Today's episode of Vigattin Radio was led by Mr. Elison Barcelo in the name of his co-anchor, Ms. Arne Barcelo. Mr. Elison handled the talk with another 'Bigatin' guests with bigatin promotional talks.
The talk was started by the first guest, Ms. Nica Dumlao. She introduced The Foundation for Media Alternatives (FMA). FMA is a non-government organization in the Philippines created in 1986 that goes in internet governance issues. FMA seeks to enhance the popularisation and social marketing of development-oriented issues and campaigns through media-related interventions, social communication projects, and cultural work. Ms. Nica said that they are now tackling the topic of privacy issues, which they fight for privacy rights especially when the law had been passed recently that user's data can now be infringed.
FMA also focuses on democratising information and communications technologies (ICT's), aimed at empowering Philippine civil society through the critical use of appropriate new (i.e, computer-based) media.
FMA proudly announced that they will be having a visitor from the US, the very famous software freedom activist and a bigtime computer programmer, Mr. Richard Stallman. They invited Mr. Stallman and other immense groups from foreign countries to discuss about ther global conference in technology and human rights or 'rightcon'. The event will be held at Crowne Plaza Ortigas Ave., Quezon City, 9am - 3pm on March 23 - 25. The event has no entrance fee but have limited slots only. Discussions will be expected to focus on internet in human rights perspective, what are the legal and illegal terms, equality, privacy and policies, etc.
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Emil Tapnio of PhilDev, introduced their partner, Kai Elmer Sotto. Kai is a technologist, entrepreneur and investor from Toronto, Canada. He was a previous head of Instagram’s International Development. Before Instagram, he was employee #1 for Facebook in Canada, opening the company's first office there in 2008. He was also the first man hired on Facebook’s international growth team, pioneering a role now known in tech as "Growth Hacking” that proved crucial to Facebook’s success, helping them reach more than 1.3 billion active users worldwide.
He recently left Instagram last December to pursue interests in social enterprises, photography, travel and surfing, and to spend more time with his family. He serve on the boards of PhilDev, a non-profit working to eradicate poverty in the Philippines, and Birdwell Beach Britches, a heritage surf company producing the only boardshort still made in America.
PhilDev and USAID team up to host IDEA Symposium in areas of societal needs, entrepreneurship, and increasing expertise in productively utilizing innovations in science and technology. The annual IDEA Symposium's platform creates and expand dialogue between the United States and Philippine higher education institutions, government officials, startup entrepreneurs and industry leaders. The symposium featured American professors and entrepreneurs and acknowledged to be an important venue to link startup companies and venture capitalists with emerging technologies and expertise. Entrepreneurship subject also included in the discussion, planning it to add in the curriculum subjects in engineering courses.
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