Published Work
Filipinos dared to ask: Why not?
November 7, 2007 by Niña Terol-Zialcita · Leave a Comment
It was an ordinary Thursday night, and yet Warehouse 135, the hip warehouse-turned-club on Yakal Street in Makati, was filled to capacity. Only it wasn’t filled with clubgoers and party scenesters—it was filled with young professionals, creative minds, thinkers, and dreamers who all dared to ask a question that would set the tone for the entire evening’s talks: Why not?
The WhyNot? Forum, according to founders Mark Ruiz and Bam Aquino, is a “smorgasboard of great, brave ideas—an open-source innovation soup that will hopefully inspire other Filipinos all over to connect adjunct thoughts, take impactful action, and weave together new breakthrough ideas.” Inspired by the TEDTalks of the United States ( www.ted.com), it is based on the simple idea of gathering some of the best minds in the country to share their respective ideas for 15 minutes each. By asking The Question and challenging outmoded assumptions, it is hoped that WhyNot? Forum will spark a thought revolution that will encourage people to “think new thoughts, share big dreams, do brave things.”
Seven Great Minds, One Big Question
Social Butterfly
October 20, 2007 by Niña Terol-Zialcita · Leave a Comment
“You have xxx friends in your social network.”
These days, the number in this statement is (potentially) as important as your credit card limit, your account balance, or your official designation. In a day and age when “virtual” friends are as important as the “live” ones you have coffee with once a week, creating the appropriate online persona and cultivating a fruitful online social network become imperative. Gone are the days when colleagues and clients have no clue about our lives outside work and about how we spend our weekends. These days, everyone knows what everyone else does, eats, wears, loves and hates.
This often puts me in interesting predicaments: My online buddies sometimes know more about my everyday life than my best friends (my “soul sisters,” who unfortunately have yet to be bitten by the social networking bug). My beloved — the subject of most of my rosy ramblings — meets acquaintances who are “fans” of my blog and who know details of our love life. Long-lost friends and high school classmates have become close connections not because of our after-work conversations but because of the virtual hugs, drinks, fortune cookies and notes we exchange online.
Taho vendor’s son fulfills dream with Ateneo’s help
October 16, 2005 by Niña Terol-Zialcita · Leave a Comment
“When I was much younger, I’d always take things apart to see how they worked, but I couldn’t put them back,” reminisced Archie Dolit, who was president of the Math and Science club at Marikina High School and graduated valedictorian three years ago.
“That’s why I chose to study ECE [Electronics and Communications Engineering]. Astig siya [It's really cool].”
Although he worked hard to maintain his grades and to participate actively in school activities, even forgoing lunch to work on projects, Archie never imagined that he would be where he is now.
Through the help of Pathways to Higher Education program, Archie is now a full scholar at Ateneo de Manila University.
