The first ever ECHO: Engage, Emerge, Empower, an educational learning event that seeks to engage the millennial of the Philippines on relevant topics through a series of talks by key speakers, was held on May 5 (Saturday), at the Santolan Town Plaza.
The first set of speakers was composed of Dandin Espina, Arthur Galapon from The Mind Museum’s Makerspace Pilipinas, and Justine Chua of The Border Collective.
Espina highlighted Social Advocacy and Children’s Rights, which according to him, are topics that should be focused on as they are as important as any other issue in the society today. Meanwhile, Galapon talked about Markerspace Pilipinas which provides opportunities to promote DIY (Do-It-Yourself) culture and eventually DIWO (Do-It-With-Others) culture in the country. Wrapping up the individual talks for the first set of speakers was Chua who shared about her experiences and tips on job and career hunting. She said, “Find someone older than you, better than you and someone who’s involved in the industry you want to be in and ask the worst possible scenarios they’ve encountered.”
After the first three speakers, a panel of speakers sat down to talk and share their insights on one of the most important topics today: mental health. The panel was headlined by Lyqa Maravilla, mental health advocate; Philip Arandia, licensed psychologist; and Hershey Neri, lifestyle blogger and mental health advocate.
When asked about what a person should do if someone with a mental health illness approaches them to open up, Arandia said that the best thing a person can do is to just listen and understand. This was echoed by Neri, who added that one should never invalidate someone else’s pain and struggles. Neri also mentioned that if someone is experiencing a Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or any other mental illness, the first thing that they should do is to allow themselves to mourn over their pain and not suppress their emotions. This, Neri shared, was what her psychologist told her when she herself went through PTDS.
The second part of the program was opened by another panel of speakers composed of Ace Gapuz, blogger; Rei Crizaldo, author; Paula Salvosa, social media influencer; and Louise Delos Reyes, actress and social media influencer. The four talked about another important aspect of today’s society: social media, its importance and influence.
Crizaldo started by saying that one should first learn the proper use of social media to better understand how it works. Meanwhile, according to Salvosa, she believes that one of the best ways to use social media is to make it as a venue to redirect the wounded to healing. She added that by sharing your bad experiences as well as your story of hope on the internet, you can maximize the use of it. Delos Reyes, on the other hand, shared the reminder of “think before you click” in a sense that you should be careful about what you share on social media especially about your personal life as some internet users might misinterpret it.
When asked to give some tips for coping from cyberbullying, Salvosa, who was once bullied by the netizens over the “Amalayer” fiasco, answered that she started by surrendering her life to God. She added that she found her true identity in Him and that it was how she was redirected back to healing.
For the second and last set of speakers, it was composed of Mitzi Borromeo of CNN Philippines, Winnie Wong of Penelope Pop Art; and Dani Nakpil, spoken-word artist and mental health advocate.
Borromeo talked about the dangers of fake news spreading on social media. She presented a number of times when fake news was everywhere around the internet and when journalists were attacked by government officials. Borromeo reminded the audience to always do research before believing what they see on social media. Following this talk, is a presentation by Ong focusing on passion and art. According to Ong, one thing she can advise the millennial is to do a “reality check” before embarking on art especially because it’s something that involves a lot of money and time. With regard to finding one’s passion, Ong said that they should always ask themselves a series of important questions that only they could answer.
As the last speaker, Nakpil talked about self-empowerment. She started by saying, “You are made to rule the man or woman you are made to be.” She reminded the audience to never let anything stop them from getting the things they want for themselves no matter the odds.
The first #EchoMNL was attended by high school students, college students, and a number of working adults. When asked about what they think of the seminar, the audience echoed that it has been very informative and interesting.
