More than selfies and trending topics

MANILA, Philippines–The message of the 2014 Social Media Day (#SMDay) was simple yet very meaningful.

In a nutshell, the event spearheaded by TweetUpMNL urges every netizen to start using social media for a good cause.

#SMDay

Held at the Samsung Hall of the SM Aura Premier in Taguig last June 28, the #SMDay 2014 served as stage to various social movement groups and companies in sharing their respective advocacies and endeavors with their target stakeholders.

The event which lasted eight hours (1p.m. to 9p.m.), sans the party that came after, made room for organizations like Change.org, Filipino Freethinkers, United Nations Population Fund, istorya.net, PinoyExchange.com, Google Communities, Philippine Web Designers Organization, Freelancer.ph, Bank of the Philippine Islands, SM, and Globe.

Influential online communities like the IGers Manila, Tumblr Philippines, and Windows Phone Users were also welcomed and cheered on during the event.

Keynote speech

Apprentice Asia Season 1 winner and #SMDay keynote speaker Jonathan Yabut.

The main speaker for the #SMDay program was Apprentice Asia Season 1 winner Jonathan Yabut.

Yabut spent his time on stage highlighting how the #selfie of today has become #selfiesh. According to him, the Filipino people should abandon the thought that our social responsibilities in our country end with a simple post of our opinion online.

For the 29-year-old University of the Philippines graduate, social media can effectively mobilize and move only if someone will act on it.

Yabut ended his speech with a simple request, “Please don’t be #selfiesh.”

Discussions

To provide the attendees a deeper understanding of the social media sphere and its effects on our society, three panel discussions were moderated during the final segment of the #SMDay main program.

The first panel joined by Rianna Trinidad of ThoughtBuzz, Carlo Ople of Digit, Yves Gonzales of MRM Worldwide, Lindt Dale Azcueta of Globe, Carlo de Leon of Movent, and moderated by Raine Musgni of the ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC) focused on “The Philippine Digital Landscape: Current State and Trends.”

While the second discussion themed “Social Media for Social Good” revealed the people behind highly-followed public service accounts like PNP Hotline, MMDA, Philippine Red Cross, Tindog Tacloban, and Black Pencil Project. This session was moderated by Ms. Pia Hontiveros.

The last topic for the night was the “Evolution of Media.” Tina Arceo Dumlao of the Philippine Daily Inquirer moderated the third and final discussion, while Jayvee Fernandez of Manila Bulletin, Noemi Lardizabal-Dado of BlogWatch, and JV Rufino of the Inquirer Group of Companies participated as panelists.

Party

When the main program concluded, the head organizers of the show, Tonyo Cruz and Ros Juan, called on stage every volunteer that helped make the 2014 Social Media Day possible. The #SMDay organizing team ended the night with a #BoomPH shout out and groupfie.

A music show followed after, treating the audience to some of the most iconic pop songs today.