As the GBG Manager (Google Business Group Manager) for Baguio City, I got the chance to witness the first Gday in southeast Asia dubbed as the Gphilippines. The GPhilippines is hopefully going to be an annual event where Googlers, Community Managers for GBG and GDG as well as those interested in using Google Web Technologies and those who wants to learn more about Google, will converge in one place in order to learn from the Googlers and the GBG and GDG Managers.
Gphilippines is divided into three events, the Gphilippines Business Track, the Gphilippines University track and the Devfest. For the first Day it was dedicated to the Gphilippines business and government track where business enthusiasts, programmers, business owners and entrepreneurs had the chance to learn more about how to use Google Technologies in order to make their business become successful online. The keynote speech was given by Undersecretary Manolo Quezon III where he showed how Google and the internet in general is shaping up the Philippine Society.
GPhilippines Day 1
After the keynote speech, Sebastian Trczinski-Clement the head of Outreach for Africa and Middle East showed the latest in Google Technology. The crowd was amazed on what Google Powered Smartphones can do. I personally was amazed by the voice translation capability of Google Powered Smartphones, Sam, another Googler was speaking in English while the phone translated it to French. It is for me a great translation device, for travellers out there this is a handy tool especially if you visit a place where English is not their primary mode of language.
After Sebs presentation we were treated to a sandwich and chips during the break, however, since we overshoot our time we had a working break. The next one is the breakout session where I attended Anil’s talk on getting your business online using Youtube, I was particularly interested with the statement that YouTube is the second widely used search engine after Google.
After Anil’s presentation we were treated to a heavy lunch and now I was starting to get anxious. Why?, Because I am not only an audience in this event but also one of the speakers for Google Business Group Baguio. Along with GBG Philippines and GBG Cebu we will present what Google Business Group is all about. Our time was at 2:30pm-3:30pm and at 1pm my heart was already pounding fast because internet connection is not being cooperative so I have to ask my co-manager Fleire of GBG Cebu to download the file from Google Drive to her Mac. To cut the story short, I survived to tell the story, I thought I was going to pass out before my turn but thankfully I was able to deliver the GBG Baguio Report properly, was also able to answer questions coming from the audience. Thanks also to the ever helpful Van/Vanessa of GBG Philippines for helping us out during the event sharing here wimax connection and for directing me on how to walk from AIM to New World Hotel 🙂
Gphilippines Day 2
Day two of Gphilippines was divided into two events the devfest and the University Track, i was able to join the devfest as it was focused more on Google Technologies. Mr. Nelson Mattos, the VP of Google for Europe and Emerging Markets gave his keynote speech. I learned a lot about Adwords, Adsense among other Google Technologies. I was fascinated during the show and tell where Filipino developers showcased their applications. Whoever said that the Philippines cannot compete internationally in terms of application development? I am however not much of a programmer as I am an ABP (anything but programming) so some of the words are foreign to me, but I understood what they wanted to accomplish with their applications. Oh by the way at around 11:30am – 12:30pm something special happened, something that i might not be at liberty to discuss so lets leave it at that.
Conclusion on Gphilippines
I have learned a lot in #gphilippines, these knowledge I am excited to apply as well as I am excited to share with my fellow members in Google Business Group Baguio Community. I am looking forward to the next gphilippines and I bet it is going to be bigger! If the food does not make you feel happy, nor the knowledge shared then I bet the schwags and the photobooth will. Overall Gphilippines was a fun and an information overload event!
See you next year!
#gphilippines
Btw did you know that gphilippines and #devfestph was trending in G+ during the event? That goes to show how engaged the audience are. Congratulations to the Organizers and Participants of the first ever #gphilippines!
