Nexus Baicon Cebu highlights importance of hyper-localization of eSports tourism in PH

CEBU CITY – The recently concluded Nexus Baicon Cebu highlighted the importance of hyper-localization in campaigns and shared insights on the impact of eSports tourism, gaming and digital content creation as a thriving creative industry in the Philippines.

Nexus Baicon 2024 was presented by Tier One Entertainment and organized by Republiq Group of Companies, gathered the top eSports gamers and digital content creators in the country for the first-ever Nexus Fan Fair outside of Metro Manila and was held on April 12-13at Sky Hall, SM-Seaside.

“Our goal has always been to bridge the gap between fans and their idols. Through the Nexus Baicon Fan Fair, we're giving our fans a platform to converge and celebrate their love for gaming with content creators and esports icons. We're fostering a community where gaming passion leads to impactful engagements and lasting memories," Tryke Gutierrez, CEO of Tier One Entertainment said.

According to Tier One VP, Brian Dacanay, the gaming and content creation industry in the country is thriving with a large gamer population and potential for content creators to earn from advertising, skins, streaming and branded content.

eSports and content creation in the Philippines are not limited to Manila, with creators in Cebu and other regions as well, the country is number one in Southeast Asia for gaming and eSports consumption, with less language barrier and high adoption, Dacanay pointed out.

“eSports and gaming events bring in tourism and boost local economy, young gamers have a shorter lifespan to become eSports athletes. Tier One Entertainment currently is Asia's leading eSports and gaming, new media company and we look after content creators on a talent management side,” Dacanay bared.

Bryan Yap, CEO of Republiq Group of Companies on the other hand revealed that RGC is the largest digital agency now in the country.  “We do a lot of different things by social media, we do softwares, we manage content creators as well as do market events.”

Yap said that RGC is really an end-to-end agency and it is focusing right now on the hyper- localization of campaigns and anything coming from them speaks about selling a dialogue at least a little bit because there’s not just a language barrier but basically a cultural barrier in terms of understanding the eSports, gaming and the digital creative industry.

“Having this partnership with Tier One Entertainment is really a perfect marriage because we combine both cultures in other countries’ eSports and being in business, including the potential for the Philippines to make it bigger than what it is now,” Yap added.

Both Dacanay and Yap agreed that the country’s eSports and gaming ecosystem is currently very healthy compared to other markets with mobile legends paving the way for everyone and gamers too to earn money, for example, investing in the gaming franchise, one is able to earn from the business models or from skins and so on in game currency.

Dacanay noted that there are about 47 million gamers in the Philippines. It means there is a lot of opportunity when it comes to digital content creation.  It is a big business, there’s YouTube, TikTok, live streaming on Facebook and more.

“Obviously within those content, there's a lot of advertising and then that could be individual advertising or group or among the gamers, it'd be branded content. They also earn from the platforms and social media advertising, that’s how streamers, gamers and local content creators earn from there,” Dacanay said.

Dacanay said that the Philippines is not really that far in digital and content creation. Filipinos love the great content and are a huge consumer, it is their nature and culture.  The Philippines used to be the text capital of the world, it’s also second in Facebook users.

“The Philippines, I believe, is number one right now in eSports and gaming in South East Asia and that’s also because of adoption and a lot less language barrier. We are also importing content from the West, a lot of consumption here.  So, in terms of gaming and eSports consumption, which country in South East Asia that’s very strong in content creation or eSports?” Dacanay asked.

According to Yap, that is the reason both Tier One and RGC started bringing eSports, gaming and digital content creation to the regions, pioneering in Cebu being a trading and talent hub for the eSports/creative industry. Imagine the huge tourism impact of bringing eSports events to the different regions in the country.

“This is really one of the purposes to hold the Nexus Baicon in Cebu, it is actually just step one to be able to do more events like this and bring in international events of gamers and eSports athletes to the country in the future, with the support from stakeholders, the media and the community as well,” Yap added.

According to Yap and Dacanay, that’s really their biggest dream and they’re actually working on it. The Cebu leg of the much-anticipated community-focused gaming event was just the beginning. The organizers are already setting their sights on expanding to Bacolod and Davao for broader reach and impact as it celebrates gaming, community, and shared passions. (Photos: MBCNewman)

 

Aventus Medical Care continues to adopt latest tech for best healthcare services

 CEBU CITY -- Aventus Medical Care, Inc. adopts the latest technology as it continues to focus on its mission of providing the best healthcare service to every Filipino for the past 15 years.

“Aventus has affiliated with specialized physicians trained in highly respectable institutions and integrates state-of-the-art diagnostic machines from highly regarded manufacturers in the medical field.  Aside from focusing on medical treatment, Aventus promotes medical awareness through health education and early detection of certain diseases,” Dr. Matthew Cuan, Associate Director for Multi-specialty Clinics said.  

Cuan added that Aventus is set to be at par with several leading healthcare providers in this country in terms of healthcare excellence as it has been at the forefront when it comes to consolidating the latest healthcare technology.

He said that by partnering with Qure.ai and Astra Zeneca in the screening for early risk detection of lung nodules, the company strengthens the thrust that it has been known for the past 15 years.

The partnership further expanded the company’s aim to improve services by incorporating the latest technology to provide better patient outcomes via quick and reliable diagnostic results.

“The incorporation of the three components mentioned will be a big leap for Aventus towards its commitment to healthcare excellence, as it has always been at the forefront when it comes to acquiring the latest healthcare technology,” Cuan explained.

The use of AI in the fight against lung cancer via early detection of lung nodes in several countries has shown the vast leap in technology and the impact it has on the outcome of patients who benefitted from it, Cuan pointed out.

Aventus embraced this remarkable opportunity to be part of a milestone in which patients under the company’s care will also benefit from the desired outcome. In partnering with Qure.ai and Astra Zeneca, the company enhances its capability in the early detection of lung nodules. Lung nodules are small growths that may either be benign or could be early-stage cancer.

The Global Cancer Observatory reported that in 2020, there were over 17,000 deaths related to lung cancer in the Philippines. This accounts for 18.4 percent of total cancer-related deaths in the country. (Photos: Aventus Medical Care, Inc.)

 

 

NNC7-OPT+ shows decline in all forms of malnutrition in 2023 though stunting remains a problem in C.Visayas

 CEBU CITY – The National Nutrition Council (NNC-7) through its annual Operation Timbang Plus (OPT Plus) recorded a decline in the prevalence of malnutrition in all its forms--stunted, wasted, underweight, and overweight in 2023 but stunting, low height-for-age, remains the top malnutrition problem in Central Visayas.

The 2023 OPT+ in Central Visayas results showed that a decrease in malnutrition prevalence for stunting, from 8.5 percent in 2022 to 7.2 percent in 2023; for wasting, from 2.2 percent to 1.4 percent; for underweight, from 3.6 percent to 3.2 percent and for overweight, from 2.8 percent to 2.1 percent.

The rate of decline in prevalence for all forms of malnutrition started when the pandemic began in 2020. It considered the decrease in OPT coverage from 82.4 percent to 78.8 percent as a possible factor for the drop of the prevalence rates, NNC-7 noted.

OPT+ is the annual child growth assessment for all 0- to 59-month-old children in the barangays conducted by trained teams.  The OPT Plus generates data on the nutritional status of children in a barangay, locates under- or over-nourished children, and guides local government units in nutrition program management.

Mission bared that the 2023 OPT+ reported that stunting still remains the top malnutrition problem in Central Visayas in 2023 with Negros Oriental having a prevalence rate of 4.7 percent or 5,538 children. Cebu has 3.5 percent or 9,725 stunted children while Bohol has 2.28 percent or 2,165 stunted children and Siquijor has 3.11 percent or 179 stunted children.

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines stunting as low height-for-age. WHO stated that stunting happens as a result of chronic or recurrent undernutrition, usually associated with poverty, poor maternal health and nutrition, frequent illness and/or inappropriate feeding and care in early life.  WHO warns that stunting prevents children from reaching their physical and cognitive potentials.

“We urge local government units to implement interventions and invest in solutions focused on the First 1000 Days of a child’s life from pre-pregnancy to two years of age as an effective strategy against stunting in children,” Dr. Parolita Mission, NNC Region VII Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator said.

Mission added that the First 1000 Days of Life is one of the strategic thrusts of the 2023–2028 Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN).   Some interventions that local government units can implement for First 1000 Days include supplementary feeding and micronutrient supplementation of pregnant women; promotion and supporting breastfeeding; and regular growth monitoring of weight and height.(Photos: NNC7/FB/Google Images)

 

 

DTI-7 reintroduces DREAM program, maps local creatives in C.Visayas

CEBU CITY -- The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Region VII relaunched its Digital Services Entrepreneurs Advancement Mentoring (DREAM) program to map out and empower local creatives and entrepreneurs in the digital landscape in Central Visayas to enable the sector to address issues it faces. 

“By mapping the landscape of creativity, identifying skills and talents, and understanding the aspirations and needs of our stakeholders, we lay the groundwork for targeted programs and policies that foster growth and innovation,” DTI-7 Regional Director Maria Elena Arbon at the launching event on April 4 via zoom.

The DREAM Program was originally introduced in 2021 that emerged as an online training course tailored specifically for digital services entrepreneurs and freelancers in response to the unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Arbon, the goal of the DREAM program is to equip businesses of all sizes with the resilience and adaptability needed to thrive in challenging times. In collaboration with the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), the program’s core was to produce confident local entrepreneurs with the right mindset and basic management skills to survive amid challenges of the times.

In 2022, DTI-7 launched the Creative Konnect, a subsector program focused on identifying and mapping the creative sector in Central Visayas that aims to understand and harness the potentials of the different creative subsectors in using creativity as a tool for socioeconomic development.

Emergence of creative fields across Central Visayas

With the success of Phase1, which was the comprehensive collection of quantitative data from the island provinces of Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor, and Negros Oriental in December 2021, Phase2 was launched in April 2022 and began its sessions on July 28, 2022.

Phase2 unfolded through a series of enriching stakeholders' conversations uniting key stakeholders from ten prominent creative fields across Region 7, namely: New Media: Digitized Content and Software, New Media: Animation and Game Development, Performing Arts, Visual Arts, Creative Services: Placemaking, Creative Services: Imagemaking, Functional Design, Audio Visuals, Cultural Expressions, and Printing and Publishing.

Some of the main issues cited across the creative subsectors included concerns about creation, distribution, production, and consumption, highlighting the minimal support for emerging creatives; lack of industry mentors and champions; and skills transfer and capacity building.

In September 2023, DTI-7 unveiled FiestaKucha Cebu, a festive regional initiative in celebration of the Philippine Creative Industries Month (PCIM) which provided local creatives a platform and exposure to their creative outputs through a month-long series of events.  This celebration concluded with a conference, gathering creative industry stakeholders, players, and ecosystem to elevate their awareness about the sector.

The comeback of DREAM program

For the comeback of the DREAM program this year, DTI-7 collaborated with local creatives--The Company CEBU and Dual Story.

“The DREAM program was created to empower creatives to transform their passion into profitable ventures. By fostering a network of mentors, peers, and industry leaders, DREAM equips participants with the essential business skills they need to thrive. After all the sessions, we hope to continue working with this collaborative collective of graduates who will support and empower future creative entrepreneurs,” The Company General Manager, Joy Garingo said.

The Company Cebu is an international co-working space for creators, community leaders, and startups while Dual Story is a Cebu branding agency for local and global brands focused on insight, innovation, and impact.

“Because we’re playing in emerging creative industries, we must increase the survival rate of creative businesses beyond the one-year mark when real challenges start to crop up. Ultimately, it is the creatives who have to champion themselves and each other. May this program give them the confidence to take the leap or continue," Dual Story Founder Johanna Michelle Lim added.

This year's batch welcomed 22 mentees; 12 from Cebu, five from Bohol, four from Negros Oriental and one from Siquijor, all representing the creative services sector.  The DREAM Program will run for 12 weeks and will feature mentorship modules such as Contract Management, Time and Project Management, Legalizing Your Business, and others.

“The DREAM Program aligns with the Philippine Creative Industries Development Act (PCIDA), advocating for the promotion of Philippine creative industries while safeguarding the rights and capacities of its diverse stakeholders,” Arbon concluded. (Photos: DTI7/Kyle & Google Images)

NGCP inaugurates Cebu-Negros-Panay 230kV Backbone

CEBU CITY – The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) held a simultaneous ceremonial energization and inauguration of its newly completed Cebu-Negros-Panay (CNP) 230-kiloVolt (kV) Backbone on April 8 at NGCP’s Bacolod Substation in Negros Occidental, led by His Excellency President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., and at NGCP’s Barotac Viejo Substation in Iloilo and Magdugo Substation in Cebu with other key national and local government officials in attendance.

NGCP, in a press statement said, this milestone represents a significant step towards ensuring a stable transmission grid in the Philippines as the company worked consistently to meet its commitment to provide a reliable electricity infrastructure for the nation. 

“The Cebu-Negros-Panay (CNP) backbone is a testament to our dedication to enhancing the power transmission capabilities of our country and we are honored to lead and witness its completion,” the statement reads.

NGCP bared that as early as 2013, the project was filed for approval with the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) in four stages. The CNP Stage 3 was filed in 2016 with a project cost of P43.41 billion.  However, ERC granted a provisional approval for only one year’s worth of capital expenditure amounting to P176.75 million in 2017 and has yet to issue a final approval.

NGCP added that the total cost of the entire CNP backbone project as filed with the ERC is now at P67.98 billion with Line 2 of the Negros-Panay Interconnection Project still pending approval by ERC. 

The Cebu-Negros-Panay Backbone which also include the Negros-Panay Interconnection Project Line 2, is comprised of three stages, the last of which was completed on March 27, 2024.

The CNP complements the existing Amlan-Samboan submarine cable which is currently utilized to connect Cebu and Negros islands. The first stage of the CNP Project added a new 230kV transmission line from Bacolod to E.B Magalona, while the 2nd stage upgraded the Cebu Substation into 230kV level.

According to NGCP, the CNP is comprised of 670 transmission towers spanning 442 circuit kilometers of overhead lines; 98.9 circuit kilometers of submarine cables with 10 new substations and the expansion of two existing major substations.

“While the CNP will help improve the delivery of power, this is not the sole or primary solution to the woes of power consumers, particularly in Panay. Sufficient power generation supported by reliable transmission is the formula for optimized energy development. This will support the country’s push towards economic recovery,” NGCP said. (Photos/PR: NGCP/Michael Ligalig)

Instructure report reveals PH TechVoc schools renews focus on employability

MANILA— A Hanover Research commissioned by the Instructure Holdings, Inc. (Instructure) (NYSE: INST) on the “State of Vocational Education in the Philippines” showed that Philippine vocational institutions renew focus on employability by embracing education technology (edtech) solutions and are cautious yet increasingly engaged approach to generative Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Instructure, the leading learning technology ecosystem and maker of Canvas Learning Management System (LMS) commissioned Hanover Research to carry out the survey in September 2023 encompassing 115 techvoc institutions, highlighting the evolving focus of vocational education institutions in the country on enhancing student employability.

The survey results indicated a significant shift towards integrating edtech solutions such as an LMS to broaden students' career opportunities post-graduation.

According to the report, 89 percent of vocational education institutions place great importance on the employment rates of recent graduates, and 81 percent value their students' practical application of knowledge and skills.

When assessing their programs, 100 percent believe they effectively prepare students for the workplace. However, more than half of the institutions, 53 percent admit that they struggle with recent graduate employment rates.

 

In response to the increasingly competitive job market, vocational education institutions are turning to technology as a key tool to positively influence instructors, administrators, and students.   A significant 97 percent of these institutions believe that the use of technology has played a crucial role in enhancing student success.

 Among the technologies adopted, LMSs emerged as the most commonly used technology, with 77 percent of institutions utilizing them. Digital assessment solutions, 62 percent and video/audio conferencing, 59 percent were also widely adopted.

Further emphasizing the value of technology in education, 88 percent of institutions report that their students place great importance on integrating technological tools like LMS, recognizing their role in enriching the learning experience.

“The widespread adoption of LMS and other digital learning tools speaks to a deeper understanding that integrating technology is crucial for preparing vocational students for the complexities of the modern workforce,” Harrison Kelly, managing director at Instructure Asia Pacific revealed.

Addressing competition and challenges, the AI dilemma

Another key factor driving technology adoption in vocational education institutions is the heightened competition from universities. According to the report, 65 percent of institutions said they are seeing a high increase in competition from universities offering nontraditional courses for students, such as short courses or micro-credentials.

The current inflationary environment has also had a mixed impact on these institutions. While 88 percent of institutions have experienced increased enrollments, cost pressures related to home life at 81 percent, household income, 74 percent, and access to technology, 74 percent remain concerns.

Moreover, the institutions expressed the need for assistance complying with standards, 45 percent and increased funding at 37 percent. These findings emphasize the sector's need for additional support to equip students with the required workplace readiness.

With the rising integration of technology in education, the emergence of generative AI tools like ChatGPT has presented a complex mix of challenges and opportunities for vocational institutions in the Philippines, reshaping their approach to teaching and learning.

While 32 percent of vocational institutions have incorporated AI tools into their operations, 38 percent have opted to ban them entirely. Additionally, 23 percent are familiar with these tools but choose not to use them, and a small fraction at six percent lack knowledge about them.

 

According to the report, administrative staff, 34 percent of them are more likely to utilize AI tools compared to trainers at 30 percent, and they are slightly less inclined to support bans on these tools at 38 percent admins versus 39 percent trainers.

Admins mainly use AI tools for research and writing, 59 percent, lesson plan creation, 49 percent and administrative tasks like email drafting, 46 percent.  Meanwhile, students utilize AI for research and writing, 76 percent, language translation, 46 percent and test preparation, 45 percent.

The report also highlights that vocational institutions are less concerned with plagiarism at 31 percent and more concerned with issues such as the loss of creativity and critical thinking, 52 percent and data privacy at 49 percent.

Despite some apprehensions and outright bans, most institutions, 91 percent have established guidelines for using generative AI, with 56 percent implementing light guidelines and 35 percent enforcing stricter ones.

To keep pace with the prevalence of AI tools, 75 percent of vocational education institutions in the Philippines actively offer AI training, showcasing their commitment to embracing and adapting to AI's technological disruptions.

“It's vital that institutions continue to provide strong support to students as they complete their courses and advance in their lifelong learning journey. This involves not only equipping them with the latest technological tools and skills but also overcoming inherent challenges in this rapidly changing educational landscape,” Kelly noted.

Instructure (NYSE: INST) is an education technology company dedicated to elevating student success, amplifying the power of teaching, and inspiring everyone to learn together. Today the Instructure Learning Platform, consisting of its flagship product Canvas LMS and several products serving K-12, higher education and professional education, supports tens of millions of educators and learners around the world. Learn more at www.instructure.com/en-au. (Photos/PR: Instructure/Deniz Zulueta)