#onsiteevent

written by: AGASA, HERSHELLE HANNAH

This regional conference that I attended alongside the rest of my batchmates was entitled “International Research Conference on Information Technology Education - Ideation, Utilization, & Adoption: Strengthening the Research-to-Practice Cycle in IT Education”. Also known as IRCITE, this event was hosted not only be the Philippine Society of Information Technology Educators, but also by Gordon College as well. The event lasted from 8:00 am – 6:00 pm, conducted on March 19, 2026, at Bulacan State University, City of Malolos, Bulacan. The conference had plenary speakers discussing the following topics:

Beyond Revolution: How GenAI is Redefining Knowledge Work and IT Education - by Dr. Slandana Cabrilo [Professor, I-shou University, Taiwan]

Demystifying the AI World - by Dr. Ace Lagman

AWS in GenAI - by John Roger A. Obja-an, Ph.D.

The AI Takeover: Threat or Opportunity - by Engr. Gerald Saldi

Why Most IT Projects Fail and How to Design Them Properly - by Mr. Lorenz Yvan Apostol

The annual event also had a variety of competitions, such as the following:

Microsoft Office Specialist

AI Image & AI Video Content Creation

Technical Writing

T-Shirt Design

Cosplay Competition

IT Marketing Challenge

Short Animation Creation

Singing Competition (Quintuplet)

Action Figure Toy

Call of Duty Mobile (Deathmatch and Battle Royale)

Similarly to last year, all the topics discussed revolved around the use of AI, specifically discussed by different professionals in various fields and professions. While they promoted about using AI to make things easier and task more time-efficient, they added in how we shouldn't think negatively about AI because it will render humans unimportant to do some jobs in favor for AI doing them instead. According to the speakers, besides dreading on the bad ending of humanity, "we should embrace AI as an assistant by our side to assist our needs". I put this in quotations because of the fact that I do not acknowledge this to my ideology, because on paper to me it sounds ridiculous and sounds like any other tech bro trend that will soon fall flat once the masses realize how harmful this is in general because of how it contributes to the spread of misinformation.

Our very first onsite face-to-face hosted seminar was entitled “Gamified Cycles: Insights in Game Animation Loops”, hosted during December 13, 2025 on Room 505 in Gordon College (formerly set in Room 508 before someone else took our room despise our early reservation), Olongapo City. Our resource speaker was Mr. Mark Angelo Quindara, a 2D pixel artist and animator at Mega Cat Studios. Our registration was done on Google Forms, and we in the team advertised our seminar with flyers in Gordon College. Our speaker discussed about game animation loops, with topics about the following and eventually his process on how he creates his animated cycles in his works:

Differentiating Game animation to film animation

Discussing the Types of video game animation

Understanding cycle animations

How to animate cycle animations

Animation that loops in cycles is extensively utilized in media, particularly for actions like walking, running, and idle movements, thus proving versatile for video games. Our speaker, Mr. Quindara, differentiated film animation from game animation as follows: Film animation is passive, fixed, focusing on cinematic storytelling, whereas game animation is interactive and dependent on player actions, with cyclical structures for various movements such as walking and attacking. He emphasized that cycle animations apply not only to characters but also to game objects, environments, and UI elements. The more frames an animation contains, the smoother it appears, contrasting with the 8-bit era's limited 2-3 frame animations that effectively enhanced visual effects.

Animation that loops in cycles is extensively utilized in media, particularly for actions like walking, running, and idle movements, thus proving versatile for video games. Mr. Quindara differentiated film animation from game animation as follows: Film animation is passive, fixed, focusing on cinematic storytelling, whereas game animation is interactive and dependent on player actions, with cyclical structures for various movements such as walking and attacking. He emphasized that cycle animations apply not only to characters but also to game objects, environments, and UI elements. The more frames an animation contains, the smoother it appears, contrasting with the 8-bit era's limited 2-3 frame animations that effectively enhanced visual effects.

Me and the rest of my classmates went onto our first industry exposure trip, which was in Snipple Animation Studios, located near Eastwood City in NCR. Our tour guide that day was none other than Mr. James Arboleda, an employee at the animation studio itself! This trip was conducted during December 11, 2025, which lasted from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM.

Prior to the studio visit, our program coordinator emphasized the importance of signing a Non-Disclosure Agreement to keep the details of Snipple's ongoing animation projects confidential from the public eye and knowledge, otherwise we can get taken to court and pay a huge fine, regardless if it's even just one of us. The class traveled for about 4-5 hours from Olongapo to Quezon City, facing significant traffic. Upon arriving at the studio itself, we received an orientation from Mr. Arboleda, which included presentations on completed projects from Snipple and insights from employees about their experiences. He also explained the animation techniques that their studio used, notably paperless and cutout animation, showcasing the production process from their rough animations based on their clients' storyboards to final compositing. Throughout the entire orientation, their experiences highlighted the complexity and teamwork required in animation production, proving that animating is no easy feat.

Mentioning paperless animation reminded me of what style I want to animate in. Differentiating it with cutout animations gives it the impression of being more fluid compared to it, considering how they're hand-drawn frames. I was doing cutout animation on my previous projects in college, but I really hope that I'll get to do more frame-by-frame animation in my future projects, both with my personal art and professional works.

This onsite event is called “Cloudstaff ROAR Year End Party 2025”, which happened in December 6, 2025, spanning from around the hours of 11:00am to 8:00pm, set in the Philippine Arena at Ciudad de Victoria, Bocaue, Bulacan. It was hosted by none other than Cloudstaff, an international company that provides business with remote employees and outsourcing services. The event also presented musical performances from well-known artists, most notably The Philippine Orchestra, Spongecola, and last but definitely not the least, BINI. One of the notable speakers during the event was Cloudstaff’s CEO, Llyod Ernest!

Honestly speaking, I've never attended a concert in my entire life, so this'll be my first time going to one! While I'm not a usual fan of music by Philippine artists, but taking part of witnessing this year-end party was a once in a lifetime experience. I decided to attend the event since the rest of my groupmates were also attending as well. The trip to the Philippine Arena had us in a pickle because of the traffic. When it came into entering the venue itself, there were specific items that we couldn't bring inside, such as tumblers, bags above the 12 x 12 size requirements, and umbrellas. Unfortunately, my bag was too big, so I had to leave it in our van, and I accidently brought my umbrella because I thought it was going to rain. Thankfully the baggage counter staff were nice enough to offer their services enough that I can leave my umbrella with them. I got them back at the end of the event at least!

Acquiring our seats was challenging. By the time we got inside the venue to find seats, the whole place was filled and crowded. Me and my friends only managed to sit around the middle and upper rows, although the view we got in was fine to say, at least the place was filled with air conditioning! As for the event flow, it was awesome. We get to hear the instrumentals of OPM music from the Philippine Orchestra, as well as hit songs from Spongecola and BINI. Of course, Cloudstaff has their CEO say his speech about the accomplishments of their company as a company that helps business find people with the right skillsets to join their teams. He also hosted the raffles alongside the other event organizers! A few of the prizes were a car and a motorcyle!

The onsite event “𝗣𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗸: 𝗨𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗖𝗖𝗖𝗦 𝗕𝗦𝗘𝗠𝗖 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀” was held on November 3, 2025, at the GC Function Hall at the 3rd floor of Gordon College. This event was hosted by none other than the current 4th years of BSEMC, in completion of their Capstone Project 1, with their first-ever film showing of their animated film projects.

As one of the project leaders responsible in hosting this event, specifically as the leader of Animatoons Productions, it was essentially my job to ensure that the event was engaging to the audience who came to watch our films and visited our booths. Our film was the first one to debut, so I had to reel up the energy of the sleepy crowd during the Monday morning.

Not only did we show off our animated films to the students, faculty, and guests who came, but we also opened our studio booths where we presented our merchandise. We sold a handful amount of merch, which consists mostly of our studio mascot, JJ the Cat, but also art of our characters via photocards and stickers. Our booth also had a drawing board wherein guests can draw for free on the device provided. (Credits goes to me since it was my touchscreen laptop that they used. Thank you, guys!)

We also learned how the animation processes work throughout the rest of the animation teams who happened to be our fellow classmates. From conceptualization in pre-production, producing the animations itself, to organizing the whole thing in post-production, it goes to show that each film shown during the event was made with genuine care, in their own ways at least.

written by: AGASA, HERSHELLE HANNAH

This onsite seminar was entitled “Hack, Play, & Learn Summit 2025”, focusing on different aspect in tech and its different tools that can help us thrive and adapt in today’s fast-paced digital world. The event happened at October 21, 2025 from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM at Harbor Point Activity Center in Subic Bay, Freeport Zone in Olongapo City. The summit also had invited multiple speakers originating from various expertise in computer studies, such as the following and their respective topics:

Dr. Marlon Tayag – Cybersecurity

Arvin Bordios – CI/CD (Continuous Integration/ Continuous Delivery)

Tsuni Gatlavayan – Converge ICT

Mark Thaddeus R. Manuel – Just Make Games

Romeo John Perez – Game Feel & Juice: Making Games Pop!

Fatrizha Alejah Boongaling – UI/UX

Phee-Jae Aeydrian Salas – VIM Introduction

James Calma & Ian Gaylon – Encryption

Marvin Gregorio – Locking Down the Backend: A Guide to API Endpoint Security

Robina Aquino – Code Documentation and Technical Debt

Raniel Johndrie Luz – Automation with Playwright

Simon Gerard Granil – Brains Behind the Bots: Exploring ML and NLP

The seminar began with an in-depth discussion on cybersecurity, focusing on the importance of strong, unique passwords and the practice of regularly changing them as a form of cyber-hygiene. The speaker also highlighted how oversharing online can lead to security risks and mentioned notable cases like the “I LOVE YOU” virus created by a Filipino student. Another discussion was hosted by Converge, the event emphasized that the Philippines is a hotspot for cyberattacks, especially DDoS attacks that overwhelm servers. To combat these, businesses were encouraged to use firewalls, anti-malware software, encryption, and security monitoring tools to protect their systems and customers.

Other topics included game development, where speakers discussed the value of starting small, understanding core game loops, and the importance of “game feel” and “juice” in making gameplay more engaging. They also introduced how game jams work as creative events for aspiring developers (stuff like this is how Peak came to be after all!). The seminar also further explored UI/UX laws like Hick’s, Miller’s, and Jakob’s Laws, along with an introduction to the VIM text editor, its modes, and macros. Lastly, the discussion extended to modern technologies such as encryption, APIs, automation, coding, machine learning (ML), and natural language processing (NLP), giving participants a broad insight into today’s digital landscape.

written by: AGASA, HERSHELLE HANNAH

This regional conference that I attended was entitled “Regional Assembly on Information Technology Education - "IT Beyond Tomorrow: Shaping the Digital Frontier”. This event, shortly known as RAITE, is an annual assembly hosted by none other than the same organizers from Philippine Society of Information Technology Educators, better known as PSITE – Central Luzon. The event lasted from 8:45 AM to 6:00 PM, conducted on October 17, 2025, at Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology, Sumacab Campus, Cabanatuan City, Philippines. The morning session presented multiple IT-related topics, with some of the speakers including the following:

Dr. Rhodora R. Jugo – Opening Speech

Dr. Teddy C. San Andres – Inspirational Message

Mr. Gilbert M. Tumibay – “Smarter or Dumber: What is AI Really Doing to Me”

Dr. Rodolfo C. Raga – “Beyond the Prompt: Transitioning Filipino Students from AI Users to AI Builders”

Engr. Delaney Ofrecio – Digital Footprints

 Meanwhile, the afternoon session presented the some of the competitions and revealed the winners at the end of the event, which included the following below:

I.T.S. Cloud Computing

Lanyard Layout Design

Medal Layout Design

Quiz Bee

Micro Short Film

Mobile Legends Bang Bang

Valorant

Mr. and Ms. Ambassador

Sian Pop Dance Competition

Hackathon Programming

One of the discussions during the conference revolved around the proper implementation of AI, highlighting its potential to accelerate human social progress. The Philippines has a high percentage of people using AI, particularly in education, with 86% of education organizations using Generative AI. Honestly speaking, I'm not shocked, considering the amount of AI content I encounter in Facebook is disappointing, especially since most of them are from FIlipino users. The speaker also mentioned RA 11927 (Digital Workforce Competitiveness), an act aimed at helping Filipinos improve their digital skills for jobs in tech, online services, and other digital fields. Another speaker emphasized the importance of thinking for ourselves and avoiding reliance on AI. He emphasized that AI should make us smarter, not dumber, and should be used as a tool to think better. The speaker also discussed the AI skill paradox, the economic imperative for AI builders, and the core generative AI building blocks.

The next speaker highlighted four AI skill profiles: users (consume AI), leaders (the Strategize), architects (Architects), and trainers/teachers (The Guardians). While AI is not the only factor contributing to wealth, building AI models requires significant work and trial-and-error. The future may be hopeful, where AI doesn't replace jobs or our touch in the world, but rather, we should be cautious about its potential.

The topics addressed the present-day things we deal in the field of computer studies, especially with AI being prevalent in everything we do. While it is something we can’t erase out of existence considering of how fast technology is evolving, the speakers encouraged us to use it correctly. AI isn’t inherently bad per say, it’s just the fact on how we utilize them in our daily activities. For example, you can have AI do your chores so that you can draw or write, rather than have AI do your drawing and writing so that you do your chores. This thought makes me a little forgiving with the matter, only a little.

written by: AGASA, HERSHELLE HANNAH

This seminar was held on October 3, 2025 from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, at Holy Angel University Theater in Angeles City, Pampanga, entitled “CYBER SECURE GENS: Bridging Knowledge, Building Defenders Across All Ages”.  The seminar was a full-day event that gathers willing participants of all ages and professions, from students, educators, and also industry experts to engage and listen as the speakers address cybersecurity challenges and solutions with people of all generations in today’s time. The following speakers include:

Mr. LEOPOLDO JAIME N. VALDEZ - President, Holy Angel University

USEC. RENATO PARAISO - Acting Executive Director, Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC)

Dr. Marlon I. Tayag – Dean, School of Computing

The other resource speakers who discussed during their respective plenaries include:

Mr. Aj Dumanhug

Click Clean: Cyber Hygiene for the Hyperconnected

Mr. Omar Palaming

Human Firewalls: Secure by Design

Mr. Mark Legeza

Data Detox: Controlling What Your Apps Know About You

Mr. Ricson Que

AM Session Panel Discussion

Mr. Rodel Plasabas

Patch or Perish: Staying Ahead with Cyber Upkeeps

Mr. Nap Castillo

Cloud Smart: Locking Down What Your Share

Bgen. Jamel P. Samonte Pa

Gen Ready: Future Proofing Cyber Defenders Across Ages

Dr. Semi Yulianto

PM Session Panel Discussion

The seminar was divided into two parts: AM and PM session, featuring multiple speakers who tackled key topics in a casual but engaging manner. The morning session focused on Understanding Threats & Building Safer Digital Habits, while the afternoon session discussed Tools, Tactics & Cyberproofing for the Future. One of the plenaries highlighted how even simple apps can trade personal information, showing how users’ data can be exploited in real time, as the speaker, Mr, Legeza, pointed out through the demonstrations of live hacking. These include hackers accessing financial apps, listening to calls, and stealing files from victims’ devices. Other discussions emphasized the use of cloud storage, multi-layered authentication, and the reality that cybercrimes can target anyone, no matter their generation (Boomers, Gen X, Gen Z, Gen Alpha, etc.)

Some portions of the event have what they call a “panel” discussion, wherein the lead speaker brings up the speakers from the previous plenaries to engage in a QnA they prepared for one another, allowing them to throw each other their views and opinions revolving the questions based on today’s cybersecurity measures.

I also liked how they inserted intermission numbers and raffle draws so that everyone becomes energized and have something to look forward to during the event. The hype did wake up most of the audience, especially with the ones who won the prizes!