“Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.”

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHEASTERN PHILIPPINES

bO. OBRERO, DAVAO CITY, PHILIPPINES

FIELD TRIP

AND

SEMINARS

TRAVEL REPORT

Submitted by:

Bernard RaÑola

Submitted to:

Randy S. Gamboa

FTS Facilitator

Seminar Overview

In our Major trip in Manila is a very memorable and awesome experience in five days, and very fun and lot of information we get, all in all is informative experience not just me but also to my dearest fellow classmates. We all have the chance to visit IT Companies and not just IT Companies but some of the largest IT Companies like Accenture, PLDT, IBM and Toshiba. Having heard from the different talks of the speakers in every company visit we had made me realize that Filipinos has a lot to offer. Filipinos are really brilliant when it comes to innovating technologies like what Accenture, PLDT and IBM is doing, they innovate technology in order to provide a more advanced way of living. During the course of the company visits and stuff we also attended the biggest IT congress/convention in the Philippines and that is Y4IT wherein we are part of the crowd of almost 20 thousand in attendance.

For me the highlight of the event was our professor as the opening remarks of the said program that is very “BIG CLAP” for me and I’m so proud to myself that my professor is one of the speaker of that big event. It was clearly an awesome convention for it shows us students to know more about how to become a successful technopreneur in the near future and in that I get more knowledge and become more competitive and get a motivation. The speakers also give us tips and motivations to become successful in life and in our studies. One of the speakers gave us tips and the formula to success. The speaker told us that success is happiness and we all have the chance to define it, pursue it and lastly enjoy it. It is amazing to be part of the event for it looked like we were representing not just our school which is USeP but also Davao and be proud of what I’ve learned in that event.

It was an honor and a privilege to be part of the biggest IT event in the country. In our travels also we experienced our first plane ride, had shopping at MOA and other Malls like Trinoma, and well-known Divisoria, Tutuban, had seen the beauty of Tagaytay and went to “People’s Park in the SKY” and experienced the rides in Enchanted Kingdom. Everything I have learned will always be in my mind and the experiences I have will be forever cherished in my heart and to my fellow friends, classmates and professors it’s a happiest things happen in our life and God Bless Us.

Day 1

On this beautiful day I wake up early in the morning around 3:30 AM for the MAJOR field trip that we need to go to airport early so that we can easily know how to process things in the airport and to be familiar things and do. On that day we all met on the airport wherein almost all of us are excited to ride the plane and have fun learning. Our flight was 4 AM in the morning, wherein held in MANILA day of our lives and I’ve waited for so long to take step in the airplane and that time I’m inside in the plane I can’t explain my feelings and my emotion it’s mixed emotion I think because when I ride the plane I miss my mother and we landed safe and sound in Manila at exactly 6:10 in the morning. On our first company visit named “Accenture Company” which was held in Eastwood City which was the center of IT industry in the Philippines for the first ever IT companies are made here. After we landed in Manila we also had time to eat our breakfast at McDonalds near the airport wherein it was really heavy for we had 2 pancakes, a full meal and a drink. It was really exciting to see the tall buildings and the awesome scenes that could be seen in the area and I feel like I’m in the New York City. It was really satisfying to hear and learn from the speaker itself they gave a remarkable idea on their company and sharing their ideas to us, they accommodate us well and free snack and that was awesome yummmmy!

When I heard the IBM Bluemix I’ve wonder what kind of application is that being a student in Information Technology I amazed when the instructor demo how to use the software IBM Bluemix and I hope someday I can work with them and it’s my pleasure a to listen to and use the software they create. It was awesome to learn that Analytics is now part of the company's biggest asset to offer and their company makes me motivation to create a software something like that and that was my biggest achievement in my major field trip that I have learned many things in their company. After our company visit, we had our lunch at Kenny Rogers which was a beast for we ate a lot for it was really heavy and satisfying and I want to go back again and eat their lunch. After our lunch, we headed to IBM located at UP Technohub.

It was really awesome to be honest for after the introductions and background of IBM we got a chance to use their new and upcoming technology innovation that they were making and that was the Bluemix. It was really awesome for you could almost do everything in there from coding to designing and posting and even testing was done inside the Bluemix which was awesome and very useful to us. The place was not so big yet it was very informative and cool inside the building, and their internet connections was fast and I think they use fibre. After our visit to the IT companies, we went to the Trinoma and SM North EDSA to kill some time and to make ourself little unwind and see what is inside the well-known shopping mall in Manila. And then we need to take our dinner in Abardeen Hotel located at Makati. The food was great and awesome and that Buffet was very yummy and I’m very full in that buffet. After our dinner, we went to Kabayan Hotel for us to rest and the hotel was very nice and they accommodate well.

It was really amazing to experience all of those things in just a day especially in IBM and Accenture to be able to learn from them was clearly a big in honor and pleasure not just o us but also to them and I will treasure the things that I’ve learned from the visiting of the company like IBM and Accenture.

What I learned?

I learned a lot this day especially in the Accenture and IBM tour for analytics right now in the meantime is really clicking to be part of the industry and it was clearly a big boost to the morale of us students to learn more and strive harder for more learnings and learn a bit of Smarter Analytics on what it could offer to people especially to organizations and even individuals to have a guide to make right decisions in organizing data at the right time also. It is very useful especially in companies that would help analyze data and could turn it into insights that they might use for a better result for their business. And I think it could also help us, students, for it is a useful tool that could help us in our data analyzing and provide improved outcomes in our studies. And become a good Information Technology Student I will treasure the things that I’ve learned to their lecture to us and apply it well and the software tackle in Accenture was awesome.

What I liked?

I liked how they welcomed us in their company with smiles on their faces and enthusiasm on delivering their lectures to us and they accommodate well and they treat us very carefully.

What I didn’t like?

There is nothing I don’t like in the company visits except for the fact that all of them are educational and very helpful to us students in our future endeavors.

Day 2

On the Second day of our Major Field Trip we visited a big time company named PLDTInnolab located in Mandaluyong. Cell phones and cameras were not allowed inside PLDT for security purposes to protect them from their rival companies. But it’s alright because we had our class picture courtesy of PLDT Innolab. We had our tour inside their company, and we were able to see the evolution of PLDT from its birth up to the age of transformation. PLDT is the acronym of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company wherein it is one of the leading telephone companies in the Philippines. The one who welcomed us in PLDT is Ma’am Annie they are so accommodating especially Ma’am Annie who shared to us the birth of PLDT, from where it started up to the day that they become one of the largest Telecommunications Company in the Philippines. And by the way, INNOLAB stands for Innovation Laboratory and Telecommunications, Education Center of PLDT quite long but it says it all. Our speaker was Ma’am Annie Ferrer from the HR department of the company and it was clearly informative for all of us to know the history of the said company and it is new technology that it could offer.

The Innolab was created 2005 and it focuses on innovation and research of new generation technologies. And this day I amazed their company they have a satellite. During our company visit at the Innolab, we all knew about the history of PLDT from where it started and where they are now today. It was clearly an amazing story to hear and be told to us. After we learned about the history of the company we then moved on to the technologies that they are now offering not just in the known-market but also in other sectors. During the sharing of new technologies, I myself was a big fan of having a fast and reliable internet and I saw it right in front of our eyes wherein the internet speed was at peak of 100MBP’s and that is clearly an awesome thing to have but it is also very expensive.

The featured technologies are also very awesome and many of us told ourselves that ideas are really everywhere. Lastly, during our visit we got a chance to see a big screen that made us go WOW for it was really awesome to see something like that . In that screen they monitor the latest news and movements in and out of the industry. After our company visit at PLDT, we had our lunch inside the bus which was pretty good actually for the food was then again awesome and heavy. After we ate, we visited Ideaspace at Makati wherein we got a chance to hear inspiring stories and ideas that made it and made millions and thousands of pesos in the market. Also here, we got our hopes lifted up high for we all have a chance to pass on our technoprenuership subject for we will join the Ideaspace competition. After the talks and inspiring stories, they showed us to their office and was given free shirts to brag. It was really fun and informative at the same time. After our visit at Ideaspace we went to Tutuban located at Divisoria wherein we bought our all awesome pasalubong.

What I learned?

I learned that PLDT clearly offers more than just telephones and internet connections instead they have a lot more technologies that I have not yet known and was really helpful to us. Ideaspace also was very inspiring for the stories that they share to us are all about making dreams come true. I also learned that communication is very vital in our everyday lives. Without it, we could not be able to connect to our families, friends, relatives and many others. That’s why I am very thankful to PLDT because they provided us a better solution to communication and not just PLDT I would commend but also to other TeleCom Companies because without them, communication would be very impossible to us all.

What I liked?

For PLDT, I also liked the speaker because she is nice and approachable and also the place because it could accommodate us all and all of the technologies they could offer to us. And it as my first time to see a touch screen projector wall. And big screen. And I liked how they gave us inspiring stories to inspire us even more to do a lot for our future.

What I didn’t like?

There is nothing I don’t like in the company visits except for the fact that all of them are educational and very helpful to us students in our future endeavors.

Day 3

On the third day of Major Field Trip we went on a seminar and attend the annual Y4it Convention held on SMX Convention Center located at MOA for a whole day. It is an annual event wherein IT enthusiasts, students and technopreneurs gather in one place to share their knowledge about what is new and what is clicking in the IT industry. We only attended the first day of the convention for it is the only day that we are free to do so. We arrived early for us to have seats, I expected that a lot of people especially students will be attending the convention and my expectations were met with a big yes. Almost 20 thousand people including us attended the Convention and it was a blast to be a part of it.

Before entering, we are oriented on what to do inside the convention center and was given ID’s and a free duffle bag with snacks that made us happy. We did not expect that our professor Mr. Randy S. Gamboa will be the one to officially open the program and all of us clapped and cheered for our professor. And we’re very proud of what we saw that our professor is one of the speaker of that event, and the atmosphere inside the convention center was awesome and cool for almost all of us are excited to hear from the speakers themselves. Once the convention started, it was on to listening about the things they do and what they offer to the industry. It was certainly a very good convention to attend. After a while, my friends and I decided to go and collect them stamps around.

The convention came to a pause when the clock hits 11:45 for it is time to eat lunch. We ate lunch at a restaurant which was again heavy (totally worth it). After we ate lunch, we again came back to listen more to the convention but this time is different, almost all of us are sleepy (yes) for 1-3 PM is strictly the holy hours for people who are tired. After a while, we overcome our drowsiness for some speakers have a very inspiring and awesome speech and shared their experiences to us. For me, the main highlight was when one speaker that I certainly forgot to write down the name told us about the solution to success or the keys to success. He then told us that in order for us to be able to succeed we must first build our CHARACTER than anything else. Next is CAPABILITY which means the skills must be honed to perfection for us to be competitive enough against others. (Character+Capability) multiplied by COMMITMENT which was next on the list we need to have passion for us to be able to do what we wanted to do. Combining those 3 words you will get Credibility + Completeness wherein you will gain the trust of the people around you and you will be able to master everything in your arsenal. Combine those five words and put them in to work and surely SUCCESS will follow. After that awe inspiring speech he gave to us, comes the raffle for the external drive and phones given by the organizers. I find Y4IT very inspiring and informative for it gave us the knowledge and inspiration to be able to do more from what we usually do and strive harder for a better future.

What I learned?

I learned that success is hard earned and it will surely follow you when you do what you are thought to do. Success is happiness so we must enjoy it every second of it. I also learned that we must invest for time, energy and money.

What I liked?

I really like the venue of the Y4it Convention this year because it is able to accommodate all the participants for the convention. Also the speakers were all amazing and had done great in their crafts. I liked the speaker that showed us the keys to success formula for it was really inspiring and awesome, the way he speaks and totally the place. It was really awesome and fun at the same time.

What I didn’t like?

There’s nothing that I didn’t like except for the fact that the place is so dark because some are not listening, some are just sleeping, and some are bored and not able to participate and all of us turned out to be sleeping than listening because of drowsiness and laziness at the same time. And there is a part in which it is completely dark and those participants were not been recognized well because they are hardly seen in the venue.

Day 4

On the fourth day of the Major Field Trip we went on a company visit to Toshiba in Laguna. All of us woke up ahead of schedule for we need to be early for the company is strict about time and so most of us are still sleepy and such. Before we went inside the company we all have been given shoe covers and for the place to be clean at all times and also told us that cameras are not allowed inside the company. Toshiba was derived from the name Tokyo Shibaura and was founded on 1875 in Japan. Toshiba is one of the most world renowned companies known for their technologies and such in the industry. The people of Toshiba always had a simple rule and those are the 3R’s. Respect yourself, Respect others and Responsibilities. The company is really strict when it comes to rules and guidelines to be followed.

To have the company feel, we were also given Toshiba uniforms and caps that we must wear in order for us to be classified as part of the tour. After the introductions and background of the Toshiba company was done, we are grouped by two so that we will not be clogged in an area. On the tour, we were able to see state of the art technologies that are being used. It was clearly awesome to see the equipment and the things they do inside the laboratory. After we got to see what is inside we again came back to the conference room to assess what we have learned in the company tour and visit. Sad to say, after a long day of talks and interesting things to learn about the company it is time to say goodbye for our time is already up and we got to thank them for accepting us in to their company and allowed us to visit and see the awesome facilities they have inside.

After the Toshiba plant tour, it is time for the next big thing. It is not a company but it is one of the things we are very excited for and that is EK (Enchanted Kingdom). All of us are excited to be in there and have fun but first we must eat our lunch at Max’s Restaurant in Tagaytay wherein we could see on a very awesome view the Taal Volcano. It was really fun to see and eat with such a nice view to boot it was really a fun lunch to have. Pictures came from everybody in that time which was fun and amusing at the same time.

After our lunch, we went to Tagaytay People’s park in the sky and it was very tiring and the same time refreshing for the freshness of the air was so good at that time. In here we took a lot of pictures and bought some souvenirs. After buying the souvenirs it is time to get the hype for real. The bus is going to the destination we are all been waiting for. *drum roll please* BOOOOOOM! The Hype is real! Enchanted Kingdom is within reach and the fun just keeps getting better and better from here on out. From the entrance to the inside of Enchanted Kingdom it was clearly all smiles before we got into the rides. The experiences that we are about to feel is clearly once in a lifetime only and this is really awesome. Our first ride was the Log Jam, which in fact looked like easy but it was really scary for there are no seatbelts and you need to hold the bars that are located inside the mini boat.

It was really extreme and fun at the same time. After the ride, we saw our pictures outside and it was really funny to see the faces of my classmates scared and all. The next ride was Space Shuttle wherein it is a roller coaster type of ride in a normal perspective but in the end of the ride you will be pull backed to see what you have experienced the second time around. It was a very awesome ride and the fear is real. We all screamed at the top of our lungs and was really fun. The 3rd ride was Water Rio (I don’t know if the name is right) wherein we all got wet and laughed for the entire time while in the ride. The 4th ride was Flying Fiesta in which I hated the most for I got dizzy after the ride. Most of us did and was still able to walk after. The 5th ride was another dizzy one and that is Disc Oh Magic! This ride was also fun and scary for you will feel that you are being thrown but not. It was really amazing to experience those rides.

But none of this will be memorable if we will not try Drop Zero. One of the most scariest things that I have ridden. Drop Zero really was the most awesome ride I have ever experienced for in my experience I just saw how beautiful Laguna in just a second and then BOOOOOM! I just saw nothing until it came to a stop and then the scream comes through. It was the most awesome 2-5 seconds of my life being pulled down instantly in just a moment knowing that you are safe and alive. After this ride, we went to ride the bump cars to just have fun and that was just about it. Our Enchanted Kingdom adventure stopped at exactly 7 PM in the evening but it was the most fun 2-3 hours of my life and clearly though we will treasure it.

What I learned?

I learned that in manufacturing products, the manufacturing company should provide quality products to its consumers to gain trust from consumers and one way of assuring the durability of their products is to have the best people to supervise the processes of the products and to have high end materials such as machines for the processing and also to the parts they will use for the products. Toshiba had made it to their vision and that is to be a world leader in high technology, diversified manufacturer and marketer of advanced electronics because of the products they have and introduced to the market and as well the people behind their products.

What I liked?

In our plant tour visit in Toshiba, I actually like the discipline of everybody to abide the rules of the company because discipline is one of the values we need in order to meet our goals in life. If the people working in Toshiba don’t have that discipline, that place would never be the same when we had our visit.

What I didn’t like?

Everything I experienced and saw during our visit in Toshiba is really commendable that’s why there’s nothing that I didn’t like about the place.

Day 5

This day was the last day of our stay in Manila which is really sad and at the same time fulfilling and happy for we are all safe and sound in the 5-day trip we had in the place. At this time, we already have packed up our things and such in our baggage and are ready to go back to Davao. But beforehand, we still ate our breakfast at the Hotel and after that we went again to another tour, but this time it is not a company but schools. We visited two big time universities in Manila namely ADMU and UP. Our first destination was Ateneo De Manila University wherein we are shocked on how big the university is. From the gate to where we parked seems the size of USeP already and it was really awesome to see. We went to their ICT department wherein they showed us what they are capable of and what they are doing.

They also showed us their “toys” wherein this technology are on top of the food chain for they are new and awesome. First off is the Google Glass, it was really awesome to see such amazing equipment and device for in the mere fact it is expensive and it is also really good to use. Next was awesome thing that every gamer like me wanted to have and that is the Oculus Rift. The Oculus Rift is a device wherein when connected to the computer games like First Person shooters and thrill rides are made into reality (Virtually). It was really cool to see those type of devices in front of our eyes and was really amazed on how their school supports the program of Game development with the help of such technology. They use those technologies for faster implementations and development thus making their students at the top of the charts when it comes to game development.

We are also shocked when the programming language that they just use majorly is C. Another awesome fact about Ateneo was the internet connection. We are all shocked and mesmerized at the same time when we tested their connection. Every unit/computer is running on almost 50 -80 MBP’s connection and that is faster than any connections we had tried. We are so jealous at the same time honored to be able to see, use such devices. After the show and tell of the learning and devices we ought to see and hear it was time for us to go look around the vicinity of the University.

After a short walk around we went back to the bus and head straight to our next destination which is the University of Philippines Diliman Campus which is just near the area. But before entering the campus of UP, we all wanted to take a picture of the famous oblation statue located at UP. It was really cool to see it in person and we all took a class picture of it. After that we went inside the campus of UP which was of course huge, it was like a city inside the campus for there are PUJ’s having their own routes in the vicinity of the university. After a while of sitting on the bus, it was time for us to eat our lunch at the University food stalls itself. It was good and satisfying at the same time. After we ate, we chose to go to the souvenir shop and bought some goodies. After our lunch we went to the ICT department of the University and their they showed us their works and shared with us the knowledge they knew.

I liked one project/thesis wherein the idea was to make a LAN network through phones (hotspots) in a small area wherein even without load they could still communicate and text with one another. It was really awesome to see such ideas and cool things to be heard. They also toured us around the building and after the tour it was time to say goodbye to UP and that is how we ended our trip in the University. We got into the bus with high hopes of learning, knowledge and experience that will never be forgotten in our entire lives. When we got in to our bus, Kuya Al our tour guide told us that it is always hard to say goodbye to the people even with just a small amount of time it was fun and the same time very educational. Feels was overflowing in everyone after what he said. For our last stop in the trip, we went to Resorts World Manila just to see what is inside the famous place. It was really cool and then we bought our dinner food there just to make sure our stomachs are filled before going on to our plane ride back in Davao. It was definitely one of the most memorable experiences that I will really treasure in my life and will be looking forward again for a few more.

What I learned?

I learned that in those universities especially ADMU itself, the support that was given by the administration to them was clearly top notch and the equipment clearly is a big help on their learning.

What I liked?

I clearly liked the openness or the way the universities accepted us as if we are one of their own.

What I didn’t like?

Everything I experienced and saw during our visit is really commendable that’s why there’s nothing that I didn’t like about the place.

Appendix

What can I recommend for the improvement of the advance seminar program of USEP?

Clearly, I would recommend the future students of FTS to choose Model A or anything outside Visayas and Mindanao for the big IT companies are out in Luzon and there are so much to learn and experience while being there. Not degrading the IT industry in both Visayas and Mindanao but for me Manila’s IT industry is on top of the chart basing on the Philippines. I would also recommend the future students to always ask questions and grab the opportunity while being there for the main goal of this trip is to learn what is new and what is clicking in the industry.

My advice to those who will take their advance seminar program in the near future.

My advice for those who will take up this advance seminar program is to grab the opportunity while it’s still there. The learning and experiences that they could gain is clearly amazing and it surely will help them in the future. They should always remember that this is not a pleasure trip but a pure out business educational trip and thus always listen to the instructions and guidelines given by the professors in charge and the tour guide. And lastly always remember to Learn and have fun at the same time for this will only happen once in their college life and will be one of the most memorable things that could happen to them. And also when they will decide on what Model they will choose especially if they will choose Model A which is in Luzon, they should really prepare a large amount of money to avoid problems on the preparation of the trip. They should also choose their set of officers which they know would be responsible in handling the class and would facilitate and work on the preparations for the trip and all of them should also cooperate for the success of their trip.