TEDx DLSU: A kaleidoscope of ideas

MANILA, Philippines – Creativity, self determination, innovation, and empowerment were some of the many points speakers raised at the TedX talk hosted by De La Salle University on Friday, January 23, 2015. 

Held at the recently completed Henry Sy Sr Hall, “Youth Kaleidoscope” encouraged and inspired its young audience to be the nation’s “Hero Generation,” as speaker TJ Palanca put it. 

The event was divided into two parts: serious passion and serious learning.

Serious passion 

Philip Kimpo – writer, traveler, volunteer and director of Pambansang Edukasyong Pampanitikan – started the session with his talk on the importance of traveling as a soul satisfying and enriching learning experience, especially if done within the Philippines.

He encouraged the audience to be “voluntourists” – to take their passions and talents and to give back, in particular, to far flung communities in the Philippines.

Raymond Ang, DLSU alumni, writer, editor and producer to various publications and programs, talked about his experience on the importance of being smart, about being creative, and knowing yourself.

 “The tendency now, in the kind of generation we live in, is we’re bombarded with so much information everyday….We kind of subconsciously copy, and subconsciously become fragmented versions of ourselves,” Ang said.

“What I’m saying is we should…work from our experiences because there’s only one us, basically,” he added. 

Another speaker was dancer, mother, and warrior Lema Diaz, best known for her work with dance troupe Philippine All Stars, who were back-to-back winners of World Hip Hop Dance Championship in the US.

Using her life experience and struggles, she told the audience about the importance of having a dream, achieving it, and the importance of giving back after their dream is achieved.

Serious learning

Starting the “Serious Learning” portion of the talk was another DLSU alumni, TJ Palanca. 

The economist and dataphiliac discussed the importance of data and the information it reveals about ourselves – particularly about the nation’s millennials and the power they have to make positive effective change.

DLSU advertising and marketing teache Ireene Leoncio, shared the story about her life and work in New York and Washington DC, and her struggles and triumphs.

Leoncio also talked about the power of social media and the online community, reminding the audience to “post online, practice offline.”

Dr Lloyd Espiritu, technology advocate and psychology teacher at DLSU, wrapped up the day’s speakers with his discussion about cultivating e-learning and “connectivism,” a term he described as the new thinking about how learning works.

“The way we learn today is we collect and connect information,” Dr Espiritu said. “I hope [the audience] can realize that…e-learning is here to stay.” 

 Dr Espiritu noted that students, teachers, schools and the government need to cooperate for it to be successful.

Inspired

Second year student Alex Peña was one of the many attendees who enjoyed the discussions.

“My favorite was actually Miss Irene because she worked in advertising and marketing and that’s actually my course,” Peña said.

He added, “She kinda gave me a different perceptive about it especially since she worked globally and that’s kinda what I wanted to do, so not only inspired me to do it but then she also gave me an insight into the reality of things.”

For Niccolo Defiesa, another second year student, he admired TJ’s talk best “because he talked a lot about the analytical side of data and how it applies to our lives, especially to our surroundings.”

The event concluded with an acoustic performance by one half of the Benjamins. The song, aptly titled, “Susi (Key),” paralleled with some of the talks’ themes of “being the key to your own success.” – Rappler.com