Social marketing program makes students agents of positive change

MANILA, Philippines - Over a hundred students proved ready to take on the challenge to be agents of positive change as Ideas Positive: The Unilab Youth Camp for Change culminated with an ideas workshop and social marketing competition. College student-groups from NCR, CALABARZON and CAMANAVA participated in the three-day event of talks and learning activities that helped harness their social marketing ideas.

Team BIGGKAS from the University of the Asia and the Pacific was awarded the grand prize for their proposal “Buklod Bukid: Sowing Nutrition, Reaping Hope,” which aims to address malnutrition among children of Barangay San Joaquin, Pasig City through a hydroponics gardening project.

The runners-up were Team UB and G from the University of the Philippines and CLPH from the University of Santo Tomas, which proposed efforts to develop alternative charcoal resources through paper and a dengue awareness drive, respectively.

 “We have created Ideas Positive because we think that our aspirations as a health and wellness company to create meaningful changes are better served if we look outside the confines of our organization for those big ideas,” said Unilab president and CEO Clinton Campos Hess. “And where better to search for sources of innovation than in the creative minds of the youth? Judging by the energy and excitement from the participants, I believe we are headed in the right direction.”

Information and inspiration were first on the agenda, as Alberto Manlapit, Unilab director for corporate affairs, kicked off the youth camp with a call to action for the students to be ideas-positive. Following this was a talk about the state of health in the Philippines led by Department of Health representative Dr. Ma. Rosario Clarissa Vergeire. Inspire Leadership Consultancy’s Francis Kong motivated the students on how simple ideas make a big difference. Mark Ruiz of MicroVentures explained why social entrepreneurship is a career worth pursuing by presenting various business cases such as Hapinoy.

A panel discussion facilitated students’ queries on how organizational partnerships can mobilize and sustain social marketing projects. Key speakers were Dr. Lindon Leesuy of DOH-Public Health, Mari Oquinena of Gawad Kalinga and Dr. Elmer Soriano of Philippine Business for Social Progress. And to cap off Day 1 of the workshop, Bam Aquino gave a motivational talk on why the youth are catalysts of positive change.

Day 2 of the idea generation camp touched on making ideas contagious led by Ogilvy & Mather’s managing director Peachy Pacquing. This led to the nationalism behind taking the opportunity to make a difference, masterfully delivered by Team Pinoy’s Alex Lacson.

Team BIGGKAS received a seed money of P100,000 to implement their community health project, an Ideas Positive trophy for their school, and a three-day, two-night group vacation package to Boracay. The runners-up received seed money of P50,000 each for their chosen communities, an Ideas Positive Winners’ trophy for their school, and an iPod shuffle for each member of the team.