Netizens aim for positive change via social media

CEBU, Philippines - In celebration of the second Social Media Day, the Cebuano community of netizens shared a mutual vision to maximize social media to bring about positive social change while maintaining full responsibility on using the new medium.

Last Sunday, there were around 50 participants who attended the Social Media Day Cebu Meetup 2013 at Diamond Suites Cebu.

The event was organized by the Third Team Media, Google Business Group Cebu, Google Developers Group Cebu, GSA Cebu, and Cebu Bloggers Society along with Potato Web and Diamond Suites and Residences as sponsors.

With the theme #fwdPH moving Cebu and the Philippines forward with social change, the second Social Media Day was aimed to promote the love for the country and gather insights on how social media enthusiasts cam nurture respect for and take pride in the rich and diverse culture of the Philippines.

It was last July 2, 2012 when they celebrated the first Social Media Day in Cebu with the Cebu Bloggers Society. Castro was one of the speakers back then.

The speaker line-up for this year’s Social Media Day Cebu Meetup included SEA project manager Hadi Othman, Iligan Bloggers Society, Inc. founders Lovette Jam Jacosalem and Xyza Yape, iLearners, Inc. founder and president Doyzkie Buenaviaje, Reddit Philippines and Reddit Cebu moderator James Arthur Oliva, Tecktalks.ph founder Tina Amper, and Insoy Niñal of Missing Filemon.

In an interview with Third Team Media founder Fleire Castro, she said that in the fast-paced era of social media, the public has to get involved to bring about social change through the power of the new medium.

She recalled how she created the call to action of One for Iligan in 2011 when Typhoon Sendong hit Iligan City and she has been involved in a massive on-ground fundraising for relief operations.

She further noted that social change via social media is achievable regardless of the societal status, professional field and industry a person is into.

“We want them to see that regardless of whatever you do, there are ways to contribute to social change via social media and all it takes is to move from being an armchair slacktivist to tapping your personal influence to affect lives of others. In the end, social media kasi is just a tool. If you use if for a greater cause, then all the better,” she stated.

Castro added that they plan to continue conducting the Social Media Day Cebu Meetup in the years ahead.

The Social Media Day Cebu Meetup 2013 was also in line with the celebration of other social media communities in Manila, Baguio, Cagayan de Oro, Bukidnon, Davao and other cities. — (FREEMAN)