OCEAN's backstory and advocacy in the upcoming 4th Industrial Revolution

Open Collaboration With East Asia New Champions (OCEAN) is a convention occurring every two years in the Philippines which gathers leaders from different domains “to connect, discover new ideas, and shape a more creative and innovative future together”.

According to Micaela Beltran, the Executive Director of OCEAN 16, the biennial gathering was initiated back in 2014 when the World Economic Forum held its Southeast Asia conference in the Philippines for the first time. “At that time, we discussed how the Philippines is no longer the 'Sick Man of Asia' and economic progress is finally coming", said Beltran. Further, she mentioned that the main question in the minds of the Filipino leaders of the World Economic Forum is “How can we ensure that Economic Prosperity becomes inclusive?”. 

One of the people behind making these aspirations into reality is Winston Damarillo. He has been the core driver and convener of OCEAN since it was just an idea.

The mission of OCEAN is to become a convener of global leaders and shapers that will serve as catalysts for innovation in the Philippines. This year, OCEAN is taking a step further by leading several initiatives that will live beyond the conference. The summit is geared towards harnessing technological advancements with the talents and resources of entrepreneurs and creative leaders. In a nutshell, OCEAN 16 is preparing the creative genius in the country to pursue ASEAN success in the upcoming 4th industrial revolution.

One of their initiatives is building a more “Digital Bohol”. The organization has been working to build a digital central for entrepreneurs and creative leaders, and to strengthen resilience against disaster through mesh chat networks like FireChat. Consequently, they bring together community organizers, particularly the youth, who can sustain these programs after the summit in November.

The Provincial Government of Bohol and the Bohol Chamber of Commerce and Industry sign a memorandum of agreement with OCEAN 16 on August 15, as part of a joint initiative for the development of smart cities in the Philippines, starting with Tagbilaran City in Bohol as the pilot and model city.

The three-day summit was organized by young and entrepreneurial go-getters; Katrina Bayog, Media & Program Lead; Rexy Josh Dorado, Kaya Collaborative; Angelica Misa, Media Strategy Consultant; Micaela Beltran, Executive Director; and Winston Damarillo, Chief Organizer and Co-Chair.  With the help of OCEAN Co-Chairs; Analisa Balares, Sen. Bam Aquino, Richard Dacalos, and Karen Davila, and WEF communities in the Philippines; KAYA Collaborative, World Economic Forum Young Global Leaders, World Economic Forum Global Shapers, and Amihan Global Strategies.

For more information regarding the upcoming summit, visit www.ocean16.asia, email info@ocean16.asia or call 0947-813-6401. You may also participate in online discussions by following OCEAN 16 on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook @WEFPHOCEAN.

Photo credits to OCEAN