Chief Organizer Winston Damarillo, a WEF Young Global Leader said, “This year in Davos, we talked about the 4th Industrial Revolution – how high technology will promote rapid industrialization and how digital can impact lives for the better. We want to make sure that all emerging countries don’t miss out. We don’t want to miss out.”
“Our goal for OCEAN 16 is to take the whole concept of the 4th Industrial Revolution beyond the think tanks and the people talking theories in Davos. We want to bring it to emerging countries like the Philippines at the grassroots level,” he added.
Started in 2014 by Damarillo with fellow WEF Young Global Leaders, Karen Davila and Senator Bam Aquino, OCEAN aims to encourage local and global leaders to work together and strengthen the ecosystem for innovation, technology and creativity in the Philippines.
OCEAN 14 brought together over 200 changemakers from all over the world to Mövenpick Hotel Mactan Island in Cebu. Panel discussions covered Inclusive Entrepreneurship, Sustainable Social Initiatives, Environment in the Next Decade, the Creative Economy, and Igniting Private & Public Partnerships. Attendees included Tony Meloto, Maria Ressa, Manny Osmeña, Geena Rocero, Jeffrey Tarayao, Cherrie Atilano, Carlo Delantar, Lynn Pinugu and Anna Oposa.
Notable outcomes from OCEAN 14 include the Start-Up Business Bill, a proposed legislation to provide tax exemptions to young companies; the Hope Now Foundation, which activates mobile hospitals in response to natural disasters; and a bamboo school that facilitates active learning for the youth in Bohol.
What’s going to Bohol?
For this year’s OCEAN Summit, the WEF communities, led by Young Global Leaders and Shapers, are bringing discussions from Davos to Bohol. They will confer on the applications of technology in driving inclusive and sustainable growth in the region.
OCEAN 16 will focus on the question, “How can the Philippines – and other emerging countries – harness new technologies to accelerate economic development and social progress?”
The three-day summit will feature keynote addresses from government, business, and civil society leaders; plenary sessions on entrepreneurship, innovation, the Philippines, and the global community; interactive brainstorming sessions centered on how to scale emerging, youth-led social solutions; demos of cutting-edge new technologies including drones, 3D applications; and a maker market of goods from local artisans and entrepreneurs.
The Summit will also introduce and feed into a roadmap for “Digital Bohol” – a plan for holistic digital inclusion in Bohol that aims to set the standard for how local leaders can collaborate to harness technology to empower business, government and civil society.
Bohol was selected to pilot the smart city movement because of its strong public and private partnerships, and its vast work building its ICT infrastructure towards becoming a tech hub. It is also set to become a global destination with the opening of the Panglao International Airport in 2018.
OCEAN 16 signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Provincial Government of Bohol and the Bohol Chamber of Commerce and Industry last August 15, as part of a joint initiative for the development of smart cities in the Philippines, starting with Tagbilaran City in Bohol as the pilot and model city.
“Technology plays an important role in society and we’re very excited to be one of the first LGUs to start utilizing it to develop smart cities, enable disaster preparedness, promote inclusive economic development, boost tourism and ensure the safety of our citizens,” says Bohol Governor Edgar Chatto.
Top Filipino experts from Silicon Valley talk about social impact of tech
Top Filipino executives from Silicon Valley will be coming to share the best practices in world technology at OCEAN 16 – Mark Damarillo, Apple Lead Engineer for iDevices, will be talking about wearable technology and its potential to enhance lives; and Pepe Torres, AirBnB Regional Brand Marketing Manager, will talk about the impact of Sharing Economy in the Philippines.
“Bohol will be a whole new experience. It’s a microcosm of what we want to achieve for the theme of this year’s OCEAN,” says Damarillo. “We want to share the lessons from the World Economic Forum to local leaders and benefit communities in the Philippines.”
“For improving the state of the world, we want to talk to the people whose conditions we can improve using technology. Bohol is a good place to see the social impact of this new digital revolution,” he added.
Summit interactions will tackle the following topics:
- The Future of Talent: Cultivating a new generation of leadership
- The Disruption of Industries: The next decade in digital transformation
- Powering Small Business: MSMEs in the digital economy
- The New Oil: Harnessing the power of data
- Sustainability at the Heart of Business: How to innovate responsibly
- Collaborative Governance: Solving problems beyond private and public
- Innovation for All: Democratizing the Fourth Industrial Revolution
- The Next Economic Power: Navigating the ASEAN collaboration
- Preparing for the Digital Future: Where we are and what’s next
OCEAN 16 is co-organized by the WEF communities in the Philippines; Amihan Global Strategies, a digital transformation consultancy; and Kaya Collaborative, an international nonprofit that connects the global Filipino community to entrepreneurship, impact, and innovation in the Philippines.
For more information, visit www.ocean16.asia, email info@ocean16.asia or call 0947-813-6401. You may also participate in online discussions by following OCEAN 16 on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook @WEFPHOCEAN.
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Carissa Villacorta / Pauline Mangosing
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