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Advice

I love this tour. I learned a lot. Money cannot pay the learning and experience we’ve had. I encourage those who will take this course in the near future “Go for it!” I thank Professor Randy Gamboa for doing his best for us. And the Maynilad Tours for catering us well in their bests and the faculties who were with us along the travel. It’s a very good experience. To those who are planning to take it next years, don’t miss it!  Pomanibadeseyo!

Recommendations

The whole tour is good. I just don’t like one thing, the hotel. Though it was able to manage us yet there could be better rooms for us to stay next time or for the next students that will take this Fieldtrip. And maybe look for more huge companies and industries to be visited.

Fieldtrip Overview

Fieldtrip and Seminars is a course under the new curriculum of Institute of Computing students in University of Southeastern Philippines. A course where in there is one Major Fieldtrip (outside Mindanao) + one Minor Fieldtrip (Mindanao) and two hours Interpersonal Skills. This travel report states about the Major Fieldtrip we had in Manila. It was on October 4-8, 2010. We spend for five days visiting big IT Industries and Companies in Manila. And had our one National Seminar held at University of the Philippines in a one whole day. We went to Companies and Industries like PLDT Innovation Center, Exist Global, IBM, First Web Academy, Social Security System, Ayala Techno Hub, Telecoms Training Institute, MMDA (Traffic Engineering).

            The body decided to have Maynilad Tours and Educational Services for the facilitation of the fieldtrip. We stayed at Garden Hotel Plaza for the rest of the days. It’s educational, social, and recreation as well. We went to SM Mall of Asia and many other malls. We ate at different restaurants and food chains such as Garden Plaza Hotel Restaurant, Tramway Restaurant, Max’s Restaurant, Meyers Restaurant, Red Ribbon, and Taste Asia in SM Mall of Asia.

            We went to People’s Park in the Sky in Tagaytay and to Enchanted Kingdom [Ride-all-we –can]. We are 150 in population including four Faculties, Professor Randy Gamboa, our professor in this course, Mrs. Tammy Tamara, Miss Maurin Mamilic, and Japphet M. Fortich. We‘re divided into two batches as we depart and arrive. There are three busses each student according to the assigned busses.

Fieldtrips and Seminars

Emillani Fe Gravador

day 5

We went to MMDA (TrafficEngeneering) in Mandaluyong. They showed us how they do their work, their facilities and their programs. How they manage the
Manila Traffic.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (Filipino: Pangasiwaan sa Pagpapaunlad ng Kalakhang Maynila, abbreviated MMDA), is an agency of the Republic of the Philippines created embracing the cities of Manila, Quezon City, Caloocan, Pasay, Mandaluyong, Makati, Pasig, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Las Piñas, Parañaque, Valenzuela, Malabon, Taguig, Navotas and San Juan and the municipality of Pateros. Metropolitan Manila or the National Capital Region is constituted into a special development and administrative region subject to direct supervision of the President of the Philippines. The MMDA office is located at Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) corner Orense Street, Guadalupe Nuevo, Makati, Philippines.

The MMDA performs planning, monitoring and coordinative functions, and in the process exercise regulatory and supervisory authority over the delivery of metro-wide services within Metro Manila without diminution of the autonomy of the local government units concerning purely local matters.

Parting time!

            Around 5:00 we went back to Manila (NAIA Terminal 3) for our flight back to Davao. Bye-bye Manila! L We Departed at 7:00 in the evening, the flight 5J 971. It’s a great tour!  It’s a wonderful experience I can say. Home Sweet Home! J

day 4

We visited Exist Global in Ortigas Center, Pasig. Global Exist is a software development company. What I’ve realized after visiting exist is my existence as an IT, that since I am an IT I should know my focus or my priority and preferred language to master. Exist global are more on Java language. Our speaker was an Economics graduate but she is a Software engineer. It’s a matter of hard work and interest. What interest you most? Focus on it. Practice. Practice. Practice. And you’ll see your success. According to Engr. Jen, the speaker, “Don’t be afraid to ask for big payments when you know you are really good.” Be courageous. Show yourself. Stay humble and simple, and determined and eager. Those are the insights I have learned. Affliate.

“Founded in 2001, Exist is a software engineering innovation leader that enables businesses with world-class software development infrastructure, talent, and delivery platform. We specialize in developing enterprise software, interactive web applications, and technology software solutions for US, Asia Pacific, and Australia headquartered organizations. Historically, we have designed, developed, and delivered new products and applications and enhanced existing solutions, using practice teams with areas of expertise including Open Source, Internet and Web 2.0 technologies, Java, and Ruby on Rails. Our customer-focused approach to strategic software development has earned Exist numerous awards, including ZDNet Asia's Top 10 Techno Visionaries Award, Red Herring's 100 Most Promising Companies in Asia, and eServices' Most Progressive Homegrown Company” -according to Exist.

“Tagaytay here I come!” After the company we went to Tagaytay and enchanted Kingdom.

day 3

We visited PLDT Innovation and Training Center. We learned the history of PLDT. Founded on November 28, 1928, Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) is the leading telecommunications provider in the Philippines. Through its three principal business groups - fixed line, wireless, and information and communication technology - PLDT offers the largest and most diversified range of telecommunications services across the Philippines’ most extensive fiber optic backbone and fixed line, cellular and satellite networks.

PLDT is listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE: TEL) and its American Depositary Shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE:PHI). PLDT has one of the largest market capitalizations among Philippine-listed companies.

            Then in the afternoon we went to Telecoms Training Institute, Valenzuela. They showed us their radio facilities and the significance of it in the Telecommunications.

The Telecommunications Office

The BUTEL started its operations with 169 telegraph offices, 39 radio stations, and 3,377 kilometers of landlines. This was a result of the extensive reconstruction efforts on the facilities destroyed during the war. Supplementing the telegraph service, the BUTEL also established in 1947 the Government Telephone System (GTS) as temporary relief to acute shortages of telephone facilities in government offices. At the start, the system had only 40 connections operated with the use of a common battery switchboard which serviced the different offices located within the Bureau of Post building in Manila. In response to popular demand, the GTS later on expanded its coverage to serve other agencies, both government and private, including individual subscribers. In addition to its nationwide telegraph service, the Bureau also operated an inter-provincial telephone network (IPTS) which served 84 cities and municipalities in different parts of the country. On August 9, 1968, the BUTEL inaugurated its Manila-Baguio telex line, the first commercial telex line to operate in the country. On May 30, 1969, the Manila-Cebu microwave-tropospheric scatter link was inaugurated, the first tropospheric scatter network to be commercially operated in the Philippines.

day 2

When you know oblation you know where we are.

            The second day was in University of the Philipiines Diliman. It was a national seminar a half of the day. USeP-IC Field Trip and Seminars 2010 topics: Writing a Winning Thesis, speaker Rose Ann Sale, Visualizing Wikipedia Article Evolution with Stream graphs by John Boaz Lee, Personal Learning Environments, Michelle Moscatel Lee, Animation by Erick Pangilinan, Carlos Bott in Mobile Device Game Development, and Ferdie Pangilinan for Empowring the Nation Thru Educational Technologies.

  Y4it dance J

I learned how to write a Thesis, by first, thinking about it. I should list a lot of topics and think of it many times, many months before the Thesis subject. Next is the proposal stage, the scariest and the most pressure stage, where you are to propose your chosen topic for you Thesis. Next level is “Burn your eyebrow”. This is the stage where you spend the whole night without sleep for your Thesis making. And the last of all stages the “Nerve Wracking Stage”, the stage where you plead if possible to merely die. Why die? Because this is the verdict stage where your Thesis is approved or failed. But of course, thinking no negative, we can make it! Sometimes Thesis could be partnership or group. You better find the best partner in the world. And the last advice is to come to your adviser for guidance in making your thesis, for the success of it.

            The next thing I learned is that of John Boaz Lee. He was so smart. He tackled about visualization. How significant is visualization. “Visualization is cool”, says Mr. Lee. It’s not availability that makes it, its understanding. We see thousands and thousands of data around us. Sometimes we don’t know what to do with them. Yet it’s a matter of choice. Of what information is really important to what is not, understanding data –in a relative way.

            According to him, “Wikipedia articles are like biological systems, they evolve”. Sometimes it’s like magic. That you turn hankies into rabbits. When you deal with data, identify which information is important and which is not. In visualization, use few dimensions possible. Use colors. He showed us examples of visualizations and its significance. It makes big difference with visualization. It is easy to understand with visualization even the every detail. Imagine yourself a blind. You cannot perceive what you want to see. Without visualization it’s hard to see and comprehend.

            Another is the cloud based learning environment. University of Southeastern Philippines scholars created hardwire learning environment. You can check it at hardwire.appspot.com. It is a PLE according to Miss Lee. Where in you can create, innovate and communicate your own learning environment. The fact that we are peculiar person, we have unique styles in learning different styles that suit our capabilities, abilities and our personality. It’s good when it’s personal right? The reason they came up to an idea of a PLE. It was a portfolio of UP computer students. It’s a network.

            I was inspired by the message of the speakers and as an IT beginner I was encouraged to do even more and pursue even greater. I was able to view myself being an IT. I now understand.

            “Create very good projects! Be ambitious!” said another speaker.”Work with a team. Enhance your software skills. Have a good preparation, also your IT skills. Practice doing day in and day out! Market Yourself. Be certified! Attend trainings.” These are the quotes that ring into my ears.

            Mr. Carlos Bott, an expert in Mobile Device Game Development. He thought us about the game world, which many can relate.  He said, “Be the change that you want to be as an individual.” Be time wise. Make use of it. Be on time. Learn. Know software tools. Download. Do. Unite. Start small. Learn how they do it then copy It.” my favorite line.

            Educational Technology was discussed by Ferdie Pangilinan. Plagiarism is no good. It must be a copyright to be fair with the owner. Internet addiction is when you are exposed to internet for long hours in a day. It must be only 30 hours in a week. He said that there are two types of information person, an information rich and information poor. We all have the right to be educated technologically in relation to the society, economics and politics -empowerment, pressing to current Issues. These were the keywords I learned during the seminar session.

            I’m fueled with inspiration and encouraging points to ponder. I will never forget those things I’ve learned.

           

           
 

            After UP we went to Aplaya Tehcno Hub. I Learned about IBM. They are amazing. We have seen their data system. They’ve told us about their innovations. They’ve showed us their offices. International Business Machines (IBM) is an American multinational computer, technology and IT consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM is the world's fourth largest technology company and the second most valuable global brand (after Coca-Cola). IBM is one of the few information technology companies with a continuous history dating back to the 19th century. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software (with a focus on the latter), and offers infrastructure services, hosting services, and consulting services in areas ranging from mainframe computers to nanotechnology.

            We went to Sea Change Company. They tell us what their company is all about. And they’ve showed us their productions. SeaChange International, Inc. is the global leader in multi-screen video and one of the largest software companies worldwide. The Company provides innovative, Emmy award-winning solutions and services for back office, advertising, content, in-home devices and broadcast to hundreds of media companies globally, including blue chips such as Comcast, Virgin Media, AT&T, Hutchison Whampoa, Vodacom and DICH Network. Headquartered in Acton, Massachusetts, SeaChange has product development, support and sales offices around the world including Philippines.

            Then we went back to UP to tour their offices: Algorithm and Computing Hard Problems, Security, Network, Web Science, Scientific computing.