DEVCON, the Philippines’ leading tech and developer community, concluded its biggest CALABARZON regional campus summit, Tech Nexus, held in University of Batangas – Lipa. The event gathered over 700 students from more than 30 schools across Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon.
Celebrating a Year of Growth and Announces Exciting Initiatives
Following successful DEVCON Summits in Mindanao and Visayas, Tech Nexus capped off a year marked by innovation and community building for DEVCON’s Summit series. The event featured various activities like emerging technology talks, panel discussions, and breakout talks designed to inspire and equip the next generation of techies.
DEVCON Founder and President Winston L. Damarillo graced the event with a welcome address, emphasizing the organization’s dedication to nurturing Filipino tech talent. He also revealed two exciting initiatives:
- Climate Innovation Summit: Scheduled for February 27th, 2024 at De La Salle University in Malate, Manila, this event will focus on using technology to address climate change challenges.
- DEVCON+: A global platform designed to connect Filipino developers with international opportunities, providing them with a pathway to a broader professional landscape. DEVCON+ will feature vetted global job opportunities from top companies worldwide, curated resources to enhance skills and stay updated with the latest trends, and opportunities to give back to the community by volunteering and guiding aspiring developers.
“Campus DEVCON program brings technology, ideas, and experts to the campuses,” Damarillo explained. “The benefit for the students is that they have a head start. We can introduce them to technologies to study, careers to pursue, and potential partners early on. Having DEVCON visit campuses can help schools partner with academe and the industry ecosystem to connect and collaborate with students.”
Deep Dive into the Future of Technology
Tech Nexus offered students a unique chance to delve into cutting-edge technology topics shaping the future, including quantum computing, Snowflake Enterprise Data Cloud, FinTech, artificial intelligence education, blockchain smart contracts, tech leadership, cyber security, and many more.
“Our event showcased carefully selected topics presented by industry experts,” said DEVCON Luzon Programs Co-Lead Mark Estopace. “Through our DEVCON Luzon Programs and Campus DEVCON Events, we’re bringing inspiration and the latest tech innovations closer to students, eliminating the need for long journeys to Manila. Next year, we aim to expand our reach to MIMAROPA, North Luzon, and strengthen our South and Central Luzon chapters,” he said.
Igniting a Passion for Tech and Unveiling New Opportunities
Beyond technical sessions, Tech Nexus also ignited a passion for technology among young minds. DEVCON Kids shared their partnership with the international non-profit Code.org to conduct the most significant Hour of Code celebration with multiple chapter events in the Philippines this December. Led by the passionate DEVCON Kids Ambassador, Megan Uyao, she shared with the students the inspiring work they are doing at DEVCON Kids to spark their interest and showcase the potential of coding careers to underprivileged kids. Aspiring volunteers and partners can follow the Hour of Code updates at facebook.com/DEVCONKids.
“When I was nine, I didn’t think of coding that I could do or something accessible. I would think of coding as this scene from Mission Impossible. But that changed when I joined a robotics class,” Uyao said.
“DEVCON Kids program is crucial for young minds to grasp AI well. Everyone thinks AI is a magic solution for everything. Still, it’s important to break it down—the data, the machine learning, the recommendation system, and, more importantly, the ethics of AI. If we let it be without ethical guardrails, AI would fail. This is an important technology that the youth and students should learn about early,” Damarillo emphasized when asked why the DEVCON Kids program matters.
Empowering the Next Generation of Tech Leaders
“The success of the Campus DEVCON CALABARZON Summit wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication of our incredible Campus DEVCON Ambassador 2024 Cohort, University of Batangas – Lipa Center for Business and Innovation, our Luzon Chapter Leaders, and our partners,” said Rachelle Perez, Campus DEVCON Programs and Campus DEVCON CALABARZON Summit 2024 Lead.
“The Campus DEVCON Ambassadors’ contributions, from brainstorming the theme to finalizing the event’s scope, were invaluable. We’re incredibly grateful for their hard work and the success of Cohort 1. Three 2024 ambassadors are now promoted and training for DEVCON Chapter Officer roles! This is a testament to the program’s ability to empower the next generation of tech leaders. We’re excited to welcome Cohort 2 and continue fostering a thriving developer community across the Philippines. Applications for Cohort 2 are now open at devcon.ph/campusambassador,” she said.
A Strong Year for Communities
“It’s been a remarkable year for DEVCON, and we’re proud of our team’s efforts to ensure that tech communities in the countryside aren’t left behind. We have ambitious goals to solidify further the sustainability and growth of our chapter’s impact, and we owe it to our dedicated Chapter and Program Leaders for their instrumental role in DEVCON’s achievements,” shared DEVCON’s Executive Director Dom De Leon.
“With the official launch of DEVCON Pampanga, our 11th Community Chapter, we’re excited to strategically expand DEVCON’s program to more regions. Beyond the existing locations, we’re now training our local chapters to serve as accessible regional hubs to reach more underserved communities and extend our programs where they matter most,” added De Leon.
