PLDT Innolab, Google developers team up for DevFest Philippines

MANILA, Philippines – Telecom giant Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), through its ICT research and development department Innolab, in collaboration with Google Developer Group (GDG) Philippines, organized this year’s GDG DevFest.

The two-day community-led event held at the PLDT Innolab in Mandaluyong drew local developers, innovators and participants who want learn about Google technologies and other developer products.

Ralph Vincent Regalado, community manager of GDG Philippines said they partnered with PLDT Innolab because its innovation space is up to par with their specific requirements.  

“Our DevFest now focuses on code lab sessions,” Regalado said. “This requires our participants to do actual programming with a need for fast connection because the contents for their output come from the internet.”

DevFest is the first in a series of partnerships with PLDT Innolab.

“Innolab has the speed and the facilities we need and it’s easy to collaborate with them. Our global push for development relations is to have quarterly events. We can expect more collaboration between PLDT Innolab and GDG Philippines,” Regalado added.

Joey Limjap, PLDT VP and head of ICT research and development, highlighted the telcos’s thrust in supporting GDG DevFest in line with the unit’s mission.

“Filipinos are one of the best developers in the world. We are very creative and very resourceful. PLDT has always been supportive of these events helping empower our local innovators in developing the next breakthrough solution. This goes with our commitment to be at the cutting edge of technological development and trends,” Limjap said.

“With your work and passion, I think you can (all) change how we live, work and play,” Limjap said, encouraging the participants to pursue their interests.

International speakers, among them Google Japan lead of Developer Relations team Takuo Suzuki discussed about the developer platform ecosystem. Anuvat Rao, head of Product Partnerships & Strategic Partnerships at Google Singapore, shared her knowledge about the future of search and mobile that serve as guides for developers in their app development.

GDG DevFest Philippines also conducted breakout sessions which allowed participants to take a crack on new technologies in mobile operating systems, app development, and design language, like Android Marshmallow, Firebase, Material Design, and Polymer.

The event covered Code lab tracks facilitated by resource persons who include Deuphil Kauffman (Android Marshmallow), Cristopher David (Google Cardboard), Vicky Sy (Android Basics), Suzuki (Material Design for Android), and Karen Kay Matias (Firebase for Android), Ben Sarmiento (Firebase for Web), Andreas Galster (First Polymer Elements & Polymer: Build Google Maps), Vin Lim (Polymer+Firebase), Reymart Canuel (Firebase for Web & Polymer), Benj Tupas (HTML5 Game Dev) and Grace Sojor (Material Design).

Special tracks were also held by Josan Astrid (How to Use Gemma Kit) and Joyce Guiao (Web Transitions/Animations).

During the session, participants tried to finish three code labs with outputs signed by their instructors.

Madelaine Ann Tagnines, 20, a computer engineering student from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines was among the participants of the event.

She had attended previous events organized by GDG Philippines such as Google I/O 215 and Beginner Android Game Dev Workshop.

“I attend these events because it allows me to discover new things about app development,” Tagnines said after her first code lab session for the day. “Searching in the internet or through social networks is not enough, here you get direct knowledge.”

When asked how the learning sessions add to her skills, Tagnines replied she learned to apply advanced techniques in app such as Material Design.

“I’m also looking at Google Cardboard, I’m interested in virtual reality. I’m intrigued by it and am looking forward to what they will teach,” Tagnines added.