Creative Summit Update : More Speakers

Education is good and expensive. But learning can sometimes be affordable too. In fact it can be ridiculously cheap to as low as PHP 250, you get inspired from the works and ideas of Dr. Joe Adam Fry (Google UK), Kenneth Cobonpue, Arch't Jason Buensalido, Lloyd Tronco, Insoy Niñal, Butch Carungay, to name a few. The topics of this year's summit revolve around the creative process behind every great design.

This project is made possible by the people behind Creative Cebu Council, British Council, Campaings & Grey, DTI, and of course the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Here are the creds of our speakers so you'll have an idea what to expect.

Lastly, you get to enjoy a 2012 Academy Award Winning documentary film.  That's why I said it's really cheap.


Google UK DR. JOE ADAM FRY
Topic : Digital Explores Creative Ideas For Small Business

Dr. Joe Fry is the Planning Lead in Google's Global Creative Team (known internally as 'The ZOO'), based out of London. His team fosters deep working relationships with global businesses, creative agencies and Google product teams to deliver best practice digital creative work across the web. Joe's role is to lead creative strategy, creative process, and insight. Before joining Google 18 months ago, he acted as a strategic/creative consultant at several independent UK-based Creative Agencies and has a PhD in Creative Process Management.

KENNETH COBONPUE
Topic : Inspire | Desire - from inspiration to objects of desire

Kenneth Cobonpue is a multi-awarded designer and manufacturer from Cebu, and the creative director of Hive. He graduated in Industrial Design from Pratt Institute in New York with highest honors and subsequently worked in Italy and Germany. Integrating locally sourced materials with innovative handmade production processes, Cobonpue's brand is known around the world for its unique designs and roster of clientele that include Hollywood celebrities like Brad Pitt and members of royalty.

Awards to his credit include 5 Japan Good Design Awards, the grand prize at the Singapore International Design Competition, the Design for Asia Award of Hongkong, the American Society of Interior Design Top Pick selection and the French Coup de Coeur award.  Several of his designs were selected for several editions of the International Design Yearbook published in London and New York. The books "& FORK" (Phaidon) and "DESIGN NOW" (Tashen) underscore Kenneth's position as a leader of a new movement incorporating technology and craft.  He has appeared on European television, countless international magazines and newspapers around the world. Various Cobonpue designs have also appeared in full-length feature films and television such as Oceans 13 and CSI.

Kenneth reveals new work each year in design shows from Paris to New York. He also speaks regularly about Southeast Asian design all over the world. In 2007, TIME magazine called him "rattan’s first virtuoso."

Architect JASON BUENSALIDO
Topic : S,M.L,XL - Design Excellence On Every Scale

Arch't Jason has won numerous prestigious competitions, including UP’s Pinakamagandang Bahay sa Balat ng Lupa, and was a finalist/awardee in the CCP’s Arts Theater and Artists Center competition and Bahay Pinoy competition.  His firm, Buensalido Architects, is an architectural, interior, and urban design laboratory committed to creating original, avant-garde, innovative, and progressive solutions. Its vision is to broaden and uplift the design profile of the Philippines and share this with others around the globe, thereby helping to put the Philippines on the global design map.

PJ ONG
Topic : Experimentation As A Medium Of Graphic Design

PJ Ong has been running his own design studio/art collective known as !NODORO for more than 10 years.  He has produced designs for clients both commercial and exhibition works in the fields of arts, music, culture, fashion, print and design.  PJ has increased experience in the areas of design, with focus on: Art Direction, Graphic Design, Illustration, Packaging, Graffiti, Consulting, Branding, Identity, Stingers, Strategy, Photography, Video, Motion Design, Custom Typeface, Typography, Art installations.  He received his Education at the International Academy of Design & Technology – Toronto.  Some of his Awards & Recognition are as Speaker - Visual Design Conference 2011 (Topic: Experimental Arts); Speaker- Pecha Kucha Cebu 2012 (Topic: Digital Design); Nominee - CSS Design Awards 2012 for the !nodoro website (Category: Best Websites in the World). He has been featured in numerous publications both local and international.

INSOY NIÑAL
Topic : Songwriting - Preserving Local Culture for the Global Audience

Lorenzo "Insoy" Niñal is a very talented writer, musician, songwriter and well-known champion of original Cebuano music and songwriting.  An advocate for education and preserving local culture, one of the recent projects he worked with was VISPOP, a Cebuano Songwriting Campaign & Competition that was organized by Artist KO (Artists & Musicians Marketing Cooperative) in cooperation with FILSCAP (Filipino Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers).  As VISPOP education coordinator, Insoy conducted songwriting workshops for young and budding artists to hone and further professionalize their songwriting skills.

Insoy founded the Cebuano rock band Missing Filemon, of which he is also the songwriter and vocalist.  He won the 2008 FAMAS Award for Best Movie Theme Song for his composition “Sine-Sine.”  He finished AB Philosophy and AB English at the San Carlos Seminary College in Cebu City.  He works as editor of Sun*Star Cebu and as Columnist for Sun*Star Cebu and Sun*Star Superbalita.  He teaches Literature and English at the Cebu Normal University, and English at the Seminario Mayor de San Carlos.

JOEL RUIZ
Topic : Film Making With Your Voice

Joel is a freelance television commercial director, and an independent filmmaker.  He is also resident producer/director and co-founder of Arkeomedia, a production shop that specializes in features and commercial work.  He is a graduate of the Mowelfund Film Institute. An award-winning director with several movies under his belt, his previous short works include Mula Sabado, winner at the Gawad-CCP Awards, and Sa Mata ni Chico, winner at the Gawad-CCP and Urian nominee for Best Short Feature.

REESE FERNANDEZ-RUIZ
Topic : Micro Entrepreneurship Through Creativity And Innovation

Reese is an innovative and passionate leader who champions revolutionary ideas that would help the world become more sustainable and ethical.  She believes that quality and integrity should always go hand in hand. Thus, she became the co-founder and CEO of Rags2Riches Inc., a for-profit social enterprise based in Manila, Philippines, which creates eco-ethical fashion and home accessories out of up cycled scrap cloth, organic materials and indigenous fabrics by working with women living in the poor communities across the country. Rags2Riches’ philosophy stands upon its four bottom lines: People, Profit, Planet and Positive Influence.

Reese is a recipient of numerous awards & recognition, among these: World Economic Forum-Young Global Leader 2012; People Asia’s Women of Style and Substance; Entrepreneur for the Year Award (Young Entrepreneur Category, World Entrepreneurship Forum and EMLYON Business School);  The Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service (TOWNS Awards) 2010 - Youngest recipient of the award in Philippine history.  Reese was also selected as one of the five inaugural Rolex Young Laureates by the Rolex Foundation in Switzerland for recognition of her work. In 2010, Rags2Riches linked up with its current investor-partner, LGT Venture Philanthropy.

BUTCH CARUNGAY
Topic : Left Brain Meet Right Brain - Creativity Ain't Enough

Wharton graduate Gil "Butch" Z. Carungay is the Managing Director and Chief Creative Officer of Avatar Accessories Inc., Cebu’s top costume jewelry house.  Avatar Accessories is a leading manufacturer of cutting edge, meticulously crafted costume jewelry in the region. Butch has already garnered numerous awards and press recognition for excellence in design, and he is one of Cebu’s most recognizable names in design and creativity. A former President of the Fashion Accessories Manufacturers & Exporters (FAME) Foundation Phils. and instrumental for the establishment of the Bijoux Cebu Show, Butch is a key industry player in the exports and design-driven products sector and one of leading advocates for promoting Cebu’s creative industries.

His latest endeavor is operating and designing for District32, the collective name for the community of commercial non-aviation concessions at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport. It will be the country's, if not the region's first branded airport experience. More importantly, District32 will be a complete re-imagination of how a small airport can still provide a very memorable traveler experience.

LLOYD TRONCO
Topic : Exploring The New Tri-Media

Lloyd is Vice President of the Outdoor Advertising Association of the Philippines (OAAP), the country’s industry association for practitioners of out-of-home advertising (or outdoor advertising).  With more than 30 years of experience in the business, Lloyd is a well-known personality and leader in the field of outdoor advertising.   He formed the Philippine Center for Out-Of-Home Media Research and Science, which serves as a repository of information for out-of-home media in the Philippines.  More commonly known as PhilCourse, it is also considered as the catalyst in pushing the growing trend in outdoor advertising known as Digital Out-Of-Home media in the country.  In 2010, Lloyd served as the Conference Chairman of Asia’s first Digital Out-Of-Home Media event, Digital Signage World Asia held in Singapore and has been a regular speaker since then.  Lloyd is also a Certified Digital Marketer as certified by the Internet and Mobile Marketing Association of the Philippines and is involved with various digital media projects.

Architect BUCK SIA
Topic : Does Identity Define Design? Does Design Define Identity?

Buck Sia is President of Creative Cebu Council, the co-organizer of the 2nd Cebu Creative Industries Summit.  Creative Cebu Council is an industry association composed of creative entrepreneurs from various sectors who have banded together to promote, develop and champion the creative industries in Cebu.  Arch’t Buck is also President of the United Architects of the Philippines (UAP)-Sugbu Chapter.  His firm, Zubu Design Associates, is a design studio that is dedicated to creating progressive and modern architecture. It combines innovative and experimental concepts, as well as the international style to the culture and climate of the local setting. Arch’t Buck believes that a well-designed building should not only comply to its basic use but should also be a beacon for provoking thought and creating emotion through space, light and form.  Zubu believes the design process is just as important as the finished product.

Curtain Raiser
SAVING FACE (2012 Academy Award Winner for Documentary)

Update from Cebu's Music Sector

Nov. 12, 2012 marks a milestone for Cebu's music industry moving forward as FILSCAP constituted ARTIST KO as its exclusive music licensing agent for Metro Cebu on public performance of musical works.

On the same day, the first FILSCAP MOA for public performance of musical works was signed by PRA-Cebu Chapter in Laguna Express, Oakridge Business Center, Mandaue City at 2PM. The signing was attended by Mr. Jun Yap (President, PRA-C), Mr. Noel Cabangon (President, FILSCAP), Ms. Cristina Soqueno (Licensing Manager, FILSCAP), PRA-C officers Jonathan Ho (Mandaue Foam), Maricar Sacro (Ng Khai), Robert Go (Prince Warehouse), Jay Aldeguer (Islands Souvenirs), and yours truly.

L-R : Robert Go (PRA-C Member), Ian Zafra (Artist Ko, FILSCAP Licensing Agent),, Mr. Noel Cabangon (President, FILSCAP), Mr. Jun Yap (President, PRA-C), Jonathan Ho (PRA-C), Maricar Sacro (PRA-C), Cristina Soqueno (Licensing Manager, FILSCAP)

The Filipino Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, Inc. (FILSCAP) represents the rights of songwriters and publishers covering an extensive worldwide repertoire of copyrighted local and foreign musical works. FILSCAP’s role is to grant permission to music users and provide compensation or royalties to composers, authors and publishers for the use of their works.

Moving forward.

FILSCAP comes to Cebu for "Music In Your Business" forum

Finally here it is.

The Filipino Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, Inc. (FILSCAP) in cooperation with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Cebu Provincial Office, will be holding a forum  dubbed as "Music In Your Business" happening this Friday, Oct. 28, 2011 starting 8AM until 12noon at the Marriott Hotel.

FILSCAP President Noel Cabangon
(photo taken from Facebook)

Topics include:

Music Copyright
Speaker : ACCRA Lawyer / Ateneo Law Professor Atty. Antonio Ray Ortiguera
A discussion on the rights of music copyright owners over the use of their works and the licenses that should be secured by business owners who intend to use copyrighted music in their business or events.

Copyright Societies
Speaker : CISAC Regional Director for Asia-Pacific Mr. KT Ang
This topic covers the collective management of copyright by copyright societies.

Licensing Operations of FILSCAP
Speaker : FILSCAP General Manager Debra Ann P. Gaite
FILSCAP shall talk about how they license, collect and distribute royalties from public performances of copyrighted musical works.

Social Value of Music
Speaker : FILSCAP Trustee/Socio-Cultural Committee Member/Composer Gary Granada
A topic that defines the socio-cultural value of playing music to the public in events or establishments.

"Music In Your Business" is in partnership with the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC), Artists and Musicians Marketing Cooperative (ARTIST KO), and the Creative Cebu Council, Inc.

In the evening will be a solidarity meetup for the local songwriters at The Outpost. It's going to be fun.

The UNcreative Cebu

I believe that for Creative Cebu to move forward, it's also equally important that the org must challenge itself from within.  To question an existing status quo.  To sort and identify the barriers.  And more importantly, to acknowledge the value of accepting what makes an UN-creative Cebu.

WIPO, IPOPHIL, DTI, Cebu Chamber of Commerce, and Creative Cebu recently sponsored an event called National High Level Forum on Innovation and the Creative Industries Ecosystems.  Branding, evolving business models, and the use of intellectual property as its utility belt were the prevalent agenda.  Insightful it was, yes.  Very informative.  Grandly inspiring.    I'm writing this entry as an attempt to document the experience and knowledge I've savored in that 2-day forum.

My favorite topics were those presented by Brandon Rawson (1st Act, Silicon Valley, USA), Jason Potts (ARC Centre, Brisbane, Australia), Jay Aldeguer (The Islands Group, Cebu, Philippines), and Kenneth Cobonpue exhibiting all his grand offerings to the world.

Jason Potts speaking on customized music business model

And then there was the thought provoking semi-lecture on branding by Mr. Junie del Mundo (CEO, Management Association of the Philippines, Manila).  I'm sure there were other speakers that were equally mind-moving but I missed it due to a pre-scheduled separate appointment (had to leave for a couple of hours and came back).

Bullet pointing all that has transpired, these are the key notes identified in a creative community that caught my fancy:

• The need to experiment and consequently support it
• Customized music business model per region
• The empirical ratio between opportunities versus challenges
• The empirical ratio between risks versus rewards
• The proposed action to rebrand the Philippines (and Cebu as a creative hub)
• The need to draft and enforce applicable policies (whatever this may mean to artists and entrepreneurs alike)
• And the ironic impact of the use of intellectual property (yes I knew there was a downside to this but couldn't put my finger on it until this forum)

I waited for somebody to scale the above a little bit down and bring forth subjects such as:

• The need to provide more avenues on financial support especially in the experimental phase of creativity where only a few listen, vision-share, and pay attention to
• The need to make meaning first - branding via the basic needs on food, clothing, shelter, and transportation
• That creativity should include science and engineering ergo not limited to music and arts alone
• Is there an existing policy that supports this?

Nobody did.

So I braved in and expressed (and hopefully contributed) some ideas and opinions.  Here they are;

• The government should be more aware of "existing experiments" going on around them.  Unless they figure out a way to tap in these potential resources and fund them, these efforts could end up flourishing elsewhere.
• Branding Cebu is asking what makes it special.
• "Puso" or hanging rice should be proudly served in hotels and restaurants.
• In this tropical country, designers could come up with a better idea of a formal attire than the preferred western suit.
• Houses should be designed with natural ventilation and less air-conditioning necessities, and that low cost houses should mean affordable and functional rather than inadequately cheap.
• Unless the highest ranking official of every government agency is able to take the jeepney everyday to work, the problem of traffic will only get worse.  Traffic is caused by inefficient public transport resulting to more people buying more cars resulting to more private cars congesting the roads.  Road widening is not the answer.
• Local government offices should assert on a paperless system of business permit application.  One effective office with an efficient system should be enough.

Learning happens when you acknowledge that there is still more to understand.  You can never learn enough.  And you cannot learn if what you believe is that you know everything.

The same principle applies.  Creativity happens when we learn about what makes an uncreative Cebu.

It won't work

Who said so?

I heard it from a station manager whose radio program was supposed to promote original songs from local bands.  At that time, I was encouraging local bands to write and play original songs in gigs.  Today if you're a band in Cebu without original songs, you don't matter and you don't exist.  And guess what?  The radio station closed down.  Original music thrived.

My insurance agent discouraged me from investing in stock trading.  It's either she lost an investment in stock trading (which I doubt she even tried it once) or she just wants my money to fatten up her sales portfolio.  Show me your track record first before you tell me what to do.

A businessman who owns and runs a shop of Apple products told me my new idea won't work.  Just recently I presented the same idea to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Tourism (DOT) and they liked it so much they want to get me started quick.

Many times more often I hear skeptics say things I think they don't even know much about. I don't claim to know so much but at least I try to encourage instead.  If there's any new idea brought on the table, I'd ask questions.  Answers lead to more questions that lead better and clearer answers.

The next time you hear someone tell you it won't work, cover your ears, shut him up, and risk it.  I know for a fact that risk takers always learn and they always win.

USJR Tourism Convention on Creative Industry

Mischelle Latras of USJR Tourism had just invited me to speak about the local music scene in Cebu in a convention they are organizing slated on Oct. 16, 2009.

Music in Cebu is an industry that is one of the recently recognized by DTI as one of the promising businesses in the creative sector to nurture.

Nervous and excited, I seek everybody's support and prayers that we can do this. I know and believe that we can build an alternative music industry platform that everybody can economically benefit from. And I hope to share our plans to the public so that they too will be aware that musicians can be responsible citizens and mean business too.

It's still a couple of months ahead but just the same... wish me luck.