said more than two years.

So here are some tips for those who are planning to take up a degree course this coming academic year 2009.

1.) For the High School graduates and their parents
A.) Think about what you are passionate about, choose the right program, and enroll as soon as you can. Some Freeport schools offer limited slots per course to ensure quality education.
B.) Check out the websites, ask around, and visit the campuses. Inspect the facilities but more importantly, check out the faculty line-up. Here is the list of schools inside the Freeport.

Mondriaan Aura College
Comteq Computer and Business College
Freeport Institute for Research, Science and Technology
Lyceum of Subic Bay

2.) For the Employers
A.) Go to the colleges, and get the best.
B.) Talk to the schools like IDESS did. Check this employee selection formula. FREE two to four years skills and knowledge assessment by college officials + character evaluation from faculty members + your recruitment process. How could you go wrong?
C.) Pay better that the rest.


3.) To the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs)

Get involved in your family’s choices. Who better to guide them that you?

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Posted in: Employment,Events,Graduates,Subic Bay

The President's Cup Regatta lights the "Summer Is Here" flare

It took a while, but Summer is finally here. Its hot and windy outside. Not your usual day at Subic Bay.

Scores of beautifully painted sails greeted my casual dive along Waterfront road last Tuesday afternoon. So I decided to investigate.

Hmm... yatchs. Lots of them. Ladies (and gents), as well. I took a risk and asked a female Boardwalk Inn staff, "what's up with those ships?" Without looking at me, she shot back, "President's Cup, and Summer!"

That's seals it. I needed the "Summer is here" confirmation, since there were unusual rain showers during the last two weeks.

To those who are planning a trip to Subic, fear not. The lady said summer is up, and I am sure she can predict the weather here better that your television weather reporters.

Just make sure that you book your rooms at least two weeks ahead of schedule. Room rates are pretty steady despite the demand.

Below are some hotels in Subic. But be warned that under no circumstance that their inclusion in the list below is an endorsement from this blog. I've been to some of them and I will write about it in some other time.

There is one hotel in the list below that I wouldn't stay in. Never.

Enjoy the hunt. And let it be said, "book at your own risk!"

Read the blog about this Hotel

For those who have more time to burn, click this link for hotels in Subic. You might think I am pulling your leg, but if you are serious at getting the best rooms in the area, click the Ads by Google link. They have great and very helpful reviews about the hotels.

If you have issues about the Google ads, then go to the website tripadvisor.com, and look for Subic Bay hotels.

Here are some photos of the yachting event.

All photos courtesy of Jun Dumaguing, Jr.

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Posted in: Events,Places,Subic Bay,Summer

One Night Only: Cecil Licad @ Casa San Miguel

Photo from www.bongsoller.com/cecil_licad/cecilintro.cfm

Guess where my 10-day ticket hunt for the Cecil Licad show (March 15, 2008) at Casa San Miguel (CSM), San Antonio, Zambales led me?

Casa San Miguel. (http://www.waypoints.ph/detail_gen.html?wpt=casasm)

Unfortunately, there is no webpage about the show, nor a website about Casa San Miguel where you can buy tickets.

Good thing a friend of mine, Jen Velarmino, knew a certain Lucy of CSM, and I was able to reserve five seats. The simple way was to contact Coke Bolipata, but a lost cellphone number complicated the matter.

As a DZFE-FM fanatic, I listened to classical music while studying at the FEU freedom park. One December day in 1989, a DZFE jock said that a Pinoy lady was making waves playing the piano (referring to Licad). The crummy guy forgot to play her piece.

So I asked around, and found a Betamax copy. Scratchy, and bad recording. But, I loved it!

I never had a chance to watch her, though. A promdi kid like me could not afford the tickets at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). Unless my grades (read: life) depended on it.

Tickets prices: P300, P500, P1,000, and (ahem) P1,500 .

Twenty years later, guess which ticket I could afford?

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Posted in: Events,One Night Only,Subic Bay

Crown-of-Thorn starfishes attack Subic Bay

Thousands of poisonous crown-of-thorn starfishes are marching into Subic Bay. Hmm... can they approximate the damage being done by our politicians? I doubt.

Needless to say, these creatures, while hurting the marine econsystem, are also a threat to human beings.

Dive shops found a reason to rally together and stop their petty quarrels. They are now busy rounding up these creatures, and are calling on other amateur divers to lend a helping hand.

According to Ameth dela Llana-Koval of the Subic Bay's Ecology Center pollution is one of the reason for this phenomenon. While many scientists agree, there is still no consensus as to the real cause.

I understand that there are marine biologists studying the phenomenon. If you know them, give them a ring.

Photo below show what the divers have gathered in just a couple of minutes. As of today, some 20,000 have been collected.





Here is another group of divers working on the problem.

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Posted in: Bay,Events

Lopez named SBMA's Employee of the Year; Cheers!

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) honored its best employee of 2007 last Friday, February 29, 2008.

Norberto Lopez is a fireman, and is also a member of the SBMA emergency services team that responds to calamities in and out of the Freeport.


If you see him, give him a pat on the back. He deserves it.




There were four other finalists that fateful night, but only the winner seserves the honor in this articles, and that's Mr. Lopez.

Engrande!

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Posted in: Events,SBMA

GMO RICE ANYONE?

"They came swiftly, and tagged

their prey "GMO RISK RICE."

Their judgement was as swift. Don't

unload them Rice,they say, its not safe!"

That is Greenpeace's message to the gang of reporters who waited for their stunt. As you can see, they succefully flagged MV Liberty Eagle, a ship carrying some 44,000 tons of rice imported from the United States of America (USA).

The rice shipment is being unloaded at the Naval Supply Depot (NSD) pier here.

Daniel M. Ocampo, genetic engineering campaigner of Greenpeace Southeast Asia argued that the National Food Authority (NFA) "must quarantine this shipment and run stringent tests based on European Union protocols before the rice is distributed to the public."

By the way, the rice shipment, according to the National Food Authority (NFA) passed their testing.

Is it a Broken Window or a Crystal Clear Pane for;

1.) the Greenpeace activists and their stunts?

2.) the National Food Authority (NFA) for allowing the importation of the supposedly GMO-contaminated rice?

3.) this article because it ain't worth the webspace?

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Posted in: Events